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Home / I-Opener Areas / I-Opener Technical Stuff TFT Software Software to utilize TFT screens

TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email Hi, Has anyone actually gotten a TFT LCD to work in the Iopener? I tried a Samsung LT121SL-105 using some of the valuble information found in the other posts on this wonderfull board. I have the same problem (almost) that QWIZAH had in that the display is not properly set up by the bios. I get a lot of lines of pretty colors but no usefull output. I looked at some of the data lines from the Iopener and found that it appears to run at 120 hz for vertical and my TFT wants 60 hz. Also the DE line instead of being true during the 800 horizontal clock cycles is true all the time. Is there enough info available about the Cyberblade to maybe tweak the settings? I am preety good on the hardware, running k63+ at 450MHZ dc/dc/power converter and now all I need is the TFT. Thanks for any help. Thanks for any help. I know there is a few of us trying this. 01-06-2002 15:38:09

RE:TFT Software (modified 1 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email Since you're actually *running* a TFT . . . There is a riser-card PC that's nearly identical to the IOpener -- the Advantech 6752N. If you can find a copy of its BIOS on the Internet, it may be useful to you. The 6752N's BIOS is pre-configured for a TFT display, and would probably operate your TFT display. You may want to use MODBIN on this BIOS to set "Halt On" to "No Errors" to get around any glitches due to the hardware differences between the two machines. I must warn you that I've RARELY been able to get this BIOS to boot on my test machines, even with a lot of twiddling (purging the CMOS, various combinations of hot-swapping and other techniques) and even splicing between the IOpener's BIOS and the 6752's BIOS. Please use a second, separate BIOS chip if you decide to try this, so you can revert to a "known good" BIOS if it fails. The only reason I bring this up is because I'm fairly certain that most of my difficulties came from not running a TFT off of the IOpener -- I've only got the stock DSTN displays. -WP 01-06-2002 16:28:20

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Wildfrog, yep that sounds just like my problem. Codeman dropped me an email last month saying that he had modded code he wrote to set the TFT in the Bios. He actually completed this hack and got a TFT on his I-opener. He also added that he had a copy of the cyberblade .PDF that he would post, but I havent heard from him yet. I'll post any new developments. And Wild_pencil, I cant find that damn BIOS anywhere... You mentioned it in another thread and I searched High and low but no Bios! Still looking... -wheee!- 01-07-2002 07:30:08

RE:TFT Software (modified 1 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email http://eservice.advantech.com.tw/eservice/start.swe?SWEMethod=Drilldown&SWEApplet=All+SR+List+Applet+(eSupport)+-+Unregister+-+Download&SWEView=All+SR+List+View+(eSupport)+(Unregister)+(Download)&SWEApcnt=22&SWEField=l_KBase+Abstract&SWECmd=InvokeMethod&SWECount=22&SWERowIds=SWERowId0%3d1%2bGE%2b1247 If anyone has the Cyberblade Spec-Sheet PDF, I'd appreciate a link. 01-07-2002 10:20:37

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Codeman sent me this link today http://www.linux-hacker.net/downloads/I-Opener/ The spec sheets for the southbridge and cyberblade are there 01-07-2002 12:37:48

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email I looked thru the Cyberblade docs and there is three pins it reads at powerup to determine the type of LCD. I asked in another thread if someone knows where the pins go as they are buried under the BGA. They are AB23-AB25. they use 4.7k pullups to set them high. I found TWO sets of 4.7k pullups near the right part of the chip. May just have to try them both. It may be the Iopener already understands the difference (future upgrade maybe) and I am a lot better at soldering than patching BIOS. However I am DETERMINED to get this working. 01-07-2002 13:35:27

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Good to see another board member into this hack, Im not *too bad* at soldering, however, I suck at coding, though coding a patch to the BIOS ala programmers reply would be a more elegant solution. Try those pullups, it'd be great if that was all we have to do to get a TFT recognized. -wheee!- 01-07-2002 15:46:32

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email Progess ( or rather lack of) report. I downloaded the bios from the PCA-7562 burned into a eeprom, hooked up TFT, NADA. Ok Put original flash back and pull resistors. First tried R150, no change to display at all. Put it back tried R180, still no difference. Now I admit I don't know if they are the resistors I think they are, but I was going on 4.7k pullup to VCC near that corner of the chip. I hope someone who stripped the board will let me know if I was right. Time to start hacking the Bios I guess. Now where did I put that dis-assembler at? 01-07-2002 23:38:49

RE:TFT Software (modified 1 times) Kudzu Profile I hope someone who stripped the board will let me know if I was right. Turbo3, the one who had the board stripped, hasn't been around for a while. So unless there's someone else with an insight into it, (codeman?), you may be on your own. 01-08-2002 01:19:32

