Palm Os device to work as a LCD status display. (now with pictures!)

This article is all about how to use your palm OS device to emulate a LCD status display for your computer! You can display system stats (such as: CPU load graphs, CPU temperatures, free disk space), news alerts, stock indexes, WinAmp graphs, etc.

(sorry for the lack of pictures at the moment, ill add them later)

Step 1 Download

First off, PalmOrb works by pretending to be (or emulating) a real LCD; a Matrix Orbital LK204-25 LCD. So you can use existing software that expects a Matrix Orbital display! Here are a few LCD driving programs:

Linux: LCDproc - free. [LCDproc v0.4.5 has a number of minor bugs; see FAQ.]
Linux: LCD4Linux - free.
Windows: LCD smartie - free. v5.4 is the latest, beta versions are available.
Windows: LCDC - shareware but it's very good.

You will also need to download PalmOrb from here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/palmorb/

You will also need to make sure that your palm can sinc with your pc as this is needed in the intallation process.

Comments

[stephenniall]

Im gonna get a old palm and do this and mount it in my computers front panel

[RetroTechno]

I may actually charge the batteries on my old Palm to try this out!  :-)

[The Insomniac]

I like this, especially since i just got a used CLie off of craigslist. My question is, will the installation of this prevent overwrite the normal Palm OS and prevent it from being used as it would normally when it is undocked?

[mattbeddow]

No it runs inside the palm os like every other program, once your done just click home and unplug your device, no lasting effects, easy to delete and takes up little memory :) you will however need to restart the hotsync manager on your pc once your done to sync normally again but that is easy enough.

[The Insomniac]

AGH!!! I installed it according to the instructions, it did a fatal exception error message, and then started flashing the PalmPowered logo on the screen, and i couldn't get it to do anything. I even tried resetting it. I ended up having to erase everything on the palm by holding down the power button and then hitting the up button. Any way I could have prevented this?

[mattbeddow]

im sorry to hear that just to check, you did first disable the hotsync, ran the program on the pc, then connect the palm, the start the soft on the palm?

[The Insomniac]

yup. Luckily, I had just closed hotsync after copying all my stuff to my comp from the palm, so i still have the dates and notes and stuff. I guess that PAlMORB and LCDSmartie dont work very well in conjunction with my Clie, even when configured according to your instructions. I'll try it out later, I may get it to work with a few tweaks.

[highvoltagefun]

I have a sony clie, and it is working fine, except for not being able to use the fullscreen. (help!).

[highvoltagefun]

Heyyy!

If you right click on the hotsync manager, and select network, and then run LcdSmartie, it will work! does this mean that you could use this AND hotsync at the same time? LcdSmartie = USB Hotsync = Network?

[highvoltagefun]

UPDATE: No, it doesn't work. :(

[highvoltagefun]

Wait! Thats because i had the local usb checked AND the network! Otherwise, if you tell lcd smartie that hotsync isn't running, then it should work!

[highvoltagefun]

To Trick LCD Smartie into thinking that hotsync isn't running, find the hotsync.exe file and change it into hotsync.bat it will work the same, but lcd smartie will work because on the check to see whether HOTSYNC.EXE is running. it will come back false.

[arthaha]

wow, nice! i didn't know you could do this. I pulled out my old Sony Clie and set it up! Very NICE! i like~! is there anyway to get a large display area though?

[mattbeddow]

There is a way to do it and it looks similar to the picture on the top right. Im afraid that it doesnt work with lcdsmartie but it may work with the linux based programs. ill have to try and ill get back to you.

[highvoltagefun]

do i have to use linux to get fullscreen? :(

[highvoltagefun]

I tried this, and it works very well with Folding@Home, Winamp and SETI@Home, but the screen size is very small, like in the first picture with the keyboard. how do you get it to the fullscreen one? with the winamp FAVU meter?

[teknoman]

does anyone know some software to do this same thing but with a Windows Mobile PDA?

[Redgerr]

i might try with my old palm-- thanks! :) ill get back and tell ya if it works, i dont know if i still have all the programs needed to even sync the device lol :D

[Redgerr]

just downloaded the software-- hopefully it will work and the battery is not totally fried... probably is though.... yep ill report back when i have it finished... or failed :)

[dz0004455]

this isn't workng for me...o well

[mattbeddow]

Have you made sure that a) the drivers ar installed for your device and b) that hotsync has been closed and the process is nolonger displayed in taskmanager?

[dz0004455]

im using linux.... and i'm still having alot of trouble with hotsync to... i'll tell you guys if i get it working tho

[mattbeddow]

Sorry i dont know much about linux so i cant realy help

[dz0004455]

thanks for trying

[CaffeineHouse]

Yeah, i'd also like to find out how to use a "full screen" mode, as the default allotted screen is really small.