Adafruit i2c lcd and xmbc lcdproc,LCDd

[handjebij]

Hi There I hope i post in the right section

I am a Happy Xbian user on 4 raspberry pi's

But now i wanted to expand the setup in the living room with a LCD so i purchased a adafruit lcd
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1115

when i try the demo it works like a charm but i would like to use it in Xbmc in combination with LCDproc

but in understand i need to have LCDd installed and that is but i can't figure out the right setup
i found 2 tutorials for Raspbmc
http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=34039
http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=63412

but found none tutorials for Xbian,

Annyone have this combination running and have a little guide how to configure this

Any help is really welcome

PS i am sorry for my terrible english

[IriDium]

Firstly - have you actually tried it?

If so, what is the output of dmesg? = Read - Please read before you post!

I would guess that http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=63412 would work.

[handjebij]

(29th May, 2014 05:11 AM)IriDium Wrote:  Firstly - have you actually tried it?

If so, what is the output of dmesg? = Read - Please read before you post!

I would guess that http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=63412 would work.

Hi Iridium thanks for the replay

i tried both links several times and even reinstalled xbian but i shows nothing on the lcd
when i run the Python script of adafruit self it works perfectly but with xbmc it does not show up

gonna try with a fresh install tonight and will post the output of dmesg

[handjebij]

(29th May, 2014 08:31 AM)handjebij Wrote:  

(29th May, 2014 05:11 AM)IriDium Wrote:  Firstly - have you actually tried it?

If so, what is the output of dmesg? = Read - Please read before you post!

I would guess that http://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=63412 would work.

Hi Iridium thanks for the replay

i tried both links several times and even reinstalled xbian but i shows nothing on the lcd
when i run the Python script of adafruit self it works perfectly but with xbmc it does not show up

gonna try with a fresh install tonight and will post the output of dmesg

found the problem the current lcdproc is not compatible with the adafruit i2c
http://www.stuart-taylor.net/adafruit-i2c-rgb-16x2-lcdkeypad-raspberry-pi/

no trying to build a version but sadly that is not working very well but i keep trying

if someone know a prebuild version to receive with the apt-get procedure then please post it here

[IriDium]

Strange, I managed to get the Piface running quite happily.

Try the install instructions for the Piface..... It might work. (All it seems to need is i2c-tools and a few modules loaded)

[handjebij]

(1st Jun, 2014 01:16 AM)IriDium Wrote:  Strange, I managed to get the Piface running quite happily.

Try the install instructions for the Piface..... It might work. (All it seems to need is i2c-tools and a few modules loaded)

after 25 times reinstalling xbian , building several versions of LCDd
finally it works !!!!

BUT still no clue how i really did it , gonna make a backup now of my current sd
and then try to figure out wat really is needed,
and post it here because i found several topics where people have the same problem

if someone need it before the step by step i can provide a img of a 16 gb sd with the latest xbian updated with project gotham

grtz
Michael

[CurlyMo]

Use the internal xbian clone function to create a smaller image.

[handjebij]

(1st Jun, 2014 07:33 AM)CurlyMo Wrote:  Use the internal xbian clone function to create a smaller image.

HI CurloMo Thnxs for the answer

only i looked in to the clone function but to be honnest i find it a bit confusing
can you help me a bit out how to do this ?

grtz
Michael

[IriDium]

Plug in external USB drive/Flash Drive
Check it has mounted "df -h" and note it's location. Probably /media/xxxxx
Use ssh xbian-config:
Option 6 - Xbian copier.
In destination type file:/media/xxxxx/<something>.img <return>

Wait about 2 hours - do not hit <return> again or it will buffer that command and start again once it has finished.

A message will appear when it has finished.

[CurlyMo]

Here you go: http://wiki.xbian.org/doku.php/create_image

[CurlyMo]

@IriDium, can you update the wiki and link to new articles instead of answering the same thing multiple times? That will greatly increase the documentation available and your great time spend in answering

[handjebij]

as promised the way how to get the Adafruit i2c lcd running on xbian rc2
did lot of experiments but this is the only way i get it running right away
strange part is that the compiled version is not working (seems that something is still missing)
but when i install lcdproc over it then it works other way around is not working installing lcdproc (even with the extra driver) and then the compiled version so follow below instructions

REAL experts any idea why it works this way ???

Terminal

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf
sudo sh -c "echo 'i2c-dev' >> /etc/modules"
sudo sh -c "echo 'i2c-bcm2708' >> /etc/modules"
apt-get install build-essential #needed to compile lcdproc and drivers
Reboot
sudo apt-get install libi2c-dev python-smbus i2c-tools
sudo i2cdetect -y 1 # 20 should be shown meaning your display is detected

sudo apt-get install cvs autoconf automake

cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@lcdproc.cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/lcdproc checkout -P lcdproc

cd lcdproc

sh ./autogen.sh

./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --localstatedir=/var --enable-drivers=hd44780

make

sudo make install

sudo apt-get install lcdproc #not sure why but it works this way

sudo nano /etc/LCDd.conf #edit this file with the config below



# LCDd.conf -- configuration file for the LCDproc server daemon LCDd
# Modified to support a hd44780 connected to a Raspberry Pi using i2c
#
# This file contains the configuration for the LCDd server.
#

