Ipod nano 2nd gen - white screen

[siouxes]

Hi guys,

 i have an old ipod nano 2nd generation and some days ago i read about rockbox. I am not a linux noob and i use the rockboxutility to reborn my pod to a new life.
So, i read on port status that now ipod 2nd gen is supported, since rockbox 3.7.

RockBox utility says that installation was going all done, but after reset my ipod, after the apple logo, i can read "rockbox" on the screen for a while, and than all the LCD fade to a 100% white.

The strange things, is that if i connect my earpiece, and move the clickwheel, i hear rockbox TTS that says to me in wich menu item i am!!!

So, seems to be that rockbox is working, but somethings goes wrong on LCD initialization, i think.

Just for information, i tried all version under the 'release' folder, from 3.7 to last one 3.8.1. I have also tested the latest build version with the same behaviour.
Notice that between one version to the other, i always recover my ipod via itunes, so i am sure that firmware nor files on my pod was corrupted.

I am available to any test, i really want to have rockbox installed (and working) on my ipod.

BR to all.

Simone

[Chronon]

See if this helps:
http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=26365.0

[bertrik]

I'm no ipod nano 2g expert, but a slow fade to white (like a blooming effect) of the LCD generally means that the display is no longer driven by the LCD controller.

It's a bit odd that you do see a rockbox logo at the start. Perhaps the logo was shown by the rockbox bootloader and the display driver is somehow not working in the main rockbox firmware.

[siouxes]

Hi bertrik, from the wiki:

http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/IPodNano2GPort

in status section, says:

LCD driver    - Done - Full functionality implemented and reasonably optimized (since r28813)

I am using latest SVN source, r29749.

I think that my ipod, probably, has some hardware difference or other things that i don't know... the reason for this thread is that i googled this problem and i found other rockbox users with the same issue... so, i have some time to spent over this and i think that is good to use this time to help this project to enlarge the device compatibility.

(excuse for my english, i hope it's clear...)

[Chronon]

Your English is perfectly clear.  

I agree that initial display of the Rockbox logo then a slow fade to white gives the appearance that the bootloader and firmware are doing something a bit differently.  Do different contrast values have any effect?

[siouxes]

I don't know how to change it. From the ipod i didn't find the contrast settings (i can only use the voice guidance) and from other thread i read that it can be changed by the file config.cfg... but i didn't find it in the .rockbox directory nor into sources.

[Chronon]

If you browse the .rockbox directory with your PC's file browser you don't see a config.cfg file?

[siouxes]

Really not... this is the content of my .rockbox ...

Code: [Select]

user@user-ubuntu:~/Scaricati/ipodnano/rockbox/build/.rockbox$ ls -l
total 608
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 backdrops
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 codecs
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 codepages
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user      0 2011-04-19 01:32 database.ignore
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 docs
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 eqs
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 fonts
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 icons
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 langs
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user    712 2011-04-19 01:32 rockbox-info.txt
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 553532 2011-04-19 01:32 rockbox.ipod
drwxr-xr-x 6 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 rocks
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user   8896 2011-04-19 01:32 tagnavi.config
drwxr-xr-x 2 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 themes
-rw-r--r-- 1 user user   1753 2011-04-19 01:32 viewers.config
drwxr-xr-x 8 user user   4096 2011-04-19 01:32 wps


[gbl08ma]

BTW, iPod Nano's don't have contrast... at least, mine (2nd gen) doesn't have.

When the backlight of the screen is at its lowest value, it's still readable enough.

What can be happening is that the setting of the inactivity display shutdown is set to 0 seconds (immediately), and I don't know if that's possible, but that will leave the screen dark and shutdown, not 100% white.

[Chronon]

The manual says this:

A special case configuration file can be used to force a particular setting or settings every time Rockbox starts up (e.g. to set the volume to a safe level). Format a new configuration file as above with the required setting(s) and save it into the /.rockbox directory with the filename fixed.cfg.

Try creating this file with desired contrast level in it.   Contrast is listed as a valid config option for this player, so it should work.

[siouxes]

OK... somthing happens... i try to explain:

i read the manual regarding config files...
i have created fixed.cfg into .rockbox, first time only with "contrast: 0", then with "contrast: 10", then 32 and then 63; nothing changes...
after this, i try with brightness settings... lowering it to 0 makes the screen a solid gray... seems to be that in a strange way this settings really modify the display brightness...

Seems to be that the firmware can't write to the display in the right way, or perhaps make a wrong initialization... digging into the source, i found this:

Code: [Select]

/* LCD init */
void lcd_init_device(void)
{ 
#if CONFIG_LCD == LCD_IPODCOLOR
    if (IPOD_HW_REVISION == 0x60000) {
        lcd_type = 0;
    } else {
        lcd_type = (GPIOA_INPUT_VAL & 0x2) | ((GPIOA_INPUT_VAL & 0x10) >> 4);
    }
    if ((lcd_type&1) == 0) {
        lcd_cmd_data(0xef, 0x0);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x01, 0x0);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x80, 0x1);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x10, 0xc);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x18, 0x6);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x7e, 0x4);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x7e, 0x5);
        lcd_cmd_data(0x7f, 0x1);
    }
#elif CONFIG_LCD == LCD_IPODNANO
    /* iPodLinux doesn't appear have any LCD init code for the Nano */
#endif
}

this code chunk is from firmware/target/arm/ipod/lcd-color_nano.c

i don't know if it's related...

[Buschel]

Can you please enter the iPod's Diagnostic Mode (first press and hold MENU + SELECT until the iPod resets, then -- during the Apple logo -- press and hold BACK + SELECT). In the Diag Mode select "Others", then "Status", then switch to the 2nd page. How are "LCD Detect0" and "LCD Detect1" set?

[siouxes]

LCD Detect0:1
and
LCD Detect1:0

...i have tried also with LCD->color pattern and i correctly see some graphicals page... in the LCD->brightness control i can correctly switch on and off the backlight...

[Buschel]

Strange, same LCD type as mine... Mine works since ages. Can you compile rockbox on your own?

[siouxes]

yes... i have already compiled from source and now i am doing all this tests with r29749.. from SVN...