Custom 3.5" display, no ui

So, i’ve been wanting to build my own custom synthesizer for a while now. I’m using a couple midi controllers in combination with zynthian to build my own box.

I bought a 3.5" display from Amazon, here is the link:
https://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B01JRUH0CY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Piscreen 3.5 (v1) is the only one that works slightly, but it hangs on the zynthian logo and never loads the UI.

Xorg log shows no screens available:

I installed display drivers as per the instruction of the display manufacturer, and I don’t know what my next step might be.
Any ideas?

Also, if i don’t configure the display in Zynthian, it does show the CLI on the display.

Thanks in advance!
Martijn Oosterhuis

Hi Martjin welcome,

So that means:

  • PiScreen 3.5 is the correct configuration for your display
  • UI doesn’t start because your audio hardware isn’t well configured

What are you using as sound device ?

Just using the RPI Headphone jack for now, should I try a USB Dac maybe?

I don’t think it’s the audio hardware configuration though, because of the errors in the Xorg log.

@le51 is correct. Zynthian will not start if the audio backend (jackd) is not running. Zynthian starts X hence X won’t be running if Zynthian isn’t running

Use webconf to navigate to Hardware- Audio and select Headphones then reboot.

If you have used some kind of manufacturer installer script to setup the display (wich was already working with the PiScreen option selected in the webconf) you have for sure broken the delicate Zynthian configuration.
Maybe you’ll have better to go with a new freshly burned SDcard and re install Zynthian.

Regarding your sound device: builtin raspberryPi headphone is known to produce relative bad sound quality.
Your USB sound device could be better, just use “Generic USB” in Hardware->audio menu from webconf and reboot.

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Which includes higher latency and increased risk of xruns (clicks) but it is a good way to test before adding better sound.

I am indeed adding a sound card later so that isn’t an issue.
I ended up reinstalling zynthian entirely and it does indeed work without those drivers.
Only problem left now is the well known problem of the inverted X axis so i will have to look into that. Thanks for the help guys!

Martijn

Regarding your X axis swap problem, you can update Zynthian software (either from the UI or from the webconf) as since the release of the latest stable image, some improvements were done, and especially a touchscreen calibration tool wich will be accessible from UI in the admin menu.

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Yep - it may be tricky to select the admin menu and calibration option if your screen is wildly uncalibrated but if you plug in a USB mouse or keyboard you can use that to navigate.

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Hello,

I’m having the same issue, custom 3.5 display, also hangs on the logo and never loads the UI.
Already re-flashed the image 4 times and same problem.
I’ve tried the the RPIHeadphones option and the generic usb whit a USCR10051BU with works out of the box with the raspberry.
The midi controller doesnt react and no sound or display.
I’m new at the raspberry stuff so i might be doing something wrong.

Thanks in advance

The logo hang is usually down to sound card misconfig in the webconf causing jack not to start. What do you have and what did you set the zyn to use?

I’m having troubles too.
jack is up an running, but zynthian UI fails to start:

./zynthian.sh: line 156: 4561 Segmentation fault ./zynthian_gui.py

(had the same problem on stable branch …)

@Sebizarro , you could check what’s going wrong:

systemctl status jack2

If jack server isn’t running, Zynthian UI will display the IP error screen
Expected output:

jack2.service - JACK2 Audio Server
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/jack2.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Sat 2021-12-18 20:41:12 GMT; 1min 15s ago
Main PID: 429 (jackd)
Tasks: 7 (limit: 4915)
CGroup: /system.slice/jack2.service
└─429 /usr/local/bin/jackd -P 70 -t 2000 -d alsa -d hw:U192k -r 48000 -p 256 -n 3 -s -S -X raw

