PostFrontal Forum
PostFrontal Forum
LK8000_Support_Forum | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
 All Forums
 LK8000 International Support
 Development Updates
 How to feed a GPS from Android to Kobo

Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply.
To register, click here. Registration is FREE!

Screensize:
UserName:
Password:
Format Mode:
Format: BoldItalicizedUnderlineStrikethrough Align LeftCenteredAlign Right Horizontal Rule Insert HyperlinkInsert EmailInsert Image Insert CodeInsert QuoteInsert List
   
Message:

* HTML is OFF
* Forum Code is ON
Smilies
Smile [:)] Big Smile [:D] Cool [8D] Blush [:I]
Tongue [:P] Evil [):] Wink [;)] Clown [:o)]
Black Eye [B)] Eight Ball [8] Frown [:(] Shy [8)]
Shocked [:0] Angry [:(!] Dead [xx(] Sleepy [|)]
Kisses [:X] Approve [^] Disapprove [V] Question [?]

 
   

T O P I C    R E V I E W
Coolwind Posted - 11/03/2016 : 00:19:47
I copy here what I wrote inside the manual, for people willing to use a Kobo. You may help to make this guide better before we release v6.
Formatting is not good after copy and paste, sorry.

KOBO SUPPORT
LK works on all Kobo devices, including the newest Glo HD .
These devices do not have a GPS inside, so you need to provide a GPS feed through either a serial port or through Wifi.
Serial ports requires internal hardware modification, or the use of a USB OTG cable and a usb to serial adapter. In this case, a special version of LK is required too, in order to provide USB OTG kernel capability. By default, this capability is not available in Kobo.
Otherwise, there is no sound in Kobo.
The grey-scale e-ink display has only 16 colors, and we cannot do miracles with dithered terrain rendering. However, we have tailored all colors for dithered greyscale on Kobo at the best possible result. The Kobo version is not a simple greyscale version of normal LK8000: it is custom made concerning colors.

Installing LK on Kobo
Connect the Kobo to PC with a USB cable, so that it appears as a USB disk drive.
On the USB drive just appeared, copy the folder named LK8000 in the distribution: inside there are other folders like _Airspaces _Configuration etc.
If you are using an upgrade distribution, first install full version. You can only install upgrade over an already existing full version.
Move the file KoboRoot.tgz found in the distribution inside the folder named .kobo
Unmount the Kobo from PC, and after restart LK8000 will be running.

To exit LK and enter the Nickel environment, use the startup Kobo button on LK.
Otherwise, after a normal exit from LK, the Kobo will go to sleep.


Feeding GPS signal to Kobo via WiFi on Android

edit 02.04.19 by AlphaLima:
meanwhile we have a dedicated Android App for GPS feeding and sound output:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.LK8000.lknet

Download from Play Store the app “GPS2NET” or something similar. This application is going to use the GPS inside the smartphone to transmit a gps feed over wifi.
From GPS2NET menu, select Settings, General, Start at boot OFF, GPS Interval 1 second.
Check that on the main GPS2NET page there is 6000 (the later port number).
On the smartphone enable Data Transmission, and enable Router WiFi
Important: you must be under 3G or 2G coverage to initially do the pairing with Kobo

From the Kobo welcome screen, choose Set up over Wi-Fi
Search for the smartphone in the network list, and select it. If the Router Wifi on smartphone
has a password you must enter it.
The smartphone in this phase must be under 2G or 3G coverage to give Kobo an internet connection, otherwise the Kobo will disconnect immediately saying no pairing.

If connection is established, in the pull down menu on the smartphone a new connected device will appear. Kobo is now connected to Android.
On Android GPS2NET click on START. From now on, the smartphone is sending the NMEA stream of the GPS on TCP/IP, to whatever network device connecting to the smartphone on port 6000. It will say “Waiting for connection”.
Switch off the Kobo with the proper hardware switch. Wait until it is off and then switch it on.
LK8000 will appear. Enter FLY mode.
Menu, Config 2/3, LK8000 Setup, Device Setup.
Device A: Generic
Port: TCPClient
IP: 192.168.43.1 Port: 6000
Exit configuration. On the screen, GPS: No ComPort initially.
After 30-60 seconds, GPS: NO VALID FIX or even better, already a valid fix, and the clock will start running. Your Kobo has a GPS!

