Teletype ergonomics - firmware fix?

SimonKirby · 2018-09-06T08:17:11.006Z

I’ve recently added a Teletype to my 6u case and am loving it. Can’t wait to get a chance to take it out live! As others have mentioned it is ergonomically best suited to a skiff case laid flat because that makes it easier to see the screen without cables getting in the way. However, I have a deeper case with inbuilt power supply that really needs to be positioned vertically and I’m finding it a bit frustrating always peering through the cables to see the screen or rigging up cable ties etc.

It struck me suddenly that there’s an easy fix! I can mount the teletype upside down in the case, put it on the top row, and the screen would be free of all the cables (except the usb cable, which can snake round the back of the case). Only problem is that the text on the screen would be upside down!

So… I’m wondering how hard it would be to mod the firmware so the screen is rendered the other way up? Impossible? Easy? Somewhere inbetween? I think @scanner_darkly has a vertical case too…

sam · 2018-09-06T12:00:14.554Z

It’s definitely doable in code.

~~But how easy it will be is another question.~~

Turns out the ALEPH has the display upside down…

github.com

monome/libavr32/blob/cde5d4fc86e7684ff512e4be6d9ddca787f8bbba/src/screen.c#L151




// draw data given target rect
// assume x-offset and width are both even!
void screen_draw_region(u8 x, u8 y, u8 w, u8 h, u8* data) {
 // 1 row address = 2 horizontal pixels
 // physical screen memory: 2px = 1byte
 w >>= 1;
 x >>= 1;
 nb = w * h;
 
 #ifdef MOD_ALEPH // aleph screen is mounted upside down...
 pScr = (u8*)screenBuf + nb - 1;  
 x = SCREEN_ROW_BYTES - x - w;
 y = SCREEN_COL_BYTES - y - h;
  // copy and pack into the screen buffer
 // 2 bytes input per 1 byte output
 for(j=0; j<h; j++) {
   for(i=0; i<w; i++) {
	  *pScr = (0xf0 & ((*data) << 4) );
     data++;
     *pScr |= ((*data) & 0xf);

How familiar are you with C coding? What about maintain a git branch? And are you able to compile the firmware yourself?

SimonKirby · 2018-09-06T14:24:41.860Z

That’s exciting! It has been many years since I did any C coding but I suspect the bigger hurdle will be putting together the toolchain for compiling it (and learning how to use git!)

But I really do think it would make a big difference for readability in vertical systems, so probably worthwhile. (Luckily the text on the monome modules is beautifully discrete so wouldn’t look too peculiar upside down!)

Would anyone else find this valuable?

adrianf · 2018-09-06T15:22:55.788Z

Yes! I currently have it in the bottom row but it would be nice to have an option to have it on the top row!

Starthief · 2018-09-06T16:34:18.471Z

Would be nice if it also rearranged the I/O order too, so it’s still left to right.

On a related note, I always find myself thinking the inputs are 1234 top row, 5678 second row instead of 1357, 2468. Now I’m wondering about rearranging them in the firmware so they match my expectations

EqualTemperament · 2018-09-06T16:47:31.250Z

I like this idea a lot. I know I for one would do this if it found it’s way into the firmware. Cables are always in front of the screen in my 6u case. Not sure I’d want to hack/maintain a firmware version for myself though.

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-06T22:42:32.478Z

perhaps this could be an op and/or a key shortcut, so it wouldn’t require having a separate firmware version? seems like it might be useful enough to be considered for inclusion in the official firmware.

Starthief:

On a related note, I always find myself thinking the inputs are 1234 top row, 5678 second row instead of 1357, 2468. Now I’m wondering about rearranging them in the firmware so they match my expectations

it’s possible but this is a pretty special case, so a custom firmware mod is the way to go… but it does make sense to also change how inputs/outputs are arranged for the upside down version.

SimonKirby · 2018-09-07T10:27:26.781Z

Thanks for the encouragement! A button combo that flipped the screen would be lovely, although I expect that would be beyond my coding skills…

I’ll try and figure out how to get set up for compiling firmware on my mac and see if I can hack together a version with the screen flipped to get an idea how it feels in the rack that way up. Unless someone else wants to have a go of course!

Then I’ll take a couple of photos to give everyone a sense of whether it’s worthwhile or not.

