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BLDK II VGA and Logo Modifications

SLimi
New Contributor I
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I am using the BLDK II - Crownbay package with the Inforce SYS9400 Reference Platform. I have been able to make changes to the firmware to add fast boot and switch drive boot order.

1. How do you switch the video output from LVDS to VGA to display the splash screen?

2. How do you add a custom splash image?

3. Is it possible to redirect shell output from the COM port to the display?

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FMcNu1
Valued Contributor I
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Hello

I checked with my colleagues on the Intel BLDK team and here is what I find:

1. How do you switch the video output from LVDS to VGA to display the splash screen?

2. How do you add a custom splash image?

The answer to # 1 & # 2 lies in the Graphics/Media driver rather than BLDK itself. You want to use the EMGD Configuration Editor to change settings in the Graphics Output Protocol (GOP) driver from EMGD (http://intel.com/go/emgd intel.com/go/emgd). At this link you will find the User's Guide for EMGD for the details.

3. Is it possible to redirect shell output from the COM port to the display?

Yes, you can do this with Putty or Hyper-terminal. My BLDK friends suggest that you will probably know what this means. If not, let us know and we'll give you sone additional guidance.

I hope this helps

Felix

J. Felix McNulty

Community Moderator (Intel contractor)

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SLimi
New Contributor I
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Thanks for the response.

I am able to use the EMGD (for XP / Linux) to build a iegd.efi and iegd.dxe files. I now see what they mean by splash screen. The real challenge is linking the driver into the build of the firmware. In the Crownbay package, there is the GopBinay folder with an iegd.efi already there. Replacing the file doesn't work. What need to be created and modified to get the driver built into the firmware?

I assume an INF is needed, but what goes into it for [Binaries.IA32] and [PcdEx]?

[Defines]

 

INF_VERSION = 0x00010016

 

BASE_NAME = iegd

 

FILE_GUID = c975f805-f79c-4325-9f58-7799d18f5430

 

MODULE_TYPE = DXE_DRIVER

 

VERSION_STRING = 1.0

[Packages]

 

CrownBayPlatformPkg/CrownBayPlatformPkg.dec

[Binaries.IA32]

 

PE32|iegd.efi|RELEASE

 

DXE|iegd.dxe

[PcdEx]

 

gCrownBayPlatformTokenSpaceGuid.???

What other files need to be modified to include the driver.?

For question 3, yes, I am connecting to the system with hyperterminal to access the UEFI Shell. Is switching the output to the VGA screen as simple as the configuration setting in the BLDK Application?

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Kirk_B_Intel
Employee
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Hi,

I can't comment on the BLDKII integration process, but I can give you some tips for proper LVDS configuration.

Most LVDS panels do NOT contain an EDID, so generally you need to configure the GOP with a DTD for the panel. There may be built in DTD's that you can use, *or* you may need to get the timing information for your panel and create a new custom DTD for your panel. After that, you need to tell the configuration to "Use user-defined DTD" in the "If Not EDID device" section of the LVDS configuration page. While you are there, I would strongly recommend checking the "Fixed Timing" option in the page you access through the "Flat Panel Settings" button. That will cause the driver to keep the panel timing at the fixed timing of a typical LVDS panel but still allow different resolutions to be used on it (through centering, or up scaling). BTW the Flat Panel Settings are also where you select the hardware interface type of 18 bit or 24 bit, single or dual channel (if the chipset supports it), and the backlight control method.

Now we just need to hear from the BLDK folks on the proper way to integrate your GOP.

Hope this helps.

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SLimi
New Contributor I
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Kirk,

Thanks for the response. I am familar with the EMGD/IEGD tool as I wrote a white paper on it. The unit I have has the E6xx process with a VGA conenctor on it. I suspect the sDVO converted to VGA on the board. There is a seperate connector for LVDS on the board.

Integrating the driver into the BLDK is the trick. It is not clear on what files need to be created and edited.

-Sean

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SLimi
New Contributor I
533 Views

-- bump--

Does the BLDK team have any suggestions?

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DMITRY_T_Intel
Employee
533 Views

Hi Seanl,

1. How do you switch the video output from LVDS to VGA to display the splash screen?

I looked at schematic of the Inforce board. The source of VGA signal is CH7317A chip from Chrontel which is connected to SDVO of

Tunnel Creek.

By default iegd.efi initializes LVDS interface. So, in order to initialize SDVO you will need new iegd.efi driver with SDVO interface

and Chrontel* CH7317 VGA as sDVO Device.

Try to generate new iegd.efi and copy it to the GopBinary folder instead of existing.

2. How do you add a custom splash image?

In the EMGD Configuration Editor, when you are configuring a package there is an option "Linux, EFI, and EPOG Splash Screen" - "Add Splash Screen"

And you can select a .bmp file for the splash image.

3. Is it possible to redirect shell output from the COM port to the display?

Unfortunately this is not implemented. If you look at the Release Notes you will find the following:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reference: 3658281

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: No EFI Shell on the LVDS panel

Description: LVDS only shows the splash screen and does not display EFI shell.

The LVDS display of Source debug version boot stop at

Booting EFI Internal Shell

InstallProtocolInterface: 5B1B31A1-9562-11D2-8E3F-00A0C969723B 3EA72028

Loading driver at 0x0003E2C0000 EntryPoint=0x0003E3209D4

InstallProtocolInterface: BC62157E-3E33-4FEC-9920-2D3B36D750DF 3E9AD190

InstallProtocolInterface: 47C7B221-C42A-11D2-8E57-00A0C969723B 3E2C49B0

InstallProtocolInterface: 47C7B223-C42A-11D2-8E57-00A0C969723B 3E995110

Implication: The user must use the serial console in order to use the EFI Shell.

Resolution: None

Workaround: The serial console should be used to boot the OS. Once the OS has

loaded, graphics mode will work normally.

Affected O/S: EFI Shell

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SLimi
New Contributor I
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Thanks for the reply. I think I added the splash screen file correctly to the EMDG driver I built. The issue is how to integrate the driver into the BLDK II. How do you integrate the custom EMDG driver into the BLDK II so it gets built in?

-Sean

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