Using a Gert VGA 666 adapter - [HOWTO]

[thekeywordgeek]

Jessie killed my GertVGA!

I followed the install procedure on a freshly created Raspbian Jessie image on my Pi 2, no joy. Will dig into fault-finding tomorrow as it's late, but has anyone else got their GertVGA working on Jessie?

[AndyD]

... has anyone else got their GertVGA working on Jessie?

Yes, it works for me.

[thekeywordgeek]

... has anyone else got their GertVGA working on Jessie?

Yes, it works for me.

OK, thanks. So it ain't the distro. Time to get my hands dirty...

[DougieLawson]

You'll need to put the stuff for your VGA666 back in your config. It needs

Code: Select all

 dtoverlay=vga666

in your /boot/config.txt.

[thekeywordgeek]

You'll need to put the stuff for your VGA666 back in your config. It needs

Code: Select all

 dtoverlay=vga666

in your /boot/config.txt.

Did the job perfectly, thanks!

[AndyD]

You'll need to put the stuff for your VGA666 back in your config. It needs

Code: Select all

 dtoverlay=vga666

in your /boot/config.txt.

Did the job perfectly, thanks!

Yes, sorry I should have mentioned that I am using dtoverlay=vga666 in config.txt

[chuewailian]

You'll need to put the stuff for your VGA666 back in your config. It needs

Code: Select all

 dtoverlay=vga666

in your /boot/config.txt.

Did the job perfectly, thanks!

Yes, sorry I should have mentioned that I am using dtoverlay=vga666 in config.txt

FYI / ICYMI.
http://blog.queststem.com/post/12933944 ... dapter-666

[chuewailian]

Any lucky person(s) who has access & tried both a "Raspberry Pi Zero" (with a soldered 2x20 male header) & Gert VGA 666 Adapter?

i.e. Able to confirm that VGA display is working perfectly via GPIO pins 2-21 (DPI function)?

[rpdom]

Any lucky person(s) who has access & tried both a "Raspberry Pi Zero" (with a soldered 2x20 male header) & Gert VGA 666 Adapter?

i.e. Able to confirm that VGA display is working perfectly via GPIO pins 2-21 (DPI function)?

This post says yes. viewtopic.php?f=63&t=127561

[doop9174]

Does the Gert VGA still support 640x480 when using dtoverlay=vga666? I'm trying to set up RetroPie on a 640x480 arcade monitor, but I'm not getting any output. I've tested it on a CRT PC monitor also, and I get an image when I set the resolution to 800x600 and 1024x768, but if I set dpi_group=2 and dpi_mode=4, the monitor doesn't detect a signal. I've tried dpi_group=1 and dpi_mode=1 as well without success.

I used a previous version of RetroPie and set up the Gert VGA using the method described in the first post of this thread, and it worked fine at 640x480 on the arcade and PC monitor, but since I've updated to a newer version, I haven't been able to get the resolution that low with either method. I'd prefer not to downgrade to an earlier version of RetroPie if possible, since the current version has features that I would like to use.

I'm still pretty new to the Raspberry Pi, but I appreciate any advice I can get.

Thanks.

[RobertD]

Hi I got me one of these, works fine.

[B.Goode]

[jamesh]

Hi I got me one of these, works fine.

Fine if you want to use the HDMI port (and OK to pay a bit more), but Gert's adapter means you can use VGA and HDMI at the same time with different framebuffers, IIRC.

[.oKINGYo.]

Hello, I got (by request) two of the Gert VGA adaptors for Christmas (foolishly not realising they were a kit and not pre assembled board but I did have fun building it), however I am running into some problems and I don't know how to identify what''s causing it. Firstly, I am assuming I have assembled the board correctly (I used the colour coded and keyed pictorial representation recommended at the top of the page), however, following the steps I got stuck at step 3:

3. Download configuration file for the board:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fenlo ... ob-dpi.bin
sudo mv dt-blob-dpi.bin /boot/dt-blob.bin

I receive the error message below, as mentioned by other members:
pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo mv dt-blob-dpi.bin /boot/dt-blob.bin
mv: failed to preserve ownership for `/boot/dt-blob.bin': Operation not permitted

At which point I used DougieLawson's advice and did it in the root using sudo -i, and everything else seemed to work (as far as I can tell), after continuing with the tutorial to the end, I reboot and I am confronted with 2 black screens, no HDMI output and a black screed on my TV using the VGA input (is receiving a signal as its not putting a screen saver on). Each time this happens I have to format the SD card and put NOOBS//Rasbpian back on to try again, after 3 attempts its becoming very time consuming for each attempt, I'm pretty much a beginner as every other project I have done was via tutorial from start to finish, so I don't really know where I am going wrong, and help or light that can be shed will be incredibly appreciated, I am using a model b+ and have tried it on both the Kano OS and Raspbian so far.

Thank you

Kingy

[AndyD]

Hi Kingsy,

Unfortunately, things change all the time, but documentation doesn't always get updated as quickly. It is the nature of technology.

The instructions to get use a custom dt_blob.bin were from a while ago.

If you are using a relatively recent version of Raspbian (or Raspbian installed using NOOBS) then you just need to add

Code: Select all

dtoverlay=vga666

into the config.txt file and reboot.

If you are using NOOBS, you can use the NOOB recovery screen. You can get to this by holding down the [Shift] key while booting. Then highlight Raspbian and press on the Edit config button.

[.oKINGYo.]

AndyD, thank you for taking the time to reply, just to confirm, is he step youve mentioned just taking place of step 3 and continuing with the rest of the steps, or just edit the config file, save and reboot?

