[BRLTTY] Focus 1 70 display and USB to serial adapter: possible connecting this scenario?

Mon Dec 23 17:16:03 UTC 2024

Hi Dave,

I generated all required logs, both serial and USB connection related.

Only the real serial port hardvare related test is successfull, with 
57600 baud rate, the old machine /dev/ttyS0 real motherboard hardvare 
device.

Short test results:

Minicom related tests both 9600 baud, and 57600 baud: works the ttyACM0 
device, minicom right welcomed, and dmesg showed the actual Usb serial 
dongle device identifier with /dev/ttyACM0 the sudo dmesgwgrep ttyACM 
command.
Used logging command before patching the focus driver:
LANG=C brltty -ldebug,usb,serial,inpkts,outpkts -b fs -d /dev/ttyACM0 -L 
brltty_usb_serialdongle_log.log
The first command set serial port automatically with 57600 baud rate, 
the display driver doesn't start.
/dev/ttyACM0 device is right.

used command after all patched packages reinstall, and full system 
restart, reinstall command is following after exited cd .. command from 
the source code directory:
dpkg -i brltty_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
brltty-x11_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
libbrlapi0.8_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
libbrlapi-dev_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
python3-brlapi_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb xbrlapi_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb

Used test command, still the /dev/ttyACM0 usb serial dongle, but 9600 
baud rate:
LANG=C brltty -ldebug,usb,serial,inpkts,outpkts -b fs -d /dev/ttyACM0 -L 
brltty_usb_serialdongle_9600_baud.log
Result is same unfortunatelly, except the baud rate is correct set the 
9600 baud.

Real serial port test, with real motherboard ttyS0 serial port, still 
the patched package version:
Used command:
LANG=C brltty -ldebug,usb,serial,inpkts,outpkts -b fs -d /dev/ttyS0 -L 
brltty_real_serial_port_9600_baud.log
Result:
Brltty not detect the display, /dev/ttyS0 device is correct, this is my 
old machine real serial port device name.

After this, I reverted the 9600 baud related patch, recompile and 
reinstall all BRLTTY related packages, do a full system restart, and 
repeat the real serial cable test.
Reinstall command, after I again recompile the BRLTTY 6.7 related 
packages and doed a cd .. command from the source tree:
dpkg -i brltty_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
brltty-x11_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
libbrlapi0.8_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
libbrlapi-dev_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb 
python3-brlapi_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb xbrlapi_6.7-1~bpo12+1.1_amd64.deb

Test command with real serial port, of course I finetune with 
/etc/brltty.conf file the real serial device because serial devices is 
not autodetecting with BRLTTY I think, baud rate is 57600 baud rate:
LANG=C brltty -ldebug,usb,serial,inpkts,outpkts -b fs -d /dev/ttyS0 -L 
brltty_real_serial_port_original_57600_baud.log
Result:
The display is wonderful correct detected, fs braille driver is start 
when the display is plugged the real serial port (with named my Linux 
box the /dev/ttyS0 device).
So, perhaps me not have luck the USB serial dongle. :-(:-(

I doed the normal USB cable test, without lucky successfull result.
Short lsusb command result, detailed lsusb -v result I added the zip file:
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0f4e:0100 Freedom Scientific
This device ID is correct with Freedom Scientific driver c file related, 
or the driver not knowing this very old USB modell device identifier and 
not detecting the display automatically in USB mode?
used test command to test USB auto detection:
LANG=C brltty -ldebug,usb,serial,inpkts,outpkts -b fs -L 
brltty_usb_cable_result_log.log
Result: not present any braille output.

Each log file name means following test the zip file:
brltty_real_serial_port_9600_baud.log: /dev/TTYS0 test, patched 9600 
baud FS driver, test not successfull.
brltty_real_serial_port_original_57600_baud.log: not patched FS driver, 
/dev/ttyS0 port, the Focus1 70 braille display works wonderfull this 
environment mode with real serial port hardvare.
brltty_usb_cable_result_log.log: USB cable test, the display is 
identifying Linux kernel (lsusb see the device), but BRLTTY unable to 
autodetect the display and not shown any braille output both console and 
Orca.
brltty_usb_serialdongle_9600_baud.log: USB serial dongle cable test, 
patched Freedom Scientific driver with 9600 baud, device name is 
/dev/ttyACM0 when made the test, minicom utility see the test, but 
BRLTTY not starting braille driver and not produce any Braille output.
brltty_usb_serialdongle_original_driver_log.log: /dev/ttyACM0 serial 
dongle device test, unpatched Freedom Scientific driver, baud rate is 
57600, minicom see 57600 baud rate the /dev/ttyACM0 device, but BRLTTY 
not starting Braille driver and not produce any braille output.
lsusb_freedom.txt: detailed lsusb -v result, when the display is 
attached a native USB  Braille display cable, this cable previous I 
successfull use my defected Alva Satellite 570 display.
Sunday short time I successfull tested the Alva display, so the USB 
detection part worked this other display, but safe purpose I removed 
alva device to not broke until the legacy machine.

