Help identify lcd display on Smoothwall SWG700 [Edit: Portwell EZIO]

fmertz

Problem is that none of the existing lcdproc drivers have the correct initialization sequence for this EZIO device, yet. So, FOR NOW the device has to be initialized "by hand". If you read this thread again, there is a short file that has to be sent to the display. The file has the right initialization string. After that, the lb216 driver can be used with some success.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

PS: I have offered to write a proper driver for these EZIO devices as the spec is available. Let us know if you can help with the effort, like testing prototypes along the way.

Riftcore

@fmertz:

Problem is that none of the existing lcdproc drivers have the correct initialization sequence for this EZIO device, yet. So, FOR NOW the device has to be initialized "by hand". If you read this thread again, there is a short file that has to be sent to the display. The file has the right initialization string. After that, the lb216 driver can be used with some success.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

PS: I have offered to write a proper driver for these EZIO devices as the spec is available. Let us know if you can help with the effort, like testing prototypes along the way.

~~Thought Steven said use mtc_s16209x driver for maximum win! ill have a go at what you said. tho I kind of suck at this kind of thing. Here goes!~~

Okay ive reread twice which hex file ? how would I send this to the screen. This is mega confusing for an idiot like me.

fmertz

I suppose you also need to make sure the device is correct (second serial port), and the speed is also correct (2400 bps)…

Riftcore

@fmertz:

I suppose you also need to make sure the device is correct (second serial port), and the speed is also correct (2400 bps)…

when I set it too the second serial port lcd does not even start.

2017-04-05.png_thumb

stephenw10

Use the hex file from here:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=99320.msg690716#msg690716

Put it in /root.

Then call it using the shellcmd package (needs to be installed) using the commands in the attached screenshot.

Or run them manually to test.

Steve

Selection_209.png_thumb

Riftcore

@stephenw10:

Use the hex file from here:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=99320.msg690716#msg690716

Put it in /root.

Then call it using the shellcmd package (needs to be installed) using the commands in the attached screenshot.

Or run them manually to test.

Steve

The txt file Steve?
also what is the best way to put it in /root?

(Uploaded file to /tmp/pfsense.hex.txt.) this the right way using the upload part within pfense?

Cheers

stephenw10

Yeah, it's appended with .txt because the forum only allows certain file types.

You will need to move it from /tmp as that exists only in RAM so will be lost at reboot.

The best way to move files to and from the firewall, in my opinion at least, is to use SCP:
https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/HOWTO:_Access_pfSense_filesystems_remotely_with_scp

You can use WinSCP in Windows and drag and drop etc. Just enable SSH in System > Advanced > Admin Access and you will be able to connect.

Steve

Riftcore

Thanks got winscp working and the file in the right place.

I ran the first comand in putty and got this error

[2.3.3-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root: stty -f /dev/cuau1.inti speed 24 00
stty: /dev/cuau1.inti: No such file or directory

stephenw10

I think you just typo'd that. It should be:

stty -f /dev/cuau1.init speed 2400

Steve

Riftcore

Yea I did I found that out :)

I get this now and nothing happens

![2017-04-05 (1).png](/public/imported_attachments/1/2017-04-05 (1).png)
![2017-04-05 (1).png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/2017-04-05 (1).png_thumb)

stephenw10

If you have lcdproc installed and configured already go to Status > Services and stop lcdproc. Now run the command again and the start lcdproc again.

You can't send data to the serial port while lcdproc has it open. The shellcmd package writes to it before lcdproc starts.

Steve

Riftcore

@stephenw10:

If you have lcdproc installed and configured already go to Status > Services and stop lcdproc. Now run the command again and the start lcdproc again.

You can't send data to the serial port while lcdproc has it open. The shellcmd package writes to it before lcdproc starts.

Steve

Awesome thanks the LCD now says pfSENCE Rules! is that all the steps to get it working thanks again man this helps loads

Its working!!! thanks so much looks so much better now.

stephenw10

No problem. Hopefully you can help test any drivers later.

Steve

Riftcore

@stephenw10:

No problem. Hopefully you can help test any drivers later.

