# Installing CrystalFontz 634 LCD

## ddpruitt

I've installed a CrystalFontz 634 LCD screen (http://www.crystalfontz.com) on my PC but cannont get lcd4linux or lcdproc to work.

I have connected the serial cable from the LCD to a Windoze machine and used the CrystalFontz software to make sure the LCD works (it does).  

I installed and configured lcd4linux.  When I try to start lcd4linux using

```
lcd4linux -f /etc/lcd4linux/lcd4linux.conf
```

it only starts after the 5th or 6th try.  When it does start the screen goes all haywire.  The messages are coming through so I am sure I have the baud rate set but it looks like the screen tries to scroll.

Not to be stopped by one silly program   :Evil or Very Mad:   I installed and configured lcdproc.  When I execute LCDd the LCD turns on but does not show anything (I take this as a good sign) but when I run lcdproc the LCD turns off (a bad sign).

Has any one installed or used these programs succesfully?  If so I could really use a clue here    :Confused:  .

Thanks

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## marcuse

>When I execute LCDd the LCD turns on but does not show anything (I take this as a good sign) but when I run lcdproc the LCD turns off (a bad sign). 

Thats fine because if LCDd starts it sets the backlight to an initial value defined in /etc/LCDd.conf

Each client has th ability to redefine the backlight value for its purposes, so don't worry.

Make sure you've set at least those parameters in /etc/LCDd.conf:

[server]

# Server section with all kinds of settings for the LCDd server

Driver=CFontz

Backlight=on      # this ensures that the backlight is on *everytime*

BacklightBrightness=128

[CFontz]

# CrystalFontz driver

# Select the output device to use [/dev/lcd]

Device=/dev/ttyS0                   # adjust to the serial port the display is connected to

# Select the LCD type (size) [20x4]

Size=20x4

# Set the initial contrast [140]

Contrast=150

# The backlight brightness settings are retrieved

# from the serversection now. And can therefore be

# modified from the server menu now.

# Set the communication speed [9600]

# possible values: 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200

Speed=19200

# Set the firmware version (New means >= 2.0) [no]

# if set, set Speed to 19200

NewFirmware=yes

# Reinitialize the LCD's BIOS [no]

# normally you shouldn't need this

Reboot=no

Check the version of your display's firmware and adjust those parameters above.

Now try starting lcdproc and look if the display shows something ...  :Smile: 

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## ddpruitt

It worked perfect!

I had the Backlight = open and didn't have the NewFirmware set.  Once I changed them it came on perfect.

Thanks!    :Very Happy: 

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## vibidoo

I am expecting to use a Cistalfontz next month .

I went to the lcd4linux web page  and the last release is from 2001 .

Could you tell me if there are some improvement ?

I would like to find a lcd soft under Linux  who work like jalcd for windows

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## kamikaz3

 *vibidoo wrote:*   

> 
> 
> I would like to find a lcd soft under Linux  who work like jalcd for windows

 

 :Crying or Very sad:   there isn't any one

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## archimedelemalin

Hello, i have a matrix orbital model MX2 and i'm having trouble with it...

its size is 20x2 which may be the problem in lcdproc... lots of characters don't refresh on the screen and so it becomes garbled...

I still can guess what it says, but i'd like it clearer... well, here are my driver options..

```
[MtxOrb]

# Matrix Orbital driver

# Select the output device to use [/dev/lcd]

device=/dev/usb/tts/0

# Set the display size [20x4]

size=18x2

# Switch on the backlight? [yes]

# NOTE: The driver will ignore this if the display

#       is a vfd or vfd as they crash if the backlight

#       is turned off

enablebacklight=yes

# Set the initial contrast [140]

# NOTE: The driver will ignore this if the display

#       is a vfd or vfd as they don't have this feature

contrast=140   #changes here don't do squat

# Set the communication speed [19200]

speed=19200

#these don't seem to affect this module

#NewFirmware=yes

#Reboot=yes

#DelayMult=2

#DelayBus=true

# Set the display type [lcd]

# Possible settings: lcd, lkd, vfd, vkd

type=lcd

# See [input] section for an explanation of the key mappings

PauseKey=N

BackKey=K

ForwardKey=A

MainMenuKey=F

# You can find out which key of your display sends which

# character by setting keypad_test_mode to yes and running

# LCDd. LCDd will output all characters it receives.

# Afterwards you can modify the settings above and set

# keypad_set_mode to no again.

keypad_test_mode=no

```

With lcd4linux i haven't had any luck at all....

----------

## lunarg

I know this thread is over a year or so old, but I'm having a problem with my CrystalFontz 634 LCD.

It's all configured just nicely, and ran perfectly on 2.4.26-r9 and some previous kernels, using LCDd and lcdproc.

Today, I've upgraded to the latest stable gentoo-sources (2.4.26-r13) and suddenly, all I get on my display are nice ASCII-signs and scrambled characters of all kinds.

I haven't changed anything else, only upgraded to the new kernel.

So what's going on here?

Thanks.

EDIT: I'm using the USB-interface, and have the ftdi_sio module loaded. The device is found without a problem and starts up empty, but as soon as the LCDd starts, it's all scrambled.

----------

## Lorijho

@lunarg

Hi, reply to an old post, I know!

Anywho, if you're still having trouble getting your 634 USB to work properly than drop me a msg.

I set up lcdproc 0.5 from cvs for my 634 USB and even patched the CFontz driver to enable Brightness change from LCDd.

So long

----------