For debugging purposes, I was able to do these tests for now, I hope 
this information helps you.
Happy holidays to everyone, fortunately we have already found a backup 
solution, using a real serial port with a real 9-pin serial cable on my 
older machine.
Test environment:
Debian 12, BRLTTY version 6.7 from the stable-backports branch, latest 
Orca version, which is available from the stable-backports branch.

Kind regards,

Attila
2024. 12. 23. 12:53 keltezéssel, Hammer Attila írta:
>
> Hi Dave,
>
>
> Thanks your answer.
>
> I begin testing now and generating required log files.
>
> First I will be testing in Debian 12, because this version available 
> the 6.7 series version (perhaps we better concentrate this version 
> because this version and the actual master branch version are 
> maintaining, 6.5 series is very old possible this situation).
>
>
> Building is not problem for me.
>
> With safe testing environment the building related, I am use now the 
> Debian 12 awailable 6.7 version sources when changing the you wrote 
> baud related line into the driver file (temporary I will doing my 
> local machine a quilt patch for BRLTTY package the baud change related 
> and recompile and reinstall the packages).
>
> This line change affects only with Focus 1 series models, other 
> Freedom Scientific displays is unaffected this change related if need 
> final applying this change the official code base?
>
>
> When I generating all log file scenarios (serial communication the USB 
> serial dongle related and normal usb cable autodetection related), I 
> will sending the results and we will be seeing possible what the 
> problem this old Focus1 display, why not autodetecting in usb mode for 
> example the display with BRLTTY.
>
> So, a thing is absolute sure: general serial connection mode with 
> general serial port and general 9 pin serial cable is working, so the 
> display is usable, only need determining what happening when anybody 
> trying use this display with a usb to serial adapter, or a factory usb 
> cable the display usb port.
>
> Perhaps in time we will also figure out why these two types of cases 
> do not work with this display, and why only the traditional real 
> physical serial port connection works on older hardware that has a 
> real serial port connector on the motherboard.
>
> If it happens that you don't have time to respond during the holidays, 
> no problem, I wish everyone who celebrates Christmas a happy holiday.
> Rest as much as possible, the solution to this problem is not that 
> urgent, I just need to work with this display somehow from January 
> 10th of next year in connection with the Hungarian Braille developments.
> We have already found at least one solution for an emergency scenario, 
> connecting the traditional serial port to a traditional motherboard 
> serial port connector.
> If my English is not completely good, don't be angry with me. :-):-)
>
>
> Attila
>
> 2024. 12. 22. 22:41 keltezéssel, Dave Mielke írta:
>> [quoted lines by Hammer Attila on 2024/12/22 at 21:33 +0100]
>>
>>> Tomorrow I will generate you a full english language log file with you
>>> suggested with serial communication related (when I use the usb to serial
>>> adapter).
>> Thanks.
>>
>>> I tested the serial port with minicom utility, the cable is working
>>> fortunatelly, perhaps need tweaking BRLTTY related settings this scenario
>>> related.
>>>
>>> I used the sudo minicom -b 9600 -D /dev/ttyACM0 command to test the cable.
>> Did you also try -b 57600? The baud could well be the issue, but that's what the fs driver is specifying.
>>
>> Are you okay with building your own brltty for testing? If so, you might try changing line 651 of Drivers/Braille/FreedomScientific/braille.c:
>>
>> from: .baud = 57600
>> to:   .baud = 9600
>>
>>> I would like finding in Focus1 model why not working the automatic USB
>>> detection, because interesting this issue too.
>> Yes, I agree, and am also curious.
>>
>>> When I generating for you an USB connection related log file a second thread
>>> (for example focus 1 70: usb autodetection problem addressed thread), what -l
>>> option use with debug purpose?
>>>
>>> The -ldebug,usb,inpkts,outpkts option is good?
>> Yes, exactly. You could also add serial (so both usb and serial), actually, in order to capture the configuration of the internal USB to serial adapter.
>>
>
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