Alternate screens support

[f4iha]

Hi,

I am looking to see if there would some alternate options for screen. With the current global situation it is / it might become really hard to find the listed screen (the Official 7inch or the Hyperpixel4).
Looking on the code, it looks like everything is happening in detectHw() which could be updated to support another 7inch.
I did not see potential Issues on Github related to this. However it might be interesting to expand the support.
Looking forward for your reply on this.

With my VY 73'
Olivier f4iha

[g4eml]

In principle it could be done, but I am not personally interested in doing it. Also without owning the hardware it would be impossible for me to support it.

Any alternative screen would need to have the same resolution of 800x480 and use the same colour format.

Colin.

[g0mjw]

Looking forward for your reply on this.

With my VY 73'
Olivier f4iha

I don't think there is anything stopping you forking the code Olivier. You can then write applications to support any combination you like.

Mike

[f4iha]

Mike, Colin, thanks for the feedback. My goal was to check prior to start potential coding activities.
I will build and try with the 7inch display I have currently available. If there are adjustments on the code I will work to apply them.

In case I have a updated version of the code for a specific screen (looks like it would be very probably only on the detectHw() method), would you be happy to get the Peer Review request to include it in your version ? Thanks

Olivier

[gm3sbc]

Hello Olivier,

If you want an excellent small screen, then the 5 inch TFT- Display with Touch Screen from Dfrobot is the one.

The type number is DFR0550.
You can purchase from Mouser UK or from Dfrobot.com

It is especially designed to have the RPi4 fitted to the rear. Fixings and ribbon cable are supplied. Simply done.

You have only one change to make in the Langstone config file. Change the display rotate to = 0.
The touch screen functionality will then be correct.

Regards
Ed GM3SBC

[JA1SYK]

Hello Ed GM3SBC

Thank you for the 5inch display information.
The DFR0550 has arrived on yesterday.
Now it is working well same as the 7inch display.

Thanks again VY 73’
Hiroshi JA1SYK

[g4eml]

Thanks Ed and Hiroshi,

Whilst it is difficult to support hardware that I don’t own it is good to know what can be used.

If the touch screen is working without any modifications to the Langstone code then it sounds as if they have used the same touchscreen controller as the official 7” display.

73
Colin G4EML

[JA1SYK]

Hello Colin G4EML,

Thanks a lot for your effort.

In the case of the DFR0550 5” display, I try to use a MicroSD card which was copied from the official 7” display.
Then the 5” display is working well with a copied SD card.

I put each the 7”and the 5”touch screen into each used old instrument box.
Now the 5” is transmitting on 5760MHz, yes the 7” is receiving it.

Thanks again VY 73’
Hiroshi JA1SYK

[f4iha]

Based on my recent tests, it looks like it should work on any display where the resolution is lower or equal to the official RaspPi 7inch... If you use a screen with an higher resolution the varioous screen will only use part of the screen.

I finally found an official raspi 7inch screen so this will be straightforward but I wanted to raise the point related to the high resolutions.

[g4eml]

All the graphics write directly to the screen buffer so the resolution is hard coded into many parts of the program. Only displays with a resolution of 800*480 will work, and only if the touchscreen controller matches that of the official Raspberry Pi display or the HyperPixel4 display. It would appear from these posts that the DFR0550 is also suitable.

Colin.