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[LINUX] HOW-TO configure Soundgraph iMON VFD/IR Receiver (used by many HTPC chassis) - Printable Version

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same issue - xscousr - 2009-11-16 03:47

Linux XBMCLive 2.6.31-14-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 16 14:04:26 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux


(live)root@XBMCLive:/var/cache/apt/archives# lsusb
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 046d:c512 Logitech, Inc. LX-700 Cordless Desktop Receiver
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 15c2:ffdc SoundGraph Inc. iMON PAD Remote Controller
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:0151 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Mass Stroage Device
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub



(live)root@XBMCLive:/var/cache/apt/archives# lsmod |grep lirc
lirc_imon 25872 1
lirc_dev 10804 1 lirc_imon


(live)root@XBMCLive:/var/cache/apt/archives# cat /etc/LCDd.conf
## Server section with all kinds of settings for the LCDd server ##
[server]
Driver=imon
Bind=127.0.0.1
Port=13666
WaitTime=5
User=nobody
DriverPath=/usr/lib/lcdproc/
ToggleRotateKey=Enter
PrevScreenKey=Left
NextScreenKey=Right

## The menu section. The menu is an internal LCDproc client. ##
[menu]
MenuKey=Escape
EnterKey=Enter
UpKey=Up
DownKey=Down

### Driver sections are below this line, in alphabetical order ###
## Soundgraph/Ahanix/Silverstone/Uneed/Accent iMON driver ##
[imon]
Device=/dev/lcd0
Size=16x2

======================

Problem: No display on VFD
LCDd -f-r 4 brings up LCD, lcdproc will run in another terminal but no output.

also, lirc

irw brings back nothing

Any ideas

- MaximumFish - 2010-01-23 16:27

Can anybody confirm whether or not this procedure works on Camelot Live? I've just managed to get my installation working flawlessly (minus remote and VFD) and don't want to mess with it too much unless this is known to work!

Thanks. Smile

- kuseman - 2010-01-23 17:02

Is there any special reason why you think that it does'n work in camelot? Any notes or such?

- MaximumFish - 2010-01-23 17:11

Yeah the last few pages seem to be a whole lot of trial and error from trying to make it work in Karmic (which is what Camelot runs from, right?) and no definite working solution.

Also I found this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/IMON_VFD_and_LCD_Karmic_9.10

Which seems to suggest it should just work for the most part. Of course lirc is already installed by default so I don't get this bit that comes up during the install:

Quote:You will prompted to Choose a remote if you would like to preload a configuration:

The iMon devices will be listed alphabetically under Soundgraph:

Experience has shown me that solutions that work with one version of Ubuntu are completely different in the next. I was just hoping for a nice quick solution for Camelot/Karmic! Smile

- MaximumFish - 2010-01-23 17:54

Sorry for the double post.

I read over that page I linked again, and running
Code:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure lirc
lets you pick the remote type to use.

Following the rest of the page got the remote and VFD working very quickly, but upon reboot I'm getting a very small box which is impossible to read on my TV. I can make out "OpenGL" and "graphics drivers" and it has a large OK box. Pressing it dumps me to a command line. Sad

I thought it all sounded far too easy!

Edit: Some Googling reveals the message to say:

Quote:XBMC needs hardware accelerated OpenGL rendering. Install an appropriate graphics driver.

Please consult XBMC Wiki for supported hardware

I'm wondering if it's trying to output to the LCD for some reason and getting confused!

Edit 2: Turns out the issue was because I'd done an "apt-get upgrade" which upgraded xorg and broke it. I reinstalled from scratch and all is good. I now have a working imon remote and VFD, done MUCH more easily than the first post. I'll write up the steps in the next few minutes...

- MaximumFish - 2010-01-23 22:21

OK, forth post. Here's how to get the iMon remote and front panel display (iMon PAD and 2x16 VFD display in my case) working in Camelot with minimal effort. This was all done after a fresh install of Camelot (XBMC Live 9.11) so I'm not sure if these instructions will work for an upgraded or non-Live install. YMMV. A lot of the instructions come from here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/IMON_VFD_and_LCD_Karmic_9.10

First off, SSH into your machine or press CTRL+ALT+F1 to get to a command prompt and login. Then:

Code:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure lirc

Scroll through the list to find your remote and display combo and press enter. In my case this was the Soundgraph iMON PAD IR/VFD. Leave the transmitter as none and press enter.

Next, run:

Code:
sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/lirc.conf

And paste the following:

Code:
options lirc_imon nomouse=1 display_type=1 pad_thresh=5

Refer to the above page for alternate options, especially the display_type, which will depend on your case. Save and exit the file.

