question

I can also confirm that the cheap ($50) 5" capacitive touch screens on AliExpress work perfectly with no configuration.

The 800x480 resolution and 5" size is more than enough. Less would be fine. I run touch data and power over the same USB 2.0 extension cable.

This is an example - EQV 5 inch Portable Monitor HDMI 800 x 480 Capacitive Touch Screen LCD Display for Raspberry Pi 4 3B+/ PC/Banana Pi|LCD Modules| - AliExpress

Has anyone had any luck in turning off a third party (waveshare 7" HDMI in my case) screen automatically when connected to a Cerbo? Screen displays perfectly but auto time out and dimming functions within Venus dont take effect.

I have one of the Waveshare 7" HDMI displays and screen saver works, but no dimming.

My RpiDisplaySetup will handle the necessary steps,

https://github.com/kwindrem/RpiDisplaySetup

or you can manually do it from the command line:

echo "/sys/class/graphics/fb0/blank" > /etc/venus/blank_display_device

Add the following line to /u-boot/config.txt:

hdmi_blanking=1

then reboot.

If you are plugged into the second HDMI port use fb1 in place of fb0.

If you do it manually, you'll need to repeat the steps after a firmware update.

If the display does not support backlight control, you will get a blank screen with the backlight still on.

Thanks @Kevin Windrem, I'm actually trying to do this on a Cerbo GX not a Pi.
I attempted to use your script but it checks to see if it's running on a Pi and if not aborts.

I tried the first manual command as you suggested but didnt have any luck as I assume this is Pi specific. (also there is no /u-boot on the Cerbo)

I've looked at other solutions like /usr/bin/tvservice etc for turning off the screen but I'm wary of installing new services on Venus, seems to me to be preferable to use the existing functionality in Venus (if possible!)

Thanks @Kevin Windrem , I'm also using a generic Aliexpress screen - works great! I bought one with a separate backlight button on the back. Fairly trivial to move it round the front - adjusts in 20% increments.

Just for information, if other user have the same problems like i had...

To use the Waveshare 7inch Screen (1024x600) you have to add the following to /u-boot/config.txt:

Section [all]

max_usb_current=1
hdmi_group=2
hdmi_mode=87
hdmi_cvt 1024 600 60 6 0 0 0
hdmi_drive=1 

works perfect for me on a RPi 3+

Kevin,

I know this is an old post but I have received two defective Touch 70 displays so I am looking for an alternative while Victron works out the issues with the Touch 70. I purchased the display that you linked from Amazon.

Disclaimer: I am electrical challenged but I am an engineer.

I connected the Waveshare display to the Cerbo and I am unsuccessful and making it functional. I connected the HDMI cable, of course. And I connected the included adapter from the USB connector on the Cerbo to the “DC” labeled port on the Waveshare. What am I missing?

TIA,

Greg

To get touch to work you need to connect the TOUCH port to a USB port on Cerbo. The USB port closest to the HDMI connector is power only, so you need to pick another port. You should not need to connect the DC port as power is also supplied via the TOUCH port.

If you don't have enough USB ports on Cerbo, use a powered hub to connect everything.

Hello,

I have connected a 7" UCtronics touchs screen to my Cerbo GX. All data is displayed correctly but the touch function needs calibration and I have no clue if that is possible and if so, how to do that. Any help is much appreciated.

Hi! I know this is an old post, but did anyone find a solution to the screen off time on a cerbo gx with a generic display? I have the touch and resolution working, but i cannot figure out the screensaver. Any advice is much appreciated.

Read through this topic, to find a solution to be able to dim or "screensafe" the waveshare 7" hdmi display, and got an easy solution. Because the display has the on/off button on the side, it is not easy to get to if you mount the display in a panel. However, when you power/touch function the display by the usb port on the Cerbo, which is also used for the touch-function, you can disable the display with a switch in the + and - lead of the usb cable, and bring this to the front of the panel. Tested this a bunch of times, and display comes back in correct window and touch-function when back online again.

I always use a cheap android tablet over ethernrt/wifi. You can pic up an Amazon Fire 7 for less than £40 usually. Strip out th Bloat and add Google Play services with Fire Toolbox... It just works.

And of course you can access Node Red Config and Dasboards too!

