micro bit lcd display free sample

The Kitronik :VIEW Text32 character LCD, for those times when the LED Matrix and/or external LEDs aren"t delivering adequate visual feedback from your microbit project. The :VIEW Text32 is a character LCD showing 32 characters (2 lines of 16 characters). The :VIEW Text32 also breaks out the BBC micro:bit pins to edge pads (excluding pin14).

The bottom edge of the board has a replication of the BBC microbits own edge connector, this allows you to plug the :VIEW Text32 into any board that the microbit itself can be slotted into. This is great news if your project outputs strings of text and numbers that previously would have slowly scrolled across the LED Matrix.

The board has been designed so that the BBC micro:bit can be slotted into the edge connector on the top side of the PCB. No extra tools are required for installation, the board is supplied and ready to go --plug and play/work!

On the back of the :VIEW Text32 is a 3 x AAA battery holder to provide power to the :VIEW Text32, the attached micro:bit, and the replicated edge connector. There is a power switch for turning the battery supply on and off. The replicated edge connector can supply 90mA (as per the normal micro:bit)

Kitronik has produced a set of custom blocks for the Microsoft MakeCode editor. To add them click on the cog icon in the top right of the editor, then; select Extensions from the drop down menu, type and enter Kitronik into the search bar and select the :VIEW Text32 tile from the list. The custom blocks will now be added to the editor and can be used in your code.

This embedded board has a Bluetooth capable microcontroller, USB interface, accelerometer, magnetometer, light and temperature sensors, 5x5 LED matrix, buttons, and GPIO accessible via the edge connector.

MakeCode Multi Editor - Two MakeCode editors side by side to create, modify, and test two micro:bit programs at the same time, great for simulating radio with a transmitter and receiver.

MicroCode - MicroCode is a icon-based (minimal text), editor for the micro:bit V2, which can also be used to write programmes directly on the micro:bit with an Arcade Shield. It is suitable for younger learners and users with variable accessibility needs.

micro:bit Python - Visual Studio Code extension for micro:bit MicroPython with access to flash and edit example sketches and interact with the filesystem.

Strype - A novel tool that combines the strengths of blocks and text programming with the use of Frames. Write real Python for the micro:bit with drag and drop features.

micro:bit python libs - Growing collection of modules, including TM1637/TM1650 7-seg LEDs, OLED 128x64, LCD1602, AT24XX EEPROM, DS1302/DS1307/DS3231 RTC, NeoPixel drivers, APDS9930 Digital Proximity and Ambient Light Sensor, BME280 humidity and pressure sensor, BMP280/BMP180 pressure sensors.

Micropython-MakeCode compatible Radio - Class MakeRadio which includes all the functionality of the MicroPyhton radio module, while being compatible with MakeCode blocks.

MicroPeri - Run Python programs on your computer with the same micro:bit MicroPython API and connecting a micro:bit as an external peripheral device or sensor.

bitio - BBC micro:bit I/O library for Python. It allows you to run code in Python on a PC/Mac/Linux/Raspberry Pi and interact directly with the micro:bit.

Kasper"s micro:bit - A Python package to connect to the Bluetooth LE GATT services of paired BBC micro:bit devices. Use your micro:bit as a wireless game controller!

MakeCode Multi Editor - Two MakeCode editors side by side to create, modify, and test two micro:bit programs at the same time, great for simulating radio with a transmitter and receiver.

Espruino JavaScript - JavaScript interpreter for microcontrollers, supports Bluetooth LE and wireless programming. Also offers a WebIDE for written code and blocks.

MakeCode Extensions - Growing collection of packages, including TM1637/TM1650 7-seg LEDs, OLED 128x64, LCD1602, AT24XX EEPROM, DS1302/DS1307 RTC, APDS9930 Digital Proximity and Ambient Light Sensor, BH1750 digital ambient light sensor, BME280 humidity and pressure sensor, BMP280/BMP180 pressure sensors.

PXT Command Line Tool - Use the command line to program the micro:bit with MakeCode JavaScript. You can also run a local version of the MakeCode online editor (part of Microsoft"s PXT).

C/C++ runtime - Guidance on how to start using the DAL runtime in C/C++ including full documentation of the APIs, drivers, and types that make up the micro:bit runtime.

