LCD plugin supporting more than 70 display types (now with full graphics support!!!) (1 Viewer)

[HrOlsen]

Hi Olsen,
My mod has 2 parts: 1) VFD API = VFD_Control.dll, 2) Modified Plug-In = ProcessPlugins.dll.

The driver is included directly in ProcessPlugins.dll and it calls the API in second dll. It is not standard driver solution as for most of other displays. I have done it this way to get access to additional events than originally supported.

So, my point was that the problem can be in my changed ProcessPlugins.dll. Therefore, I suggested to try the External Display plugin with the original unmodified ProcessPlugins.dll to see, if your problem with turning-off will disapear. There is an embeded driver "Debug Form" and if you choose it, all messages will be visible on the screen.

Let me know, if my the problem is with my modified dll or not.
David

Hi David, We must have crossed submitting posts...
I did backup the original ProcessPlugin in the process directory - but I did not realize that this did create a second instance of the External display plugin- that was the reason for my first problem and not your modified dll - sorry for that. It now works to begin with: the Home screens for radio etc is displayed from the External display plugin of MP 0.2.2.0 on the SCALEO E display and I can work myself down into details/sub menus of each and every home menu item from the home menu EXCEPT for the TV part which as soon as it is chosen hangs up MP.

It is indeed very impressive - all the information you have been able to grab!
So far it looks very good - Any suggestions / ideas is much appreciated

Kind regards

/Olsen

 

[davidk]

Hi David, We must have crossed submitting posts...
I did backup the original ProcessPlugin in the process directory - but I did not realize that this did create a second instance of the External display plugin- that was the reason for my first problem and not your modified dll - sorry for that. It now works to begin with: the Home screens for radio etc is displayed from the External display plugin of MP 0.2.2.0 on the SCALEO E display and I can work myself down into details/sub menus of each and every home menu item from the home menu EXCEPT for the TV part which as soon as it is chosen hangs up MP.

It is indeed very impressive - all the information you have been able to grab!
So far it looks very good - Any suggestions / ideas is much appreciated

Kind regards

/Olsen

Hmm, that is strange. The only what I can think of is the Antenna symbol.

I have the new Scaleo EVi 2535 that has WiFI card. Therefore, there is a symbol next to the volume bar at the right side of the display for showing wireless activity. I'm using it to indicate live TV and Radio broadcast. That is the only thing that can by different in myTV comparing to the other screens.

If I remember correctly, the older Scaleo E don't have embeded WiFI. Can you check, if you have that symbol next to the volume bar? I would, however, expect this problem to apear alredy with the testing application.

What icons do you have on the display? I have:
Media: DVD, CD, V
Action: Play, Rev, Fwd, Pause, Rec
Volume: 12 strip volume bar, Mute
WiFI: Antenna

David

 

[HrOlsen]

Hmm, that is strange. The only what I can think of is the Antenna symbol.

I have the new Scaleo EVi 2535 that has WiFI card. Therefore, there is a symbol next to the volume bar at the right side of the display for showing wireless activity. I'm using it to indicate live TV and Radio broadcast. That is the only thing that can by different in myTV comparing to the other screens.

If I remember correctly, the older Scaleo E don't have embeded WiFI. Can you check, if you have that symbol next to the volume bar? I would, however, expect this problem to apear alredy with the testing application.

What icons do you have on the display? I have:
Media: DVD, CD, V
Action: Play, Rev, Fwd, Pause, Rec
Volume: 12 strip volume bar, Mute
WiFI: Antenna

David

Hi David,
I have exactly the same icons - and you are right that the WiFI is external USB (I do not use it right now). I have tested different setups and found that even with the original process plugin and if External display is enabled with the debug form (pseudo display) - it hangs up MP when entering myTV. This seems to be caused by the Property Browser window that opens up behind MP - even in this small test setup (I thought that the Property Browser were something that came out of your work ?)
If I close the property browser before entering myTV - MP does not hang up !
What could be that different in MyTV - from all other menus to the Property Browser ?
Any ideas /suggestions is of very much appreciated

Best regards
/Olsen

 

[andreavb]

I have tested it with my FIC Spectra with Futaba 14 segments Display but nothing happens!!

