Microcontroller, TFT and ? on breadboard question

[ez24]

Hi

Here is a picture of a breadboard, unfortunately we cannot see the right side to see if a USB cable is connected to the Microstick II:  (click on the picture for a close up)

http://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/courses/ece4760/PIC32/index_TFT_display.html

The module on the right is a PIC32 on a Microstick II
http://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails.aspx?PartNO=DM330013-2

The module in the center is a TFT from Adafruit
http://www.adafruit.com/product/1480

The module on the left is
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/198
Notice it is retired (and the is for a 2015 class)

Well anyway from the picture I cannot understand how the Sparkfun board is hooked up.  I do not see the TXO or the RXI pins being used.  Is this board being only used as a source of 3.3 v for the TFT?

TIA

[Chris C]

Is this board being only used as a source of 3.3 v for the TFT?

It appears that way.  I couldn't figure out why they'd do this, until I saw the breadboard damage right above the Microstick II.  And that's just what I can see, there's no telling what hell this breadboard has been through in an academic environment.  So I'm guessing the 3.3V from the Microstick comes out of the header to damaged breadboard contacts, and is therefore unusable.

[neslekkim]

The module on the left is
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/198
Notice it is retired (and the is for a 2015 class)

Well anyway from the picture I cannot understand how the Sparkfun board is hooked up.  I do not see the TXO or the RXI pins being used.  Is this board being only used as a source of 3.3 v for the TFT?

Only for power, why not?
Look at the bottom pictures, there the microstick is providing power instead.

[ez24]

Found this sentence

The connections will be much like the photos on the TFT page, but you will get Vdd from the connection in the middle of the Microstick2.

So the left module was only for power because the Microstick II has Vdd, but to use it, a header has to be soldered in.  He tells the students to solder in a 2 pin header to get to Vdd.  In the picture there is no header.  Seems a goof by Microchip.

[neslekkim]

Why is that a goof?, if you don't need it, it's no point in having an header that is easy to short out..

The holes are there, easy to solder on.