Feeding live text input of Linux computer to Kobo terminal

[NiMa]

Hi,
I recently bought a Kobo Libra H2O and I love it. I installed pbchess, KOReader and Plato, and was able to access a terminal locally via the vlasovsoft launcher (thanks Sergey!), telnet to other computers, and even watch Star Wars ASCIIMation movie directly from my Kobo
However, I would like to reduce my eyestrain while typing on my LCD screen computer, and be able to see directly, live, the text input I type on my computer's keyboard. I'm on Arch Linux.
I'm looking for something like telnet, in terminal/shell.

Thanks for your answers, they're always of valuable help!

[Mavireck]

Originally Posted by NiMa

Hi,
I recently bought a Kobo Libra H2O and I love it. I installed pbchess, KOReader and Plato, and was able to access a terminal locally via the vlasovsoft launcher (thanks Sergey!), telnet to other computers, and even watch Star Wars ASCIIMation movie directly from my Kobo
However, I would like to reduce my eyestrain while typing on my LCD screen computer, and be able to see directly, live, the text input I type on my computer's keyboard. I'm on Arch Linux.
I'm looking for something like telnet, in terminal/shell.

Thanks for your answers, they're always of valuable help!

First, you should definitely consider using VNC (This thread used to work back when I needed that kind of thing, I do not know if it still works with recent firmware versions). it allows you to mirror your computer screen on the ereader. I think that is what you want.


If you want to code it yourself, choose whatever programming language you like. You can print stuff on the ereader with FBInk, and set up a HTTP server on the kobo. Then on your computer set up a script which sends whatever you are typing to the kobo through a GET or POST request.

If you prefer, you can avoid developping a Kobo app and simply use a custom webpage which can be accessed through the Kobo web browser. Your computer will act as a server and you simply open the webpage pointing to your computer's IP address on the Kobo. See this thread.

It all depends on your need and if you want to code it yourself or not
That is only my take on it though, if anyone has a better idea, do not hesitate.

[NiMa]

Originally Posted by Mavireck

First, you should definitely consider using VNC (This thread used to work back when I needed that kind of thing, I do not know if it still works with recent firmware versions). it allows you to mirror your computer screen on the ereader. I think that is what you want.


If you want to code it yourself, choose whatever programming language you like. You can print stuff on the ereader with FBInk, and set up a HTTP server on the kobo. Then on your computer set up a script which sends whatever you are typing to the kobo through a GET or POST request.

If you prefer, you can avoid developping a Kobo app and simply use a custom webpage which can be accessed through the Kobo web browser. Your computer will act as a server and you simply open the webpage pointing to your computer's IP address on the Kobo. See this thread.

It all depends on your need and if you want to code it yourself or not
That is only my take on it though, if anyone has a better idea, do not hesitate.

Hi, thanks for your input on that. I looked around in Google and Stack Overflow and found tmux. I installed it on my Arch computer, and it ... worked (kind of). I tried ed, but all it does it show up a long line of vertical characters when I type, and then, when I reached the end of my terminal window, showed up as a complete line. Not ideal for writing. Maybe it's my connection, because sometimes the text shows up in a line. But it's rare. I'll try close to the router.
But, all things considered, it's a beginning! Feel free to continue to give me ideas if you want to.

@Mavireck: I knew that VNC viewer, but the post is from 2013... And my Libra uses soldered storage (and is now on Kernel 4.6!). So... I'll see. Thanks though for the answer. I'll see also for the HTTP GET/POST thing.

[Mavireck]

Also have a look at that post. I believe the author wanted to do something similar to what you want to do.

[NiLuJe]

For pure CLI stuff, tmux + SSH + https://github.com/llandsmeer/inkvt definitely works.

(As in, start inkvt, ssh to desktop, create tmux session. Switch to desktop, resume tmux session. profit).

Probably works the other way around, too, but my brain is shot, and I ship tmux and OpenSSH w/ KoboStuff anyway ;p.

[NiMa]

Yeah, thanks for your reply. I didn't see that. I'll definetly *try* to give it a try if this is fixable via a hard factory reset (because of soldered storage, of course!). From what I've seen, it seems to be. Doesn't it?
From my side, I already (kind of) solved my problem by launching an older 2015 version of Etherpad (LAN real-time text editor) on a Windows 7 machine, and opened it on the web browser of my Kobo, then started writing from my computer and looking for the characters on my Kobo. It works! Just... a bit too slow. And I can't display the blinking cursor. Maybe I'll try looking for a slightly newer version, but not with the new design, which the Kobo doesn't seem to be capable of handling.
I tried tmux and screen from vlasovsoft's terminal, but it was displaying strange character combinations and all the letters I typed were displayed, one by one, on a vertical line.
I'll maybe give a try to inkvt tomorrow if you can confirm me that it's hard-factory-reset-fixable.

Thanks again for your input!

EDIT: I use telnet for simple purposes of not having to install SSH on it and I telnet on my Arch Linux computer. Will it work with that (I suppose)?

[pascal jakobs]

Hello all,

I find NiLuJe solution VERY interesting (thank you), I don't have the knowlegde to do it myself but my eyes dream of a e-ink display for my raspberry pi. And this post makes me one step closer from that goal.
I imagine a RPI zero hidden in the official keyboard very neat and compact and 100% linux with tmux, python, VI, sed and awk . For me it would be more interesting to connect via USB networking to save the battery endurance (but I can be flexible on that point). Any chance to make it? I can test if needed.

Kind regards

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

For pure CLI stuff, tmux + SSH + https://github.com/llandsmeer/inkvt definitely works.

(As in, start inkvt, ssh to desktop, create tmux session. Switch to desktop, resume tmux session. profit).

Probably works the other way around, too, but my brain is shot, and I ship tmux and OpenSSH w/ KoboStuff anyway ;p.

[NiLuJe]

USBNet is kind of the original point of KoboStuff, so there's nothing much to "make": it already works.

Most of that is documented on the InkVT project page, as that's basically how I tested it: USBNet + Kobo/Kindle.

[pascal jakobs]

Thanks again for your quick reply, I'll give a try very soon, I keep you posted.
Bonne soirée

[pascal jakobs]

Hello all,
I'm sorry but after multiple try and seach, I can't make it. Following the readme, I successfully made InkVT-c7e1f0c.zip from fresh xubuntu 20.04. My clara hd is brand new (FW 4.23.15505) , I only did bypassing registration and install KFMon as required by the readme. Then I extracted InkVT-c7e1f0c.zip at the root of my clara. Rebooted and press the inkvt "cover" and I first see a quick "[KFMon] Launched inkvt.sh :) ]" message and then "[KFMon] PID 1251 exited unexpectedly: 1!" and after 10 seconds it goes back to nickel. see attached screen pictures. Where am I wrong?
What can I do please?

[NiMa]

Hi, try recompiling with the koxx toolchain. That solved my problem. See the issue I opened in GitHub in the inkvt project for more details. Good luck!

[pascal jakobs]

Thanks you, I've never done that before but I'm going to try.

[pascal jakobs]

Very good, it works as you told me, many thanks. Not as difficult as I feared. I can run commands in the kobo and see the resust on the kobo terminal but what I woud like is the other way round: type commands in my host and see the input and the result in the kobo terminal. Is this possible?
Have a nice evening

[NiMa]

Wait....... you say that there's been an update, and you have an on-screen keyboard???? Amazing!
Then for the computer input, launch it via SSH or telnet and you should have no problems typing in the terminal window of your computer while the program's running.
=)

[pascal jakobs]

Sorry for that misunderstanding, my fault. I type on my host keyboard and the command runs on the kobo. (as described in the project page)