tft display repurpose made in china

As I mentioned in my previous Off-The-Shelf Hacker columns, I’m a big fan of modularizing my projects so I can mix and match parts as needed. Last Christmas my daughter gave me a little 1.8” color TFT display. It took an hour or so to get it working with an Arduino. Since then the little screen has seen service in my Steampunk conference badge series of prototypes, using a plain-Jane Arduino, the Yun and even the Raspberry Pi.

A while back, I took delivery of an HRC-SR04 ultrasonic range finder module from Amazon. As you might expect, it was only a matter of time before the range finder found itself hooked up to the 1.8” Arduino/TFT screen combination, in some kind of a portable format. Putting a quick proof-of-concept together was pretty easy. I just pirated the Arduino Pro-Mini, battery and nano-regulator module from version 1 of the Steampunk badge, configured the software and in a short time was measuring distances with sound.

Let’s see what it takes to get the HC-SR04 reading distances and outputting those values to the TFT display. Next week, we’ll look at how you can use and package this technology into a project.

That’s the beauty of module design and using microcontrollers in your projects. In this case, the Arduino Pro-Mini and TFT display combo can do multiple jobs, simply by hooking up different sensors and output devices, then modding the code.

Finally, the main loop reads the ultrasonic sensor, does a conversion from its integer output to a character string and sends it to the TFT display. Using a black background, the distance and “inches” are printed on the screen, at the location (10, 50). The same string is then printed in black, to erase the white text, after which the cycle is repeated. It’s necessary to erase the text with black text, so the values don’t pile up on top of each other, eventually resulting in just white squares on the screen. It’s kind of brute-force, although it works. Use a minimum of 29 milliseconds between pings to make sure you get a good reading. I set the delay at 200 because when smaller values are used, the numbers on the screen blink increasingly faster and it becomes annoying.

These days, the electronics hobbyist is lucky to have access to a wide range of ready-made modules that enable sensors, screens, and microcontrollers to all be linked up with ease. However, this manner of working generally ends up with a project that becomes more of a PCB salad than a finished product. Oftentimes, it’s possible to find something off the shelf that’s close to your requirements, and repurpose it to work. That’s exactly what [Aaron] did.

[Aaron] wanted to install a display in his classic Jeep to display the time and some basic parameters. A screen and a microcontroller were called for, and a cheap open-source transistor tester had exactly that already. Consisting of an ATmega-328P linked up to an 128 x 64 graphic LCD module, it had most of what [Aaron] needed from the get go.

To repurpose the device, [Aaron] started by swapping the 8 MHz crystal for a 16 MHz one to make it more easily programmable through the Arduino IDE. Then, a custom firmware was written, which communicates with a DS3232 real time clock, temperature and pressure sensors, and also monitors battery voltage. It’s all neatly installed in the vehicle behind a 3D printed faceplate, and the graphic LCD is clear and easy to read – if you speak German.

Lei C-N, Whang L-M, Chen P-C (2010) Biological treatment of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) wastewater using aerobic and anoxic/oxic sequencing batch reactors. Chemosphere 81:57–64

Lin K-L, Chang W-K, Chang T-C, Lee C-W, Lin C-H (2009) Recycling thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) waste glass produced as glass-ceramics. J Cleaner Prod 17:1499–1503

Liu WT, Li KC (2010) Application of reutilisation technology to waste from liquid crystal display (LCD) industry. J Environ Sci Health Part A 45:579–586

Lo S-F (2010) Global warming action of Taiwan’s semiconductor/TFT-LCD industries: how does voluntary agreement work in the IT industry? Technol Soc 32(3):249–254

Matharu AS, Wu Y (2008) Liquid crystal displays: from devices to recycling. In: Hester RE, Harrison RM (eds) Electronic waste management, issues in environmental science and technology. RSC Publishing, Cambridge

Wang HY (2011) The effect of the proportion of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) optical waste glass as a partial substitute for cement in cement mortar. Construct Build Mater 25:791–797

You S-H, Tsai Y-T (2010) Using intermittent ozonation to remove fouling of ultrafiltration membrane in effluent recovery during TFT-LCD Manufacturing. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 41:98–104

Matharu AS, Wu Y (2008) Liquid crystal displays: from devices to recycling. In: Hester RE, Harrison RM (eds) Electronic waste management, issues in environmental science and technology. RSC Publishing, Cambridge UK