I have tested it with and without original driver installed...it is connected via USB, the Futaba driver is v1.1 and works fine with MCE, what else can I try to do?

That means that the device ID of the display controller is different. The API has to be modfied. Try to find the devide ID(PID) of the HID device in your device manager. The vendor ID(VID) should be 1509 if it is the same vendor as for SCALEO.

Hopefully, this will help. If not, you will have to try the same approach as the German team did; use USB monitor and catch the codes for the controller. Based on these codes API can be made.

David

My Display controller seems to be VID 0547 PID 7000.
I also tested it with USB Monitor...do you want to take a look at the messages to see if they are the same as SCALEO futaba VFD controller? I'd really love to see my display working with MP!!

 

[HrOlsen]

[/QUOTE]
Hmm, that is strange. The only what I can think of is the Antenna symbol.

I have the new Scaleo EVi 2535 that has WiFI card. Therefore, there is a symbol next to the volume bar at the right side of the display for showing wireless activity. I'm using it to indicate live TV and Radio broadcast. That is the only thing that can by different in myTV comparing to the other screens.

If I remember correctly, the older Scaleo E don't have embeded WiFI. Can you check, if you have that symbol next to the volume bar? I would, however, expect this problem to apear alredy with the testing application.

What icons do you have on the display? I have:
Media: DVD, CD, V
Action: Play, Rev, Fwd, Pause, Rec
Volume: 12 strip volume bar, Mute
WiFI: Antenna

David[/QUOTE]

Hi again,
I finally got it to work - and it was of course all my own fault.
As soon as I figured out that I had checked the 'Show Property Browser' and un-checked it - then the Scaleo E display works like a charm !
Thank you for your support and effort - and thanks!



/Olsen

 

[andreavb]

OK, now that I have my PID(0x7000) and VID(0x0547) and I have installed USB Monitor how can I try to write APIs for my VFD? I have some programming knowledge of VB6 and C++, what are the steps involved in programming my display? how can I help you to support FIC Spectra Futaba display?

in the first page of this thread it says that some drivers need the PORT95NT driver, is this still true? there is already a Futaba 2.0 display type in the combo list but I never get it to work...

 

[davidk]

OK, now that I have my PID(0x7000) and VID(0x0547) and I have installed USB Monitor how can I try to write APIs for my VFD? I have some programming knowledge of VB6 and C++, what are the steps involved in programming my display? how can I help you to support FIC Spectra Futaba display?

in the first page of this thread it says that some drivers need the PORT95NT driver, is this still true? there is already a Futaba 2.0 display type in the combo list but I never get it to work...

Hi Andrea, I'm sorry, but currently I don't have time to write an API for your display. However, I suggest you to take a look at this page:
http://www.mce-community.de/forum/in...howtopic=15834

This is the original code of API that I have based my current API for Scaleo EV on. First you will have to change the findTheHID method for your PID and VID. Also, you will most probably need to change the initialization, write and clear methods to byte codes that are expected by your controller.

If you are able to capture these codes by the USB monitor, you should be able to modify this API to any USB display, not only Futaba.

If you keep the method names as they are and modify just the API dll (VFD_control.dll), you can use my modified ProcessPlugins.dll as it is.

I sent my code to Joe and once he is back from vacation I hope we will find more systematic way of including these displays to the official release of the plug-in.

David

 

[santheman]

IRtrans display low brightness

Hi,

I have a DIGN H7 case with an IRtrans display, which is supported by the plugin. The only problem is that when using the plugin the brightness is much lower than the maximum brightness the VFD display is capable of. Is it possible to increase the brightness?? I already set contrast to maximum in the plugin configuration.

 

[aksor]

Is there a way to have the VFD display reinitialized after resuming from standby?

Every time I place the htpc in standby it never comes back

 

[jackalnl]

I cant get the iMON VFD to work
When I install the software that came with it it works.
I configured MediaPortal to use the iMON VFD via USB but nothing changes on the display when I use MediaPortal. I've uninstalled the iMON software but that doesnt do anything either..

What am I doing wrong?

edit: selecting "Soundgraph iMON USB Driver 1.0" not the "IMON VFD" got it to work!