The Empeg VFD screen is 4bpp so every byte in /proc/empeg_screen.raw corresponds to two pixels.

This is the part I'm having issues with. (Okay, so I admit. I ain't the brightest.) :>

Reading thru the file, I see values that inclode x00, x03, xFF. If it's 4bpp, that give a total of 16 different shades for each pixel. If x00 (00000000) is off for both, and xFF (11111111) is on for both, then we aren't using some values there, since we only have 4 brightness levels.. I want to experiment, but can't until I get the hardware side done.

Thanks for the help, ya'll.
Me.

[Edit: Wait. Hold that thought. In my strupidity (read: insufficient C knowledge) I think I've been reading the file wrong, which would explain alot.]