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Cheaper LCD for TM4C123 launchpad workshop

Luis Afonso
Guru 20670 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: ENERGIA

Hello everyone,

So i've been for a while trying to get into learning more about graphic LCDs. (i say more, i don't know almost anything)

Well, i like to get into practice after reading up on the matter but... the LCD used in the workshop is about 76€ with shipping and that for me as a student is... well just too much. So instead of saving up for some months, i've been spending money (less than 76€ for sure) in learning other stuff so i don't just sit still.

So now i really want to get into the LCD. Knowing next to nothing i can't just go find a alternative, i don't understand which are compatible with the graphic library (that's what i have to learn to start off) or similar to the one in the workshop. 

Could someone please suggest a alternative or a guidance in what to search for? Like can i get any LCD with a driver with parallel data inputs?

  • 0
    Guru 85645 points

    Hi Luis,

         If the purpose of use of LCD is for hobby or personal learning, I think it is okay to buy a surplus LCD or used LCD, which is cheaper compared to a new one.

         The LCD used in the workshop is Kentec EB-LM4F120-L35, and it is expensive. In the past, I was planning to buy this LCD, but I just got satisfied with printing values at Serial Console. 

          Anyway, choosing LCD for your Launchpad depends on your intended application. You can see some LCD varieties from the TI booster pack web page below.

    http://www.ti.com/ww/en/launchpad/boosterpacks.html

    - kel

  • 0 in reply to Markel Robregado
    Guru 117850 points

    Post here with "broad brush" - we find 2 TFT class, graphic Lcds to be (even) less expensive than normal/customary -monochrome graphic ones.  More importantly - there are thousands of icons, symbols (legally) available on the web - yet most all require, "shades of grey" or color.  And these render very poorly when placed upon any "2 bit" (i.e. normal) monochrome display.

    Our firm does not like - nor use - 0-ohm plagued & otherwise limited, "launchpads" - so nothing which follows insures direct nor eased (launch) compatibility.  Most all displays sold to consumers have "less than Stellar" pasts - and you run the risk of lowered performance - possible "mishandling {ESD} during transport w/in "grey market" - and (often) inability to "buy in volume" should you graduate to (future) production.  (then so nice to "reuse" past design efforts...)

    Two we've found to be best value, lowest cost: 128x160 (usually 1.8" diag.) and 320x240 (QVGA, 2.4" diag.)  Both being TFT enjoy improved contrast/viewing angle compared to monochrome - and their color capability enables (proper) display of most any "pre-existing symbol/icon/image" you (legally, of course) choose to employ.  Even better - both include some form of on-board graphic controller - freeing you from the need to provide "SRAM devouring, Frame Buffer."

    Note that each may not be directly compatible w/vendor's graphic library.  (we don't use - have long developed/use our own - proves far more suitable, higher performance for our needs)  With effort on your part I'd bet that you can "massage" vendor's lib to "accept" these low cost displays, though...  Do note that many here find vendor's graphic library overly complex - "widgets" are not universally required - thousands of successful, volume graphic designs exist, "widget free!"   Thus may pay for you to seriously review graphic lib. - see exactly what you really need - and then choose your course...

    Contact me via "conversation" - have contacts shortly passing thru your country - as you help others here - we'll see what we can do...

  • 0 in reply to cb1_mobile
    Guru 20670 points

    Hi Markel,

    Thanks. I always forget about the boosterpacks. I sincerely try to avoid them because sometimes they are more expensive than buying a raw component and there are issues like the 0-ohm resistors in the launchpad that i really hate. So although they should be just plug in and use, i am accustom to have the trouble f having to wire up everything and checking everything in the code.

    Hi cb1,

    I do have to start somewhere. With Tiva i used Energia which greatly increases how easy it is to program but in contrast it greatly limits you if you never used Registers. The point is, i have to start somewhere and then develop more methods, ex: getting over graphic library from TivaWare.

    Thank you for your insight, certainly one of the best i could get on the matter 

  • 0 in reply to Luis Afonso
    Guru 27285 points

    Luis Afonso said:
    do have to start somewhere. With Tiva i used Energia which greatly increases how easy it is to program but in contrast it greatly limits you if you never used Registers. The point is, i have to start somewhere and then develop more methods, ex: getting over graphic library from TivaWare.

     Hi Luis, you can start from Boosterpack or from bare LCD, on bare one you have to wire up them.

     You can evaluate ROBG or DANY Rebollo boosterpack so they are ready to use or simply buy a cheapest LCD with an ILI or Solomon chip to interface to. The expensive Kentec use an SD2119 based LCD so every cheap TFT can do same job. All depend what you find nearest you or if you got a custom office that apply LOOONG release and taxation like here.

     I ported Kentec code from examples of EK-LM4C1294xl  and now they run on EK-123, I am developing some alternate coding and driver to use touch screen from controller chip or two GPIO and two ADC input as on BP  and an universal driver to interface to both 16/8 or SPI mode without changing all the driver logic too.

     TI this way released some code tailored to particular board using different examples and removing some good examples from old Stellaris dead family.

     May be good to reuse code and write just what is necessary to drive similar hardware then customize just register level of chip than having repeated quasi-replica spreaded code over many examples, again may be good to set driver just in one place on declaration than changing driver name again hardwired along code and having code differing just by few lines and driver name.

     SO if you find a supported device, you have to wire to your board and then adapt code. Remember isr fault is behind the scene ;)