New LCD device support: Samsung SPF Digital Photo Frames

[Fiery]

We've added support for Samsung SPF Digital Photo Frames. It works with the following models:

SPF-72H

SPF-75H

SPF-76H

SPF-83H

SPF-85H

SPF-85P

SPF-86H

SPF-86P

SPF-87H

SPF-105P

SPF-107H

700T

800P

800W

1000P

1000W

The following models are not supported at this time:

SPF-72V

SPF-83V

SPV-105V

The following models do not support Mini Monitor Mode, and so AIDA64 cannot use them as an external LCD:

SPF-71E

SPF-71ES

You can enable the LCD device from AIDA64 / main menu / File / Preferences / Hardware Monitoring / LCD / Samsung.

For the most stable operation it is recommended to uninstall Samsung Frame Manager and Mini Monitor drivers, and install our own Samsung SPF LibUsb driver instead:

http://download.aida64.com/resources/lcd/samsung_spf_lcd_driver.zip

Our driver can directly communicate with the device, without interfering with Samsung's drivers or the Frame Manager software. Alternative solution is having the appropriate Samsung SPF Windows drivers installed (part of Samsung Frame Manager software), but that usage scenario is not guaranteed to work properly.

Notes:

- If the device disconnects after a few seconds, enable the option Send keep-alive packet in AIDA64 / main menu / File / Preferences / Hardware Monitoring / LCD / Samsung

- AIDA64 will switch the device from Mass Storage Mode to Mini Monitor Mode if necessary. That transition could take up to 10 seconds. When the switch takes place, and there's Samsung Frame Manager software installed, Windows Aero may get disabled by Samsung Frame Manager's Mini Monitor feature

- AIDA64 has a built-in facility to prevent collisions with Samsung Frame Manager. In case it fails to work, and AIDA64 frames collide with Samsung Frame Manager frames, then terminate the process called "sam_controller.exe" via Windows Task Manager, or uninstall Samsung Frame Manager

- If Samsung Frame Manager is installed, but its Mini Monitor feature is not used, it's recommended to disable the Samsung Monitor device in Device Manager / Display Adapters.

You can find the new AIDA64 beta update at:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/latesta64xebeta

Please let us know if you find any difficulties enabling or using this new feature. Also let us know if you've got another kind of LCD device that is currently unsupported by AIDA64. BTW, Futaba MDM166A VFDs and Yoctopuce OLEDs are also supported now by the latest AIDA64 beta.

Regards,

Fiery

[Praz]

Hello

 

Do you know if the driver for the SPF-83H is compatible with win8.1?

[Fiery]

Hello

 

Do you know if the driver for the SPF-83H is compatible with win8.1?

There's a unified software package (Samsung Frame Manager) for all SPF displays, that includes the driver. There's a 64-bit Vista package, but we've only tested it under Win7 64-bit SP1. It should work under Win8.1 as well, but we haven't verified it yet. I'll check it out in the upcoming days (most likely tomorrow), and will let you know about the results in this topic

[Praz]

Thanks. If it is compatible with 8.1 I know where one is I can pick up.

[Praz]

Microsoft shows the SPF-83H to be compatible with 8.1 with no additional action needed. Perhaps the driver is available through Windows update also.

[Fiery]

Microsoft shows the SPF-83H to be compatible with 8.1 with no additional action needed. Perhaps the driver is available through Windows update also.

I guess that only means the Mass Storage Mode of the DPF. Once AIDA64 switches the device to Mini Monitor Mode (as required for LCD support), Windows 8.1 will not find the necessary drivers.

We've done a few test runs with Windows 8.1 64-bit and a SPF-75H DPF. The good news is: it works. Bad news is: only the driver works, the Samsung Frame Manager application goes nuts under Windows 8.1. It means you won't be able to use the DPF as a mini monitor (to extend your desktop to the DPF), but you can use it as a LCD device with AIDA64. What needs to be done to make it working:

1) Install Samsung Frame Manager for Vista 64-bit v2.00. During its installation process a lot of popup windows will come up, don't worry about them, just close them all.

2) Start AIDA64, enable Samsung SPF LCD support in AIDA64 / main menu / File / Preferences / Hardware Monitoring / LCD. It will switch the device from Mass Storage Mode into Mini Monitor Mode. After the transition AIDA64 will report that it cannot open the LCD. Don't worry about it, just close AIDA64.

3) Go to Device Manager, and install the device driver for the unknown device called Samsung Digital Photo Frame. You can find the driver in the \Program Files\Samsung\FrameManager folder. If it's necessary, select the INF file called sam_miniusb.inf.

4) You can uninstall Frame Manager after the driver is successfully installed.

I've checked, and the mentioned Frame Manager for Vista 64-bit v2.00 does support SPF-83H DPF that you're about to get.

