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MSP430 Code for ST7735 LCD

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: BOOSTXL-EDUMKII, ENERGIA, MSP430G2553

The code for the BOOSTXL-EDUMKII LCD found in MSP-EXP432P401R Software for Windows works fine in CCS - also for cheap ST7735 based LCD from China.

However, there seems to be no ST7735 driver / HAL libraries for MSP430. Also, there seems to be no working code for ST7735 in Energia. There are many references to Screen_ST7735.h on energia.nu / 43oh / github, but it seems to be dead links or vaporware.

Can anyone point me to WORKING code for ST7735 on Energia and/or CCS MSP430. I shout working because none of the links I have found that claims to have a ST7735 library actually presents .h and .c / .cpp files.

Thank you.

Roy

  • Hello Roy,

    We only have code available for this screen for MSP432 as it is powerful enough to drive it. The MSP430 devices typically cannot run fast enough to drive this screen.
  • Thank you.

    However, displays with ST7735 controller are running fine on Arduino (AVR 16MHz or so) using libraries from Adafruit and Henning Karlsen. Even with slow software SPI.

    Furthermore, two of the MSP432 applications (temperature and light intensity) just writes a string every 500ms or so. Any processor is fast enough for this.

    Ignoring that the trend for these color TFTs is graphics, it would be nice to be able to use the educational boosterpack MKII for the whole spectrum of MSP devices both in Energia and CCS for displaying information. Menus, numbers and strings don't need much fast-changing graphics.

    I would think it must be somewhat embarrassing for TI that the company still writes:

    "This BoosterPack was developed with Energia in mind. Energia is an open source, community developed coding environment, which is supported by a robust framework of intuitive APIs and easy-to-use software libraries for rapid firmware development. We recommend Energia v12 or later. Learn more about Energia at www.energia.nu."

    when in fact after downloading the latest Energia v. 18 one finds that there is NO CODE AT ALL FOR ST7735. Examples for the educational boosterpack MKII consist mainly of some several years old odd apparently not maintained code for HX8353E (I guess TI must have changed display on the board).

    Finally - your "answer" makes me wonder what the point is with a boosterpack that "only" runs on MSP432 (i.e. example code). The Kentec and Sharp boosterpacks also support the Graphics library and have example code that runs fine on MSP430.

    Thank you anyway.
    Roy
  • For information only - in case anyone else wants to use ST7735 on MSP430 : I now have parts of UTFT library www.rinkydinkelectronics.com/library.php running ST7735 on Energia and ST7735 / GRLib in CCS by using code snippets from github.com/.../9ca1816f5c4ab81bea9e3fc3d24c0e07481e152a .

    The PCB for the DIY "boosterpack" is bare metal www.ti.com/.../TIDM-LPBP-EMADAPTER

  • For those that might be interested, I have this date posted a demonstration bare-bones project on github that implements MSP430 bit-bang/soft SPI to a ST7735() display. Developed w/G2 Launchpad and 'G2211, runs reasonably well for MCLK=1 Mhz, basic functionality of the interface consumes just under a kilobyte. Use search term "msp430 st7735 softSPI" .
  • Thank you Jeff.

    I will try your code on a MSP430G2553 chip I have laying around somewhere.

    I will now click 'verify Answer' on this thread - even if there is no answer (with any substance) from TI. It might help people looking for MSP430 / ST7735 code. The first question for this combo on e2e seems to be from 2013 (search 'ST7735 LCD driver?'). So I guess the information in this thread will be useful for others.

    Roy

  • I guess we can assume the posters of yore found alternative/work-around implementations... or gave up. :)
  • Well ... maybe I formulated my self badly. I do not expect the poster from 2013 to find this useful - but the mere fact that somebody (4 years ago) has asked for the very same thing that I (somewhat unsuccessfully) try to find in 2017 - suggests imo that there might be people who will use ST7735 on MSP430 in the future.

    Anyway, I consider myself finished with this now. The UTFT works fine for my simple needs.

    Roy

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