Using ESP8266's WiFi feature next to a timing-critical routine

[BlvckBytes]

Hey there!

Since I saw that VF-Display on the EEVBlog channel, I had to get my own. Now I've written a DIY driver for it, and it works pretty good so far. This is my code: https://github.com/BlvckBytes/VFDisplay/tree/master/firmware/vf_display

I use assembly NOPs for timings, to ensure a flicker-free display. As soon as I'm trying to load up the ESP8266WiFi header file to connect to WiFi, I run into WDT-resets all the time. When I disable the NOPs, WiFi works, but the screen doesn't (obviously).

Is it even possible to run both things on the same device? I thought about using a weaker external microcontroller to handle just the screen, which takes in commands over serial from the ESP. This would be a waste of processing power tho, just because I'm not able to get the software running properly.

Multitasking is hard, .

Any ideas? Thanks!

[ebclr]

Change to esp32, and all your problems will finish

[BlvckBytes]

Since the ATtinys are quite cheap, I'm going to get one with 4K flash, since my code takes around 2.2K, with everything in my power already optimized, and totally barebones.

https://github.com/BlvckBytes/VFDisplayMultiplexer

This gets serial commands, which my ESP sends out using a software-serial, using just the TX pin, and common ground. I think this is the cheapest solution, since an ESP32 would be a total overkill, as with most ESP-projects tho.