[COLUG] Re: Virtual TTY's, FrameBuffers on ARM

[Josh]

Ok, I answered my own question: the fbcon driver is what I need.  Now I'm 
compiling the kernel for my device, as I describe here:

http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=1443

On Sat, 5 Jan 2008, Josh wrote:

> Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2008 20:00:58 -0500 (EST)
> From: Josh <josh at globalherald.net>
> To: colug432 at colug.net
> Subject: Virtual TTY's, FrameBuffers on ARM
> 
>
> Howdy,
>
> How do virtual TTY's work under an ARM-based LCD framebuffer?
>
> On a normal PC install, the /dev/tty0-6 devices are connected to virtual 
> tty's accessed via ALT-F1 to ALT-f6.  I'm not sure if a framebuffer applies 
> here, or how it does.
>
> How can I assign a tty to a framebuffer on an embedded device?  For example, 
> on my CentOS box, and on my Sharp Zaurus, /dev/tty2 has a major 4 minor 2 
> node.  So, I figured I might be able to create a /dev/tty2 on my Chumby by 
> doing a mknod /dev/tty2 c 4 2.  There is now a /dev/tty2 but it doesn't do 
> anything.
>
> There are /dev/fb0 - /dev/fb3.  If I kill the primary application (via ssh) 
> and cat something to /dev/fb0, the LCD does show some sort of garbage at the 
> top.
>
> My goal is this: connect a USB keyboard to the Chumby and do an Alt-F2 so I 
> can eventually install mingetty and have a login shell.  The kernel does have 
> HID drivers for the keyboard, but I'm not sure if the Alt+F2 keys work with 
> USB keyboards.  I'm also not sure how to turn a framebuffer into a console.
>
> There is a con2fb program that redirects console to another framebuffer. I'm 
> going to try that and report my results.
>
> Cheers,
> -J
>
>