## Server section with all kinds of settings for the LCDd server ##
[server]

# Where can we find the driver modules ?
# IMPORTANT: Make sure to change this setting to reflect your
# specific setup! Otherwise LCDd won't be able to find
# the driver modules and will thus not be able to
# function properly.
# NOTE: Always place a slash as last character !
DriverPath=/usr/lib/lcdproc/

# Tells the server to load the given drivers. Multiple lines can be given.
Driver=hd44780

# Tells the driver to bind to the given interface
Bind=127.0.0.1

# Listen on this specified port; defaults to 13666.
Port=13666

# Sets the reporting level; defaults to 2 (warnings and errors only).
#ReportLevel=3

# Should we report to syslog instead of stderr ? [default: no; legal: yes, no]
#ReportToSyslog=yes

# User to run as. LCDd will drop its root privileges, if any,
# and run as this user instead.
User=nobody

# The server will stay in the foreground if set to true.
#Foreground=no

# Hello message: each entry represents a display line; default: builtin
#Hello=" Welcome to"
#Hello=" LCDproc!"

# GoodBye message: each entry represents a display line; default: builtin
#GoodBye="Thanks for using"
#GoodBye=" LCDproc!"

# Sets the default time in seconds to displays a screen.
WaitTime=5

# If set to no, LCDd will start with screen rotation disabled. This has the
# same effect as if the ToggleRotateKey had been pressed. Rotation will start
# if the ToggleRotateKey is pressed. Note that this setting does not turn off
# priority sorting of screens. [default: on; legal: on, off]
#AutoRotate=no

# If yes, the the serverscreen will be rotated as a usual info screen. If no,
# it will be a background screen, only visible when no other screens are
# active. The special value 'blank' is similar to no, but only a blank screen
# is displayed. [default: on; legal: on, off, blank]
#ServerScreen=no

# Set master backlight setting. If set to 'open' a client may control the
# backlight for its own screens (only). [default: open; legal: off, open, on]
#Backlight=open

# Set master heartbeat setting. If set to 'open' a client may control the
# heartbeat for its own screens (only). [default: open; legal: off, open, on]
#Heartbeat=open

# set title scrolling speed [default: 10; legal: 0-10]
#TitleSpeed=10

# The "...Key=" lines define what the server does with keypresses that
# don't go to any client. The ToggleRotateKey stops rotation of screens, while
# the PrevScreenKey and NextScreenKey go back / forward one screen (even if
# rotation is disabled.
# Assign the key string returned by the driver to the ...Key setting. These
# are the defaults:
ToggleRotateKey=Enter
PrevScreenKey=Left
NextScreenKey=Right
#ScrollUpKey=Up
#ScrollDownKey=Down

## The menu section. The menu is an internal LCDproc client. ##
[menu]
# You can configure what keys the menu should use. Note that the MenuKey
# will be reserved exclusively, the others work in shared mode.

# Up to six keys are supported. The MenuKey (to enter and exit the menu), the
# EnterKey (to select values) and at least one movement keys are required.
# These are the default key assignments:
MenuKey=Escape
EnterKey=Enter
UpKey=Up
DownKey=Down
LeftKey=Left
RightKey=Right

## Hitachi HD44780 driver ##
[hd44780]

ConnectionType=piplate
Port=0x20

# Device of the i2c interface [default: /dev/lcd]
# Raspberry Pi version 1 require i2c-0; version 2 requires i2c-1
Device=/dev/i2c-1

# Bitrate of the serial port (0 for interface default)
Speed=0

# If you have a keypad connected.
# You can configure the keypad layout further on in this file.
Keypad=yes

# Set the initial contrast (bwctusb and lcd2usb) [default: 500; legal: 0 - 1000]
Contrast=0

# If you have a switchable backlight.
Backlight=yes

# If you have the additional output port ("bargraph") and you want to
# be able to control it with the lcdproc OUTPUT command
OutputPort=no

# Specifies the size of the LCD.
# In case of multiple combined displays, this should be the total size.
Size=16x2

# Character map to to map ISO-8859-1 to the LCD's character set
CharMap=hd44780_default

# You can reduce the inserted delays by setting this to false.
# On fast PCs it is possible your LCD does not respond correctly.
# Default: true.
DelayBus=false

# If you have a keypad you can assign keystrings to the keys.
# See documentation for used terms and how to wire it.
# For example to give directly connected key 4 the string "Enter", use:
# KeyDirect_4=Enter
# For matrix keys use the X and Y coordinates of the key:
# KeyMatrix_1_3=Enter
KeyDirect_1=Enter
KeyDirect_2=Up
KeyDirect_3=Down
KeyDirect_4=Left
KeyDirect_5=Right

# EOF

now reboot
and install lcdproc plugin fr

[Skywatch]

I tried this today and it no longer works - I got a dependency error installing build-essential and never got past that.

Is there an updated method that works with RC3 at present?

Skywatch.