[Praz]

Hi Fiery

 

I have ended up with a SPF-87H instead of the 83H. I should have it here in the next few days. I'll post up some results once it arrives. Thanks again for the info and support you have provided.

[Fiery]

Great news, I hope you'll like it. Quite frankly, the Samsung SPF quickly became my favorite external colour LCD display, despite the fact that its driver installation process isn't quite user-friendly under Windows 8.x Not easy to find an affordable high-resolution, large colour LCD that is both easy to use and not crippled feature-wise like the Matrix Orbital GTT.

Meanwhile, we've ordered a Samsung 800P as well, since that -- along with a few other Samsung DPF devices like 800W, 1000P, 1000W -- seems to use a more advanced version of the Samsung Mini Monitor protocol that is currently unsupported by AIDA64 (and every other 3rd party LCD software as well).

[Praz]

Hi Fiery

 

I have been messing with the SPF-87H DPF for the last couple of day but unfortunately have nothing positive to report. I have tested on multiple system with both Win7 and Win8. Following the steps you wrote above AIDA64 will initialize the PDF only if it is in mass storage mode first. If already in mini monitor mode AIDA64 reports "SPF error: USB device not found". After launching AIDA64 the PDF switches to mini monitor mode and displays data from AIDA64 for approximately 5 seconds. Then the PDF disappears from the system and is not shown anywhere including Device Manager. Closing AIDA64, changing the PDF back to mass storage mode, and restarting AIDA64 shows "SPF Init OK" but the PDF screen does not switch from the default info view and no data is displayed from AIDA64. The system must be rebooted for the 5 seconds of displayed info to be shown again.

[Fiery]

Don't worry, we'll sort it out Most likely the issue is caused by the collision between Samsung Frame Manager's main hardware polling process called sam_controller.exe and AIDA64. Please try the following:

1) Start Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE), and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Samsung\FrameManager

2) Check what value does the DeviceInfo field hold. If it's "00 00", then please switch the device to Mini Monitor Mode, and check it again.

3) Also check what USB device ID does your SPF-87H have assigned, on the Devices / USB Devices page. The device could be in either mode for that. I'm just wondering that because there are 3 different variants of SPF-87H out there, and it would be great to know which one have you got.

4) Try to kill the process called sam_controller.exe using Task Manager. That should take care of the collision between AIDA64 and Samsung Frame Manager, and let you use the DPF via AIDA64. If you don't want to use the Mini Monitor feature of your DPF for its intended purpose, then you may as well uninstall Samsung Frame Manager completely. It will leave the Mini Monitor USB device driver installed, so you will still be able to use AIDA64 with your DPF.

5) I'll send you something further in private message, but please only deal with that after the above 4 steps

BTW, if nothing works out (which is unlikely), we already have a "Plan B" for Samsung SPF devices, so you will either way be able to use your SPF-87H with AIDA64.

Thanks,

Fiery

[Praz]

Hi Fiery

 

Mass storage mode shows 00 00. Mini monitor mode also shows 00 00. However as the DPF is only seen for a few seconds when in mini monitor mode I'm not real sure this Registry value is correct.

 

The Device ID is 04E8-2033 when in mass storage mode. I haven't been able to get the info from AIDA64 quick enough once switched to mini monitor mode. I am able to acces the DPF properties in Device Manager and it shows 04E8-2034 for mini monitor mode as shown below.

 

I am not able to kill sam_controller.exe as it is not shown in Task Manager. Perhaps this is because the install does not finish? I have performed an uninstall of Samsung Frame Manager but the results are the same.

 

I have also tried what you stated in PM with the results being the same. AIDA64 initializes the DPF, a blue screen showing AIDA64 is displayed for approximately 5 seconds, the Windows USB disconnect sound is played and the DPF disappears from the system. After successfully installing the driver when AIDA first initializes the DPF I can close AIDA64, manually switch the DPF to mini monitor mode and the same disappearance after 5 seconds occurs. This seems to point to an issue with the Samsung driver itself and not something amiss with AIDA64.

[Fiery]

It sounds quite odd. After the uninstallation, were all Samsung Frame Manager related files removed? Can you please check if there's any of them left under \Program Files\Samsung ?

What version of Frame Manager did you have installed? Can you maybe check the driver version and driver date for the Mini Monitor driver? There're quite a few versions out there, and maybe you're not using the driver we've used for our test runs.

[Praz]

Yes, all files are removed under \Program Files\Samsung. I have installed MPX_FrameManager_Vista_64bit_V2.00_T2_700T.exe and FrameManager_Vista_64bit_V2.00.exe. Is the screenshot below the proper info for the driver version?

