I am looking at getting started using LVGL with micropython. I was reading the docs and FAQ and it gives all the basic requirements. It sounds like there is a wide variety of MCUs that it will work with, and it seems to work with most any screen, unless I read it wrong. That is a real possibility. Anyhow while the wide variety is nice if you have some stuff to work with. What is the best place to start if you don’t? So, to give a few parameters lets keep the MCU under $40 and screen under $20. That might be expensive to some but seems fairly reasonable to me. I am assuming you don’t even need a screen if it came down to it. Any help would be appreciated.
I like to use panels with a built-in ESP32-S3.
7 inch versions are well under $60.
Also you don’t have to wire the panel to the MCU.
You could start with an ESP32-2432S028 aka “Cheap Yellow Display”.
It’s an integrated module comprised of an ESP32-WROOM, a resistive touch screen (320 * 240) and some more peripherals. I buy these on AliExpress for ~7€ - 10€. You can get one for 0,99€ with new user discount.
It is well documeted and you can find lots of examples.
There are prebuild firmware images (LVGL 8.3) from a german blog you can use to start quickly.
Links:
- Cheap Yellow Display - Micropython Examples in the “Examples” folder
- Examples and links to prebuild firmware for non-german users - Examples and trutorial for firmware setup using the prebuild images
- Documentation for LVGL 8.3 - This version of the documentation contains Micropython examples for most widgets (missing in other versions of the documentation)
I didn’t realize how much they’ve done with the esp32 these days. I would tend towards the cheap yellow board to start, but the S3 has some very interesting io abilities. I saw one with CAN, RS485, and i2c connections along with a screen. That’s pretty cool. Not sure what I’d do with it, but very cool. Thanks y’all.
I would suggest to go with Waveshare controllers it has controller + display board available to use like this one: ESP32-S3 5inch Display Development Board, it’s $32 before shipping.