What is...
- A NTP server?
- Network Time Protocol (NTP) is used to synchronize the time of
a computer client to another server or reference time source, such
as a radio or satellite receiver or modem. It provides accuracies
typically within a millisecond on LANs and up to a few tens of milliseconds
on WANs relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) via a Global
Positioning Service (GPS) receiver, for example. You can configure
LCDC to pick up the time from one of these NTP servers (on
the configuration screen) and keep your PC clock bang up to
the second!
- A plugin?
- Recognising that the average user would not want access to every
single piece of information that we can provide, and in order to
conserve memory LCDC uses plguins to expand the functionality of
itself. Plugins can add Variables, Events and Actions as details
[here] and the current
plugins are documented [here]. LCDC itself
does have several inbuilt variables, evants and actions including
the current network usage and disk spaces.
- A screen?
- Within the Screen builder, you
define screens of information to display on your display. For example
your first screen might tell you what the latest headlines are (via
the RSS plugin) and the second screen
might then show you the temperatures of your processor and system
(via the MM5 plugin). Of course it
is more than likely that you would need two or three screens of
information from each of the plugins which is not a problem.
- An event?
- Events within LCDC are thing that happen that you might want to
trap. For an example, two basic events within LCDC are "OnStart"
and "OnFinish" (in the SYS area) that allow you to perform
any actions you feel needed. The number of events can be expanded
by the use of additional plugins.
- An action?
- For each and every event there is an action :) For example if
you wanted you could setup an event to turn the backlight on or
off. The number of actions can be expanded by the use of additional
plugins.
- A Momentary screen?
- A momentary screen is a screen will show for a moment then return
to the screen it was on. For example, you could create a screen
to show you the volume level, have it disabled so that normally
it won't be seen, and fire an event "MUL->On volume change"
to "DSP->Momentary screen" and it will stop what it
is showing you, show you the new volume level then return to the
screen it was on.
- A Overlay screen?
- LCDC has the ability to display several screens at the same time!
In 99% of the cases this is not needed, however overlays are useful
if for example you want a flashing quote mark or something in the
corner when the screen is paused.
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