Author Topic: Embedded Graphics LCD  (Read 15816 times)

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Offline FivePoint03Topic starter

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Embedded Graphics LCD
« on: March 16, 2017, 11:44:23 am »
In the future I would like to add a graphics LCD to some of my projects.

I could imagine a workflow whereby one could design an interface (panel) in Windows (using bar graphs, dials etc) and then attach variables to drive the bar graphs or send strings to drive the text.

Any suggestions of how / where to get started would be welcome.
 

Offline Rasz

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2017, 12:36:54 pm »
PEE or any other <$10 SOC board solves this, you can design your GUI as a webpage in html, saves tons of dev time . As a bonus you get web interface (phones, tablets) for free.

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Offline Dielectric

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2017, 03:05:49 pm »
There are at least two, probably more, companies that make LCD modules with embedded processors that accomplish exactly that.  Like this one:
https://www.reachtech.com/

or this one:
http://www.amulettechnologies.com/

You'll pay, though.  It's an extra processor, memory, power section, etc.
 

Offline newbrain

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2017, 04:15:17 pm »
Some (expensive!) products:

They do not come cheap.
They seem to work, as far as I could see creating some simple demo in an ST workshop.
Note that, if you are using STM32 MCUs, STemWin is free of charge.

I don't know of any FOSS (or simply free) alternatives, but they might exist...

Added, @Rasz: What are you referring to with  "PEE"? My mind draws a blank, but I'm not going to google for that...
« Last Edit: March 16, 2017, 04:24:32 pm by newbrain »
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Offline krho

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2017, 06:15:00 pm »
TouchGFX Is all graphics. e.g . You prepare all bitmaps buttons, screens and then TGFX loads them and makes transitions between them. So be prepared for adding external memory to hold your images.
 

Offline igendel

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2017, 07:58:55 pm »
ITEAD's been selling their "Nextion" displays for some time now - affordable touch screens with their own MCU and memory, that can handle graphic UI quite nicely using UART communication.

I've had some experience with these; their IDE (where you define the images, elements and interactions) is so far unpolished, and their interface with the MCU is not entirely intuitive. Still, if you study them carefully you can get really nice results.

https://www.itead.cc/display/nextion.html

[Edit: Maybe I misread the original question and you want to develop something like this yourself? If so, the Nextion ecosystem can certainly give you some pointers!]
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Offline Rasz

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2017, 03:34:01 am »
Some (expensive!) products:

They do not come cheap.

Yes, I think this ship has sailed and is heading straight into shallow coastal waters full of solid sharp rock reefs and dense fog.

You can spend 3-16K on oldshool GUI libraries with ridiculous product per year quotas like its 1985 and implement them in $10 MCUs (F4/F7). Or you can move with times and use modern soc with linux and all the goodies that brings (drivers for everything for free, big boy languages, higher level abstraction etc). Old timers will cling to expensive shrink wrap frameworks while being passed by 'agile' startups banging out products in few weeks.

Added, @Rasz: What are you referring to with  "PEE"? My mind draws a blank, but I'm not going to google for that...

raspberry pee and clones. There are ~5? <$10 SoC boards on the market now, >256MB + full linux dev environment + video, often ethernet/wireless. Moore law.

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Offline obiwanjacobi

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2017, 08:21:02 am »
At a somewhat lower level, the FTDI EVE2 (Embedded Video Engine) chip has all the processing on board.
It even comes with a (Windows) Editor to create UI's quickly.

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Offline newbrain

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2017, 08:54:29 am »
raspberry pee and clones.
Oh, I see, silly me. But, first time I see someone calling it that...it does not sound that good.

On the UI tools point I wholeheartedly agree.
The license price and models that were stated at the workshop where outrageous, considering the quality of the tools...
STemWin tools had an ancient Windows 3.11 feel, and code integration was IIRC, more complicated.

Itead stuff looks interesting, much more affordable (also wrt to Reach and Amulet).
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Offline senso

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2017, 05:25:38 pm »
There is also the open source uGFX:
https://ugfx.io/
 

Offline firehopper

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2017, 12:28:48 am »
dont forget 4d systems
 

Offline mbno

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2017, 01:54:45 am »
ITEAD's been selling their "Nextion" displays for some time now - affordable touch screens with their own MCU and memory, that can handle graphic UI quite nicely using UART communication.

They are also running a new Indiegogo campaign for their next generation of these, with resistance and capacitive touch options, and 4.3" and 7" options now available.  Plus they come with an enclosure now.

Ref: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/nextion-design-hmi-for-embedded-system-in-hours--2#/

I haven't given them a try yet - though I did purchase some in the 2015 Indiegogo campaign.
 
