Oshonsoft Graphic and touchscreen LCDs

[camerart]

Hi,
There are interesting projects using LCDs, that give images and text as a readout.
I've seen ticking clocks with hands that move, and oscillator type readouts too.

I have one of these, which is touchscreen complete with stylus, but there must be many variations. http://www.dx.com/p/open-smart-2-2-...ard-module-with-touch-pen-467508#.We8AHsX-0uU

Please post any projects for us all to see. (I prefer PIC over Arduino if possible)

Camerart.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Is the picture you've posted the actual one you have?, because that looks to be a parallel fed display, which needs a LOT of I/O pins. It's likely that the touch screen is SPI though.

You also need to mention what chip it uses, there are numerous different (and incompatible) types.

You also need to be aware that they are pretty 'memory hungry', so I tend to use them with 24F devices, although there are some 18F series with impressive amounts of memory which should be fine.

As in all of these types of projects, almost all examples out there are for Arduino and written in C++ - although they usually work with anything which can be programmed via the Arduino IDE, I've got an ESP8266 happily running a 320x240 colour display, and a lot faster than an Arduino. I've spent a lot of time converting such code to run in C under XC16 on PIC's, you might have to do something similar and convert to BASIC?.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Following on from my other post, here's another PIC 24F video demo, this time on a 1.44" ST7735 display, converted from the Adafruit GFX library - it ends with my AD9833 frequency generator project display. Again, it's about 30meg.

http://www.lpilsley.co.uk/temp/ST7735.MP4

I struggled even more filming this, so unfortunately it's drifts out of focus, and is also upside down

 

[Ian Rogers]

I'm doing a new graphical display, but I'm using Pic32... I wouldn't try to use Oshonsoft... Vlad's software is pretty good, but as a basic it is very slow...I have written a small graphical interface for the pic18f2620 ( needs more memory really ) on a serial 128x64... The results are very pleasing... It has a touch panel and a decent enough user interface..

I made it for our sister company. Loadwise..

The trick is to have a buffer screen to write to then just blit the new screen in one..

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I'm doing a new graphical display, but I'm using Pic32... I wouldn't try to use Oshonsoft... Vlad's software is pretty good, but as a basic it is very slow...I have written a small graphical interface for the pic18f2620 ( needs more memory really ) on a serial 128x64... The results are very pleasing... It has a touch panel and a decent enough user interface..

Nice

The trick is to have a buffer screen to write to then just blit the new screen in one..

Same as with the 5110, except it's far easier as it only needs 504 bytes for a screen buffer. Obviously in your case, it's still not too bad as it's not too high a resolution, and not too many colours.

 

[Ian Rogers]

it's still not too bad as it's not too high a resolution, and not too many colours.

With the colour, I have had to create sort of "widgets" so I can update small portions of the screen... I have taken to putting text in a small box so a box re-draw and then new text doesn't flicker too much... I pop a vid up as soon as I'm somewhere near.... Pic32 is the only way to drive larger screens... Obviously arm can and pic24 can, but the pic I use has oodles of ram / flash....

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

the pic I use has oodles of ram / flash....

Which is always nice!

 

[camerart]

Is the picture you've posted the actual one you have?, because that looks to be a parallel fed display, which needs a LOT of I/O pins. It's likely that the touch screen is SPI though.

You also need to mention what chip it uses, there are numerous different (and incompatible) types.

You also need to be aware that they are pretty 'memory hungry', so I tend to use them with 24F devices, although there are some 18F series with impressive amounts of memory which should be fine.

As in all of these types of projects, almost all examples out there are for Arduino and written in C++ - although they usually work with anything which can be programmed via the Arduino IDE, I've got an ESP8266 happily running a 320x240 colour display, and a lot faster than an Arduino. I've spent a lot of time converting such code to run in C under XC16 on PIC's, you might have to do something similar and convert to BASIC?.

Hi N,
I've updated #1 with a LINK.
I noticed a difference! Driver IC: S601121.
Regarding 'memory appetite' it states that most of the work is done by the module?
c.

 

[camerart]

Following on from my other post, here's another PIC 24F video demo, this time on a 1.44" ST7735 display, converted from the Adafruit GFX library - it ends with my AD9833 frequency generator project display. Again, it's about 30meg.

http://www.lpilsley.co.uk/temp/ST7735.MP4

I struggled even more filming this, so unfortunately it's drifts out of focus, and is also upside down

Hi G,
I always use a tripod.
Maybe we'll get some Ozzi replies
C.

 

[camerart]

Hi Eric,
Can you post a link to your expected screens please.
C.

 

[ericgibbs]

Hi Eric,
Can you post a link to your expected screens please.
C.

hi C,
It is this type.
E

 

[camerart]

hi C,
It is this type.
E

Hi E,
Looks good. I look forward to seeing your results.
C.

 

[camerart]

Hi,
I've been thinking about graphics! My main uses for them would be practical, so for me, a clock project would be way down the list, because the program would start with numbers, and convert them to graphics, only to be converted back to numbers when read, and this seems a bit of a waste, apart from avoiding Sudoko If graphics are to be used, then perhaps consider projects with multiple variables such as Oscilloscope, graphic equaliser, satnav, radio etc that could be represented by lines or shapes, so that a glance gives a lot of information. It's actually difficult for me to think of many things that haven't been done already.
C.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

hi C,
It is this type.
E

Thanks for that Eric, I've ordered a couple to play with

I was a little confused by the pin connections?, but a little googling explained that it's designed to plug directly into an Arduino, but only using software SPI - using the faster hardware SPI requires wired connection.

I was particularly impressed with the fact that it has 5V to 3.3V data conversion, and all at a very low price.