Product Details
Easy e - paper integration is now a reality for microcontrollers! Our specially designed breakout board makes it incredibly simple to add a tri - color eInk display. You've probably seen e - readers like the Kindle or Nook. They feature large electronic paper 'static' displays, where the image remains visible even when the power is completely cut off. The images are high - contrast and highly readable in daylight, looking just like printed paper.
We've been fans of these displays for ages, but until now, there were no breakouts tailored for makers. So, we took matters into our own hands and created this one.
We're starting with a compact 1.54 - inch tri - color display. It has 200x200 black and red ink pixels on a white - like background. With our Arduino library, you can set up a 'frame buffer' with the pixels you want to activate and then send that data to the display. But here's the catch: 200 x 200 pixels x 2 colors require 10 KBytes, which won't fit into many microcontroller memories.
That's where our smart solution comes in. We've added a small SRAM chip on the back. This chip shares the SPI port used by the eInk display, needing only one extra pin. And no more hassle with frame - buffering! You can use the SRAM to prepare whatever you want to display, and when you're ready, our library will transfer the data from SRAM to eInk. It's as easy as using an Adafruit_GFX compatible display.
For ultra - low power applications, the onboard 3.3V regulator has an Enable pin that lets you cut off power to the SRAM, MicroSD, and display. We've also included a MicroSD socket for storing images, text files, or anything you want to show. The board is 3 or 5V logic safe, so it can work with all microcontrollers.
The product comes assembled and tested, with some headers. You'll need a soldering iron to attach the headers for breadboarding or integrating it into your project.
Using this Adafruit eInk display is a breeze. First, if you're planning to use it on a breadboard or in your project, you'll need to use a soldering iron to attach the provided headers.
Once it's set up, you can use the Arduino library we've provided. With this library, you can create a 'frame buffer' which is like a plan of what you want to show on the display. Then, instead of worrying about fitting all that data into your microcontroller's memory, you can use the SRAM chip on the back. Just set up what you want to display in the SRAM. When you're happy with it, our library will automatically transfer the data from SRAM to the eInk display.
If you want to save power, especially for long - term or battery - powered projects, you can use the Enable pin on the 3.3V regulator to turn off power to the SRAM, MicroSD, and display. And don't forget, you can store all kinds of things like images and text files on the MicroSD card to display later.
As for maintenance, keep the display away from extreme temperatures and physical damage. If you notice any issues with the display or the functionality, double - check your connections and make sure the software is up - to - date.
