diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index ae9b9c044..6ef8dee53 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@ endif
 if BOXTYPE_TRIPLE
 SUBDIRS += lcddisplay
 endif
-if BOXTYPE_SPARK
-SUBDIRS += lcddisplay
-endif
 
 if USE_TREMOR
 VORBISLIBS = @VORBISIDEC_LIBS@
@@ -117,8 +114,11 @@ drivertool_SOURCES = drivertool.c
 endif
 if USE_STB_HAL
 neutrino_LDADD += \
-	$(STB_HAL_LIB)/libstb-hal.a \
+	$(STB_HAL_LIB)/libstb-hal.a
+if BOXTYPE_TRIPLE
+neutrino_LDADD += \
 	$(top_builddir)/src/lcddisplay/liblcddisplay.a
+endif
 else
 if BOXTYPE_TRIPLE
 neutrino_LDADD += \
diff --git a/src/driver/Makefile.am b/src/driver/Makefile.am
index 753ffa5a4..d7587742c 100644
--- a/src/driver/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/driver/Makefile.am
@@ -57,8 +57,7 @@ endif
 
 if BOXTYPE_SPARK
 libneutrino_driver_a_SOURCES += \
-	newclock.cpp \
-	lcdd.cpp
+	spark_led.cpp
 endif
 if USE_STB_HAL
 INCLUDES += \
diff --git a/src/driver/lcdd.h b/src/driver/lcdd.h
index d663fe696..a03f5813d 100644
--- a/src/driver/lcdd.h
+++ b/src/driver/lcdd.h
@@ -28,10 +28,6 @@
 #ifndef __lcdd__
 #define __lcdd__
 
-#ifndef LCD_UPDATE
-#define LCD_UPDATE 1
-#endif
-
 #define LCDDIR_VAR "/var/share/tuxbox/neutrino/lcdd"
 
 typedef enum
@@ -83,14 +79,13 @@ typedef enum
 #include <configfile.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
-#if HAVE_SPARK_HARDWARE
-#define HAVE_GENERIC_HARDWARE 1
-#endif
+#ifndef  HAVE_SPARK_HARDWARE
 #include <lcddisplay/fontrenderer.h>
 
 
 class CLCDPainter;
 class LcdFontRenderClass;
+#endif
 class CLCD
 {
 	public:
@@ -122,7 +117,7 @@ class CLCD
 