Thanks again!

Kingy

[AndyD]

Sorry, I didn't realise where you got those steps from. I will send a message to @mahjongg to see if he will change his original post.

So, forget steps 1 - 3, these are no longer required.

4. Add settings for the board to /boot/config.txt

Code: Select all

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

and add the following lines

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dtoverlay=vga666
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

This will enable the board and make it the default display

Everything else is the same.

5. Use raspi-config (Advanced options) to make sure that SPI and I2C are disabled.

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sudo raspi-config

6 Reboot. If everything is working, then your Pi should come up with VGA resolution (640x480)

7 Now adjust the resolution for your monitor (see this post and this one for more information). For the VGA board use 'dpi_' instead of 'hdmi_'.
For example, you could add these lines to /boot/config.txt

Code: Select all

dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=35

This would be the equivalent of hdmi_group 2 (DMT), mode 35 (1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz)

Alternatively, try the following variations:

# For 1920x1080 60Hz (1080p)

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dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=82

or

# For 1024x768 60Hz

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dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=16

or

# For 800x600 60Hz

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dpi_group=2
dpi_mode=9

[.oKINGYo.]

AndyD, you're a star! Thank you, will report back once I've tried tonight.

Cheers

Kingy

[.oKINGYo.]

Good news!....sort of.... I have an image on my screen of the desktop but is very off colour, quite dark and the blue and red seem to have taken over a bit...but its WORKING is there a PAL/NTSC issue? doubtful but ill ask the question anyway. I had to include the aspect ratio change to make it appear on the screen, I dont think the tv supported the original resolution. secondly, i have no output on the HDMI is there any way of having both displays?

Cheers

Kingy with a working vga board


Edit after googling a spectrum image, it is as though all of the colours are not being supported, the RGB are all present but other colours appear in blocks of single colour or out of place.

[AndyD]

With the colour issues. I wonder if you have an issue with your soldering. P.S. I haven't got one of these, but I believe these adapters for sale on the Deal Extreme website are a copy of the VGA666 adapter and don't require assembly.

About using VGA and HDMI at the same time, the answer is you can use both of them at the same time, but one screen is limited. The same limitation exists with the Official Foundation Display. Have a look at this thread Apps known to support dual display in the Official Foundation Display section of the forum. Everything written in that thread applies to the VGA666 adapter.

[.oKINGYo.]

I do have a second gert board, that isnt yet assembled, Ill take more time building te second one (first one I did during lunch break in work so a bit rushed) and ill have a look at the other board, cheap and cheerful and would solve the 'manufacturing' problem. My plan once I have this working is to try and get a pi zero running retropie and the vga output, so I can play games in my lunch break on my monitor, bit ott but worth it for all the lunchtime nostalgia

Cheers

Kingy

[QuietZone]

With the colour issues. I wonder if you have an issue with your soldering. P.S. I haven't got one of these, but I believe these adapters for sale on the Deal Extreme website are a copy of the VGA666 adapter and don't require assembly.

About using VGA and HDMI at the same time, the answer is you can use both of them at the same time, but one screen is limited. The same limitation exists with the Official Foundation Display. Have a look at this thread Apps known to support dual display in the Official Foundation Display section of the forum. Everything written in that thread applies to the VGA666 adapter.

Two comments:

1. That's the problem with anything that requires soldering (by you, the end user). If it doesn't work, you'll always be chasing two problems at once - did you solder it correctly? and Does it actually work? You'll always be suspecting the first, which interferes with working on the second.
2. I have one of those from DX - but I haven't gotten around to testing it yet. It'd be nice if someone (and that someone may end up being me) could verify that that board works and is exactly the same as what you'd get if you ordered the kit and did your own soldering.

[AndyD]

I have one of those from DX - but I haven't gotten around to testing it yet. It'd be nice if someone (and that someone may end up being me) could verify that that board works and is exactly the same as what you'd get if you ordered the kit and did your own soldering.

The original poster (vicente) in this thread appear to have one of these VGA adapters from Deal Extreme working using the VGA666 instructions.

[s_cornford]

Hi,

Totally new to pis & programming, so please excuse my lack of vocabulary for this.

I'm trying to build a multi-screen video installation using pis w/ omxplayer on some salvaged PC monitors. Today I received a pi B+ and the vga666 to test the theory. Installed Raspbian wheezy fine, and got omxplayer to playback my file once through an HDMI projector just to check out how to do that - all happy so far.

Then I fitted the vga666 and followed the instructions to make it the default monitor, when I rebooted the HDMI output went black but the VGA monitor wouldn't come out of power saving mode. There's definitely some sort of signal there, because when unplugged it jumps to its test screen and when plugged in it goes black again. I've read that in normal PCs monitors being on power saving mode is usually a connectivity problem - so I swapped the vga for a new one, same problem. I also went over all of my soldering again on the board in case there were any bad connections, still no dice.

Has anyone got any idea what i might have done wrong?
Is there anything in the coding that I might have mis-typed which would make this happen?

[AndyD]

Hi s_cornford,

It sounds like you are doing the right things. Was there any reason you choose Raspbian Wheezy instead of Jessie? It won't be a problem, unless you have a particularly old Wheezy image.

"Then I fitted the vga666 and followed the instructions to make it the default monitor". So in you config.txt you have:-

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dtoverlay=vga666
enable_dpi_lcd=1
display_default_lcd=1

You have tried different monitors. What about the VGA cable, is there any chance that the cable is the problem?