On Fri, 4 Feb 2005, Jesse Off wrote:
> I just committed support for wsdisplay(4) attachments to Hitachi HD44780
> text mode LCD controllers.  Any doubts as to whether the wscons framework
> would scale down to embedded consoles can now be put to rest.  Seeing
> wscons working on a 200Mhz ARM TS-7200 embedded board w/24x2 LCD with a
> 16-button matrix keypad using the generic matrix keypad wskbd(4) driver
> (committed earlier this week) is a tribute to NetBSD's clean design and
> viability in the embedded space.

Way cool. Do you have some pix?

Would be nice to show a getty session or similar on our galery/screenshot 
section!


  - Hubert (typing over slow modem line)


>
> Having wscons working for this provides embedded application developers
> the ability to rapidly prototype and simulate embedded applications that
> will use a matrix keypad and HD44780 display in the field on a regular
> serial/telnet console and keyboard.  It also becomes possible, for
> instance, to run a getty and shell on an additional virtual LCD wsdisplay
> that can be accessed by plugging in a USB ukbd(4) and hitting Ctrl-F2 to
> switch consoles just like on NetBSD's other ports.  The only quirks the
> above login-session/shell would have are those that one would expect with
> only 24x2 characters instead of the traditional 80x25, but would be
> perfect for enabling out-of-band features for system integrators for
> (e.g.) field updates or initial system configuration.
>
> About the HD44780 display:
> HD44780's are ubiquitous in the embedded world and are found in
> backlit/non-backlit configurations from 16x1 characters (around $7) to
> 40x4 characters (around $24).  These displays are very commonly attached
> to microcontrollers such as PIC's or Atmel AVR's.  The typical NetBSD user
> probably knows of them through the server-monitoring style applications
> catered to by such open-source projects as LCDproc.
>
> About the matrix keypad:
> Matrix keypads are small and rugged input devices resembling a keyboard
> without a controller that must be both polled and debounced in software.
> Matrix keypads commonly range in size from 1x1 (aka single button) to 4x4
> (extended phone keypad), though the current NetBSD driver is not at all
> limited to these sizes and may be used in sizes up to and exceeding those
> of qwerty keyboard sized keypads.  (such as e.g. those for custom
> front-panels or fast-food registers)
>
> //Jesse Off
>

-- 
NetBSD - Free AND Open!      (And of course secure, portable, yadda yadda)