Shutdown LK8000 and Wifi on Kobo
Terminating LK8000 with Exit will shutdown Kobo and Wifi automatically. On the smartphone no devices are connected. Enter GPS2NET and click on STOP. You can switch of Router Wifi too.

Normally restart LK8000 with Wifi
Of course you don't need to do the pairing and the above procedure after the first time.
Here is what you need to do in order to restart Kobo using the old Wifi connection to android gps.

You dont need Data transmission enabled, and you dont need an internet connection after pairing kobo-android is done the first time
Enable Router Wifi
Run GP2NET and click on START
Switch ON the Kobo, LK8000 is starting, enter FLY mode
Initially Kobo is not yet connected to Android. On the screen you read
GPS: No ComPort . Wait for 30-60 seconds , and you get GPS: NO VALID FIX or a good fix with the clock running.

Smartphone disconnected from Kobo?
Now that Kobo as a GPS connection to android, do the following test.
Check LK8000, gps is running, either with NO VALID FIX or with a valid fix.
On Android, switch off Router Wifi and/or stop GPS2NET, and/or switch off the phone.
ON LK8000, GPS: No ComPort
Even with no 3G or 2G connection, switch on the Router and start GPS2NET.
After a while, LK8000 will get the GPS feed.
So in case of smartphone problems during flight, you dont have to do anything on Kobo, just fix the smartphone.

How to find the correct IP address of your smartphone Router Wifi
If the connection does not work, there is a chance that the local IP address of the smartphone is not 192.168.43.1 . To find the correct address, download from Play Store an app like OS Monitor .
From OS Monitor select Connections and browse the list until you see GPS2NET.
You should see something like 192.168.1.43:6000
Search for 6000, not for other ports. The address on the left is the correct IP address to use inside LK8000. This will not change any more, since it is stable inside your Android every time you switch on Router Wifi.

15   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
AlphaLima Posted - 13/05/2018 : 16:20:11
Yes, use 6.1r! There have been a lot of fixes since 6.0b, especially device interconnection.
Med50 Posted - 13/05/2018 : 11:28:41
:( system is not working on Kobo. Cannot understand why!
Lk8000 version 6.1r on Android smartphone runs well
Lk8000 version 6.0b on Kobo with same configuration always give "unable to open TCP port"
(wifi connection is ok when I start Kobo environment, how can I check under LK if wifi is connected?)

Last chance is to upgrade Kobo to 6.1r, I've seen you have added up to 6 devices...
And use TCP port 6000

Any other suggestions?
AlphaLima Posted - 13/05/2018 : 11:03:30
No!
Med50 Posted - 13/05/2018 : 06:21:14
Is it mandatory to use port 6000 for TCP client?
Med50 Posted - 09/05/2018 : 09:14:05
We had this interface available for another project... dimensions are something like 10cm x 5cm. It will fit in a small box in luggage compartment with a battery and a cable to connect to cockpit rs232.
AlphaLima Posted - 08/05/2018 : 22:56:50
Hmm, quite big for a cockpit installation.
You should have a look to ESPs
http://www.postfrontal.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8467
Med50 Posted - 08/05/2018 : 22:27:10
The interface I'm using is this one


https://www.amazon.com/Hi-link-HLK-RM04-Serial-Wifi-Ethernet-Startkit-External/dp/B00VYGYFHS/ref=lp_12091508011_1_12?srs=12091508011&ie=UTF8&qid=1525811194&sr=8-12
Med50 Posted - 08/05/2018 : 22:15:03
Thanks AlphaLima,

I've successfully installed this mod to let Kobo connect to any WiFi without a real internet connection.
This was easy even for a newbie as me!