8inch Capacitive Touch Display, Optical Bonding Toughened Glass Panel, 1280×800, IPS, HDMI Interface | 8DP-CAPLCD (waveshare.com) works fine with the Cerbo GX. As well the display timeout is working.

Many thanks for all this information.

Hi,
I also tried some display's.
the only one, works out of the box inlc. touch was
Waveshare 5inch Capacitive Touch Screen LCD (H) Slimmed-down Version, 800×480, HDMI, Toughened Glass Panel, Low Power

But after reboot the resolution was not properly set. Seem, that Cerbo boot up with 1024x600 (=GX touch 70).

I fixed it that way:
On ssh

nano /data/etc/screensetup

Insert into file

*/5 * * * * root /usr/sbin/fbset -xres 800 -yres 480

save and exit the file

chmod 644 /data/etc/screensetup
nano /data/rc.local

Insert into file

#!/bin/sh -e

/usr/sbin/fbset -xres 800 -yres 480



FILE=screensetup

if [ -f "/etc/cron.d/$FILE" ]; then

echo "$FILE exists."

else

cp /data/etc/$FILE /etc/cron.d

chmod 644 /etc/cron.d/$FILE

fi



exit 0

save and exit the file

chmod 755 /data/rc.local

cp /data/etc/screensetup /etc/cron.d

chmod 644 /etc/cron.d/screensetup

After a reboot the rc.local will be run and check if the screensetup cronjob file is there. If not (after fw-upgrade) it will be copy on the right location.
Now every 5 minutes, the screen resolution will be setup. If you like, you can modify how often it will be setup.

After reboot or if disply showup wrong resolution, execute following

- disconnect HDMI + USB

- connect HDMI

- connect USB

Display will reboot. If still wrong resolution, disconect only HDMI

Wait the time, setup in cronjob (in my case 5 minutes)

connect HDMI again.

Display will boot up mainly in wrong resolution, but will boot immediatelly again with right one.

Now you can switch off the display and/or disconnect the USB as you like, display will ever boot in right resolution until next Cerbo reboot

Has anyone been able to rotate the HDMI output for these generic screens?

Has anyone actually managed to find a replacement wired screen that works 100%, in place of a Touch 50 or 70 without modification? And if so, has it survived Cerbo GX updates?

I thought the GX touch screens were just dumb displays, and a cheaper alternative would be a simple solution - I should have known better!

I love this! I was gonna do the same thing figured search here see if anyone else has done it. Being a software engineer I went with the specs that seemed like a good bet, tried to do it as cheap as possible at $35 with this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TG8BN65?psc=1&smid=A3JZY4ZDSFJG99&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

(Will update on here if I need to root or if it works out of the box)

I love Victron but they kind of wanna do the "Apple" trick and put every little dongle that should be included in a separate boxes and sell it to you for quadriple the price. It's the one thing I truly dislike about any brand that does that. I wish the community could influence them to be a little less like that... it would be nice to put everything that is needed, no one should be purchasing stupid cheap Chinese mage cables separately. Eww.... I feel better now that I vented that... tried to refrain from anything that would get me kicked out of here. lol

I tried this one before finding this thread:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BRMWMK6X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can get it to work at 1024x600 via the /u-boot/config.txt settings above, but the touchscreen is wild and pretty uncontrollable. I've written the manufacturer, so will see if they have any advice, but would suggest others spend just a bit more.

I had to make a slight alteration to make the blanking work on my Cerbo GX (Mk II) paired with a Waveshare 7" (H)

The changes to "/etc/venus/blank_display_device" would not stick, and were blank after rebooting.

For it to work I had to edit the original answer and add .* to the end of the line.

nano /etc/venus/blank_display_device.in

Instead of

/sys/class/graphics/fb0/blank % victronenergy,cerbo-gx

I had to use

/sys/class/graphics/fb0/blank % victronenergy,cerbo-gx.*

On a side note, I also found this bezel. Google "4D-BEZEL-70B". Which can be used to flush mount the screen without seeing ugly screws or cables.

Just to chime-in with my thanks for this page. I bought the 7" display from here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001270368061.html

It mostly worked out the box, but I had to do the calibration for the touchscreen and make the changes to get the blanking working. That now all works great. The dimming slider doesn't seem to do anything, but that doesn't really bother me. I just 3-D printed a simple bezel for wall mounting next to my cerbo-gx. Lovely, cheap solution!