Firebox LCD Driver for LCDProc
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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!
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The code was updated again for supporting LEDs. Details here:
http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,44034.msg276249.html#msg276249
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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
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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
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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. :-\
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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…
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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.
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Brak,
I stumbled upon your ebay listings again today looking for a X-E box ;D
you boxes look nice.
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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 :(
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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
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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=0to the lcdd.conf and still turns off after 30 seconds or so ???
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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
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its an LED backlight… its lifetime would be about the same as the power LED?...
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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
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Which box do you have?
Some had a cold cathode style backlight with a far shorter life.Steve
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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?
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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
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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...
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Interesting about the XTM5. I have one of those running pfSense which works with the same driver as the previous boxes. I had assumed the only reason Watchguard would have specified a custom display would be to use a common driver across platforms.
IMHO there should be an option to enable the backlight permanently. Have the timer enabled by default with a warning perhaps.
However long the backlight should last there are quite a few reports of X-core boxes with dead backlights! ;)
Steve
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ya like I said, it definitely could happen… I work on a lot of equipment that uses common small character displays, mostly HD44780 but some more oddball chips now and then like these fireboxes... most LED backlit (some EL and CCFL backlit, avoid EL/CCFL backlights!!) and their failure rate is nothing too bad... also if you are handy with a soldering iron you can always replace the LED (much more difficult with EL sheets/CCFL lamps)
I think the XTM is the same controller(?) but the LCD is different, its got a green backlight and is physically much smaller (smaller characters)
in a home environment I would imagine leaving the backlight on 24/7 could be more annoying than useful, but I have these things in racks with smoked plexi doors so without the backlight I cant read anything on the display :)
it would be cool if you could have a check box to leave it on all the time... would also be cool to use it as an indicator... so if there is an error condition you could "flash" the backlight... on these older fireboxes with the giant LCD displays that would definitely get your attention when you walk by it in a rack!
