iMon_Helper Open Source

The iMon_Helper is now open source and is available at SourceForge.

iMon Helper utility updated

iMon_Helper has been updated to provide (slow) remote control support without needing Growl. In addition, I compiled it to be a Universal Binary. View the included README file for details.

Download the latest version now!

I am hoping to get this project up on SourceForge to encourage further development.

iMon LCDproc Compiler Script Update

See the original iMon LCDproc Compiler Script post for installation details.

Many new features have been added:

Auto Discovery

The driver will now auto-discover your iMon device with no need to edit the LCD.conf file. You can still specify specific product and vendor ids if you wish.

Remotes

The new driver works with newer iMon HID devices (with "HID" printed on the back), to allow Mac OS X to open the device and let you use your remote control as a mouse. Several Mac OS X drivers are available to extend the use HID devices and will now work with the remote buttons. If you had an older version of the iMon installer script that installed the LCDprocUSBShield.kext, you will need to reboot after you run the install script to gain full control of your remote.

Older iMon devices that use the iMon Pad remote, but do not use HID, such as the 0xffdc VFD, can also use the remote with the help of a few programs:

1. GrowLCDproc 1.4.1, 1.3.11 or newer must be running and connected to lcdproc.
2. Remote Buddy must be running with the "Script Remote" enabled in the "Hardware" area.

The imon lcdproc driver will send remote control button presses to GrowLCDproc, which in turn, sends commands to Remote Buddy via AppleScript. Remote Buddy is not a free product, but it is so professionally written with so many excellent features that it is worth the money. Remote Buddy has many options to control all of your essential Mac OS X programs. There is also a free 30 day download available.

Improved features with 0x0038 SoundGraph LCD

New features have been added that improve the stability of the SoundGraph LCD and allow users to control what the LCD will display after LCDproc shuts down.

Good Luck!

iMon LCDproc Compiler Script

I uploaded the iMon LCDproc Compiler script / installer for Mac OS X. You need to have the Apple developer tools installed to use it. The script will download the latest LCDproc, compile it and install it with the iMon LCD driver. You may need to edit the LCDd.conf file to suit your particular LCD. This will likely block the mouse from working on your remote.

To use it, just:

1. Download the latest version now.
2. Open the iMon_LCDproc_Installer archive
3. Double-click the "install.command" script
4. Enter your password to allow installation
5. Edit the /usr/local/etc/LCDd.conf file to include the product id of your iMon display

Download the latest version now.

Update!

The iMon LCDproc driver for Mac OS X now supports many more iMon displays including product IDs 0xffdc, and 0x0037.

Update 2009-12-21

See the new features: iMon LCDproc Compiler Script Update

GrowLCDproc 1.3.9 Available

GrowLCDproc 1.3.9 is now available for download.

GrowLCDproc 1.3.9 improves priority handling of Growl notifications, causing normal priority notifications to be displayed immediately on your LCD.

See it in action.

Take a look at the documentation.

Download the latest version now.

I wrote some code to get LCDproc working on Mac OS X with the iMon LCD 0x0038. I am currently trying to get the remote to work with it as well.

I should have a compiled binary to release soon.

LCDproc Compiler script

I have had a lot of requests for an Intel compile of LCDproc. Here is a compile script you can use to compile it yourself. You will need to have the Apple Developer Tools installed. Then run the install.command script and it will:

1. download LCDproc
2. download libusb, if not installed already
3. set up any necessary environment variables
4. configure, compile and install LCDproc
5. run LCDproc with the default LCDd configuration
6. open the LCDd.conf file so you can edit the configuration if you want
7. open the LCDd StartupItem installer to allow you to run LCDd at start up

You may need to enter your password when prompted.

In the end you will have a fully-featured LCDproc compiled with all of the USB drivers enabled. You will need to edit the LCDd.conf file to suit your display. If you have to specify a device in the LCDd.conf file,be sure to use the cu.usbserial device, not the tty.usbserial device.

Unfortunately, because this is a default install, some drivers such as imon will not work properly without other Mac OS X specific patches.

Many USB displays will work with minor configuration file changes, including the Mac OS X USB LCD Kit.

Download the latest version now.

LCDproc iMon driver

Working with a user on InsanelyMac, I was able to get LCDproc working with an iMon VFD product id 0x0036.  I am working with another user to get it working with an iMon LCD product id 0x0038, and I will hopefully have a download available soon.

iTunes LCDproc AppleScript

Here is an AppleScript designed to display your current iTunes song on an LCDproc server. It uses expect to control a telnet session to the LCDproc server. You do not need Growl.

You must open it in Script Editor, save it as an application and select "Stay Open" in the save dialog. Then you can put it in your iTunes Scripts folder so it is accessible in iTunes.

Download the iTunes LCDproc AppleScript.

Update!

I updated the script so it uses very few processes now.