Lo S-F (2010) Global warming action of Taiwan’s semiconductor/TFT-LCD industries: how does voluntary agreement work in the IT industry? Technol Soc 32(3):249–254

Lei C-N, Whang L-M, Chen P-C (2010) Biological treatment of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) wastewater using aerobic and anoxic/oxic sequencing batch reactors. Chemosphere 81:57–64

You S-H, Tsai Y-T (2010) Using intermittent ozonation to remove fouling of ultrafiltration membrane in effluent recovery during TFT-LCD manufacturing. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 41:98–104

Lin K-L, Chang W-K, Chang T-C, Lee C-W, Lin C-H (2009) Recycling thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) waste glass produced as glass-ceramics. J Cleaner Prod 17:1499–1503

Wang HY (2011) The effect of the proportion of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) optical waste glass as a partial substitute for cement in cement mortar. Constr Build Mater 25:791–797

I found two 3,2" TFT display, but having no closer specification. Based on label on backside it is ILI9341 320QDT with touch screen and SD card reader.

I do not really understand the pinout. I can identify pins for touch screen and SD card reader, but this is for me not imporatnat, I would like to use display function only.

The TFT LCD screen display, for the general masses, is no longer a difficult noun. And it is another after semiconductor could create a large number of emerging technology products of the business turnover, more because of its features, thin so it than using the application scope of the cathode ray tube (CRT, cathode ray tube) display made by wider. Today, I’m going to talk about how the TFT LCD Touch Screen Display Works.

As I mentioned earlier, liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) refer to a bunch produced by using the TFT screen LCD display. Now for LCD displays the name is directed mostly used in notebook computers, or desktop computer applications display. Is the thin film transistor TFT LCD display. Abbreviation of TFT LCD. This kind of display form has two main characteristics, one is a thin film transistor, the other is TFT LCD itself. Let’s talk about the TFT screen itself.

This type of TFT LCD screen was first discovered, had been spent more than one hundred years ago. In 1888 AD, the Austrian botanist Friedrich Reinitzer, found in the observation from the plant refined out of benzoic acid cholesterol (cholesteryl benzoate) found that when the melting behavior of the compound heated to 145.5 ℃, Solid can melt, presents a kind of solid phase and liquid phase between the half gonorrhea melt flow of the liquid. This situation will always maintain ℃ temperature rise to 178.5 degrees, to form a clear isotropic liquid (isotropic liquid).

Its structure is composed of TFT LCD molecules stick together, forming a layer structure. It’s every layer of the molecular long axis direction parallel to each other. And the long axis direction for each layer plane is vertical or a tilt Angle. Due to its structure is very similar to crystals, so they are called phase. The order parameter S (the order parameter) tend to be 1. Type in layered crystal layer and interlayer bonding can fracture because of temperature, so the layer and interlayer sliding more easily. But each layer within the molecular bonding is stronger, so it is not easy to be interrupted. Therefore in the context of the monolayer, Its arranged orderly and viscosity is bigger. If we use the macroscopic phenomenon to describe the physical properties of liquid crystal, we can make a group of regional average points as the liquid crystal molecules are pointing in the direction of the arrow (director), which is the direction of a group of liquid crystal molecules regional average. And with lamellar liquid crystal, because of its structure, the TFT LCD molecules will cambium-like so can point to a vector of different classification of the different lamellar liquid crystal again. When the long axis of the liquid crystal molecules are vertical stand, Call it “Sematic A phase.” if stand long axis direction of the TFT LCD molecules have some Angle of tilt (tilt), call it “Sematic C phase”. In A, C and other letters to name, which was discovered in accordance with the order to address, and so on, there should be A “Semantic phase B is.” but later found A deformation phase B is C phase, And the liquid crystal molecules in the structure layer by layer, in addition to each layer of TFT LCD molecules have tilt Angle, the tilt Angle between layer by layer will form a helical structure.

Nematic is a Greek word, the word mean in the thread is the same as in English. Mainly because with the naked eye to observe the liquid crystal, it looks like a silk pattern. The LCD screen molecules on the space of the regular arrangement of one dimension, all rod long axis of the liquid crystal molecules will choose a particular direction (that is, pointing vector) as the main shaft and arranged parallel to each other. And don’t like lamellar liquid crystal has a layered structure. Compared with the layer column type liquid crystal alignment is no order, That is to say, its order parameter S is smaller than the lamellar liquid crystal, and its viscosity is smaller, so it is easier to flow (its flow mainly comes from the free movement of molecules in the long axis direction). Linear liquid crystal is the common TFT LCD display screen TN(Twisted nematic) type liquid crystal.