Now run:

Code:
sudo /etc/init.d/lirc restart
irw

Now press some buttons on your remote. Assuming you chose the correct option from the first step you should see the commands appear as you press buttons. If not, just go back to the first step and choose a different option. Press CTRL+C to exit irw. You're half way there!

Now run:

Code:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install lcdproc
sudo nano /etc/LCDd.conf

Scroll to line 44, where you should see a Driver=curses line. Change it to:

Code:
Driver=imon

The above works for the 2x16 VFD displays. If you have an LCD display then you want to use Driver=imonlcd instead.

Further down the file you'll find another line:

Code:
#ServerScreen=no

Remove the # from this line, then save and exit.

Code:
sudo /etc/init.d/LCDd restart

Now you should see the display come to life. That's the hard part done! Now we just need to configure XBMC itself.

Code:
nano ~/.xbmc/userdata/Lircmap.xml

This is where you setup the buttons on the remote to match commands in XBMC. Here's my Lircmap.xml, which works with the iMon PAD remote:

Code:
<lircmap>
    <remote device="iMON-PAD">
        <left>Left</left>
        <right>Right</right>
        <up>Up</up>
        <down>Down</down>
        <select>Enter</select>
        <back>Esc</back>
        <back>Backspace</back>
        <menu>Menu</menu>
        <info>AppExit</info>
        <display>Thumbnail</display>
        <title>MultiMon</title>
        <play>Play</play>
        <pause>Pause</pause>
        <reverse>Rewind</reverse>
        <forward>FastForward</forward>
        <skipplus>NextChapter</skipplus>
        <skipminus>PrevChapter</skipminus>
        <stop>Stop</stop>
        <zero>0</zero>
        <one>1</one>
        <two>2</two>
        <three>3</three>
        <four>4</four>
        <five>5</five>
        <six>6</six>
        <seven>7</seven>
        <eight>8</eight>
        <nine>9</nine>
        <power>Power</power>
        <myTV>MyTV</myTV>
        <mymusic>MyMusic</mymusic>
        <mypictures>MyPhoto</mypictures>
        <myvideo>MyMovie</myvideo>
        <record>Record</record>
        <start>AppLauncher</start>
        <volumeplus>Vol+</volumeplus>
        <volumeminus>Vol-</volumeminus>
        <channelplus>Ch+</channelplus>
        <channelminus>Ch-</channelminus>
        <pageplus>Ch+</pageplus>
        <pageminus>Ch-</pageminus>
        <mute>Mute</mute>
        <star>ShiftTab</star>
        <hash>Tab</hash>
        <subtitle>Caption</subtitle>
        <language>Language</language>
    </remote>
</lircmap>

Tip: To find what to put under remote device and the names of each button for your remote, have a look at the last line of /etc/lirc/lircd.conf to find your remote's config file, then look in that file for your remote's settings. Put whatever appears under name as your remote device and then scroll down to get a list of button names. Also feel free to assign a function to multiple buttons as I've done with the back option.

Save and exit. Now do:

Code:
nano ~/.xbmc/userdata/LCD.xml

And tweak this file to your liking. This file assumes your display has four lines available, but as mine only has two I have to remove some lines and append existing lines with extra commands. It's up to you what you do with this, really. I also like to remove the <disableonplay>video</disableonplay> line so that I still get a display while videos are playing.

And that's it! Restart your system for luck, and make sure you enable the remote and LCD/VFD in XBMC's settings!

Enjoy. Smile

- BigKid - 2010-02-07 00:01

Ok... After 4 hours of try and error I finally got the imonlcd and the remote to work - but I don't like the crappy remote with it's way too less keys and it's special battery.

My case is an antec microfusion 350 - the libconfig the worked is named "Soundgraph iMon Antec Veris"

Is there a way to use another remote ?
Didn't manage irrecord to recognize any of my alternatives Sad

- wouterdt - 2010-04-20 12:38

I've got a CoolerMaster CM260 with iMon VFD and PAD remote. Using MaximumFish's post I got everything to work. But when I turn of my XBMC (Live) box then the info on the display remains. How do I get XBMC to turn the VFD off or at least clear it?

- hrizzy - 2010-05-08 17:53

MaximumFish' instructions are working in 10.04 as well. Confirmed Smile

- hrizzy - 2010-05-10 16:39

Well. Actually after some testing lcd is not working. After installation and restarting daemon for the first time I saw Hello on it. XBMC showed nothing (lcd is on there), after reboot lcd doesn't show anything as well.
Reinstalled it, checked parameters once more.
Doesn't work Sad

Well. That's why sometimes I'm thinking of to throw away this damn ubuntu!
The bug is described here
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/lirc/+bug/517956
You have to apply patch manually.