Mynewt - Open-source operating system for tiny embedded devices. Its goal is to make it easy to develop applications for microcontroller environments where power and cost are driving factors.

Running Rust code on a BBC micro:bit - Article describing the experience and steps of compiling Rust code for the micro:bit with and without interaction with the runtime DAL.

Rust on the BBC micro:bit - How to get started using Rust and BLE on the micro:bit, exposing temperature data as a Bluetooth Environment Sensing Service, and publishing it to the Drogue Cloud via a Bluetooth gateway.

Tock - An embedded operating system designed for running multiple concurrent, mutually distrustful applications on low-memory and low-power microcontrollers, with support for the BBC micro:bit.

The Discovery book - This book is an introductory course on microcontroller-based embedded systems, using micro:bit, that uses Rust as the teaching language rather than the usual C/C++.

Ada Accelerometer Driver + Stable Nerve Game - Tutorial to write a driver in Ada for the micro:bit LSM303AGR accelerometer and make a small nerve game.

BASICtools - A BASIC dialect (similar to the original Microsoft BASIC, QBASIC, or early versions of Visual BASIC) ported to the micro:bit, with provided examples.

Simulink Coder Support Package - Package that enables you to create Matlab and Simulink models and automatically generate and deploy code on the micro:bit. More info on this link.

micro:bit for Dyalog APL on the Pi - Tools for using the micro:bit (via MicroPython serial connection) with the Dyalog APL programming language on the Raspberry Pi.

BlockyTalkyBLE - MakeCode and App Inventor extension that makes it easy to connect AppInventor mobile phone apps with the BBC micro:bit wirelessly over Bluetooth.

CBMicroBit - CoreBluetooth wrapper in C++ that connects a micro:bit to a computer running macOS using BLE and outputs over OSC (can be used standalone, or as a C++ or Objective C library).

Swift - An application programming interface written in Swift for use with the micro:bit. It allows programs written for Apple devices to communicate with the micro:bit using BLE.

Docker micro:bit Toolchain - Docker image with the micro:bit toolchain, useful to easily compile C/C++ programmes like DAL & CODAL (the micro:bit runtime), MicroPython, DAPLink, etc.

Vagrant Development Environment for C/C++, MicroPython and Makecode - Creates a virtual machine with the toolchain required to create C/C++ programs, develop/compile MicroPython, and create packages for MakeCode.

Hardware Simulation with QEMU - Emulation support for the micro:bit is available from QEMU 4.0 and can be used for low-level software testing and development.

My micro:bit - Web app that communicates with the micro:bit via WebUSB or Web Bluetooth. You can control the micro:bit from your computer keyboard, send commands, and analyse sensor data in charts and gauges.

Bitty Software Apps - Diverse collection of Android and iOS apps, going from demos, to data logging, to audio pranks, you"ll certainly find something of interest.

micro:bit Xamarin - Open source Android app that communicates with the micro:bit over BLE and gets sensor data. A good example of using Xamarin (a cross platform mobile framework) with the micro:bit.

nRF Connect - A generic tool for Android that allows you to scan, advertise and explore BLE devices. It supports the micro:bit by including information on the micro:bit services, custom macros and more.

Micro:bit Explorer - A Swift Playground Book that introduces computer fundamentals in a visual way, it allows you to enter machine code or assembly and see how it executes and how the micro:bit registers are affected.

Voice activated micro:bit with Machine Learning - How to make your micro:bit respond to a keyword, by training a machine learning model with Edge Impulse that recognizes your voice.

Vibrational Anomaly Detection - This project introduces a statistics-based, time-series Vibrational Anomaly Detection using Tri-Axial accelerometer data on a micro:bit.

AlpacaML - Automated Learning and Prototyping for Athletics and Creative Activity with Machine Learning. A wearable micro:bit connected to an app that can graph the data and learn to classify actions based off of the users criteria.

MicroPal Guide - Craft your own interactive micro:bit project that responds to your voice. Create a Teachable Machine Model, load it into the MicroPal website, and control the micro:bit via Web Bluetooth.

micro:bit Gesture Recognizer - An experimental gesture recognition tool using the micro:bit"s accelerometer, built using ml5js, which is built on top of TensorFlow.js.

