How to Add a MatrixOrbital VFD Display to Your Linux Box

This instructable covers adding a MatrixOrbital VFD to your linux box. Like all good geeks I have a headless linux box on my home network. By adding a Vacuum Fluorescent Display and running LCDProc you can display health stats and keep an eye on your linux box.

Step 1: Parts

I used a MatrixOrbital VFD2041

- 1 DC Power Coaxial Connector
- 1 9v Power Supply
- 1 4 Pin connector
- 1 DB9 Serial Cable

Step 2: Power Connector

Solder the power connector to the 4 pin adapter.

Step 3: Connect Serial and Power

Connect your Serial and Power Cables.

Be sure not to plug the power in backwards, black goes to ground.

Step 4: Install LCDProc

Install LCDProc.
On fedora, you can run the command:
yum install lcdproc

Step 5: Get New MatrixOrbital Library

There is a bug in the library that ships with the current release of LCDProc.

The best thing to do is download the dev release from CVS:
wget http://lcdproc.sourceforge.net/nightly/lcdproc-CVS-current.tar.gz

Step 6: Compile New Library

Uncompress the package, change to the directory and compile, DO NOT run make install

[joe@fletcher tmp]$ tar -zxf lcdproc-CVS-current.tar.gz
[joe@fletcher tmp]$ cd lcdproc-CVS-current-20091004/
[joe@fletcher lcdproc-CVS-current-20091004]$ ./configure && make

Step 7: Install

Copy the new library in to place:
sudo cp ./server/drivers/MtxOrb.so /usr/lib/lcdproc/MtxOrb.so

Step 8: Configure the LCDProc Server

cd /etc/sysconfig/lcdproc/
sudo cp LCDd.conf.example LCDd.conf
sudo vi LCDd.conf

Change the line:
Driver=curses
to
Driver=MtxOrb

Change the line:
Type=lkd
to
Type=vfd

Change the line:
Speed=19200
to
Speed=9600

Step 9: Configure the Client

[joe@fletcher lcdproc]$ sudo cp lcdproc.conf.example lcdproc.conf
[joe@fletcher lcdproc]$ sudo vi lcdproc.conf

Verify everything looks good, you should not have to change anything.