Setting up lvgl_micropython on the Sunton ESP32 8048S043C 4.3" capacitive touch 800x480 LCD board

[gitcnd]

Here is another working setup for another different kind of display.

Below is how I got the screen and touch working on my ESP32 8048S043

Note:-

This board uses GPIO pins 19 and 20 for the touch controller, which micropython reserves for JTAG - so you need to use the --enable-cdc-repl=n --enable-jtag-repl=n options during the build:

Build:-

python3 make.py esp32 BOARD=ESP32_GENERIC_S3 BOARD_VARIANT=SPIRAM_OCT DISPLAY=rgb_display INDEV=GT911 --enable-cdc-repl=n --enable-jtag-repl=n

(Optional) backup your flash before overwriting it:

export PORT=/dev/ttyS6 esptool.py --port $PORT read_flash 0x0 0x400000 lcd_3.5inch_ESP32-8048S043C.bin

Flash:-

esptool.py --port $PORT write_flash 0x0 lvgl_micropy_ESP32_GENERIC_S3-SPIRAM_OCT-8.bin

Upload a test:-

ampy --port $PORT put lvgl_test_8048S043C.py

Run it:-

mcu_serial.pl -port $PORT
import lvgl_test_8048S043C

The test program:

# lvgl_test_8048S043C.py

import micropython
micropython.mem_info()

import lcd_bus

display_bus = lcd_bus.RGBBus(
    hsync = 39,
    vsync = 41,
    de = 40,
    pclk = 42,  # to TFT DCLK
    data0  = 8,  data1  = 3,  data2  = 46, data3  = 9,  data4  = 1,  # B
    data5  = 5,  data6  = 6,  data7  = 7,  data8  = 15, data9  = 16, data10 = 4,  # G
    data11 = 45, data12 = 48, data13 = 47, data14 = 21, data15 = 14,  # R
    freq = 12000000,
    hsync_front_porch = 8,
    hsync_back_porch = 8,
    hsync_pulse_width = 4,
    hsync_idle_low = True,
    vsync_front_porch = 8,
    vsync_back_porch = 8,
    vsync_pulse_width = 4,
    vsync_idle_low = True,
    de_idle_high = False,
    pclk_idle_high = False,
    pclk_active_low = True,
)

import rgb_display
import lvgl as lv
display = rgb_display.RGBDisplay(
    data_bus = display_bus,
    display_width = 800,
    display_height = 480,
    backlight_pin = 2,
    color_byte_order = rgb_display.BYTE_ORDER_BGR,
    color_space = lv.COLOR_FORMAT.RGB565,
)

display.init()
display.set_backlight(100)

from i2c import I2C

import task_handler

import gt911
from micropython import const

_WIDTH = const(800)
_HEIGHT = const(480)


I2C_BUS = I2C.Bus(
    host=0,
    scl=20,
    sda=19,
    freq=400000,
    use_locks=False
)

TOUCH_DEVICE = I2C.Device(
    I2C_BUS,
    dev_id=gt911.I2C_ADDR,
    reg_bits=gt911.BITS
)

display.set_power(True)
display.init()
display.set_backlight(100)

indev = gt911.GT911(TOUCH_DEVICE)

if indev.hw_size != (_WIDTH, _HEIGHT):
    fw_config = indev.firmware_config
    fw_config.width = _WIDTH
    fw_config.height = _HEIGHT
    fw_config.save()

th = task_handler.TaskHandler()

scrn = lv.screen_active()
scrn.set_style_bg_color(lv.color_hex(0x000000), 0)

slider = lv.slider(scrn)
slider.set_size(300, 50)
slider.center()

main_label = lv.label(scrn)
main_label.set_text('HELLO WORLD!')
main_label.align(lv.ALIGN.CENTER, 0, -50)

# Add R G and B colour checks
r_label = lv.label(scrn)
r_label.set_text('R')
r_label.set_style_text_color(lv.color_hex(0xFF0000), 0)
r_label.align_to(main_label, lv.ALIGN.OUT_TOP_LEFT, -20, -10)

g_label = lv.label(scrn)
g_label.set_text('G')
g_label.set_style_text_color(lv.color_hex(0x00FF00), 0)
g_label.align_to(main_label, lv.ALIGN.OUT_TOP_MID, 0, -10)

b_label = lv.label(scrn)
b_label.set_text('B')
b_label.set_style_text_color(lv.color_hex(0x0000FF), 0)
b_label.align_to(main_label, lv.ALIGN.OUT_TOP_RIGHT, 20, -10)

Screenshots:-

Prebuilt working .bin :-) :-

LVGL (9.2.2) MicroPython (1.24.1) Binding compiled on 2025-02-05; Generic ESP32S3 module with Octal-SPIRAM with ESP32S3
lvgl_micropy_ESP32_GENERIC_S3-SPIRAM_OCT-8-Sunton-8048S043C.zip

flash as follows:-

export PORT=/dev/ttyS6
esptool.py --port $PORT erase_region 0x200000 0x200000 # clear spiffs first
esptool.py --port $PORT write_flash 0x0 lvgl_micropy_ESP32_GENERIC_S3-SPIRAM_OCT-8-Sunton-8048S043C.bin

Future:-

If I work out how to use the new .toml build system in future, I'll come back and amend this discussion.

Note:

This discussion post has been updated. The original post included instructions for changing files, which the --enable-cdc-repl=n and --enable-jtag-repl=n options mitigate the need for.
I plan to again update this discussion when the new .toml build process is tested and working.

[kdschlosser]

You do not need to make those changes to MicroPython in order to get the touch to work. That is what the --enable-cdc-repl, --enable-jtag-repl and --enable-uart-repl do. There is no need to modify any of the file in MicroPython. I advise against doing that. It is better to define a custom board and use the --custom-board={path to custom board directory} build command...

[kdschlosser]

OK I am going to add a print so it spits out what the build command is. Hopefully it will shed some light as to what is going on.

I find it strange that it fails the first time but then it succeeds the second time.

[kdschlosser]

I just pushed a commit that fixes the toml build so it doesn't fail the first time around.

[gitcnd]

The make process allows us to set an environment variable for more information:

export BUILD_VERBOSE=1

it might be worth having make.py check for this, and if present, output loads more information?

[kdschlosser]

We still have yet to get an apples to apples comparison between the 2 builds.

[gitcnd]

I'm working on fixing this now. Stay tuned.