 
 	private:
-
+#ifndef HAVE_SPARK_HARDWARE
 		class FontsDef
 		{
 			public:
@@ -170,7 +165,14 @@ class CLCD
 		void setlcdparameter(int dimm, int contrast, int power, int inverse, int bias);
 		void displayUpdate();
 		void showTextScreen(const std::string & big, const std::string & small, int showmode, bool perform_wakeup, bool centered = false);
-
+#else
+		CLCD();
+		std::string	menutitle;
+		MODES		mode;
+		void setled(int red, int green);
+		static void	*TimeThread(void *);
+		pthread_t	thrTime;
+#endif
 	public:
 		bool has_lcd;
 		void wake_up();
diff --git a/src/driver/spark_led.cpp b/src/driver/spark_led.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..357c43283
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/driver/spark_led.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,328 @@
+/*
+	Routines to drive the SPARK boxes' 4 digit LED display
+
+	(C) 2012 Stefan Seyfried
+
+	License: GPL
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+	it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+	the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+	(at your option) any later version.
+
+	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+	GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+	Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
+*/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include <driver/lcdd.h>
+
+#include <global.h>
+#include <neutrino.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <time.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+//#include <math.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
+#include "spark_led.h"
+
+static char volume = 0;
+//static char percent = 0;
+static bool power = true;
+static bool muted = false;
+static bool showclock = true;
+static time_t last_display = 0;
+
+static inline int dev_open()
+{
+	int fd = open("/dev/vfd", O_RDWR);
+	if (fd < 0)
+		fprintf(stderr, "[neutrino] spark_led: open /dev/vfd: %m\n");
+	return fd;
+}
+
+static void display(const char *s, bool update_timestamp = true)
+{
+	int fd = dev_open();
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return;
+printf("spark_led:%s '%s'\n", __func__, s);
+	write(fd, s, strlen(s));
+	close(fd);
+	if (update_timestamp)
+		last_display = time(NULL);
+}
+
+CLCD::CLCD()
+{
+	/* do not show menu in neutrino... */
+	has_lcd = false;
+}
+
+CLCD* CLCD::getInstance()
+{
+	static CLCD* lcdd = NULL;
+	if (lcdd == NULL)
+		lcdd = new CLCD();
+	return lcdd;
+}
+
+void CLCD::wake_up()
+{
+}
+
+void* CLCD::TimeThread(void *)
+{
+	while(1) {
+		sleep(1);
+		CLCD::getInstance()->showTime();
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+void CLCD::init(const char *, const char *, const char *, const char *, const char *, const char *)
+{
+	setMode(MODE_TVRADIO);
+	if (pthread_create (&thrTime, NULL, TimeThread, NULL) != 0 ) {
+		perror("[neutino] CLCD::init pthread_create(TimeThread)");
+		return ;
+	}
+}
+
+void CLCD::setlcdparameter(void)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::showServicename(std::string, bool)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::setled(int red, int green)
+{
+	struct aotom_ioctl_data d;
+	int leds[2] = { red, green };
+	int i;
+	int fd = dev_open();
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return;
+
+printf("spark_led:%s red:%d green:%d\n", __func__, red, green);
+
+	for (i = 0; i < 2; i++)
+	{
+		if (leds[i] == -1)
+			continue;
+		d.u.led.led_nr = i;
+		d.u.led.on = leds[i];
+		if (ioctl(fd, VFDSETLED, &d) < 0)
+			fprintf(stderr, "[neutrino] spark_led setled VFDSETLED: %m\n");
+	}
+	close(fd);
+}
+
+void CLCD::showTime()
+{
+	static bool redled = false;
+
+	if (mode == MODE_SHUTDOWN)
+	{
+		setled(1, 1);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	time_t now = time(NULL);
+	if (power && showclock && (now - last_display) > 4)
+	{
+		char timestr[5];
+		struct tm *t;
+		static int hour = 0, minute = 0;
+
+		t = localtime(&now);
+		if (last_display || (hour != t->tm_hour) || (minute != t->tm_min)) {
+			hour = t->tm_hour;
+			minute = t->tm_min;
+			sprintf(timestr, "%02d%02d", hour, minute);
+			display(timestr, false);
+			last_display = 0;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (CNeutrinoApp::getInstance()->recordingstatus)
+	{
+		redled = !redled;
+		setled(redled, -1);
+	}
+	else if (redled)
+	{
+		redled = false;
+		setled(redled, -1);
+	}
+}
+
+void CLCD::showRCLock(int)
+{
+}
+
+/* update is default true, the mute code sets it to false
+ * to force an update => inverted logic! */
