raspberry pi lcd screen projects made in china

Connecting an LCD to your Raspberry Pi will spice up almost any project, but what if your pins are tied up with connections to other modules? No problem, just connect your LCD with I2C, it only uses two pins (well, four if you count the ground and power).

In this tutorial, I’ll show you everything you need to set up an LCD using I2C, but if you want to learn more about I2C and the details of how it works, check out our article Basics of the I2C Communication Protocol.

There are a couple ways to use I2C to connect an LCD to the Raspberry Pi. The simplest is to get an LCD with an I2C backpack. But the hardcore DIY way is to use a standard HD44780 LCD and connect it to the Pi via a chip called the PCF8574.

The PCF8574 converts the I2C signal sent from the Pi into a parallel signal that can be used by the LCD. Most I2C LCDs use the PCF8574 anyway. I’ll explain how to connect it both ways in a minute.

I’ll also show you how to program the LCD using Python, and provide examples for how to print and position the text, clear the screen, scroll text, print data from a sensor, print the date and time, and print the IP address of your Pi.

Connecting an LCD with an I2C backpack is pretty self-explanatory. Connect the SDA pin on the Pi to the SDA pin on the LCD, and the SCL pin on the Pi to the SCL pin on the LCD. The ground and Vcc pins will also need to be connected. Most LCDs can operate with 3.3V, but they’re meant to be run on 5V, so connect it to the 5V pin of the Pi if possible.

If you have an LCD without I2C and have a PCF8574 chip lying around, you can use it to connect your LCD with a little extra wiring. The PCF8574 is an 8 bit I/O expander which converts a parallel signal into I2C and vice-versa. The Raspberry Pi sends data to the PCF8574 via I2C. The PCF8574 then converts the I2C signal into a 4 bit parallel signal, which is relayed to the LCD.

Before we get into the programming, we need to make sure the I2C module is enabled on the Pi and install a couple tools that will make it easier to use I2C.

Now we need to install a program called I2C-tools, which will tell us the I2C address of the LCD when it’s connected to the Pi. So at the command prompt, enter sudo apt-get install i2c-tools.

Next we need to install SMBUS, which gives the Python library we’re going to use access to the I2C bus on the Pi. At the command prompt, enter sudo apt-get install python-smbus.

Now reboot the Pi and log in again. With your LCD connected, enter i2cdetect -y 1 at the command prompt. This will show you a table of addresses for each I2C device connected to your Pi:

We’ll be using Python to program the LCD, so if this is your first time writing/running a Python program, you may want to check out How to Write and Run a Python Program on the Raspberry Pi before proceeding.

There are a couple things you may need to change in the code above, depending on your set up. On line 19 there is a function that defines the port for the I2C bus (I2CBUS = 0). Older Raspberry Pi’s used port 0, but newer models use port 1. So depending on which RPi model you have, you might need to change this from 0 to 1.

The function mylcd.lcd_display_string() prints text to the screen and also lets you chose where to position it. The function is used as mylcd.lcd_display_string("TEXT TO PRINT", ROW, COLUMN). For example, the following code prints “Hello World!” to row 2, column 3:

On a 16×2 LCD, the rows are numbered 1 – 2, while the columns are numbered 0 – 15. So to print “Hello World!” at the first column of the top row, you would use mylcd.lcd_display_string("Hello World!", 1, 0).

You can create any pattern you want and print it to the display as a custom character. Each character is an array of 5 x 8 pixels. Up to 8 custom characters can be defined and stored in the LCD’s memory. This custom character generator will help you create the bit array needed to define the characters in the LCD memory.

The code below will display data from a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor. Follow this tutorial for instructions on how to set up the DHT11 on the Raspberry Pi. The DHT11 signal pin is connected to BCM pin 4 (physical pin 7 of the RPi).

By inserting the variable from your sensor into the mylcd.lcd_display_string() function (line 22 in the code above) you can print the sensor data just like any other text string.

These programs are just basic examples of ways you can control text on your LCD. Try changing things around and combining the code to get some interesting effects. For example, you can make some fun animations by scrolling with custom characters. Don’t have enough screen space to output all of your sensor data? Just print and clear each reading for a couple seconds in a loop.

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We write 1"s where we want a pixel lit up, and 0 where we want it dark. If you stand far away from your monitor, you may be able to make out the pictures embedded in the binary strings!

As a 2inch IPS display module with a resolution of 240 * 320, it uses an SPI interface for communication. The LCD has an internal controller with basic functions, which can be used to draw points, lines, circles, and rectangles, and display English, Chinese as well as pictures.

The 2inch LCD uses the PH2.0 8PIN interface, which can be connected to the Raspberry Pi according to the above table: (Please connect according to the pin definition table. The color of the wiring in the picture is for reference only, and the actual color shall prevail.)

The example we provide is based on STM32F103RBT6, and the connection method provided is also the corresponding pin of STM32F103RBT6. If you need to transplant the program, please connect according to the actual pin.

The LCD supports 12-bit, 16-bit, and 18-bit input color formats per pixel, namely RGB444, RGB565, and RGB666 three color formats, this demo uses RGB565 color format, which is also a commonly used RGB format.

For most LCD controllers, the communication mode of the controller can be configured, usually with an 8080 parallel interface, three-wire SPI, four-wire SPI, and other communication methods. This LCD uses a four-wire SPI communication interface, which can greatly save the GPIO port, and the communication speed will be faster.

Note: Different from the traditional SPI protocol, the data line from the slave to the master is hidden since the device only has display requirement.