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-07T20:51:09.725Z

if @tehn is okay with including this functionality into the official firmware i can do it, unless @sam beats me to it

if tehn’s preference is to not include it i would encourage setting up the toolchain and then i can help with the code change.

sam · 2018-09-08T19:46:14.162Z

scanner_darkly:

perhaps this could be an op and/or a key shortcut, so it wouldn’t require having a separate firmware version?

I’d worry about someone triggering this by accident if it was a keyboard combo… (even worse if it happened during a performance!)

Maybe we can use a #define to build a firmware with a flipped screen (and jacks). It wouldn’t be that hard to fiddle the build scripts to spit out both firmwares.

scanner_darkly:

unless @sam beats me to it

The Eurorack has a sheet over it at the moment due to the baby (joyfully) eating lots of time. Experience with my first child taught me that it’s better to temporarily reducing the range of your hobbies than not have enough time for all of them.

i.e. go for it, I’m not going to get to it first.

Starthief · 2018-09-08T20:09:53.522Z

If it’s an op but it remembers the state on startup, that’d .be fine.

An op has the dubious side benefit of being able to script it.

M:
SCREEN.DIR TOSS

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-09T01:26:48.886Z

sam:

I’d worry about someone triggering this by accident if it was a keyboard combo… (even worse if it happened during a performance!)

this is a good point and i think a good enough reason to not add a keyboard combo.

sam:

Maybe we can use a #define to build a firmware with a flipped screen (and jacks). It wouldn’t be that hard to fiddle the build scripts to spit out both firmwares.

i’m super reluctant to introduce something that would result in having 2 separate versions… would just make things that more confusing (and people buying a module second hand with reverted version installed etc). a dedicated op seems like a safe enough option and something that would allow you to switch things live easily.

Starthief:

If it’s an op but it remembers the state on startup, that’d .be fine.

yeah, executing the op would save the updated setting to flash.

Starthief:

An op has the dubious side benefit of being able to script it.

put it under voltage control!

@tehn said he is okay with adding it to the official firmware, i should have something to test next week. for the op what should the name be? would we ever have any other screen related ops? if not something like REVERT maybe? or leaving the possibility to have more screen ops in the future, SCREEN.REV?

SimonKirby · 2018-09-09T08:10:27.532Z

scanner_darkly:

@tehn said he is okay with adding it to the official firmware, i should have something to test next week. for the op what should the name be? would we ever have any other screen related ops? if not something like REVERT maybe? or leaving the possibility to have more screen ops in the future, SCREEN.REV ?

Oh, this is wonderful news - thank you!

I would avoid ‘SCREEN.REV’ since it seems like it would mean reverse, and I’d expect that to change the screen colours to black on orange. I’d go with ‘SCREEN.ROT’ instead, or ‘SCREEN.FLIP’. I could imagine other screen ops in the future, for sure (e.g. screensaver timeout, cursor highlight etc.).

Thanks again!

SimonKirby · 2018-09-09T10:08:23.071Z

Actually, on further thought… maybe “DEVICE” might be a better prefix than “SCREEN”? That was it leaves open options for further changes to basic functionality, such as reordering inputs etc? Just a thought…

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-09T17:45:47.726Z

yeah, i like DEVICE.FLIP better, since it’s not just the screen that is flipped.

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-14T03:15:16.138Z

ok, let’s see if this works! i only had limited time to test so please keep your eyes open for any strangeness.

the op is DEVICE.FLIP, no parameters, as the name implies it’ll flip the current state. inputs/outputs are flipped as well. it will remember the state between power downs.

warning: installing firmware will remove your presets - make sure to save them to a USB drive first!

teletype.zip (166.0 KB)
teletype.hex (562.5 KB)

this version also includes the fix for vortex keyboards.

flip

SimonKirby · 2018-09-14T06:50:51.811Z

Thank you so much for this! I’ll test this this weekend. Looking forward to not having to peer at my screen through the cables!

EqualTemperament · 2018-09-14T11:42:27.235Z

@scanner_darkly, you rock.

Is this 3.0 final, plus these new features?

desolationjones · 2018-09-14T13:06:40.725Z

An operator which flips the io jacks? Betcha $5 someone uses it to make a weirdo sequencer…

scanner_darkly · 2018-09-14T16:29:01.091Z

EqualTemperament:

Is this 3.0 final, plus these new features?

yep, it’s the official 3.0 release plus the fix for vortex keyboards and DEVICE.FLIP
it’ll display TELETYPE 3.0 FLIP when you boot it up.

desolationjones:

Betcha $5 someone uses it to make a weirdo sequencer…

especially if you use DEVICE.FLIP in one of your scripts