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email Bummer.. I was so sure that it would boot the TFT outright. Have you tried using it after pulling out the CMOS battery? Hmm. Let me pull up my old hybrid BIOS archive out of storage. There was a specific hot-swap sequence (includes pulling out the CMOS battery) that I came up with that often worked. I'll email you the hybrid so you can try that BIOS, too. -WP 01-08-2002 12:26:39

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email WP Yeh, I tried pulling the cmos battery and shorted out the contents. I looked at the manual for the PCA and it uses a jumper to tell what kind of TFT is attached. That is why I tried pulling the resistors on my board. Man they are tiny especially when your eyes are tired. Programmer was the person who stripped the board and sent it to Turbo3. Maybe he got it back. Is he still around? I will turn my email on in the profile although I think you have it form before. I had it off due to the tremendous amount of SPAM I seem to get now adays. 90% is for porn. I looked thru the X11 trident driver in a superficial manor, and it reads the status bits in the Cyberblade to determine LCD type. I think the Cyberblade manual is the answer, although it is totally absent of any kind of code samples for getting to those particular registers. If Codeman is still around maybe he can chip in some info even if still incomplete. Thanks for the help. 01-08-2002 14:24:08

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Codeman was nice enough to direct me towards those .pdfs for the cyberblade and the southbridge, unfortunately I havent heard anything regarding the code he wrote to set his i-o to TFT. Have you tried MODBIN with the avandtech BIOS? 01-08-2002 15:48:40

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email You know I may be missing something. I got Modbin 4.5 and all the versions of CBROM I could find. I also got the manual pages. In modbin I can set a lot of things, but don't see any way with these to modify small pieces of code or change a particular register at bootup. I think I will have to put in the VGA hack so I can dual head my display and see what I am doing while I poke around in the registers. I tell you what I have 4 of the displays and would be willing to give one to the person that helps me make the breakthrough on this. I even wrote Earth-LCD as they at one time where going to have a TFT upgrade for the Iopener but no reply yet. (two days now) I will get this, but after reading all the previous posts, it seemed like it had already been done. Well back to hacking away. 01-08-2002 22:12:41

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Wildfrog, Codeman, AKA Ken Segler has a relationship with EarthLCD. I beleive he had some part in modifying the I-opener BIOS to get an LCD recognized. We need his help! Still waiting to hear from him. I guess he's a busy guy. 01-09-2002 10:43:13

RE:TFT Software (modified 2 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email I just emailed Wildfrog two .COM programs to test that should toggle between DSTN and TFT modes. Hopefully I got it right. If they work, I'll produce a TFT-Patched v5 BIOS with these changes. -WP 01-09-2002 22:50:31

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email Well, I tried the gotft and godtsn and on the normal screen no change, on the TFT no change. I am going to be messing with the registers also, I am loading Win98 and C so I can work in a more comfortable language to me. Thanks for trying, have a good trip. Wildfrog 01-10-2002 00:40:35

TFT -- Make it happen (modified 0 times) Rezz Profile | Email Please don't let this thread drop again. This hack has the potential to free this machine more than any other that has been done, except of course the first one of adding a HD. After all, as it has been pointed out many times before, the reason this is such a fun hack is the form factor. Actually, that really isn't quite true, the real reason is the "preception" of a great form factor. The 10.4" DTSN screen greatly limits the practical usage. Opening up the envelope to allow larger TFT screens would really put a new perspective on all the other mods that were dropped before they really got started because the form factor really isn't here. Look at the Tier One Designer PC and then consider potentials here, if only it could be set free. 01-20-2002 16:17:13

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email This project hasn't ceased -- just put on hold while I took a much-needed vacation. I've spent the weekend simplifying the Hybrid-BIOS Hot-Swap procedure, and passed the needed info to Wildfrog. I figure once the Hybrid is able to boot up his machine in TFT mode, we should be able to take a snapshot of his VGA registers and build a TFT-patched v5 BIOS based on that snapshot. -WP 01-20-2002 19:26:57

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Good job guys...So far all I have is my tft cable which hasn't yielded much :) though, Im pretty sure I got all the signals correct. Let's make this hack work! 01-21-2002 07:39:26

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wildfrog Profile | Email Hi, I am trying the bios Wild Pencil gave me (THANKS WP) and I am still having problems. Could be my adapter cable, or it could be I have a Samsung LT121SL-105 display and I am using a data sheet for Samsung LT121S1-105 note ends in 1 on data sheet, L on TFT screen. Seems to be a good match as far as connectors goes, but I am not sure. I will keep trying, digging out the scope now. BTW anyone ever find the docs for a EPSON TCM-A0757-6? I have one of those also. What I have been doing is buying dead laptops at the swapmeet to get my LCD's. Of course it is anybody's guess what you will get. 01-25-2002 20:49:18

