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[How-to] BB-View on latest Debian

compeoree

I thought some others might like to know how to get the BB-View working under the latest Debian beta images.

 

Unfortunately, you are going to have to recompile the Kernel. The video works fine without a recompile (the red/blue swap is easy to fix), but the touchscreen control connections are not the same as the standard TI 4-wire interface. I tried to patch the ti_am335x_tsc.c file, so the changes would be limited to a dts recompile, but I haven't been able to get that working yet (I'm pretty sure it is a state machine / bit assignment issue). But anyway, here are the steps that you need to perform.....

 

Overview

1) Download the necessary files

     a) Robert Nelson's handy tools for compiling the Beaglebone kernel

     b) BB-View source for Angstrom

2) Build the default kernel

3) Patch the Kernel and perform a fast recompile

4) Copy the new kernel to the Beaglebone

5) Edit the xorg.conf file to correct the Red/Blue color swap

6) Revel in the 4 days you just saved image

 

Let's Get Started

I am using Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64 bit running in a VirtualBox VM to compile the kernel:

Make a new folder called bb-view, this is where our build will happen.

> mkdir bb-view

> cd bb-view

 

Install git, if you haven't already:

> apt-get install git

 

Clone Robert Nelson's linux-dev project locally. Be prepared for a large download (~100 Mb for the cross-compiler and ~700 Mb for the kernel source).

> git clone https://github.com/RobertCNelson/linux-dev.git

 

Change into the new linux-dev folder and select branch/tag that matches the Debian version.

> cd linux-dev

> git checkout 3.8.13-bone37 -b tmp

 

Now we need to build the base image, so our cape drivers folder gets populated. The script will tell you if you need to do or install anything else.

> ./build_kernel.sh

 

Come back in an hour or so.....(You might want to download the Angstrom source from element14 now)

 

Patching the Kernel

Extract two files from the Angstrom source:

> unzip angstrom-source.zip

> tar -zxf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2

> cp ./kernel/kernel/drivers/input/touchscreen/ti_am335x_tsc.c  ~/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/drivers/input/touchscreen/

> cp ./kernel/kernel/firmware/capes/BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dts  ~/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/firmware/capes/

 

Now we need to let the compiler know that we want to add the firmware to the build:

> nano   ~/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/firmware/Makefile

 

Add the following line somewhere near line 192 (CTRL-C will display current cursor position):

BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dtbo \

 

Don't forget the trailing backslash....it is important. Now save and exit by doing CTRL-O, Enter, CTRL-X.

Change back to the linux-dev root folder:

> cd   ~/bb-view/linux-dev

 

Now issue the kernel rebuild command, this won't take very long at all:

> ./tools/rebuild.sh

 

 

Copy Kernel to BBB

The following instructions assume that you already have the Debian beta installed and booted up on the BBB.

The easiest way is to copy the files over the network, via the 'scp' command:

> scp   ~/bb-view/linux-dev/deploy/3.8.13-bone37.zImage   debian@192.168.7.2:/home/debian

Replace debian (both instances) with the username you are running on the BBB and 192.168.7.2 with the IP address of the BBB.

 

Now log into the BBB and copy the kernel image to the boot partition:

> ssh debian@192.168.7.2

bbb>  sudo cp 3.8.13-bone37.zImage   /boot/uboot/zImage

 

We need to do one more thing before the LCD will work. Since the cape doesn't have an EEPROM, we need to black-list the HDMI drivers and force-load the BB-VIEW drivers in the boot command file:

bbb>  sudo  nano  /boot/uboot/uEnv.txt

 

Find the "optargs" line and edit it to be:

optargs=capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONELT-HDMI,BB-BONELT-HDMIN  capemgr.enable_partno=BB-VIEW-LCD7-01

Notice that the preceding "#" has been removed. You don't want to disable BB-BONE-EMMC-2G, or you won't be able to boot from eMMC.

Now save and exit by doing CTRL-O, Enter, CTRL-X.

 

Reboot the BBB and the LCD should now work....except the blue and red are reversed.

 

Fixing Red/Blue Color Swap

This is due to errata in the TI AM335x processor when switching between 16 and 24 bit video modes. To fix this, we must first find the name of our screen:

> ssh debian@192.168.7.2

bbb> cat  /var/log/Xorg.0.log  |  grep  screen

Mine was "Builtin Default fbdev Screen 0"

 

Now we edit our X configuration file:

bbb> sudo nano  /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf

 

and add a "Screen" section at the end of the file:

Section "Screen"

        Identifier "Builtin Default fbdev Screen 0"

        Monitor "Configured Monitor"

        Device "Configured Video Device"

        DefaultDepth 24

EndSection

Save and exit by doing CTRL-O, Enter, CTRL-X.

Reboot and enjoy!

  • Can anyone point me on how could I enable LCD4 on Robert Nelson Debian 3.15 kernel? Thanks

  • in reply to Former Member

    Scott Michel schrieb:

     

     

    Once the kernel with my patches is built and distributed, none of the instructions on this wiki page will be necessary. RNelson accepted them, but I don't know when the new kernel will be distributed.

     

     

     

    Hey Scott, do you have any news about this?

     

     

    I have the latest Debian from RNelson installed (13-8-2014) on BBB Rev.C...but the 7" display just stays black. I would be very grateful for any advise how to get the display doing something. As I understand, most of the procedures described in this thread are outdated with older Debian versions?!

