ASUS DIGIMatrix

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Version Status Date Updated Updated By
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Usage Information

Asus Digimatrix has pros and cons. Let me do initial evaluation...

I've also added Panel utility that lets you control LCD display...

  • Pros:
    • Small factor
    • Nice front panel
    • Integrated IR Remote
    • Clock and Temp display (although Time under LinuxMCE is not right at the moment)
  • Cons:
    • Cannot PXE boot (I simulate this with boot CD that is always in tray)
    • Wake on LAN still doesn't work properly (but can be wrong on this one)...

Asus-fromt.jpg Asus back.jpg


HW clock problem

Digimatrix has nice little VFD screen that shows hardware clock. The problem is that when it is powered off that time is in GMT rather than local time (in my case this is two hours behind). This comes from default handling of time in Linux - HW clock keeps GMT time and software then handles it when powered on. But after power down it goes back to GMT.


Solution

Entry UTC=yes in /etc/default/rcS (for that particular MD and not on the core) has to be changed to UTC=no.


I have no idea if this breaks any automatic daylight time saving feature or anything else, but works on my Digimatrix now - so I can see proper time when powered off


Adding remote control

It seems pretty straightforward, but it seems it starts to work only after few hard reboots...


Two additional kernel modules are required for remote to operate properly (lirc_dev, lirc_it87). They should be added as additional kernel modules on Media Directors page. As I'm writing this, this feature doesn't work, so you must manually add them to /etc/modules and watch, cause that file could get overwritten (particularly if you click on 'Rebuild image')...


1. Add 'Digimatrix' remote control in the bottom of corresponding entry in Media directors LinuxMCE-admin page.

2. Select 'default' driver

Those actions will add two devices to Digimatrix MD parent device : 'Digimatrix' (remote) and 'default' which will start actual lircd daemon. Now some of buttons should work (left,right,up,down) but not all of them. There is another further step necessary :


3. Setting up remote mapping in MySQL database pluto_main, RemoteMapping (where keys from lircd.conf on Digmatrix remote page have to be added to trigger proper DCE messages, but please read this first - if you make changes on your own, you'll lose upgrading feature of table entries!!!)


I've already sent email with suggested additions for Digimatrix remote : 

 --------------------- suggested additions to table are listed in ()-------
 (os_start)Power;|0 -203 1 194
 1;One;|0 -203 1 28 26 16
 2;Two;|0 -203 1 28 26 17
 3;Three;|0 -203 1 28 26 18
 4;Four;|0 -203 1 28 26 19
 5;Five;|0 -203 1 28 26 20
 6;Six;|0 -203 1 28 26 21
 7;Seven;|0 -203 1 28 26 22
 8;Eight;|0 -203 1 28 26 23
 9;Nine;|0 -203 1 28 26 24
 0;Zero;|0 -203 1 28 26 25
 enter;|0 -203 1 28 26 5
 (next)SkipNext;skipfwd;|0 -106 1 65 5 +1
 (pre)SkipPrior;skipback;|0 -106 1 65 5 -1
 (ch+)chup;ChanUp;|0 -106 1 65 5 +1
 (ch-)chdown;ChanDown;|0 -106 1 65 5 -1
 (step+)fastforward;Forward;|0 -106 1 41 43 +2
 (step-)Rewind;|0 -106 1 41 43 -2
 Pause;|0 -106 1 39
 Play;|0 -106 1 37
 Mute;|0 -106 1 97
 Stop;|0 -106 1 95 203 1
 Down;|0 -203 1 201
 Up;|0 -203 1 200
 Left;|0 -203 1 202
 Right;|0 -203 1 203
 ok;|0 -203 1 190
 (vol-)voldn;VolDown;|0 -106 1 90
 (vol+)VolUp;|0 -106 1 89
 recorded_tv;RecTV;|0 -203 1 401 29 5
 (dvd_vcd;dvd_audio)DVD;|0 -106 1 43
 menu;|0 -106 1 548
 tv;live_tv;LiveTV;|0 -106 1 43 29 1
 Back;|0 -203 1 240
 Clear;|0 -203 1 363
 (subtitle)epg;Guide;|0 -106 1 126
 start;Home;|0 -203 1 741 159 1
 Music;|0 -203 1 401 29 4
 (ui_size)Radio;|0 -106 1 43 29 6
 (rec)Record;|0 -106 1 102
 (ui_on_off)display;info;list;|0 -203 1 399
 green;|0 -203 1 28 26 177
 yellow;|0 -203 1 28 26 178
 red;|0 -203 1 28 26 179
 blue;|0 -203 1 28 26 180

----- suggestions to change in digimatrix remote entry 
          on_off                   0x000000000000B04F

to change to 'music' - there is alternate sign on remote that is more useful than on_off feature (os_start is for that)

I also suggested new entry in table : 

photo (music,tv,dvd are already in)...


(to be expanded)

Power ON/OFF from remote control !!!


Currently not many PCs can do this. But digitools package (look below) includes digiwake utility that must be run on system's shutdown (anytime after lircd, but it disables it so shutdown is best place) and Digimatrix will then wake up on Music (On/Off) button on remote - if it stays in idle power of course..

Currently for 1.03 Digiwake, you must run digiwake -w to write default values. On on/off remote button Digimatrix starts booting but it doesn't read CD to PXE boot (maybe my BIOS is not the right version...

Radu suggests putting script in /etc/init.d, and make symlinks in /etc/rc6.d and /etc/rc0.d (rc6 = reboot; rc0 = halt/poweroff); use the existing symlinks as reference - I think only rc0 symlink is necessary.

'digiwake.sh' content (in /etc/init.d ) 

#
# digiwake.sh Prepares Digmatrix to be powered on by remote on/off button.
#
/usr/local/sbin/digiwake -w


and make this : 

ln -s /etc/init.d/digiwake.sh /etc/rc0.d/S80digiwake


Getting VFD panel to display time, temperature (with volume) and volume knob to work

You need to compile Digitools
My notes: 

    wget http://www.geexbox.org/src/devel/digitools-1.03.tar.gz
    tar zxvf digitools-1.03.tar.gz
    cd digitools
    apt-get install libc6-dev
    apt-get install libasound2-dev
    make install

Then I add this line to /etc/inittab (not sure if this is proper and nice way of doing it - but it works) : 

    FP:2345:once:/usr/local/sbin/digipanel -l -s -t &> /dev/null & echo "Starting panel control"


(to be expanded)

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