TFT Software (modified 0 times) KneuB_2 Profile | Email Now that FR EE DRIVE is no longer hosting the spec sheets, where can they be found? 02-04-2002 13:49:15

TFT Software (modified 0 times) Rezz Profile | Email How goes the battle, any progress? I don't know squat about writting a BIOS patch but if there is any other way that i could help, just holler. We are all waiting with baited breath here. 02-13-2002 00:13:58

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Well guys, I dunno about you but I cant seem to get a dead I-O I have working again. Since I only have that one to experiment on, I guess Im out. Or at least until I can get my hands on another I-O. Any Ideas? I'd still really like to get this TFT mod working. 02-19-2002 11:33:28

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email Bummer about the machine, GWIZAH. Do you need a while machine, or would just a working Motherboard do? Maybe someone can contribute to the cause.. I'm getting geared up to attempt an IOpener-to-DFP cable.. which should allow me to hook the IOpener directly to a VP181. Just a little squeamish about chopping the end off of a DFP cable, though... damn, they're expensive cables! Anyone have luck identifying a part number for the IOpener connector? And.. has anyone been able to identify the two missing Blue signals? Codeman mentioned that they're accessible through test-points on the back of the motherboard.. but he's been mum ever since. -WP 02-19-2002 16:36:41

Tracking down the LCD connector (modified 0 times) Rezz Profile | Email What is the connector called .... other than "connector"? I've been trying to find it and so far I haven't even found anything similar. I was going to write to a few of the major manufacturers but without knowing what to call it the best I could do would be to show them a picture and ask what is it? Unfortunately I don't even have a way to make a high resolution JPG of it. So what type of connector is it? Also if someone could post a detailed photo of it (preferably with a milimeter scale next to it for reference) I would appreciate it. On a side note, while going through the connectors on the Foxconn site (they're the ones that produce the RAM socket for the i-opener) I noticed that they also produce a vertical (or straight) USB connector that looks verrrry close to the USB connector on the i-Opener. GWIZAH This auction appears to be missing the BIOS chip but it just may be what you are looking for. 02-21-2002 01:16:50

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) JAK1 Profile The panel connector appears to be a JAE FI series: http://www.jae.com/productpdf/btb/wtb/fi.pdf JAK1 02-21-2002 15:20:02

LCD Connector (modified 0 times) KneuB_2 Profile | Email JAK1 The I thought the DSTN connector was a 16 pin variety, the JAE F1 series you pointed to seems to have every pin number option except 16. 02-22-2002 13:27:13

RE:TFT Software (modified 1 times) Wild_Pencil Profile | Email I think he's talking about the connector off of the motherboard. FI-S 30P-HF looks like the motherboard's connector.. all the measurements correlate. I'm not sure how to read this, but I think the part we'd want (the mate that belongs to the cable) would be FI-S 30S. Anyhow, Digikey doesn't have 'em... -WP 02-22-2002 16:30:00

LCD Connector (modified 0 times) KneuB_2 Profile | Email The primary US outlet for JAE is Kensington Electronics . NOTE: Go through their sales link and there is an option for Samples. Of course that does not mean that they carry this particular part, but it may be worth asking. 02-22-2002 18:23:17

LCD Connector Photo (modified 0 times) KneuB_2 Profile | Email A special thank you to 4nradio for the great close up photo of the LCD Connector. Click on the link "LCD Connector" when you get to this site. 02-26-2002 23:42:22

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) *SF* Profile Nice Photo, But You Want CN2, Not CN23 the front panel controls. 02-27-2002 00:08:27

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email LOL...sorry man, just too funny. Look for the mess of multi-colored wires. BTW, love the baby-food pic. 02-27-2002 23:37:24

TFT LCD Progress (modified 0 times) KneuB_2 Profile | Email I should have looked at the photo a little more closely, that one is rather obvious. What is the text character string for highly embarrissed? Gee I wish I could edit my posts....Oh-well that's life Moving Right along now. GWIZAH Did you resolve you issues with the dead i-Opener? Are you back in the game? Wild_Pencil Were you able to get the connector? Wildfrog Any progress, or lack there of, to report? 03-11-2002 21:15:01

RE:TFT Software (modified 0 times) GWIZAH Profile | Email Still waiting on an I-O mobo I ordered from Ryan. After that Im back in the game. Never had a chance to test those flashes I was sent. 03-12-2002 19:02:01

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