Customize your IX4-300D’s LCD Screen

This guide will walk you through the basics of customizing the LCD screen on your Lenovo IX4-300d NAS device. By default, the display shows only limited information, but with a bit of creativity and some simple scripting, you can extend its functionality to show more relevant and useful data. This guide serves as a starting point — once you’re familiar with the process, the possibilities for customization are wide open.

Instead of displaying text directly, we’ll be working with BMP image files to show custom content on the LCD. At the time of writing, there is no known method to write plain strings directly to the screen, so images are the way to go. Whether you want to show system stats, network info, or even fun visuals, this guide will help you get started with building and displaying your own custom BMP images.

Requirements

Before getting started, make sure you have the following:

• Lenovo IX4-300d NAS with SSH access Enable SSH Access

• Access to the startup configuration Modify the Startup Script

• BMP Images for testing
  Use your own or Download sample images here (Monochrome BMP, 128×64 resolution)

⚠️ Disclaimer: Proceed at your own risk. Modifying your NAS can lead to system instability or data loss. Neither EasyCode nor Lenovo is responsible for any potential issues.

 

Disable the Default LCD Service

The built-in displayd service manages the LCD and shows default info like IP address, disk space, and warnings. To take control, we need to disable this service.

1. SSH into your NAS:

   ssh [email protected]


2. Navigate to /opt:

   cd /opt/


3. Edit the startup config:

   sh edit-config.sh


4. In the Nano editor, find the line containing:

   Restart="-1"


   ❗ Remove only the Restart="-1" parameter. Do not delete the entire line.

   

5. Save and exit:

   • Press CTRL+O, then Enter to save

   • Press CTRL+X to exit

6. Reboot your NAS:

   reboot

 

Creating Custom LCD Images

The LCD can only display Monochrome Bitmap (.bmp) images of size 128×64 pixels (approximately 1.1KB / 1086 bytes).

1. Use MS Paint or any editor that supports saving Monochrome BMP.

2. Open black_default.bmp (included in the image pack).

3. Add white text or shapes on the black background.

4. Save the file as:

   • Type: Monochrome Bitmap

   • Filename: e.g., status.bmp, network.bmp, etc.

Uploading Images to the NAS

1. On your NAS, navigate to the Downloads share:

   cd /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads


2. Create a hidden folder to store LCD images:

   mkdir .lcdimages
chmod 777 .lcdimages


3. Upload your images to this folder using Finder (macOS) or File Explorer (Windows). You may need to enable hidden folders to see .lcdimages.

 

Create a Custom LCD Loop Script

We’ll now create a simple shell script that cycles through the images and displays them on the LCD.

1. Go to the /opt/ directory:

   cd /opt/


2. Create a new script:

   nano lcdservice.sh


3. Paste the following code, and modify the image paths as needed:

   #! /bin/sh
   while :
   do
   lcd_pid=$(pidof displayd)
   kill $lcd_pid
   lcdimg /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/.lcdimages/lenovoix.bmp
   sleep 5;

   lcd_pid=$(pidof displayd)
   kill $lcd_pid
   lcdimg /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/.lcdimages/transmission.bmp
   sleep 5;

   lcd_pid=$(pidof displayd)
   kill $lcd_pid
   lcdimg /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/.lcdimages/nzbget.bmp
   sleep 5;

   lcd_pid=$(pidof displayd)
   kill $lcd_pid
   lcdimg /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/.lcdimages/couchpotato.bmp
   sleep 5;

   lcd_pid=$(pidof displayd)
   kill $lcd_pid
   lcdimg /mnt/pools/A/A0/Downloads/.lcdimages/sickbeard.bmp
   sleep 5;
   done

4. Save and exit (CTRL+O, Enter, CTRL+X).

5. Make the script executable:

   chmod +x lcdservice.sh


6. Run your script:

   sh lcdservice.sh


💡 Tip: You can add this script to your custom startup if you want it to run automatically when your NAS boots.

 

Limitations & Notes

• Only monochrome BMP images (128×64, black & white) are supported.

• The script uses kill to terminate displayd regularly to avoid the default service taking over the LCD.

• This is not the cleanest method but is the simplest way to gain control without writing a custom driver.

• Use your creativity! Images can show system load graphs, storage info, IP addresses, or just fun logos.