Machine Learning Dance Move Detector - Builds a system running on the micro:bit which can identify TikTok dance routines using the onboard accelerometer.

A micro:bit of AI - A tool to bridge the gap between the Teachable Machine AI and a micro:bit. Train an AI to make a prediction, and then code your micro:bit to use those predictions to activate motors, lights & more!

Radiobit, a BBC micro:Bit RF firmware - Custom MicroPython & tools allowing security researchers to sniff, receive and send data over Nordic"s ShockBurst protocol, Bluetooth Smart Link Layer, and more.

The USB Interface Chip is the microcontroller placed close to the battery connector. It provides the capability to flash the micro:bit via the MICROBIT USB (Mass Storage Device) drive, flash via WebUSB from the browser, a serial console, and HID debugger.

microbit.org Developer Community Info - This micro:bit Developer Community page contains information about the Interface Chip DAPlink and the USB interface.

DAPLink on micro:bit - The DAPLink is the default software running on the Interface Chip, this page contains information, update instructions, and the latest firmware.

pyOCD - Python library for programming and debugging ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, like the one included in the micro:bit, using the CMSIS-DAP provided by the Interface Chip.

micro:bit V1 Reference Design - Hardware design files for a board 100% binary compatible with the micro:bit. Created to help make your own micro:bit derived designs.

NeoBit - Open source board that lets you hook up NeoPixel and DotStar LEDs to a BBC micro:bit, also contains a headphone jack and a couple of slide potentiometers for input.

Sumo Robot - Firmware and hardware design files for the TimeExpander.com micro:bit robot with 2 motor bridges, 3 time of flight sensors, 4 reflective object sensors, and a GPIO expander.

Shiun robot (micro:bit biped robot) - Using micro:bit as control board and very simple 3D design, you can easy to assembly and program the biped robot.

BBC micro:bit V2 battery pack holder - A multi-purpose battery pack holder for BBC micro:bit that can stand on its own, be clipped on lanyard, or with use of velcro strap used as wearable.

Stackable micro:bit LED Matrix Magnifier - Designed to be placed on top of the micro:bit to magnify the display, it can be combined with multiple micro:bits to create a larger screen to quadruple the LED matrix.

Coffee Timer - (Part 2, Part 3) Three part article describing how to augment a coffee maker with an micro:bit indicator, options for low power communication, and creating a custom enclosure.

micro:bit Hovercraft - A hovercraft, which runs both in the water and on the ground. Uses 2 motors to blow air underneath to support the hovercraft body and 2 motors in the end to control its direction.

OpenGestureControl - A Linux application which interacts with the BBC micro:bit to give hand prosthesis users the ability to control their desktop computer using gestures.

Bluetooth Low Energy Remote Control for Spotify - This project allows you to configure your micro:bit to work as a Bluetooth Low Energy remote control for Spotify on macOS.

Stirling Blue - An extensive project to examine Stirling engine operation and performance. A micro:bit is used to create a custom keyboard and LCD interface that communicates with other parts of the project.

Micro:Gamer - A portable game console based on the micro:bit board. It features a 128x64 monochrome OLED screen, six buttons, a buzzer for sound, and a 2xAAA battery holder.

Musical Instrument Controller - A micro:bit instrument that communities with an iPad via Bluetooth into MIDI controller app that can play music via GarageBand.

Pong-Like Retro Clock Using TinyGo and micro:bit - Use an RGB matrix and a micro:bit to display the time with an awesome game of PONG. Made with love and TinyGo.

The Christmas Joy Spreading Machine - Project inside a box representing a metaphor of the most popular Christmas symbols. Maybe it"s a bit dystopian but it moves, lights and reacts to music.

micro:bit Magic Wand - This project uses two micro:bit, a few small electronic parts, and some everyday objects from around the house to create our very own magical wand.

DIY Educational micro:bit Robot - Building a relatively accessible, capable and cheap robot. Two variants provided with different sensors and example code for MakeCode and MicroPython.

MIDI CC Wireless Controller - A wireless MIDI CC controller, allowing you to use your micro:bit as a MIDI controller and connect it to your favourite music production software.

Smart Garden Ornaments - Track things happening in your garden, neighbourhood, or school using smart ornaments with the BBC micro:bit, Raspberry Pi, and a cloud-based IoT service.

