Display driver for ILI9342C on ESP32_S3_BOX_3

[TeraWord]

Has anyone managed to get the display of the ESP32_S3_BOX_3 working? I have tried all possible initialization sequences, but it doesn't start. I am using the ESP32_S3_ALL firmware.

[Ellerbach]

Can you share the schematics and also a snippet of the code you are using to initialize the screen?
With the managed drivers, and the proper pins, it should definitely work.

[TeraWord]

Device: ESP32-S3-BOX-3 https://github.com/espressif/esp-box/blob/master/docs/getting_started.md
Schematic: https://github.com/espressif/esp-box/blob/master/hardware/SCH_ESP32-S3-BOX-3_V1.0/SCH_ESP32-S3-BOX-3-MB_V1.1_20230808.pdf
Firmware: nanoff --target ESP32_S3_ALL --serialport COM9 --update --nobackupconfig

Firmware version: ESP32_S3_ALL-1.12.1.67

<packages>
  <package id="nanoFramework.CoreLibrary" version="1.15.5" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.Graphics.Ili9342" version="1.2.22" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.Hardware.Esp32" version="1.6.23" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.ResourceManager" version="1.2.19" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.Runtime.Events" version="1.11.18" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.Runtime.Native" version="1.7.1" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.System.Collections" version="1.5.45" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
  <package id="nanoFramework.System.Device.Gpio" version="1.1.41" targetFramework="netnano1.0" />
</packages>

code:

public static void Main()
{
    Debug.WriteLine("Hello from nanoFramework!");

    int LCD_CS   =    5;  // Chip Select
    int LCD_DC   =    4;  // Data control 
    int LCD_RST  =   48;  // Rest
    int LCD_CTRL =   47;  // Back Light Control
    int LCD_SCL  =    0;  // SPI MISO
    int LCD_SDA  =    6;  // SPI1_MOSI
    int LCD_SCK  =    7;  // SPI1_CLOCK
    ushort screenWidth  = 320;
    ushort screenHeight = 240;

    Console.WriteLine($"Initialize SPI");
    Configuration.SetPinFunction(LCD_SCL, DeviceFunction.SPI1_MISO);
    Configuration.SetPinFunction(LCD_SDA, DeviceFunction.SPI1_MOSI);
    Configuration.SetPinFunction(LCD_SCK, DeviceFunction.SPI1_CLOCK);

    Console.WriteLine($"Turn on display back light");
    var controller = new GpioController();
    var light = controller.OpenPin(LCD_CTRL, PinMode.Output);
    light.Write(PinValue.High);

    Console.WriteLine($"Initialize Display Driver");
    var driver = Ili9342.GraphicDriver;

    //driver.InitializationSequence = Screen.SequenceSmall;

    var spiConfiguration = new SpiConfiguration(1, LCD_CS, LCD_DC, LCD_RST, LCD_CTRL);
    var scrConfiguration = new ScreenConfiguration(0, 0, screenWidth, screenHeight, driver);
    var bufferSize = DisplayControl.Initialize(spiConfiguration, scrConfiguration);

    Console.WriteLine($"Initialized Display Control {bufferSize}");
    Console.WriteLine($"Bits per pixel {DisplayControl.BitsPerPixel}");

    Console.WriteLine($"Draw Something");

    DisplayControl.Clear();

    if (DisplayControl.IsFullScreenBufferAvailable)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"FullScreen available");
        var screen = DisplayControl.FullScreen;
        screen.DrawRectangle(5, 5, 50, 10, 1, Color.Red);
        screen.Flush();
    }
    else
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"FullScreen not available");
    }

    var font = Resource.GetFont(Resource.FontResources.segoeuiregular12);
    DisplayControl.Write("TeraWord", 0, 10, 200, 30, font, Color.DarkBlue, Color.Red);

    Thread.Sleep(Timeout.Infinite);

    // Browse our samples repository: https://github.com/nanoframework/samples
    // Check our documentation online: https://docs.nanoframework.net/
    // Join our lively Discord community: https://discord.gg/gCyBu8T
}

Console:

NFPKTV1▒ ello from nanoFramework!
NFPKTV1▒ Initialize SPI
NFPKTV1▒ Turn on display back light
NFPKTV1▒ nitialize Display Driver
NFPKTV1▒ %Initialized Display Control 1277952
NFPKTV1▒ Bits per pixel 44
NFPKTV1▒ Draw Something
NFPKTV1▒ FullScreen available

Screen becomes white with light on but clear, without red rectangle o any text or pixel on :-(

[Ellerbach]

Set MISO to something else than 0.
Rest seems ok!

[TeraWord]

According to the specifications, MISO is unused and I have tried all possible values, but the result does not change. The display still does not show anything.

[TeraWord]

Solved using backlight control pin as reset pin:

    int LCD_CS   =    5;  // Chip Select
    int LCD_DC   =    4;  // Data control 
    int LCD_RST  =   47;  // Reset
    int LCD_CTRL =   -1;  // Back Light Control
    int LCD_SCL  =    0;  // SPI MISO
    int LCD_SDA  =    6;  // SPI1_MOSI
    int LCD_SCK  =    7;  // SPI1_CLOCK

and writing a custom GraphicDriver!

[Ellerbach]

Glad you fixed it! What did you have to change in the Graphic Driver? PR welcom ;-)