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Offline Luminax

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2017, 04:19:06 am »
dont forget 4d systems

damn you beat me to it...
I just bought one of its Gen4, the Gen4-LCD-24PT with resistive touch, and it's a Bobby Dazzler! :-+
I would not trust the inbuilt Picasso processor for any calculation, though, as it's not float capable... maybe fixed point math...
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Offline DirkS

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2017, 03:58:46 pm »
Excuse me for stepping in here as a newbie: I saw this, and I could not leave it without comment.
On the UI tools point I wholeheartedly agree.
The license price and models that were stated at the workshop where outrageous, considering the quality of the tools...
STemWin tools had an ancient Windows 3.11 feel, and code integration was IIRC, more complicated.
These are running on STM32F7 with emWin:


Is this 3.11? SEGGER samples had a 95 feel in the past, but that is way below the capabilities of said graphics package, as you can see here.
 

Offline newbrain

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #14 on: May 06, 2017, 02:00:52 am »
Quote
Is this 3.11?
Nope.

But this what I said:
Quote
STemWin tools

I'm quite sure one can get very good final results, but the tools felt like a relic of ancient times (they might have changed, I didn't check recently), especially wrt to the other packages.
Nandemo wa shiranai wa yo, shitteru koto dake.
 

Offline VEGETA

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2017, 05:51:51 am »
Nexion 3.2" one is around 27$ which is not bad for someone who has a small product. Like having a lab power supply with these displays retailing at 150$, so 27$ is not much.

I wonder if there are any better choices... I've seen this: http://www.buydisplay.com/default/tft-display

As you see, displays are very cheap but you have to get an IDE to design your GUI then a library to make it work with your MCU which is pain!


Offline Jeroen3

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #16 on: May 18, 2017, 12:58:26 pm »
Depending on the level of embeddedness, you either use those low level graphics libraries, or Qt and similar high level stuff.

Or the HMI is completely separated from the initial product and you use one of many available modbus HMI plc-ish devices.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2017, 01:01:20 pm by Jeroen3 »
 

Offline 0b01010011

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2017, 02:42:02 am »
Old school Toshiba T6963 displays are nice to use - parallel i/f but you can access the memory so don't require a framebuffer if you're limited on space.  Plus you can use any spare RAM in the display to store other stuff. Commonly found on older copiers and older IP phones that had a b/w LCD graphic display.
 

Offline VEGETA

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2017, 06:13:48 am »
Depending on the level of embeddedness, you either use those low level graphics libraries, or Qt and similar high level stuff.

Or the HMI is completely separated from the initial product and you use one of many available modbus HMI plc-ish devices.

Qt costs a lot if you wanna do commercial work with your design, thus you should search for something else. This was what I though.

My main problem is the design software itself not just the library. I mean something to draw the GUI itself and other stuff. Do you know any?

Offline janekm

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2017, 10:13:05 am »
I needed a graphic display (well... simple one) as well as keyboard interface on a project recently, I ended up using a Raspberry Pi with Electron (node.js bundled with a web-browser intended for client side applications) in kiosk mode. Worked pretty well. As others have mentioned, this is more cost-effective especially if you need a display with resolution > 320x480 as the bigger displays tend to be addressed via MIPI or HDMI which your typical micro-controller doesn't have the peripherals for.
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #20 on: May 22, 2017, 01:50:24 pm »
or Qt and similar high level stuff.

Quote
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Offline KE5FX

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #21 on: May 22, 2017, 01:58:05 pm »
Qt is LGPL, so if your platform supports libraries that aren't statically-linked, you don't necessarily have to pay them anything.  Depends on what features you need.
 

Offline VEGETA

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #22 on: May 22, 2017, 07:07:30 pm »
Qt is LGPL, so if your platform supports libraries that aren't statically-linked, you don't necessarily have to pay them anything.  Depends on what features you need.

Well, Qt for Device Creation is not. This is so pricey. You maybe talking about regular Qt IDE.

Offline Jeroen3

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #23 on: May 23, 2017, 05:29:52 am »
Quote
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Offline hs3

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Re: Embedded Graphics LCD
« Reply #24 on: May 24, 2017, 08:31:00 am »
Qt is LGPL, so if your platform supports libraries that aren't statically-linked, you don't necessarily have to pay them anything.  Depends on what features you need.

Well, Qt for Device Creation is not. This is so pricey. You maybe talking about regular Qt IDE.

You don't need the commercial Qt for Device Creation for using Qt with embedded devices though. If you download one of those qt-everywhere-opensource-src packages you can see that it contains the Qt source code that you can build for your target like embedded Linux for example. I guess the Qt for Device Creation package includes more premade embedded type application targeted widgets and other helper things.

As Qt these days is a company getting their income from selling Qt only it's no wonder that they market the advantages of the commercial offering against the competing free Qt option. But if LGPL works for you project you should be able to use Qt without paying too.
 


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