LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Questions and discussion about running MicroPython on a micro:bit board.
Target audience: MicroPython users with a micro:bit.
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maniac
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LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by maniac » Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:16 pm

Hi people,

I have microbit v2. I bought such a display for https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/40011958 ... 5c0fu9fq17. Will it work with microbit v2? Where can I find a library for it?

Thanks for any help.

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pythoncoder
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by pythoncoder » Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:16 pm

That product has some awful reviews and is evidently not as advertised. I would start again. Choose a display from a reputable manufacturer that has a MicroPython driver and use that. I have some experience of writing MicroPython display drivers. It can be tricky even with perfect hardware. With a lot of the junk coming out of China it's a non-starter. I have a collection of unusable displays. Some with hardware faults, some with driver chips having weird behaviour. A waste of time and cash.

I recommend Adafruit products. You pay a bit more, but they actually work. I've yet to see anything from them fail. For displays I support see nano-gui. Alternatively do a forum search: others have written drivers, notably @mcauser.

I also have doubts about MicroBit. The Raspberry Pi Pico is phenomenally cheap, runs MicroPython, and is capable of driving any supported display as it has 256KiB of RAM.
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

maniac
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by maniac » Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:48 am

Thank you for your answer pythoncoder.

I will buy a different display. What do you think about the waveshare product from this link https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/1.8inch_ ... _micro:bit ?
It is easily available in Poland at a reasonable price. Can you recommend me any website with exercises for LCD programming in micropyton ?
I am just starting my adventure with microcontrollers. The choice fell on microbit because I just got it as a gift. So, since I already have it, I bought such a set of sensors https://wiki.keyestudio.com/KS0361(KS03 ... _micro:bit and I'm trying to start somehow.
I used to learn Python programming once and think it's a great language. Therefore I want to learn micropython for microbit. I believe that it will be easier with Raspbery or arduino afterwards. You have to start somewhere.

I wonder if there is any library for the GC 9106 controller. Maybe if I have a little more experience, I will be able to run it. For now, I'll take your advice.

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pythoncoder
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by pythoncoder » Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:32 am

I have just reminded myself of how limited the MicroBit is: 8656 bytes of free RAM. None of my display drivers would work on this. By contrast I would expect all to work on the Pi Pico.

As for Waveshare I have mixed feelings. I'm impressed that they have got a display working with the MicroBit. However when I was developing my ePaper drivers I bought a Waveshare device. It was faulty. Thinking I might have been sold a clone I bought another from a different (reputable) source. Also faulty. I bought two different ePaper displays from Adafruit and both were perfect.

On the other hand @mcauser has written drivers for Waveshare hardware and seems to have had no problems. Either I've been very unlucky or they are beset by lousy clones in the distribution chain.

Incidentally I have no connection with Adafruit. But their products work and are exceptionally well documented. Their supply chain seems sound (at least here in the UK): I've written drivers for a lot of their products and never concluded that I've been sold a Chinese clone.
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

maniac
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by maniac » Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:48 pm

Hello,

microbit v2 it has 128KB of RAM and 512KB flash. At least as per specification https://tech.microbit.org/hardware/.
Version 1.5 it has 32KB of RAM and 256KB flash.

I'll be in touch with a @mcauser about this Waveshare display. Because I can have him at home on Saturday.

Thank you for your help. I will write how I can start the display.

Greetings.

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pythoncoder
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by pythoncoder » Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:47 am

Ah, thanks for that. My knowledge of MicroBit is minimal. The sample I have must be an early one - it reported ~6KiB of free RAM.

Going on your figures I would say that V1.5 would be problematic with my drivers. It's similar to ESP8266 which can be made to work but you need to be able to compile a build.

V2 should be OK, especially with the smaller and monochrome displays.
Peter Hinch
Index to my micropython libraries.

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rcolistete
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Re: LCD 1.8" with GC9106 will it work with microbit ?

Post by rcolistete » Sun Apr 04, 2021 6:15 am

BBC micro:bit v1.x has 16 kB of RAM, which 8-9 kB is free when starting MicroPython.
My "MicroPython Samples". My "MicroPython Firmwares" with many options (double precision, ulab, etc).

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