LCDproc installer Mac OS X

I have created an LCDproc installer for Mac OS X. It is built for G3, G4 or G5 PowerPC Macs, but I should have an Intel build available soon. Intel Macs will not be able to use it. LCDproc gets installed into /usr/local/. A start-up script is included in /Library/StartUpItems/LCDproc. It is pre-configured for the Mac OS X USB LCD Kit. Once you install, just restart as instructed and LCDproc should be running on your Mac OS X USB LCD Kit. If you don't have the Mac OS X USB LCD Kit, you can edit the configuration file in /usr/local/etc/LCDd.conf

Download the Mac OS X PowerPC LCDproc installer.

Mac OS X USB LCD Kit LCDproc code

The source will hopefully be incorporated into LCDproc and I should have a compiled download available shortly.

THe default set up is for winamp wiring, but the MAC OS X USB LCD Kit is wired a bit differently. Make sure to uncomment:
//#define USS720_MAC_USB_LCD_KIT_WIRING 1
to enable the proper wiring for the kit.

Update: 8/10/2008

The hd44780-USS720 driver code has been incorporated into LCDproc. I hope to have a compiled version available for download as soon as possible.

Mac OS X USB LCD Kit working with LCDproc

I have just finished an LCDproc driver for the Mac OS X USB LCD Kit. Sorry for the long delay on this, it had always been something I wanted to do. It should be incorporated into an LCDproc release soon.

The driver uses libusb, so it can be used on any OS supported by LCDproc. If anybody who purchased a kit is interested in testing it out, please email me.

GrowLCDproc for Growl 1.1.1 Available!

GrowLCDproc now works with Growl 1.1.x!

Take a look at the documentation.

Download the latest version now.

Look at some previous posts for more details.

GrowLCDproc Now Available!

After some final feature improvements and bug fixes, GrowLCDproc is now available for public use!

Forward Growl notifications from your favorite Mac OS X applications to any number of LCDproc servers running locally or on remote networks. Then see your Growl notifications appear on any of the displays supported by LCDproc on a Mac OS X, Linux or BSD server.

Check out a screen-shot.

Take a look at the documentation.

Download the latest version now.

Update!

GrowLCDproc 1.3.1 is now a Universal Binary.

GrowLCDproc Pre-Release updated!

New GrowLCDproc available with improved sleep behavior. Fixes a bug where sleep would cause a bad stream to remain open and prevent screens from being sent to LCDproc until a "reconnect".

Download the latest version now.

Old Mac 68k as an LCDproc display

I am easily amused I suppose. Trying to find a use for the old compact Macs I have around (Macintosh 128K, 512k, SE, SE/30), I set up a connection (see below) to my G3 and ran the LCDproc daemon from the old Mac using curses as a display. Using my GrowLCDprocDisplay program, you can even display your currently playing iTunes songs!

Basic steps for a serial connection:

1. Get a USB serial adapter and the appropriate driver for Mac OS X
2. Use a null modem cable to connect the old Mac and your new Mac
3. Run an old terminal emulation (Zterm, MacTerminal, MicroPhone) program on the old Mac
4. Set up the /etc/ttys file to allow you to login over the serial connection. for instance:
   tty.usbserial "/usr/libexec/getty local.9600" vt100 on
5. Restart launchd: sudo killall -HUP launchd
6. Login from the old Mac and run LCDd with curses as the display

TUAW link

Thanks to TUAW, The Unofficial Apple Weblog for the recent link to my blog for information relating to LCDproc.

LCDproc compile update

Since upgrading to Xcode 2.4.1, I have noticed some problems compiling LCDproc. However, they are not difficult to overcome.

cd into the folder of the latest LCDproc source. and run the following commands:

1. ./configure
2. make
   At some point this will return an error about nested functions.
3. make CFLAGS=-fnested-functions
   This will finish compiling past the previous error.

If you just run make CFLAGS=-fnested-functions, without running a standard make first, you will get an error trying to dynamically link bayrad.so. Hopefully there will be a fix for this soon.

In other news, LCDproc included some new source I wrote to get the top processes and the internet interface statistics. This means that all of the lcdproc client features are now supported in Mac OS X!

Update!

There are no longer any nested functions in LCDproc. As a result, you can now just run:

1. ./configure
2. make

to compile LCDproc.

GrowLCDproc Pre-release now available!!

Here is the new Growl Display plugin that will send Growl notifications to an LCDproc server. This will allow you to view Growl notifications on any character LCD supported by LCDproc, or on any UNIX or linux terminal using the curses or text drivers. Because it uses LCDproc's TCP/IP connection protocol, you can send your notifications almost anywhere!

Using this plugin, I was able to forward my notifications to my wireless Zaurus PDA running in another room.

Download the latest version now.

Check out a screenshot.

GrowLCDproc Display

I just finished working on a Growl Display plugin that will send Growl notifications to an LCDproc server. It works very well! I will hopefully have a download available soon. This will allow you to view Growl notifications on any character LCD supported by LCDproc, or on any linux machine if you run the curses or text drivers. Because it uses LCDproc's TCP/IP connection protocol, you can send your notifications almost anywhere!

Check out the screenshot. Notice the LCDproc server running a text based curses display in the terminal.