Hands-Free Cardboard Gumball Machine - A gumball machine using a micro:bit, it detects when you place your hand in the base of the rocket and the machine administers a gumball, without touching a thing.

Automatic Plant Watering System Using a micro:bit - How to build an automatic plant watering system using a micro:bit, moisture sensor, and some other small electronic components.

Digital Measuring Roller Using micro:bit & Tinkercad - How to make a digital measuring roller with the help of a micro:bit, a rotatory encoder, a few blocks of code, and some 3D printed parts.

"High-Fivey" the Cardboard Robot - Stuck at home but still have a need to high-five someone? Make a friendly little cardboard micro:bit robot to do just that.

Awaken the Force with micro:bit - For millennia people have used the force for good, evil, and just to move things around. We have found quite a lot of force in the micro:bit, enough to lift small, everyday objects.

Mechanical digital clock - 4 digits, 24 hour-notation mechanical digital clock controlled by micro:bit and only one RC servo motor. Time adjustment from PC is possible via bluetooth.

PIR Movement Alarm - How to make a simple movement alarm using MicroPython on a BBC micro:bit with a passive infrared (PIR) sensor module to play a low bitrate sound sample when a warm, moving object is detected.

Lip Syncing Characters - Cute characters made with micro:bit that lip-sync to the sound of your voice to appear as if they are the ones doing the talking/singing.

Water Rocket - Did you know you can create your own water rocket by using water pipes and a water bottle? You can even add a micro:bit and measure flight data, which can be stored and later visualised.

Maker Pro micro:bit Projects & Tutorials - The micro:bit section of Maker Pro, a place for makers to share designs, collaborate, and learn how to take your product to market.

The First Video Game on the BBC micro:bit [probably] - Creating a game for the micro:bit, the MicroPython changes needed to increase performance and a general profile of its resources.

micro:bit Radio Packets - Explanation of the MakeCode radio packet specification (built on top of the micro:bit DAL spec) and how to communicate between MakeCode and MicroPython programs via radio.

Measure pressure with your micro:bit - An inexpensive and easy to build device to perform pressure measurements and demonstrate Boyle"s law with the micro:bit and BMP280 pressure/temperature sensor.

IoT Cloud Access with micro:bit over BLE for Remote Sensing - Program BBC micro:bit with mbed OS and remotely send data to cloud by utilizing BLE to smartphone/PC IoT cloud gateway.

micro:bit <-> Raspberry Pi - An introduction on how you can exchange information between a micro:bit and a Raspberry Pi using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

WiFi Web Server on BBC micro:bit and ESP-01 - Create a micro:bit web server via AT commands to an ESP8266 which can respond to web browser requests over WiFi.

IoT Cloud Access with micro:bit over BLE for Remote Sensing - Program the BBC micro:bit with Mbed OS and remotely send data to the cloud by utilizing BLE to smartphone/PC IoT Cloud Gateway.

How to connect your Mini.mu to PureData - Connecting the micro:bit to PureData (visual programming language to create interactive computer music) via radio and serial MIDI.

Using micro:bit and MakeCode with Data Streamer - How to use the MakeCode to write a simple program that sends live data from the BBC micro:bit to Microsoft Excel using the Microsoft Data Streamer add-in.

3D Rendering on a Children"s Toy - Implementing a ray tracer, an algorithm which simulates light rays to render a 3D scene, to render a pyramid in the micro:bit display.

The ThreadBoard: micro:bit E-Textile Prototyping Board - Developing a tool that will adapt to the unique set of constraints that e-textile creators face when fabricating an e-textile project.

Measuring pendulum decay with BBC micro:bit and XinaBox - Collecting large data sets is key to applied data science, use the techniques in this project to collect data on your BBC micro:bit.

Testing the micro:bit"s ADC - The micro:bit can measure analog voltages, but you can"t measure something without altering it & the best we can do is to make the measurement errors small. This article determines the micro:bit ADC measurement error.

Make your own processor with a micro:bit - Coding a 5-bit CPU in the micro:bit, useful for understanding or teaching how CPUs and simple systems work.

Embedded Python: Build a Game on the micro:bit - In this tutorial you’ll learn what embedded development is, why you would use Python, and how to write a basic game on the micro:bit with MicroPython.

