andy vt's tools & blog

I just bought this screen from this company on ebay for 22 bucks:

 http://www.lcdmodkit.com/lcd/U202MB-B1.html

I'm using LCDSmartie (Which came with it) and I do not have the functionality I was looking for that I have found in your LCDWriter.  I saw the following post from last year: 

http://babgvant.com/forums/p/2095/10827.aspx

Did you or anyone ever write a driver for the LCD2USB using the LCDWriter program?   I'm not too familiar with drivers and this program, but the unit looks great with LCD Smartie.  I just want it to show all the Win 7 MC stuff.  

 Thanks!

Devin

I haven't, but that does look pretty interesting.

I'll download the driver and see if it's an easy thing to add in.

 Thanks for looking!   Let me know if I can help through any means.  

Devin

 ALSO:  I saw that people have had issues with 64bit drivers and this program.  If you read the PDF installation file on the LCDMODKIT screen, it shows how to sign the drivers using their program.  Worked like a charm on my computer.  

It would be awesome if you could do this, I'm trying to convert a Ahanix D4 VFD (Samsung HD44780 compatible) to use this as my new MB doesn't have a Parallel port, and depending on LCDSmartie doesn't look like an option.  BTW, do you share source code on this, I might be interested in fiddling with this.

 If you go to the links that I originally put at the top of the thread, they should have all of the source code and EVERYTHING available that you could need. There are some PDF files that help with installation and driver signing.  

wildstar87:

It would be awesome if you could do this, I'm trying to convert a Ahanix D4 VFD (Samsung HD44780 compatible) to use this as my new MB doesn't have a Parallel port, and depending on LCDSmartie doesn't look like an option. 

http://missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4395&Itemid=1

wildstar87:

BTW, do you share source code on this, I might be interested in fiddling with this.

I don't own all of the source code.

Yeah I saw that mod, I'm keeping it as an option, as I prefer the VFD display to LCD.  Any chance you will mod LCDWriter to work with the LCD2USB module?

I guess the one other option might be to use the VIS board on the Samsung VFD, if it truly is HD44780 compatible.

Too bad regarding source code, I'm not much of a programmer myself, was hoping to use this as a project.  Can you give me some pointers on how to get status info out of Media Center for this type of stuff?

 I too have this kit, and would LOVE to have support through LCDWriter.  As of right now, the only info I am able to pull from 7MC is music information.

 If it helps, the whole LCD2USB project is an open source one, detailed here http://www.harbaum.org/till/lcd2usb/index.shtml.

 I gave the lcdsmartie-compatible DLL a try as a writer for LCDWriter (A shot in the dark, I know), but no dice.  Any support for my LCD would be greatly appreciated, or information on how to implement it.

Just bought one, haven't been happy with the stability of the FTDI driver for the VLSMCE device.

Hopefully won't take long to make it work :)

Aww man... I just bought that Nmedia LCD too.. Though I guess I'm still interested in if you can make this work.  I think I can still send the Nmedia back.  I would like to be able to use my original VFD.

If you use the driver that comes with the Nmedia display it's mostly OK, but the latest one from WU or the FTDI website causes BSOD when the PC resumes.  Unfortunately, I haven't found a fix for the display occasionally not coming back when the PC resumes.  I have a similar issue with another FTDI device, so I'm pretty sure it's the driver.

I don't suppose you know when you might have the LCD2USB stuff working?? :)

 Random question, but which one did you get?   I was stuck with 1 color as they only had one choice for the 2 x 20...    the Blue with White writting.   Luckily it matches the blue power button light on my HTPC case...