Firebox LCD Driver for LCDProc

mmiller · Dec 13, 2011, 7:33 PM

Does anyone have this in a package yet for pfsense? I would build it my self except I don't currently have a freebsd VM or test machine to test on.

fmertz · Jan 8, 2012, 2:35 AM

@fmertz:

The github repository for the sdeclcd is at https://github.com/fmertz/sdeclcd

The code was updated. Check the sdec branch of the project:

https://github.com/fmertz/sdeclcd/tree/sdec

The changes are:

Rewrite of driver code

Suppressed user parameter in configuration file to preserve back light

Added support for more icon codes
Restored heart beat
Fixed initialization
Updated documentation

This is based on the 0.5dev version of the lcdproc upstream project.

The primary purpose of this effort is to submit a working driver to the upstream project. This is why it is a branch off of the latest dev branch.

In parallel, mdima has packaged lcdproc-dev for pfSense. It is based off of lcdproc-0.5.4. This latest driver code is included in mdima's package (I compiled it separately). The discussion is here: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,44034.0.html. Big thanks to Stephenw10 and Spy Alelo for live testing on actual hardware, and confirming that the driver works. Basically, if you install the lcdproc-dev package on your Firebox, you should have a working LCD. As simple as that. Feedback most welcome.

PS: The button mapping in the LCDd.conf file might need an adjustment, but should be fixed shortly.

fmertz · Feb 2, 2012, 4:43 PM

@fmertz:

The code was updated. Check the sdec branch of the project:

https://github.com/fmertz/sdeclcd/tree/sdec

The primary purpose of this effort is to submit a working driver to the upstream project.

The code was updated again: housekeeping and bug fix.

A little while back, I submitted this code for inclusion into the upstream lcdproc project. I am happy to report that the code was accepted. This means this SDEC driver for Fireboxes is now a part of the official lcdproc project!

fmertz · Jul 20, 2012, 5:40 PM

The code was updated again for supporting LEDs. Details here:

http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,44034.msg276249.html#msg276249

drdyno · Jul 22, 2012, 11:27 PM

So I installed with the new LCDproc-dev.. All I can get the lcd to do is say "Thanks for using pfSense".
I have different screens checked on the screens tab but can't get it to do anything… buttons don't work.

I had this working at one time.. now I am frustrated with it...

Dyno

stephenw10 · Jul 23, 2012, 9:06 AM

There is a problem with the start sequence. Once your box is up if you go to Status: Services: and restart the lcdproc service it will run correctly.

Steve

Brak · Jul 23, 2012, 1:38 PM

I rewrote the startup script that lcdproc.inc outputs and fixed the boot issue on Fireboxes and my own units.

You guys will need to check my work and make sure nothing is getting messed up by my changes, but it appears start/stop/restart are working as intended. Something was wrong with the "if X running then kill X" statements. Not sure why the bug was inconsitent with different hardware, but I got it working.

I'll post it when I get home, stuck at work. I've been so busy I haven't even been able to test the xCore-e changes. :-\

drdyno · Jul 24, 2012, 1:07 AM

Steve,

Is there anyway to fix this other than having to do that each time it reboots? This is a firebox for my best friend that I am building to help conserve space in his office.

Dyno

** Nevermind on reboot it works properly now!

Now to find a better and quieter cpu cooler…

Brak · Jul 24, 2012, 2:25 AM

Here is the "fixed" lcdproc.inc

Not sure if this will work for everyone or if it isn't working right, but let me know how it could be improved.

lcdproc.inc.png

drdyno · Jul 26, 2012, 2:26 PM

Brak,

I stumbled upon your ebay listings again today looking for a X-E box ;D

you boxes look nice.

Brak · Jul 26, 2012, 5:45 PM

@drdyno:

Brak,

I stumbled upon your ebay listings again today looking for a X-E box ;D

you boxes look nice.

Thanks bud!

I'd probably sell my X-E boxes with pfsense on them, but I'm waiting for 2.1 so the driver is supported properly. So sad that 4 gigabit NICs are basically useless atm! I have 3 fully maxed upgraded ones just looking pretty in a rack :(

stephenw10 · Jul 26, 2012, 5:49 PM

Try the patched driver. I've put a few 10s of Gigs through mine and hasn't crashed yet. Though I still haven't found a reliable way to crash it with the standard driver. ::)

Steve

flecom · Oct 15, 2012, 5:37 AM

how can I disable the backlight timer?

I have the backlight set to on, the brightness to 100% and the off-brightness to 100%… tried adding
BackLight=yes
Backlight_Timer=0

to the lcdd.conf and still turns off after 30 seconds or so ???

stephenw10 · Oct 15, 2012, 6:48 AM

If you are using the most recent re-written driver there is a hard coded backlight timer which can't be disabled. Fmertz did it deliberately as the the backlight has a finite (and not that long) life and has already been run for many hours on most peoples boxes. We had a number of failure reports.

Steve

flecom · Oct 15, 2012, 7:46 AM

its an LED backlight… its lifetime would be about the same as the power LED?...

flecom · Oct 15, 2012, 11:20 PM

well anyway if anyone wants the backlight on all the time regardless of what the driver tells it to do all you have to do is put a bit of solder across J2 right next to the "K" (Cathode) land on the back of the LCD panel

it has a 100k hour MTBF (~11.5 years) so decide if you want to "risk" it

stephenw10 · Oct 15, 2012, 11:35 PM

Which box do you have?
Some had a cold cathode style backlight with a far shorter life.

Steve

flecom · Oct 16, 2012, 3:00 PM

I have a firebox X500

yes a CCFL backlight will have about 1/10th the MTBF as an LED backlight…. an EL backlight even worse

interesting (strange?) that they would use a CCFL backlight LCD that is so small, usually you see that on larger graphic displays not tiny text displays?

stephenw10 · Oct 16, 2012, 7:20 PM

I may have mis-remebered and it was in fact EL. I do remeber being both surprised and alarmed when I read the spec sheet for the display at the expected backlight life. Most of these boxes have seen thousands of hours before they ever have pfSense loaded. This may not be a problem because the Watchguard OS has a backlight timer but without any display driver pfSense will leave it on permanently.

See: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,44034.msg234998.html#msg234998

Steve

flecom · Oct 16, 2012, 11:15 PM

I have worked on quite a few fireboxes (this one was my first with pfSense) and never seen one with an EL or CCFL backlight (would require an extra PCB and/or onboard inverter)… not saying they don't exist, but if they do I have never run across one...

the LED backlight on a regular text display is usually quoted as 30k-100k hours, but realistically it should last pretty much forever... if you are worried you could drop the voltage going to it by soldering a resistor across J2 to dim the display... undervolting the LEDs should extend their life

also some fireboxes like the XTM 5 series (green LED backlight) leave the backlight on 24/7

since the fireboxes have the LCD attached to the parallel port you actually could just swap the module out with a regular 2x20 HD44780 LCD, should probably fit... not sure if they are pin-compatible, would have to look at the datasheets for that...