Then check Zynthian UI service:

systemctl status zynthian

● zynthian.service - Zynthian User Interface
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/zynthian.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Sat 2021-12-18 20:41:13 GMT; 1min 46s ago
Main PID: 466 (startx)
Tasks: 14 (limit: 4915)
CGroup: /system.slice/zynthian.service
├─ 466 /bin/sh /usr/bin/startx ./zynthian.sh
├─ 514 xinit ./zynthian.sh – /etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc :0 -auth /tmp/serverauth.jRW3olUtWz
├─ 518 /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg -nolisten tcp :0 -auth /tmp/serverauth.jRW3olUtWz
├─ 557 /bin/bash ./zynthian.sh
└─1420 sleep 3
Dec 18 20:42:53 zynthian startx[466]: ./zynthian.sh: line 156: 1381 Segmentation fault ./zynthian_gui.py
Dec 18 20:42:54 zynthian startx[466]: /zynthian/config/img/fb_zynthian_error_ip.png is 800x480 PNG image, color type RGB_ALPHA, 8 bit

@Baggypants
Hello,
I’ve followed the instructions, set the display, Wi-Fi, wiring for dummies, connected the audio usb with generic usb device.

Hello @le51 ,

I went in the the terminal mode in zynthian webconfig.


Terminal
● jack2.service - JACK2 Audio Server                                                                                  
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/jack2.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)                                
   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2021-12-19 14:52:08 GMT; 1s ago                    
  Process: 16628 ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/jackd -P 70 -t 2000 -s -d alsa -d hw:0 -r 44100 -p 256 -n 2 -X raw (code=exi
 Main PID: 16628 (code=exited, status=255/EXCEPTION)                                                                  
                                                                                                                      
Dec 19 14:52:10 zynthian systemd[1]: jack2.service: Service RestartSec=1s expired, scheduling restart.                
Dec 19 14:52:10 zynthian systemd[1]: jack2.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 246.      

then the UI service:

  Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/zynthian.service; enabled; vendor pr
   Active: active (running) since Sun 2021-12-19 14:58:38 GMT; 338ms ago   
 Main PID: 24945 (startx)                                                  
    Tasks: 11 (limit: 4915)                                                
   CGroup: /system.slice/zynthian.service                                  
           ├─24945 /bin/sh /usr/bin/startx ./zynthian.sh                   
           ├─24965 xinit ./zynthian.sh -- /etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc :0 -auth
           └─24966 /usr/lib/xorg/Xorg -nolisten tcp :0 -auth /tmp/serveraut
                                                                           
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: xorg-server 2:1.20.4-1+rpt3+deb10u3
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: Current version of pixman: 0.36.0  
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]:         Before reporting problems, 
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]:         to make sure that you have 
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: Markers: (--) probed, (**) from con
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]:         (++) from command line, (!!
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]:         (WW) warning, (EE) error, (
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: (==) Using config directory: "/etc/
Dec 19 14:58:38 zynthian startx[24945]: (==) Using system config directory 
~                                                                          

Hi @Sebizarro .

Jackd server failed to start in your case:

You will jave to modify the jackd startup script command line argument
From the command line type

aplay -l

And show us the output.

@le51

thank you, i will try that now.
I connected to and a normal hdmi display and it loops between the logo and some text.

"Raspbian GNU/Llinux 10 zythian tty2
zynthian login:
"

then some other text that is too fast for me to see

@le51

aplay -l                                                            

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 1: b1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1], device 0: bcm2835 HDMI 1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 4/4
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 2: Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones], device 0: bcm2835 Headphones [bcm2835 Headphones]
Subdevices: 4/4
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 4: Device [USB Audio Device], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

You have to change (in webconf hardware audio)

-P 70 -t 2000 -s -d alsa -d hw:0 -r 44100 -p 256 -n 2 -X raw

To:

-P 70 -t 2000 -s -d alsa -d hw:Audio -r 44100 -p 256 -n 2 -X raw

@le51

i try that, but made no difference. same loop.
the RBPi Headphones checkbox is always on, and every time i uncheck it after reboot it goes back on

@le51

in the UI log, when hiding it the ERROR IP appear on the display for a moment, then shows the Log. Don’t know if it helps much

