[Lcdproc] VL System "serial" VFD, T-balancer and Linux
Bostjan Kravcar
bostjan_kravcar@siol.net
Thu Jul 27 02:01:02 2006
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Hello everyone,
I've just joined to this mailing list, I have what I believe are quite =
exotic questions that I hope will receive some answers from this mailing =
list.
I'm looking for a VFD (prefered for being discrete and legible) display =
to match with an mCubed T-balancer fan controler, that uses USB =
connection to motherboard header. The device is configured in Windows =
and all settings for automatic temperature dependant fan control are =
saved on-board, no OS or background run SW interface dependency. It's =
possible to monitor the output data from T-balancer with various Win =
based plug-ins, some of them can feed those informations on LCD/VFD =
displays. The problem is that supported displays, either paralel HD44780 =
based or serial RS232 displays from Matrix Orbital and Crystalfontz are =
very expensive options.=20
The only listed Windows plug-in for USB display and communicates with =
T-balancer is written specifically for iMon VFD (expensive for including =
useless extras) and there's no decent plug-in, at least to my knowledge, =
that would work with other USB displays. In Linux world there's an Xban =
project available already, it's written specifically for linking output =
from T-balancer to LCD display under Linux, but it uses RS232 and this =
means I have to use communication protocol that will work on both sides =
to have an output of T-balancer controller on display.
There is an option that might fit all requirements and is half the price =
of Crystalfontz and Matrix Orbital - it's a VFD display from VL System - =
LIS POP VFD 2x20, which uses HD44780 compatible controller (no =
informations which one), but has a serial/paralel converter at input for =
driving HD44780.=20
- Is there a Linux driver that would support this type of display ?
- Does a HD44780 based display with input conversion behaves the same as =
RS232 displays from Crystalfontz and Matrix Orbital ?
- I found following reference to LCDproc HD44780 driver...
The LCDproc HD44780 driver supports the following connections on a =
parallel port:
. 4-bit
. 8-bit (winamp style)
. extended 8-bit (LCD + LED bargraph)
. serial LPT
It also supports the following connections:
. A PIC-an-LCD or LCD serializer connected to a serial port
. A I2C port expander connected to an I2C port
Is any of these two supported connection types, serial LPT or LCD =
serializer connected to a serial port refering to display types such as =
LIS POP VFD as described above ? In short, will this VFD work with =
LCDproc AND T-balancer ?**
** A question about LCDproc; does it have the same function as Xban =
mentioned above ? Can they be complemented or do they serve a different =
purpose ? I apologize if all my questions are out of place, Linux is =
still just a wonderful idea to me, until I learn at least some basics - =
I have no prior knowledge about operating system.
Thank you in advance for all the help !
Kind regards
Bostjan Kravcar - Sebastian
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hello everyone,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I've just joined to this mailing list, I have what I =
believe=20
are quite exotic questions that I hope will receive some answers from =
this=20
mailing list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>I'm looking for a VFD (prefered for being discrete =
and=20
legible) display to match with an mCubed T-balancer fan controler, that =
uses USB=20
connection to motherboard header. The device is configured in Windows =
and all=20
settings for automatic temperature dependant fan control are saved =
on-board, no=20
OS or background run SW interface dependency. It's possible to monitor =
the=20
output data from T-balancer with various Win based plug-ins, some of =
them can=20
feed those informations on LCD/VFD displays. The problem is that =
supported=20
displays, either paralel HD44780 based or serial RS232 displays from =
Matrix=20
Orbital and Crystalfontz are very expensive options. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>The only listed Windows plug-in for USB display and=20
communicates with T-balancer is written specifically for iMon VFD =
(expensive for=20
including useless extras) and there's no decent plug-in, at least to my=20
knowledge, that would work with other USB displays. In Linux world =
there's an=20
Xban project available already, it's written specifically for linking =
output=20
from T-balancer to LCD display under Linux, but it uses RS232 and this =
means I=20
have to use communication protocol that will work on both sides to have =
an=20
output of T-balancer controller on display.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>There is an option that might fit all requirements =
and is half=20
the price of Crystalfontz and Matrix Orbital - it's a VFD display from =
VL System=20
- LIS POP VFD 2x20, which uses HD44780 compatible controller (no =
informations=20
which one), but has a serial/paralel converter at input for driving =
HD44780.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>- Is there a Linux driver that would support =
this type of=20
display ?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>- Does a HD44780 based display with input conversion =
behaves=20
the same as RS232 displays from Crystalfontz and Matrix Orbital=20
?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>- I found following reference to =
LCDproc HD44780=20
driver...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P><EM>The LCDproc HD44780 driver supports the following connections on =
a=20
parallel port:</EM></P></FONT>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>• 4-bit</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>• 8-bit (winamp style)</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>• extended 8-bit (LCD + LED =
bargraph)</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM><STRONG>• serial =
LPT</STRONG></EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>It also supports the following =
connections:</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>• A PIC-an-LCD or <STRONG>LCD serializer =
connected to a=20
serial port</STRONG></EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2><EM>• A I2C port expander connected to an I2C=20
port</EM></FONT></P>
<DIV> <FONT size=3D2>Is any of these two supported connection =
types,=20
<EM><STRONG>serial LPT </STRONG></EM>or<STRONG><EM> LCD serializer =
connected to=20
a serial port </EM></STRONG>refering to display types such as LIS POP =
VFD as=20
described above ? In short, will this VFD work with LCDproc AND=20
T-balancer ?**</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>** A question about LCDproc; does it have the =
same=20
function as Xban mentioned above ? Can they be complemented or do =
they=20
serve a different purpose ? I apologize if all my questions are =
out of=20
place, Linux is still just a wonderful idea to me, until I learn at =
least some=20
basics - I have no prior knowledge about operating system.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Thank you in advance for all the help !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Kind regards</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Bostjan Kravcar - =
Sebastian</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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