     

     

    -Thanks-

  • in reply to Former Member

    Hi Julian,

     

    I am about to start trying to implement the BB View 7" on my BB Rev C. I wondered too if all the work in this thread is still applicable - have you made any progress?

     

    Also, I am not sure why changes to the OS would be required to make the LCD function, surely just the driver files?

     

    Regards,

    Tri

  • in reply to Former Member

    Hi

     

    If you have the original debian on the BBB Rev C you just need to adhere to the latest manual...everything how to patch the system is explained there.

    If you want to use a more up-to-date debian....than additional steps are required

     

    Anyhow...after patching the system the display was fine...but simultaneously ethernet stopped working. Cause its not easy to get any support for these issues (and I don`t have time and especially knowledge to solve them on my own image) I am thinking about migrating to the 4D display. same costs...and just "plug&play" with latest debian image

  • in reply to Former Member

    Hello,

    I hope someone can help a guy out with my bbb with bb-view 7".  I have been learning a lot about the embedded Linux system lately. I went out and got one of the LCD capes.  I have tried the instructions that are on the main bbb page of this site and some of the commands and file locations don't appear to work.  I have known enough and with help from other sites, I was able to get all the necessary files. For one, it is correct to say that the angstrom-source.zip does not contain the file for the following command in the sequence.  " tar -zxf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2".

     

    After acquiring the file and then running the command " tar -zxf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2", my terminal states the following:

     

    user@ubun******:~/Desktop/BB VIEW Debian Source Code$ ls

    bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2  kernel

     

    user@ubun******:~/Desktop/BB VIEW Debian Source Code$  tar -zxf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2

     

    gzip: stdin: not in gzip format

    tar: Child returned status 1

    tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

     

    Where I got the source (needs to be updated in manual):  element14: BB View LCD Cape Software Download Centre[1]

    Any insight as the the error would be greatly appreciated.  I know others might have a similar issue.  Perhaps, I am doing something incorrectly with my setup. 

     

    Thanks!

  • in reply to Former Member

    I don't have a linux machine nearby, but the .bz2 format uses 'bunzip' (or bunzip2, I can't recall).

    Try "bunzip bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar.bz2" to get to a tar file, then use

    "tar xvf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar"

  • in reply to shabaz

    Hey, Thanks for your reply.  I just tried that, and it appeared to work with "bugzip2" and "tar xvf bb-black-kernel-3.8.13-bb-view.tar".  (Can someone update this in the manual too? or is it just something that might work on debian or other? I am using ubuntu 14.04)

     

    Thanks again for your help!  and to whom ever updates the manual so others can have this done correctly without searching threads.

  • in reply to Former Member

    This is something I can backup. I have been struggling to get this to work.  In my experience, I have not been able to find the right source files, have errors running basic unzipping operations given in manual and a how-to post on getting debian patched then applying the patch.   If anyone is interested, I get stuck here: 

    user@ubun******:~/Desktop/BB VIEW Debian Source Code$ cp ./kernel/kernel/drivers/input/touchscreen/ti_am335x_tsc.c ~Desktop/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/drivers/input/touchscreen/
cp: cannot create regular file ‘~Desktop/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/drivers/input/touchscreen/’: No such file or directory
user@ubun******:~/Desktop/BB VIEW Debian Source Code$ cp ./kernel/kernel/firmware/capes/BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dts  ~/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/firmware/capes/
cp: cannot create regular file ‘/home/user/bb-view/linux-dev/KERNEL/firmware/capes/’: No such file or directory

     

    I feel like getting one of these screens to work accordingly requires a a bit of patience and much more effort than it should!

     

    Any constructive input is greatly appreciated by anyone!

  • in reply to Former Member

    So, I managed to get a display on my screen! Input works too!  I decided it was too much for me at the time to try compiling debian with this lcd patch. I ended up using already patched files from the same download centre as the source.  The patch is much simpler with it and to scp files to the bbb instead of using the hputility to transfer via properly formatted usb. Unfortunately, after using the procedure below, my ethernet has suddenly stopped working.  I remember disabling ipv6 before the patch and it worked with ipv4.   Below are the files and commands I used followed by a reboot:

    cp BB\ VIEW\ Debian\ Image/zImage /boot/uboot 
cp -f BB\ VIEW\ Debian\ Image/*.dtb /boot/uboot/dtbs
tar xvf kernel_modules.tar.gz -C /
cp -f xorg.conf /etc/X11/ 
root@beaglebone:~# cd /boot/uboot/dtbs
root@beaglebone:~# cp am335x-boneblack-lcd7.dtb am335x-boneblack.dtb
root@beaglebone:~# sync

     

    It mostly boils down to how much I still need to know about the linux device tree.

     

    Thanks for any and all advice!

  • in reply to Former Member

    Hi All,

     

    I've been fighting my BB VIEW 7" for over a week. The BBB would boot perfectly with the Element14 provided kernel, unless the screen was connected, in that case the system would power off about 2 seconds into the boot sequence. Eventually I found out that I was doing exactly one thing wrong: the power supply. I was using my laptop to power the BBB and apparently the laptop USB connector (apple macbook air) is not able to power the BBB with the 7" screen with Debian. I had no problems with the TI demo image so I had no suspicions against the power supply, until I decided it could not hurt to try a different supply. So all, be ware off the power supply!