Simply download the KoboRoot.tzg you can find in the link above, copy in the .kobo folder (same as installing LK8000)
Kobo will restart and upgrade. A new "webportal" will be visible in the kobo browser if you point to http://webportal
I don't really know what all this stuff is, but what I understood is that when Kobo connects to a new WiFi, it always looks for a website (http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt), and if not reachable, connection is considered useless and Kobo will disconnect.
What this "webportal" does is to create a "fake" http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt that is now located on the Kobo memory, so can be reached even without a real internet connection.
To activate this feature you have to "uncomment" a line in the .addons/.webportal/vhosts.conf configuration file, by opening with wordpad and removing the # symbol.

After reboot, Kobo will connect to ANY WiFi network

LK8000 still running fine after this mod, which is a good thing :D

In the weekend I'll test all the setup (I don't have a Flarm to test right now), but everything worked fine with an android smartphone. Hope the same with the Kobo now that wifi is connected!

Ciao
AlphaLima Posted - 08/05/2018 : 21:39:55
Make sure to turn off, the tethered smartphone before turning on your WiFi device. Wait for at least 30min.
All I can say, it worked with Kobos and ESP devices, I have no experience with the "HiLink" Serial to Wifi device.
Never heard about the mod you're talking about and I'm not able to test it.
Please report your experience.
Med50 Posted - 07/05/2018 : 21:13:57
I've found something like a mod to the Koboroot.tzg on the web, this creates a "web server" on the device to let the kobo believe any wifi has an internet connection.
(I'm a total newbie to this world, so hope you can understand)

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3126196&styleid=17

My question is, if I apply this mod, can i still run LK8000 as usual?
If not, is it possible to "merge" both mods to the koboroot?

This would be the best solution in my opinion.
Thanks for you support!
Med50 Posted - 07/05/2018 : 21:09:35
quote:
Originally posted by AlphaLima

Just for information,
To connect a Kobo to Wifi, the Wifi source must have Internet connection to be recognized by the kobo. In case of the ESP8266 the Kobo does not properly establish the connection.
As workaround I made a smartphone access point (tethering) with the same SSID and password. Then I connected the kobo to the tethered smartphone. After successful connection I turned off the smartphone and turned on the ESP8266. Now the Kobo properly connect to the serial data of the ESP8266.




Hi AlphaLima,

I'm trying to feed the Kobo with datas from FLARM via WiFi, what I use is a HiLink Serial to Wifi converter.
After a few tries, everything works perfectly with an Android smartphone, LK8000 receives data from Flarm and I can see real traffics on the display.
The problems come with the Kobo setup!
As you said, Kobo refuses to connect to this WiFi because there is no real internet connection!!
I've tried your workaround, Kobo properly connect to the tethering WiFi on the smartphone, but NOT to the "same" wifi of the converter

Can you help me? What i'm missing?
ToninoTarsi Posted - 09/01/2017 : 21:00:34
If you want to add Bluetooth two very simple and inexpensive solutions ( that I currently use with Digifly AIR BT ) are here :

http://www.vololiberomontecucco.it/vlmc/index.php/avionica/23-digifly-air-bt-wireless-connected-with-kobo

http://www.vololiberomontecucco.it/vlmc/index.php/avionica/109-kobo-and-bluetooth-module-rn42

Tony
freewing70 Posted - 13/12/2016 : 16:22:18
Thanks Bruno
brunotl Posted - 12/12/2016 : 14:03:19
quote:
Originally posted by freewing70

Is it possible to simply link and external BT GPS to the Kobo?

Thanks a lot



no bluetooth on kobo, so not possible without adding hardware...
freewing70 Posted - 12/12/2016 : 13:02:08
Is it possible to simply link and external BT GPS to the Kobo?

Thanks a lot

PostFrontal Forum © PostFrontal - La community del Volo a Vela Go To Top Of Page
This page was generated in 0.11 seconds. Snitz Forums 2000

Since 2006, owned and maintained by PostFrontal S.A.S. di Giuliano Golfieri & c. - VAT ID: IT05264240960
THIS WEBSITE ONLY USES FUNCTIONAL COOKIES
Privacy & Cookie Policy