[Fiery]

Yes, that's the same driver we're using. Do you have any remaining Samsung devices in the Device Manager, under Display Adapters? If yes, then try to uninstall that, including removing its drivers.

[Praz]

Samsung never shows anything under Display Adapters. Only Samsung USB Display Adapters for approxiamtely 5 seconds before the disconnect happens.

[Fiery]

Can you check what happens if you let AIDA64 switch the device to Mini Monitor Mode, but then you quickly close AIDA64, before that 5 seconds elapses? Will the device stay in Mini Monitor Mode? Something must be causing the DPF to switch back to Mass Storage Mode again, but I have no idea what could it be, as long as Samsung's own application is completely removed from your system.

We've now double-checked with the same drivers you're using, under Windows 8.1 64-bit, with both a SPF-75H and a 800P DPF, and found no such issues you're experiencing. It works absolutely smooth on our test system.

[Praz]

Used AIDA64 to switch to mini monitor mode. As soon as the AIDA64 logo appeared I closed AIDA64. The DPF screen went blank and a few seconds later the DPF disappeared from the system. After disappearing the DPF display stays in mini monitor mode until manually switching at the DPF to mass storage mode.

[Fiery]

It's quite puzzling. Have you tried to connect the DPF to another USB controller? Have you tried to power the DPF off, power it on again, and switch the device to Mini Monitor Mode on the DPF, and see what happens when you start AIDA64?

[Praz]

I have used Intel USB 2.0, 3.0 and ASMedia controllers. Tried the power off/on and switching to mini monitor mode at the DPF. AIDA64 cannot find it because by the time AIDA loads the DPF has disappeared and cannot be detected again until it is toggle to mass storage and back to mini monitor. I'm performing a fresh install of Win8 and will test with a bare minimum install.

[Fiery]

In case the Mini Monitor device disappears from the system after that 5 seconds elapsed, even if you don't start AIDA64 at all, then it seems to be an issue that is related to the Samsung driver or the device itself. Have you tried to connect the device to another computer?

Have you tried to check the Windows Event Logs, to see whether there's any reference to why the device gets disconnected?

I'm starting to feel like your particular SPF-87H device has some hardware flaws... Maybe try updating the firmware. I'll soon run out of ideas

[Praz]

Could the issue be not successfully installing the Frame Manager software? I have tried on Z87, Z97 and X79 systems and it always crashes at the point of installing the display drivers. I'm not sure how anyone else is installing this software when i see it fail on 3 different platforms.

[Praz]

Event viewer doesn't show anything. The DPF work fine with Win7 but as Win8 is the only operating system I now use that doesn't help me. Guess I'll go back to the CrystalFontz display until a better option is available that I know will work with Win8.

[Fiery]

In our first test run under Win8.1 we've also attempted to install Frame Manager, but the installer failed. Frame Manager doesn't seem to be compatible with Win8.x at all, but the drivers work fine under Win8.x -- at least for us. We've installed the Mini Monitor device drivers using the drivers copied to \Program Files\Samsung\FrameManager by Samsung Frame Manager installer, and it worked just fine.

In one of your previous posts you seemed to have indicated that it didn't work for you under both Win7 and Win8, but now you say it works fine under Win7? Just to make sure it's not a driver issue, please try to change the Mini Monitor drivers to the ones we're using. The driver version is the same with yours, but we've already got two different Samsung SPF driver sets, both with the same version, so you never know with Samsung I'll send you the download link to our drivers in private message.

BTW, our "Plan B" for the Samsung issue is that we would implement an alternative driver path in our code, to let you use generic LibUSB drivers with Samsung DPFs. That may or may not help in your situation though, since -- if I properly understand what you wrote -- the device keeps disconnecting after 5 seconds even if you don't start AIDA64 at all. It could well be a driver issue that may be resolved with the LibUSB driver, but it is also possible that it's a hardware flaw that will not be resolved by a driver change. Anyway, if you have time and energy left to hassle with your SPF-87H, you can try our LibUSB solution soon. I'll send you a message once the LibUSB driver and the AIDA64 beta with LibUSB Samsung SPF support is ready to be test-driven.

[Praz]

Hello

 

I thought I posted about Win7 working but don't see it. After getting Frame Manager to successfully install in Win7 and then uninstalling it AIDA64 was working with the DPF. I just finished another Win7 install but this time am unsuccessful in keeping the DPF from disappearing when using AIDA64. Using the DPF in mini monitor mode works fine with Frame Manager. The DPF doesn't disappear at all. I have tried the drivers you sent but they made no difference.

[Fiery]

We've just updated AIDA64 to include support for Samsung 800P, 800W, 1000P and 1000W DPF displays as well:

http://www.aida64.com/downloads/latesta64xebeta

This version also supports both Samsung's original SODI drivers and generic libusb0 drivers.