+void CLCD::showVolume(const char vol, const bool update)
+{
+	char s[5];
+	if (vol == volume && update)
+		return;
+
+	volume = vol;
+	/* char is unsigned, so vol is never < 0 */
+	if (volume > 100)
+		volume = 100;
+
+	if (muted)
+		strcpy(s, "mute");
+	else
+		sprintf(s, "%4d", volume);
+
+	display(s);
+}
+
+void CLCD::showPercentOver(const unsigned char perc, const bool /*perform_update*/, const MODES)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::showMenuText(const int, const char *, const int, const bool)
+{
+	if (mode != MODE_MENU_UTF8)
+		return;
+//	ShowText(ptext);
+}
+
+void CLCD::showAudioTrack(const std::string &, const std::string & title, const std::string &)
+{
+	if (mode != MODE_AUDIO)
+		return;
+//	ShowText(title.c_str());
+}
+
+void CLCD::showAudioPlayMode(AUDIOMODES)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::showAudioProgress(const char, bool)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::setMode(const MODES m, const char * const)
+{
+	mode = m;
+printf("spark_led:%s %d\n", __func__, (int)m);
+
+	switch (m) {
+	case MODE_TVRADIO:
+		setled(0, 0);
+		showclock = true;
+		power = true;
+		showTime();
+		break;
+	case MODE_SHUTDOWN:
+		showclock = false;
+		Clear();
+		break;
+	case MODE_STANDBY:
+		setled(0, 1);
+		showclock = true;
+		last_display = 0;
+		showTime();
+		break;
+	default:
+		showclock = true;
+		showTime();
+	}
+printf("spark_led:%s %d end\n", __func__, (int)m);
+}
+
+void CLCD::setBrightness(int)
+{
+}
+
+int CLCD::getBrightness()
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void CLCD::setBrightnessStandby(int)
+{
+}
+
+int CLCD::getBrightnessStandby()
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void CLCD::setPower(int)
+{
+}
+
+int CLCD::getPower()
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void CLCD::togglePower(void)
+{
+	power = !power;
+	if (!power)
+		Clear();
+}
+
+void CLCD::setMuted(bool mu)
+{
+printf("spark_led:%s %d\n", __func__, mu);
+	muted = mu;
+	showVolume(volume, false);
+}
+
+void CLCD::resume()
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::pause()
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::Lock()
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::Unlock()
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::Clear()
+{
+	int fd = dev_open();
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return;
+	int ret = ioctl(fd, VFDDISPLAYCLR);
+	if(ret < 0)
+		perror("[neutrino] spark_led Clear() VFDDISPLAYCLR");
+	close(fd);
+printf("spark_led:%s\n", __func__);
+}
+
+void CLCD::ShowIcon(vfd_icon, bool)
+{
+}
+
+void CLCD::setEPGTitle(const std::string)
+{
+}
+
diff --git a/src/driver/spark_led.h b/src/driver/spark_led.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6908b0012
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/driver/spark_led.h
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/* ugly: this is copied from frontcontroller utility, but the driver
+ * does not seem to provide userspace headers... :-( */
+
+
+/* this setups the mode temporarily (for one ioctl)
+ * to the desired mode. currently the "normal" mode
+ * is the compatible vfd mode
+ */
+struct set_mode_s {
+	int compat; /* 0 = compatibility mode to vfd driver; 1 = nuvoton mode */
+};
+
+struct set_brightness_s {
+	int level;
+};
+
+struct set_icon_s {
+	int icon_nr;
+	int on;
+};
+
+struct set_led_s {
+	int led_nr;
+	int on;
+};
+
+/* time must be given as follows:
+ * time[0] & time[1] = mjd ???
+ * time[2] = hour
+ * time[3] = min
+ * time[4] = sec
+ */
+struct set_standby_s {
+	char time[5];
+};
+
+struct set_time_s {
+	char time[5];
+};
+
+struct aotom_ioctl_data {
+	union
+	{
+		struct set_icon_s icon;
+		struct set_led_s led;
+		struct set_brightness_s brightness;
+		struct set_mode_s mode;
+		struct set_standby_s standby;
+		struct set_time_s time;
+	} u;
+};
+
+/* a strange way of defining ioctls... but anyway... */
+#define VFDGETTIME      0xc0425afa
+#define VFDSETTIME      0xc0425afb
+#define VFDSTANDBY      0xc0425afc
+#define VFDSETLED       0xc0425afe
+#define VFDDISPLAYCHARS 0xc0425a00
+#define VFDDISPLAYCLR   0xc0425b00
+#define VFDSETMODE      0xc0425aff
+
diff --git a/src/lcddisplay/lcddisplay.h b/src/lcddisplay/lcddisplay.h
index 099093191..48339c2c5 100644
--- a/src/lcddisplay/lcddisplay.h
+++ b/src/lcddisplay/lcddisplay.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SPARK_HARDWARE
-#define HAVE_GENERIC_HARDWARE 1
+#error src/lcddisplay/lcddisplay.h must not be included on SPARK
 #endif
 #ifdef HAVE_GENERIC_HARDWARE
 // dummy