Andreas,

> - to compile your own kernel get the src tarball from
> 	cd /
> 	wget ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.6.1/source/sets/syssrc.tgz
> 	tar -xvzf syssrc.tgz
> 	cd /sys/arch/cobalt/conf
> 
>  then run
> 	wget http://only.mawhrin.net/~cdi/netbsd/cobalt/hd44780.diff.gz
> 	gzip -d hd44780.diff.gz
> 	cd /sys
> 	patch -p1 < /sys/arch/cobalt/conf/hd44780.diff
> 	cd -

I believe that with the 1.6.1 kernel, this patch is unnecessary.

If you've compiled 1.6.1 from source and your panel isn't working, make 
sure you have the following device:

# ls -l /dev/panel
crw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  36, 0 Jan  8 15:29 /dev/panel

and that your /etc/paneld.conf references /dev/panel instead of /dev/lcd

-chris