Restarting UI in normal mode
– Logs begin at Thu 2019-02-14 10:11:58 GMT. –
Dec 19 15:54:54 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopping Zynthian User Interface…
Dec 19 15:54:55 zynthian startx[2914]: [1B blob data]
Dec 19 15:54:55 zynthian startx[2914]: waiting for X server to begin accepting connections (II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian startx[2914]: xinit: giving up
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian startx[2914]: xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection reset by peer
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian startx[2914]: xinit: unexpected signal 15
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
Dec 19 15:54:56 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopped Zynthian User Interface.
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian systemd[1]: Started Zynthian User Interface.
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: X.Org X Server 1.20.4
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Build Operating System: Linux 5.10.17-v8+ aarch64 Raspbian
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Current Operating System: Linux zynthian 5.10.60-v7l+ #1449 SMP Wed Aug 25 15:00:44 BST 2021 armv7l
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Kernel command line: coherent_pool=1M 8250.nr_uarts=1 snd_bcm2835.enable_compat_alsa=0 snd_bcm2835.enable_hdmi=1 bcm2708_fb.fbwidth=640 bcm2708_fb.fbheight=480 bcm2708_fb.fbswap=1 smsc95xx.macaddr=DC:A6:32:1E:04:A2 vc_mem.mem_base=0x3ec00000 vc_mem.mem_size=0x40000000 dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Build Date: 19 April 2021 03:23:36PM
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: xorg-server 2:1.20.4-1+rpt3+deb10u3 (Debian -- Support)
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Current version of pixman: 0.36.0
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: to make sure that you have the latest version.
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: Markers: (–) probed, () from config file, (==) default setting,
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: (==) Log file: “/var/log/Xorg.1.log”, Time: Sun Dec 19 15:55:58 2021
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: (==) Using config directory: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Dec 19 15:55:58 zynthian startx[3338]: (==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: ./zynthian.sh: line 55: /sys/class/backlight/*/bl_power: No such file or directory
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: /zynthian/config/img/fb_zynthian_boot.png is 480x320 PNG image, color type PALETTE, 8 bit
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: Zooming image by 100%…done
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: Merging…didn’t find evidence of prior run.
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: done
Dec 19 15:55:59 zynthian startx[3338]: Building XImage…done
Dec 19 15:56:00 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopping Zynthian User Interface…
Dec 19 15:56:00 zynthian startx[3338]: xinit: connection to X server lost
Dec 19 15:56:00 zynthian startx[3338]: [1B blob data]
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3338]: waiting for X server to shut down (II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3338]: xinit: unexpected signal 15
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian systemd[1]: zynthian.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopped Zynthian User Interface.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian systemd[1]: Started Zynthian User Interface.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: X.Org X Server 1.20.4
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Build Operating System: Linux 5.10.17-v8+ aarch64 Raspbian
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Current Operating System: Linux zynthian 5.10.60-v7l+ #1449 SMP Wed Aug 25 15:00:44 BST 2021 armv7l
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Kernel command line: coherent_pool=1M 8250.nr_uarts=1 snd_bcm2835.enable_compat_alsa=0 snd_bcm2835.enable_hdmi=1 bcm2708_fb.fbwidth=640 bcm2708_fb.fbheight=480 bcm2708_fb.fbswap=1 smsc95xx.macaddr=DC:A6:32:1E:04:A2 vc_mem.mem_base=0x3ec00000 vc_mem.mem_size=0x40000000 dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Build Date: 19 April 2021 03:23:36PM
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: xorg-server 2:1.20.4-1+rpt3+deb10u3 (Debian -- Support)
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Current version of pixman: 0.36.0
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: to make sure that you have the latest version.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: Markers: (–) probed, (
) from config file, (==) default setting,
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: (==) Log file: “/var/log/Xorg.1.log”, Time: Sun Dec 19 15:56:01 2021
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: (==) Using config directory: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Dec 19 15:56:01 zynthian startx[3410]: (==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: ./zynthian.sh: line 55: /sys/class/backlight/*/bl_power: No such file or directory
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: /zynthian/config/img/fb_zynthian_boot.png is 480x320 PNG image, color type PALETTE, 8 bit
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: Zooming image by 100%…done
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: Merging…didn’t find evidence of prior run.
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: done
Dec 19 15:56:02 zynthian startx[3410]: Building XImage…done
Dec 19 15:56:03 zynthian systemd[1]: Stopping Zynthian User Interface…
Dec 19 15:56:03 zynthian startx[3410]: xinit: connection to X server lost
Dec 19 15:56:03 zynthian startx[3410]: [1B blob data]
Dec 19 15:56:04 zynthian startx[3410]: waiting for X server to shut down (II) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.