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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!

  • in reply to compeoree

    @Louis ,  np  we should thank you for making this post.

     

    I have never made patch files, so don't judge if it is in reverse order image . And I have not tested it with Xorg, but will assume it does what is should.

  • in reply to Former Member

    Thank you very much Vagif !

     

    Tux and LXDE look better now image

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    The Debian image I made for the BBB works equally well on the BBW. Here is a photo of how it should look. LED0 and LED1 are both on after power is applied, but after the screen initializes LED0 turns off.

    J2 goes to the BB cape

    J1 goes to the actual LCD panel

    J5 goes to the ITO touchscreen layer.

     

    Louis

  • Right I continue to struggle to get anything but blank on my screen, I am using a Beaglebone White and a desktop PSU (5V 3A).

     

    Could someone point me to the most up to date instructions on how to get this going, I don't care which distro I use i just want to see something going on the screen image

     

    I downloaded the latest angstrom and the latest debian (27th March 14) and patched the kernel and nothing is on the screen at all

  • in reply to Former Member

    lilsebastian Did you modify the uEnv.txt file? If you can SSH in, can you run 'dmesg | grep mand' and check to see if you see 'capemgr.enable_partno=BB-VIEW-LCD7-01' and 'capemgr.disable_partno=BB-BONE-HDMI,BB-BONE-HDMIN' in the output?

     

    I will try to create an image, but don't know how long it will take.

  • in reply to compeoree

    Louis,

     

    Thanks!  Looks like I made a [beagle]bone-headed move and pulled out J1 from the underside of the LCD.  It is possible to get it clamped back in, but I had to pull the LCD loose from the bottom side of the board (where the 4-pin touch screen is).  Despite my destructive maneuvers, after I clamped the J1 ribbon cable back in on the underside of the LCD, it works!!!

     

    Now on to fixing the color problems.

     

    Samual, any chance you pulled the same maneuver I did?

  • in reply to Former Member

    I've dug a little further -- the "No power control GPIO" message is preceded by other issues in the tilcdc driver initialization:

     

    [   11.352494] pinctrl-single 44e10800.pinmux: pin 44e10850 already requested by rstctl.4; cannot claim for panel.14
    [   11.363316] pinctrl-single 44e10800.pinmux: pin-20 (panel.14) status -22
    [   11.370332] pinctrl-single 44e10800.pinmux: could not request pin 20 on device pinctrl-single
    [   11.379250] panel panel.14: Failed to select default state
    [   11.385039] panel: probe of panel.14 failed with error -22
    [   11.391763] of_get_named_gpio_flags: can't parse gpios property
    [   11.398041] tilcdc 4830e000.fb: No power control GPIO
    [   11.403505] tilcdc 4830e000.fb: no encoders/connectors found
    [   11.409480] tilcdc 4830e000.fb: failed to initialize mode setting

     

    It looks like the tilcdc driver initialization bails because something else has control of the gpio_b1en pin (pin 20, J8) [I think... I could be wrong, but it seems reasonable.] LED0 on the cape doesn't get illuminated, which seems to be another indication that LCD7 doesn't initialize properly.

     

    My device tree does show that the overlay loaded properly:

     

    0: 54:PF---
    1: 55:PF---
    2: 56:PF---
    3: 57:PF---
    4: ff:P-O-L Bone-LT-eMMC-2G,00A0,Texas Instrument,BB-BONE-EMMC-2G
    5: ff:P-O-- Bone-Black-HDMI,00A0,Texas Instrument,BB-BONELT-HDMI
    6: ff:P-O-- Bone-Black-HDMIN,00A0,Texas Instrument,BB-BONELT-HDMIN
    7: ff:P-O-L Override Board Name,00A0,Override Manuf,BB-VIEW-LCD7-01

     

    Additional clue?

  • in reply to Former Member

    FOUND IT! Comment out "gpio1_28" in BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dts, similar to this patch:

     

    *** bb-view-kernel/kernel/firmware/capes/BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dts       2014-04-18 11:49:33.949312435 -0700
    --- KERNEL/firmware/capes/BB-VIEW-LCD7-01-00A0.dts      2014-04-18 17:34:43.232369345 -0700
    ***************
    *** 47,53 ****
                    "P9.21",        /* keys: gpio0_3 */
                    /* the hardware IP uses */
                    "gpio3_19",
    !               "gpio1_28",
                    "gpio1_16",
                    "gpio1_17",
                    "gpio1_19",
    --- 47,53 ----
                    "P9.21",        /* keys: gpio0_3 */
                    /* the hardware IP uses */
                    "gpio3_19",
    !               /* "gpio1_28", */
                    "gpio1_16",
                    "gpio1_17",
                    "gpio1_19",

  • in reply to Former Member

    Scott, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Unless you have a typo somewhere.

    [   11.352494] pinctrl-single 44e10800.pinmux: pin 44e10850 already requested by rstctl.4; cannot claim for panel.14

    44e10850 is the thing that's stopping the overlay from loading, this corresponds to gpmc_a4 or gpio1_20. this is used for the emmc reset line, but isn't available on any of the expansion headers, so shouldn't conflict with the cape.

     

    the gpio1_28 you've commented out would be 44e10878 which is P9 pin 12 and isn't used for anything on the BBB.

     

    Ok, just a thought...  are you using a BB-Black, or the original White one ? 

  • in reply to Former Member

    I'm using the BeagleBone Black. Oddly enough, commenting out gpio1_28 got the LCD7 to operate on the 3.8.13-bone47 kernel branch. The board is at work, so any further answers will have to wait until Monday.