1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

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maxstahl
 
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1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

I loaded the tri-color ThinkInk example from https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_EP ... icolor.ino and it seemed to update the display and show the different tests a few times, then it stopped working and now just displays "TriColor" in two colors, forever.

I connected up an Arduino MEGA board according to the wiring diagram here: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-1-5 ... uts/wiring

I made no changes to the example code other than to assign the `BUSY` and `RESET` pins to -1. Before I did that, though, it would hang on the first banner text demo.

Nothing I've tried seems to have any effect. The display stays, unflinchingly, as "TriColor". Is my brand new ThinkInk display already fried?

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maxstahl
 
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

Bumping this since no one's replied yet. I'm still unable to use this eInk display over here.

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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

What output are you getting in the Serial Monitor when the sketch is running?

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maxstahl
 
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

Hi! Thanks for your reply.

The serial output looks like it's working. It outputs all the serial output from the sketch at https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_EP ... icolor.ino, e.g. "Banner demo", "Text demo", just the screen doesn't change at all.

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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Thanks. So sounds like the sketch is generally running.

Can you post a photo of your setup showing how everything is connected. Let's check for any connection issues.

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maxstahl
 
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

Ok so a lot of stuff happened between then and now, and I was dubious of that MEGA board I had anyway, so I rebuilt the setup in that same diagram with an Arduino Nano Every I had. Took two angles of the setup. The pinout for the Nano Every is here: https://www.etechnophiles.com/wp-conten ... detail.png.

The only modifications I made to the example code were to make the delay between screens 3 minutes long. The original code had some super high refresh rate even though the documentation is pretty clear that it needs much slower.

Also, the only serial output I get after several minutes is this:

Code: Select all

Adafruit EPD full update test in red/black/white
	Command: 0x50
	Data: 0x17, 
	Command: 0x82
	Data: 
	Command: 0x2
	Command: 0x50
	Data: 0x17, 
	Command: 0x82
	Data: 
	Command: 0x2
Banner demo
  Powering Up
	Command: 0x1
	Data: 0x3, 0x0, 0x2B, 0x2B, 0x9, 
	Command: 0x6
	Data: 0x17, 0x17, 0x17, 
	Command: 0x4
	Data: 
... so it might not be getting through that first one. I added some debugging println's and it looks like it's not making it through that first call to `display()`.
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Thanks. That looks like one of these:
https://www.adafruit.com/product/4868

Looks like you've used the sketch's default pins:

Code: Select all

#define EPD_DC      10 // can be any pin, but required!
#define EPD_CS      9  // can be any pin, but required!
#define EPD_BUSY    7  // can set to -1 to not use a pin (will wait a fixed delay)
#define SRAM_CS     6  // can set to -1 to not use a pin (uses a lot of RAM!)
#define EPD_RESET   8  // can set to -1 and share with chip Reset (can't deep sleep)
so that should be OK.

The sketch does also need to be changed to set the specific display type being used:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-1-5 ... ze-3083272

It sounds like maybe that was not done?

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maxstahl
 
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

Yes! It looks like it's working now, or at least it's displaying stuff I expect it to. Thanks very much for your help! I must have done that at some point, because it worked that one time, but then forgot to on subsequent testing.

The display flashes a LOT while drawing—is that normal?

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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Yep. The multiple flashes are normal. Has to do with how eink works at the hardware level. Nice video on that here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eipKg2pUQ_8

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maxstahl
 
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Re: 1.54" tri-color ThinkInk display updated a few times, now doesn't

Post by maxstahl »

ok cool. Thanks again!

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