LCDHype anybody?

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1ST1

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LCDHype anybody?

#1

Post by 1ST1 » Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:44 pm

Hello, I have build a HTPC based on Fujitsu-Sienems Activy 570 Mediacenter (same as Scaleo E, OEM product from FIC). The modification is basically other fanless mainboard from Asrock to be Win 10 compatible. Since several monthes it's up and running fully in Windows 10. It's using the WMC V12 installer for Windows 10. Also Kodi 16.1 is installed, but mainly I am still using WMC because of the very reliable and comfortable TV recording functionality. It has two DVB-S2 cards, one assigned to WMC and one to DVBViewer-Pro/Kodi.

The Activy chassis integrates a Futuba DM144GINK VFD, which runs fine since a few weeks with a newly created LCDHype driver. Currently LCDHype runs a script which shows system informations and if Winamp runs it switches to some Winamp related screens. But I want more. I already have some Kodi example scripts which I need to understand and modify to run well and I have something for older WMC versions, but this does not run and I can't install it because the instruction to integrate the plugin to WMC seems to be related to older versions of WMC.

The question is: Anybody out there using WMC on Win 10 and having a LCDHype controlled LCD/VFD and able to display WMC status on the LCD/VFD?
IMG_1142.jpg
My Activy

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Crash2009

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#2

Post by Crash2009 » Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:53 am

Here is the Win10 WMC thread. You gotta have 20 posts to see the links. HINT....(Write a short essay on Why it is ridicules to have a 20 post minimum, and split it up over 20)

I dont have any experience with the WMC status on the LCD/VFD, but my guess is it should work the same way as Win7 or Win8. Most if not all my 3rd party's from Win7 work fine with Win10.

https://forums.mydigitallife.info/threa ... ternatives

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DavidinCT

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#3

Post by DavidinCT » Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:00 pm

1ST1 wrote:Hello, I have build a HTPC based on Fujitsu-Sienems Activy 570 Mediacenter (same as Scaleo E, OEM product from FIC). The modification is basically other fanless mainboard from Asrock to be Win 10 compatible. Since several monthes it's up and running fully in Windows 10. It's using the WMC V12 installer for Windows 10. Also Kodi 16.1 is installed, but mainly I am still using WMC because of the very reliable and comfortable TV recording functionality. It has two DVB-S2 cards, one assigned to WMC and one to DVBViewer-Pro/Kodi.

The Activy chassis integrates a Futuba DM144GINK VFD, which runs fine since a few weeks with a newly created LCDHype driver. Currently LCDHype runs a script which shows system informations and if Winamp runs it switches to some Winamp related screens. But I want more. I already have some Kodi example scripts which I need to understand and modify to run well and I have something for older WMC versions, but this does not run and I can't install it because the instruction to integrate the plugin to WMC seems to be related to older versions of WMC.

The question is: Anybody out there using WMC on Win 10 and having a LCDHype controlled LCD/VFD and able to display WMC status on the LCD/VFD?
IMG_1142.jpg
Yep ! I do. I have a old D-Vine case that comes with one of those 2 X 20 VFD display, using a LPT connector.

It worked on x32 fine but, I had to HACK it to get a driver fake signed and lots of other stuff to get it working in WIndows x64 (got it working on 7, 8.1 and 10). The case came out during the XP MCE days and I have managed to get it working even after everyone is saying to trash it and buy a USB one.

I get WMC status on everything. So when show is being watched it will show the name, the time and time left. Same with other content..
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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Crash2009

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#4

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:37 am

David

Thanks for the confirmation, my spidy sense figured it would work. Admittedly spidy was all I had to go on.

Found some details by searching vine.

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... 954#p92954

1ST1

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#5

Post by 1ST1 » Sat Dec 24, 2016 9:21 am

David, du I understand that you had problems with the LCD driver in 64 Bit mode? Ok, my display works in 64 Bit mode with LCDHype.

But I don't know to get LCDHype to read informations out of WMC. How to do that?

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DavidinCT

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#6

Post by DavidinCT » Thu Dec 29, 2016 3:57 pm

1ST1 wrote:David, du I understand that you had problems with the LCD driver in 64 Bit mode? Ok, my display works in 64 Bit mode with LCDHype.

But I don't know to get LCDHype to read informations out of WMC. How to do that?
WMC has a subsystem that shows it's current status (what WMC is doing), it's been a while but, think it was call EMAS. There is a 3rd party program called LCDwriter that pulls that information to display on a LCD panel like yours.

http://babgvant.com/files/folders/lcdwr ... fault.aspx

Now getting it to run with YOUR display is a whole different thing, as I just don't know. This is a older app so I had to HACK it to get it running on Windows 7 or 8.1 x64, it always ran fine in x86.

If you really want to play with this and see if you can get this data, look over the forums on that site, and you must set to "show all posts" or it wont display anything over a month. You will see a few posts of mine (same user name), that I show how I got it working under 8.1 and even windows 7 x64. The compatibility of this app with YOUR display is something that you need to re-search, there is a lot of people who used different displays, I just don't know all models.

It was tricky to figure out but, it didn't run because of driver signing required on x64, I had to disable it and fake sign a driver to make it work (in a nut shell)
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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