There is an open source project on github: fbcp-ili9341. Compared with other fbcp projects, this project uses partial refresh and DMA to achieve a speed of up to 60fps

2.We use Dev libraries by default. If you need to change to BCM2835 or WiringPi libraries ,please open RaspberryPi\c\Makefile and modify lines 13-15 as follows:

If you need to draw pictures, or display Chinese and English characters, we provide some basic functions here about some graphics processing in the directory RaspberryPi\c\lib\GUI\GUI_Paint.c(.h).

The fill color of a certain window in the image buffer: the image buffer part of the window filled with a certain color, usually used to fresh the screen into blank, often used for time display, fresh the last second of the screen.

2. The module_init() function is automatically called in the INIT () initializer on the LCD, but the module_exit() function needs to be called by itself

Python has an image library PIL official library link, it do not need to write code from the logical layer like C, can directly call to the image library for image processing. The following will take 1.54inch LCD as an example, we provide a brief description for the demo.

But there are a number of alternatives to the Raspberry Pi available that you can use to customize unique projects, whether you want more performance, AI, VR support, or a board rated for industrial use. Or maybe you simply want something smaller than the Raspberry Pi! And given there won"t be a new version of Raspberry Pi released in 2023, now is a great time to try something new.

I analyzed single-board computers based on processor type, graphics, RAM, and speed to find the best Raspberry Pi alternatives on the market. This guide to single-board computers can help you find the best option for your budget and needs.

This board has a number of nice features that make it ideal for hobbyists. I particularly appreciate the color-coded GPIO header, which makes it easy to recognize respective pin headers. Plus, the detailed silk-screen print on the face of the board makes it clear where everything goes. The Asus Tinker Board features an excellent processor, and the 16GB eMMC speed offers enough power for most projects.

Tech specs: Processor:Amlogic S922X -- 4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.2GHz, 2x Cortex-A53 @ 1.9GHz | Graphics:Mali-G52 GPU | RAM:2GB or 4GB DDR4 | Interface: eMMC socket with optional 8GB to 128GB | Features: 8MB SPI flash with boot select switch and Petitboot app | Ports: Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 port for up to 4K@60Hz | Connectivity: 4x USB 3.0 ports

There"s not much that the Udoo Bolt V3 can"t handle. It"s almost twice as fast as the 13-inch Intel MacBook Pro, and it"s great for use in VR, AR, and AI projects. If you need to load massive files quickly and effectively, the Udoo Bolt V3 will not disappoint. The 32GB eMMC speed is unmatched by any other board we recommend. But at $437, it"s pretty expensive.

Tech specs:Processor: 4-Core 1.5GHz 64-bit CPU | RAM:8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM Densities | Ports: 2x 4K HDMI interfaces 60fps H.265 (HEVC) video | Connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet PHY with IEEE 1588 support | Interface: Single-lane PCI Express 2.0 interface | Display:Dual MIPI DSI display, and dual MIPI CSI-2 camera interfaces | Graphics: VideoCore VI graphics, supporting OpenGL ES 3.x | Features: 28 GPIO pins, with up to 6 × UART, 6 × I2C and 5 × SPI

If you"re still hung up on Raspberry Pi, you may want to consider the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. It has most of the same features as the larger Raspberry Pi in a smaller package that you can plug into a carrier board. Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 incorporates a quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 processor, dual video output, and a wide selection of other interfaces. You can customize this SBC by connecting to your power supply of choice, and it includes the same ports as its larger sibling.

The Asus Tinker Board S R2.0 is ZDNET"s top pick overall. I"ve broken down each Raspberry Pi alternative below based on processor, storage, and speed. If one of these qualities is a priority for you, this analysis may help you choose the best single-board computer for you.Best Raspberry Pi alternativeProcessorStorageSpeed

Sometimes you just need to get on with a project, so you buy a cheap single-board computer. But if you want to invest in better hardware, you want to make sure that you"re not throwing money away. To find the best SBC for your, I suggest starting with a clear idea of the projects you"ll use it for. This can be the hard part, but it"s worth the time. If you confuse your use purpose, you may get derailed partway through the project resulting in a massive setback that costs time and money.

Next, do some research. How much power and performance do you need? What operating system do you need to use? This SBC guide offers the best Raspberry alternatives, so you can find the board that fits your budget and needs.Choose this SBC...If you want...

I"ve personally tested every single-board computer in this list for quality, reliability, and ability to deliver on key propositions. Put simply, they all offer something that the Raspberry Pi doesn"t.

The Raspberry Pi is a great piece of hardware, but it"s been built within specific constraints that enable mass appeal. These SBCs take what the Raspberry Pi brought to the table further with features that allow you to customize your experience.

The Asus Tinker Board S is the perfect choice for a hobbyist who wants to learn their way around what these boards can do. It"s a nicely designed board and easy to use with clear labels -- which means you"ll spend less time looking at a manual and more time working on projects.

The Raspberry Pi Module 4 Compute is better suited to harsh industrial use. The small but durable powerhouse can handle environments that would otherwise destroy a lesser board.

These alternatives are a great next step if you want to expand on your SBC knowledge, the Raspberry Pi is a great tool for familiarizing yourself with the setup and GPIO pins. You can work through the basics from there!

There are various options. You can find a lot of generic cases out there to protect your Raspberry Pi or alternative SBC, and I recommend getting one. After all, if you"re investing in an SBC, you should protect it.

We chose a variety of Raspberry Pi alternatives based on performance, hardware options, and pricing. If these don"t work for you, here are some suitable alternatives:

The displays feature a sturdy metal enclosure and more capable electronics. The products are equipped with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 –  the latest, smaller form factor version of the globally popular Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, designed to be used in industrial and custom projects.