I am in a need of connecting a PC monitor using 8051. Here the purpose is to connect a monitor additional to the PC monitor so that it can display same as on the master monitor. Is it possible? Any one can suggest a way to connect a monitor without additional VGA card? Expecting your valuable suggestions and opinions. Please Help me.
Any one can give readable article about this?
My email ID: naushad.mk@gmail.com
or you can send to:mknaushu@hotmail.com
Don't create new threads if you don't like the answers. You already have this thread: http://www.keil.com/forum/docs/thread12405.asp
And don't spam in this thread. Three posts within a number of minutes - why in such a hurry? Especially since you have already received answers! And ignored questions for more information!
No, the 8051 chips are still no solution to multiple monitors.
But you can buy VGA splitters to connect more than one monitor to the same output. Or - for better image quality - you can switch to a dual-head or quad-head graphics card. That will give you the option of either showing the same image on multiple monitors, or use the monitors to form a larger desktop.
But once more: The 8051 chips do not produce video signals. And it is bad at chopping wood, decode satellite TV transmissions, laying roofs, ... If all you got is a hammer, then everything may look like a nail. But no, a hammer can't solve any problem in this world.
Sir, But from a DVI port we get digital signal. Can I save in some memory(buffer) and read from there as in the DVI card. Is it possible using a microcontroller?
The video bandwidth is _high_ It is high for analog signals and it is high for digital signals. A 8051 wouldn't be able to do anything at all with so fast signals.
1024x768 pixels * 70 Hz frame rate means 55 million RGB triplets / second. If you run your 8051 at 12MHz, it has to process 5 RGB triplets for each clock cycle. Just building a raw memory interface that can store 165MB/s takes knowledge, and a microcontroller may not sit in the signal path. Programmable logic may handle such speeds, but a microcontroller can not.
But there are existing chips designed for conditioning/retransmitting of high-speed video signals - digital or analog. And there are companies already selling finished products. And, as already mentioned, there are software that can forward the image to a different PC, in which case you don't need any special hardware - just an extra PC where the second monitor should be. The solutions work, and they are not too expensive.
Sir, What about graphic LCDs. If I want to get some texts on display connected via an ethernet HUB, then is that possible? Or some one suggests LED array for this? And what about LED?
Why ethernet? Because you already have the cabling?
Yes, almost all microcontrollers can handle LCD or LED displays with limited number of segments or with built-in image memory/character generators.
Many microcontrollers can also drive multiplexed LED displays.
But if you do want ethernet, you need a processor with ethernet support. An ARM chip is definitely better suited for the job. And your PC will not be able to clone the image to another monitor. You will have to write an application that sends the data to your display.
Sir, Yes. I already have the cabling. Using this ARM , can I connect LQ14D412 or LM15X80 (LCD panels from sharp). Actually these LCD panels are meant for computer displays. But in my application, can I connect these? Can suggest another LCD panel suited for this purpose.
I say what I have said before: If you need to ask, then the answer is no.
There are a lot of ARM chips available. You either need an ARM chip with suitable interface (probably FPD-Link or LVDS Display Interface) or you need an external controller to interface the display. But to be able to complete this project, you must have enouogh knowledge to yourself know what can be done, or can not be done, and what hardware/software it takes.
"Already having the cabling" isn't relevant unless we are talking about many buildings with very high cabling costs. The time and cost to develop this solution will be _high_ - way higher than a couple of km of cat6 cable and the time to draw that cable...
How many houndred units are we talking about?
You could use a microcontroller and some display controller to make a monitor/tablet like device with Ethernet support and run some kind of VNC like application. So you're basically building a thin-client.
Or use an Ethernet/IP based KVM switch to display stuff remotely but you'll still need a videocard in the PC to connect to the KVM switch.
-- J
Sir, But you haven't mentioned about the SHARP LQ14D412 or LM15X80 (LCD panels). May I conclude that it is out of the scope of an ARM. If it so, can I get any other LCD panel with a size of 15"or17" which can interface with a micro controller like ARM? Because my requirement is a display with the same size of my PC monitor. And can display some text in large font size (as in a public display system). In this link given below, the author explains about a display system with AVR. For display purpose which microcontroller is better(AVR or ARM)? www.serasidis.gr/.../avr_vga.htm
But you have to realize that it isn't my job to read the datasheets for your mentioned displays, and verify exactly what interfaces they have.