Using the micro:bit to detect electrical current - The micro:bit has a magnetometer on-board, when a current flows through a wire a magnetic field is produced and we can use the magnetometer to detect this.

micro:bit V2 Pager - This blog post shows how to make a one-way BLE pager with a micro:bit V2 and nRF Connect SDK, to send text messages to the micro:bit using your smartphone or tablet.

micro:bit to Firebase - Send data from a BBC micro:bit to Google’s Firebase cloud database with a Python script. Retrieve the data and create a simple IoT demo model.

The Learning Circuit - Element14 video series to learn about basic electronics. Some of the episodes cover different ways to learn and explore with the BBC micro:bit.

Get started with the micro:bit - A set of videos that will take you from first use to micro:bit expert, exploring all the features of this tiny computer.

Building a mini sumo robot on a budget - Designing a mini sumo robot from scratch with micro:bit. From a simple paper sketch, to component selection, hardware design, mechanical assembly, coding, and testing.

The Engineering Design Process - Jasmine is here to take you though the stages of planning, designing and building your micro:bit project following the engineering design process.

Fun with Zephyr Project and BBC micro:bit - This presentation shows how Zephyr empowers the BBC micro:bit devices and its Bluetooth chip to do fun things.

Micro:bit for Mad Scientists - The 30 simple projects and experiments in this book will show you how to use the micro:bit to build a secret science lab, as you learn basic coding and electronics skills.

micro:bit Professional Development Courses - Designed to take the stress out of your computing responsibilities. They are aimed at teachers and educators supporting primary/elementary students.

Microsoft 14 Week Curriculum - Targeted to middle school grades 6-8 (ages 11-14). It is also written for teachers who may not have a Computer Science background, or may be teaching an "Intro to CS" for the 1st time.

IET micro:bit Teaching Resources - A series of resources created by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) as part of their highly successful IET Faraday brand.

101 Computing BBC micro:bit category - Computing challenges with the micro:bit to boost your programming skills or spice up your teaching of computer science.

UCL’s BBC micro:bit Tutorials - Tutorial sheets that introduce micro:bit features with practical examples provided to invite students to design solutions to problems.

BBC micro:bit and Kodu Interact - Kodu is a visual programming language made specifically for creating games and allow interaction with the micro:bit.

Kitronik Inventors Kit Resources - A a great way to get started with programming and hardware interaction with the micro:bit. Includes 12 experiments using LEDs, motors, LDRs and capacitors.

First steps in using micro:bits with PCs - This very comprehensive article explores ways in which the micro:bit can send data via USB cable or wirelessly to PC applications.

micro:bit Basics for Teachers - (Part 2, Part 3) - Are you a teacher who wants to use micro:bit in your classroom, but doesn"t know where to start? We"ll show you how!

NCCE KS2 Sensing movement - Final KS2 programming unit that brings together elements of all previously covered programming constructs in a different, but familiar environment, with the micro:bit.

NCCE KS3 Physical computing - This unit applies and enhances the learners’ programming skills in a new engaging context: physical computing, using the BBC micro:bit.

Coding with micro:bit video series for teachers - Videos series resource for teachers and students with an introduction to coding with micro:bit to build inventions and make creations integrating LEDs, motors, servos and speakers.

Python For Kids - A comprehensive online Python development course for kids utilizing a BBC micro:bit going step-by-step into the world of Python for microcontrollers.

Scratch+micro:bit - This activity combines storytelling, coding, and making to engage in physical tinkering while helping to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds with micro:bit.

Barefoot meets micro:bit - Barefoot Computing latest set of resources, teamed up with the Micro:bit Foundation, to create three activities with an outdoors theme and making cross-curricular links to science.

Doctor Who and the micro:bit - Live Lesson - The BBC micro:bit will be put to the test at the controls of the TARDIS in this special BBC Live Lesson in collaboration with the team behind Doctor Who.

Strictly micro:bit - Live Lessons - The full BBC Live Lesson exploring the basics of coding, with help from the stars of Strictly Come Dancing and the BBC micro:bit.

micro:bit: Mission to Mars - Live Lesson - Reach for the stars with our latest Live Lesson on the BBC micro:bit, which investigates how computer science can be used to aid man"s exploration of space.