Steve

Sure no problem.

fmertz

UPDATE: Well, it looks like after going around in a proverbial circle with different options, the new plan is to supplement the existing HD44780 driver. There is already support for a bunch of connection types, including serial, and adding support for these EZIO devices seems pretty straightforward. I have a prototype running, without keypad support, and it seems to run fine. This HD44780 driver is already very modular, and already has the more sophisticated screen update logic built in. As these EZIO devices run at 2400 bps, it is not exactly like we have a lot of bandwidth to work with, so an optimized update logic is a plus. At the base, the EZIO commands match up with the HD44780 commands, so it is a pretty good fit.

If someone wanted to try the existing HD44780 driver, provided the device is initialized "manually" ahead of time, it would probably already work. Just make sure the device and speed parameters are updated in the LCDd.conf file.

The code I have right now has the new initialization logic built in, I can share it later. I am working on the keypad code, which is proving to be a bit of a challenge…

I spoke with the upstream LCDproc maintainer. There is a plan to produce an official release soon. So, if we manage to get this new code added in the upstream project, it would be possible for the FreeBSD and pfSense maintainers to pull this new release from a trusted source and possibly add this to pfSense as an updated package, all "officially", for everyone to simply make use of.

Let me know of any thoughts.

stephenw10

Sounds like a fine plan. :D

From what I could see the EZIO unit is an HD44780 compatible display with a programmable board attached to it to provide an 'easier' way to talk to it. I did look at way to talk directly to the display instead but gave up. I guess it make sense the HD44780 driver would work with it.

Steve

fmertz

The LCDproc documentation has quite a bit of hardware-related details, including great ASCII schematics. While researching this EZIO device, I can across this implementation for a serial interface "in front" of an LCD controller (itself in front of the HD44780 LCD):

http://www.xs4all.nl/~mlf/los/

The EZIO device has to be a similar design. Firmware code for that micro-controller is also listed.

FWIW, I reached out to Portwell USA support, but they were unable to locate the firmware code. :P

In your observation, is the backlight hard wired to the power (always on) or is it attached to an output pin on the micro-controller? If it is, there is this off chance the backlight is programmable, if the firmware allows it. This is not documented, which suggests software cannot control it…

stephenw10

I found not way to control it but it would not surprise me to find it's possible. It would be nice to have but not important, the backlight life if obviously not a factor here if the manufacturer has it fixed on.

I didn't study the connections between the LCD and the module that closely. Once I found there was no easy way bypass it I stopped looking.

Steve

fmertz

Ok, time for a test!

I attached a FreeBSD-compiled driver for an EZIO variant of the HD44780 driver. The code works on my Linux ARM NAS and my funky USB/Serial adapter. Hopefully, it works on the real appliance as well. If someone is up for a test, let me know.

So:

Extract hd44780.so from the attached archive and copy it on the appliance
Check LCDd.conf and make sure it looks like what follows
Start LCDd and see what happens. The server alone shows basic stuff and allows for keypad interaction. Start with ESC and navigate


[server]
Driver=hd44780

[hd44780]
ConnectionType=ezio
Device=/dev/...
Keypad=yes
Size=16x2
KeyMatrix_4_1=Enter
KeyMatrix_4_2=Up
KeyMatrix_4_3=Down
KeyMatrix_4_4=Escape


$ file server/drivers/hd44780.so
server/drivers/hd44780.so: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1 (FreeBSD), dynamically linked, not stripped
$ md5 server/drivers/hd44780.so
MD5 (server/drivers/hd44780.so) = 2ae5133869bd5593dd45871340fa5b08

Fair Warning: the attached code is executable. This code is of unknown origin for most of you. It is a development version of a device driver, or so I say. Use at your own risk, only on a system you own, in a non-production environment.

The code is here: https://github.com/fmertz/hd44780-ezio/tree/hd44780-ezio

hd44780.zip

stephenw10

Nice work. Unfortunately it fails to load for me:

 Could not open driver module /usr/local/lib/lcdproc/hd44780.so: /usr/local/lib/lcdproc/hd44780.so: unsupported file layout

Is that compiled 64bit? What FreeBSD version? I was testing in pfSense 2.4 so FreeBSD 11.

Edit: Looks like it is 32bit, any chance of a 64bit version?

Steve