And it isn't my job to scan through all available ARM7 or ARM9 processors to see if any chip has a suitable LCD controller built-in, or if an external controller is needed - and if s, exactly what controller to choose.
Are you a developer? Then start develop? If not, do get a payed developer to do you your work! If the goal is public display systems, then this is a commercial project and not a hobbyist project. Let the commercial money roll, and get the competence you need to build the system... Whatever we say here, you need an experienced hw guy to make the design, create the PCB, look into emissions, noise immunity, ... And you need an experienced sw developer to write the software. All based on product requirements - something that needs to be produced before any real work is started.
But they will not do this as a freebie job on a web forum. They want cash. You also need to figure out how you are going to build the image - since it doesn't sound like your goal is to clone a PC display (which you claimed in your first post). Public display systems often need to display many different images at the same time, and a design that is only able to clone may need a huge number of display cards in the controlling PC just to distribute all these images. And public display systems would die if the individual panels can't continue to display information even if a master PC dies - or performs the regular Windows Update+Reboot that M$ thinks is such a good idea.
You might run Linux and the X display system, or you might have someone display "stupid" code that just blit fixed bitmaps. But that is your job to figure out. If you are the project leader, start lead. If you are the developer, start develop. Don't expect web forums to solve all your problems... But do not assume that anyone will spend anytime reading your datasheets instead of you.
Haven't it hit you yet: For a school assignment, the goal is for the student to do the work. Both to learn, and to prove their knowledge. For a commercial project, the people involved want money for doing the work. Or do you regularly walk into construction sites and ask if you can work for free for a couple of hours now and then - just because you know how to do it?
Sir, Don't misinterpret my words. I am not a commercial developer. Just started in this field. I have fair knowledge in 8051 and developed some projects based on that. Actually I was trying to interface LCD Panels using 8051. Some information provided by you guided me to switch from 8051 to ARM. Here(in ARM) I know simply nothing, but I have to study. I was thinking about that. But I don't know where to start.If I go forward with this project, I can learn. This is my style (take a project in new area,study and go... ). Any way I thought you are an experienced hand and will get some tips. OK Thanks.
Google for ARM and LCD controller, and you will find anumber of links:
"Real" products: www.tridentdisplays.co.uk/.../arm.html
www.arm.com/.../435.html
findarticles.com/.../ai_50263962
www.linuxdevices.com/.../PD5343937505.html
" href= "http://www2.okisemi.com/site/productscatalog/mcumpu/availabledocs/Intro-7832.html"> www2.okisemi.com/.../Intro-7832.html
Hobby projects: www.hobby-robotics.com/.../
jcx.systronix.com/.../lego-arm.htm
Note: Not any of these links are "good". They are random links from google, and just examples of what you will find if you decide to google. As you see, there are many examples and solutions available. Look at them. Visit home page of the individual manufacturers and see if they have newer/better chips, since the links at least proves that they work with products similar to what you may be interested in. Remember that a top-rated link in google can still be for an old product, but at least it gives you an idea what to search for. Call/mail a component distributor or application engineer and check what chips you can buy development boards for, and what development tools are available. A number of these systems may run Linux so you may get away with the free gcc tool chain. Some systems may require you to pay for their "packaging" of Linux together with a bit of applicatino notes and demo applications. However, if you want to learn, you have to be pro-active. You have to hunt for information - not by asking but by searching and reading. First when you have searched and read will you have the knowledge to ask any relevant questions.
But your initial goal is to write down on a paper what your goal is. A real company develop a product based on a specific requirement. If you want to learn, then you should set up specific requirements so that you can have a purpose when you search for components to use and when you work with the software.
Sir, I decided to use ARM922T for my application. But which software is best suited for development activities. So many development software found in internet.But I don't know which one have good IDE and more user friendly.Can you suggest one? thanks.