Teaching Physical Computing to 5-11 year olds - Introduction to the world of physical computing with a Crumble or a BBC micro:bit, and learn how it can encourage learners to use their imaginations to solve problems and develop new ideas.

Electronics, MicroPython, and BBC micro:bit Bootcamp - Learn the basics of electronics, MicroPython, and the BBC micro:bit in detail in a single course.

micro:bit code-along 8th of November - Create your 1st programs using the micro:bit across the curriculum, learn about its sensors, inputs/outputs & find out effective ways to teach using established pedagogic approaches.

Text-based coding with the new micro:bit Python Editor - Webinar on the 10th of November, using the new micro:bit Python Editor to teach text-based coding, with resources and tips for taking Python teaching further.

Data logging with micro:bit - Webinar for teachers on the 16th of November to find out more about using the micro:bit to collect and analyse data from the world around you.

micro:bit code-along 29th of November - Know how to use the micro:bit to explore the 5 ways of wellbeing, develop a nature counter, send a smile, and explore other methods for use of the radio function.

microbit.org Support - The support pages from the micro:bit Foundation is a great source of information, containing an extensive collection of FAQs, articles, and guides.

micro:bit Poster - Element14 has put together this detailed, beautifully rendered, cross-section micro:bit poster highlighting all of the device"s key functions and components.

Micro World Tour - Before the micro:bit was released a few went on a tour to the world-wide Python community. A lot of interesting content and ideas on these micro:bit adventures.

Parent"s Complete Guide To The BBC micro:bit - Free resource to help parent"s get actively involved in helping their children learn how to code, even with no prior coding experience.

Cardboard Battery Pack Holder - The new micro:bit comes with a cardboard cut out to hold the micro:bit and battery pack, this is the template to create and customise your own battery holder.

Micor:bit has variety of programming methods like mbed, micropython, typescript and other programming methods, as well as code online websites which are abundant.

Place the block before send display data. You can choose the position, color and size. For the screen, (1,1) is on top-left, and (160,128) is on bottom-right

The module arrives fully assembled - no soldering is required, and contains a 160x128 pixel display that supports 65k colors. With this you can create all sorts of display and output possibilities.

A LCD screen is a great way to give more feedback to a user, either for a text message or values back from a sensor. Known as a 1602 LCD, this common display gives two rows of 16 characters to work with, and can scroll text. However it comes with two issues for the Micro:bit. First is that it needs 5v input and the second is it uses a lot of pins.

The first problem can be overcome by using an external power supply. The Micro:bit can only supply 3.3v. If you try powering a LCD screen from this, it will light up but if you can see anything at all, it will be very faint. There are a number of ways to supply 5v, one of the easiest is using a ‘3.3v 5v breadboard power supply module’. One of these comes with the Elegoo 37 sensor kit, but searching for the above description will find a number of other suppliers. These are usually quite cheap.

The second issue was the amount of pins used by the LCD module. The LCD requires 16 pins. While some of these are for power, plugging directly into the Micro:bit will not leave many free pins for other hardware. The easiest solution is to buy a I2C LCD module, pictured above the screen in the title image. To buy one, search for “I2C 1602 LCD”. You will often find screens with these already fitted.

If you screen or your module has female headers, you can plug the module directly into the back of the screen. In the picture above, both the screen and the I2C module had male headers. Plug these into breadboard making sure the left most pin on the LCD (often marked ‘1’) lines up with the pin on the left of the module when it has it’s four pins on the side pointing out to the left.

From the power supply module, connect a 5v pin to Vcc on the I2C module and connect Gnd to a ground strip on the breadboard. You must connect this to Gnd on the Micro:bit. If you wish, you can connect a 3.3v pin from the power supply board to the 3v pin on the Micro:bit to power it, or you can power it via a serial cable.

The LCD interface module uses I2C, which is a common protocol that can be used to reduce connecting various modules to two wires each. So long as the devices have different addresses (don’t worry about this for now), you can connect multiple devices to I2C. The Micro:bit has two I2C pins to support this, 19 and 20. Connect SDA on the LCD module to pin 20 and SCL to pin 19.

At the time of writing, there does not appear to be a common I2C LCD library, however ‘shaoziyang‘ has produced on at github, which works quite nicely (Thank you!).

The following code displays a hello message (to our dog) and counts up the seconds the Micro:bit has been running. If this does not work first time, check your wiring but also try changing LCD_I2C_ADDR from 63 to 39. Some modules use a different address:

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These displays all plug directly into the pins of your Pico and are programmed in the same way but require slightly different driver code, supplied by Waveshare via their Wiki pages.

All these displays need some memory in the Pico, a "buffer", to hold the data to be displayed on the screen. As the number of pixels increases so does the size of this buffer requirement and the space available for code decreases. As the pixel size gets smaller the basic text gets progressively harder the read as it is so small.

For this tutorial we are going to use the 1.44” 128x128 display as it provides a good compromise between basic text size, number of pixels on the display for graphics, buffer size, input buttons and price. The code is easily converted to run on the other displays.

This is simple – just push the Pico’s pins into the socket on the rear of the display and use the USB cable to connect it to your computer. Make sure you have it the right way round - the USB end is marked on the bottom of the board. Once Thonny has been installed we are ready to go.

The first line initialises the display using the driver code at the start of the program. It calls the display device LCD, but we could call it something different – but using LCD makes typing code easier!

All of these Waveshare displays use 16-bit colour codes to mix colours by varying the brightness ratios of red, green and blue in each pixel. As human eyes are more sensitive to green light, an extra bit is given to the green component. This code is called RGB565 with 5 bits for red and blue and 6 bits for green.

5-bits provide 32 different levels of brightness, 0 to 31, and 6-bits allow 64 levels, 0 to 63. By mixing these together we can generate 32 x 64 x 32 = 65536 different colours!

Each of these coloured-brightness levels is switched on or off by a single bit in a 2 byte, 16-bit number. If more than one is switched on at the same time the brightness adds up. If all are switched off the screen shows black. If all are switched on the screen shows white.

It creates a list of the powers of 2, from least significant to most significant for the 16-bits in our colour control number. bits[0] = 1 and bits{15] = 32768 [1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384, 32768]

These instructions take each bit in turn and draws a rectangle on the screen in the colour/brightness controlled by that single bit. The Hex value is then drawn on the rectangle.

In each case listing dimmest to brightest. You can even see the individual pixels. To get the brightest rendering of each colour all its control bits have to be turned on together:

This involves bit-masks and bit shifting. You do not need to understand how it works to use it but this may help if you want to understand what is going on:

At this point we ported the code to work on the other four displays and found that they use a slightly different system - the blue and red bits have been swapped over:

To make things easy we are providing minimum setup programs for each of the 5 boards. Each program includes the correct screen driver, sets up the buttons and joystick, if available, and includes the correct version of the colour(R, G ,B) function. It also displays a 3-line colour check at the start.

Each program contains the screen driver code, sets up the buttons/joystick and sets the width and height variables correctly, loads the essential libraries, defines the colour(R, G, B) and clear(c) procedures. It then displays some colour checking text.

2.Near the centre of the screen, on a dark grey background, display your name, in red, and post/zip code, in cyan. Indent the post code by 10 pixels more than your name.

At this point we need to separate the Pico and the display. We need access to some of the GPIO pins to attach three 10 K 0hm potentiometers. You could press the Pico into a breadboard or, more conveniently use a Pico Decker, which has all the Pico pins neatly numbered and named. The circuit is shown in the diagram.

If your display has buttons, you will not need the extra one here. Connect up the SPI, power and button pins from your display (the product page/Wiki page for your particular display will show the pinout).

Turn the turn the RED potentiometer, on GP26. You should see rapid colour changes on the screen and changes in the bottom window of Thonny – Shell area. The numbers should range from zero to 65535 – the full 16-bit range used for our colour codes. We usually get the top value, or very near it, but have never managed to get the zero.

Turn all three pots in turn and check that the range of each is 0 – 255. The 1.44” display is 128 x 128 so we added these lines just above the loop and updated the loop.

This article was written by Tony Goodhew. Tony is a retired teacher of computing who starting writing code back in 1968 when it was called programming - he started with FORTRAN IV on an IBM 1130! An active Raspberry Pi community member, his main interests now are coding in MicroPython, travelling and photography.