If we are according to the molecular weight of high and low points can be divided into liquid crystal polymer (polymer liquid crystal, the polymer in many of the liquid crystal molecules) and low molecular liquid crystal. This kind of classification of TFT LCD belongs to the application of the low molecular liquid crystal. If the reasons for the formation of liquid crystal state, because it can be divided into type temperature formation of liquid crystal state to a liquid crystal (thermotropic), and because of the concentration and the formation of a liquid crystal state type lyotropic liquid crystal (lyotropic).

The solution so types lyotropic TFT screen molecules in the appropriate solvents reaches a certain critical concentration, the formation of liquid crystal state. Type lyotropic liquid crystal is one of the best examples that is soap. When soap bubbles in the water will not be at once into a liquid, and the bubble in the water for a long time, after the formation of white matter, is its liquid crystal state.

Due to the structure of the liquid crystal molecules for different parties (Anisotropic), so caused by the photoelectric effect will vary because of a different direction, in short, that is, the liquid crystal molecules in the dielectric coefficient and refractive index, and so on photoelectric properties have different sex, so we can use these properties to change the intensity of the incident light, so that the formation of gray-scale, to apply on the display component. We’ll discuss below, is one of the characteristics of liquid crystal belongs to the optical and electrical related, about the following items:

Our dielectric coefficient can be separated into two directions respectively is epsilon / / (and point to parallel component) and epsilon coming (a component perpendicular to the pointing vector). When the epsilon / / > epsilon coming then called the dielectric coefficient of different parts of LCD, can be used in parallel coordination. And epsilon / / < epsilon is called the dielectric coefficient of the different part coming negative type of TFT screen, only can be used in vertical coordination will need the photoelectric effect. When the applied electric field, the liquid crystal molecules will vary with dielectric coefficient is positive or negative, To determine whether the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules is parallel or perpendicular to the electric field, to determine whether the light penetrates. Now on most commonly used type TN LCD TFT LCD that belongs to the dielectric coefficient are type liquid crystal. When the dielectric coefficient of square difference Δ epsilon (= epsilon / / – epsilon) comes, the greater the LCD of the critical voltage (threshold voltage) will be smaller. So the LCD can be in the low voltage operation.

For example, the elastic constant (kappa 11, kappa 22, kappa 33) contains the three most important constants: kappa 11 is the elastic constant at splay, kappa 22 is the elastic constant at the twist. Kappa 33 refers to predominating the elastic constants of bending (bend). The other as the coefficient of viscosity (viscosity coefficients and eta), will affect the rotational speed of the liquid crystal molecules with reaction time (response time), its value as small as possible. But this feature is affected by temperature is the largest. In addition to magnetic susceptibility (magnetic susceptibility), but also because of liquid crystals of different sex, Divided into c / / c coming. And the difference of magnetic susceptibility is defined as Δ c = c / / – c coming. In addition to the conductance coefficient (conductivity), and so on the photoelectric properties. Liquid crystal properties of the most important are the dielectric coefficient and refractive index of liquid crystal. The dielectric coefficient is determined liquid crystal under the influence of the electric field to the characteristics of the liquid crystal molecules, while the refractive index is liquid crystal in the light of its important parameters influencing the light path. The LCD is in using the liquid crystal itself of these features, the appropriate use of voltage, to control the rotation of the TFT LCD molecules, in turn, affect the direction of the light, to form different grayscale, a tool for displaying images. Of course, LCD itself is not alone as the monitor, also need other materials to help, Below, we will introduce the composition of various materials and operating principle of TFT LCD display.

I remember in high school physics class, when to teach the relevant physical properties of light, to do a lot of physical experiments, the purpose is to prove that light is a wave. And the marching direction of light waves, and the electric field and magnetic field perpendicular to each other. Light itself of the electric field and magnetic field component at the same time also is perpendicular to each other. That is to say with the electric field and magnetic field component direction, each other is two parallel to each other. (see figure 7) and the role of the polarizing film is like a fence, usually will be cut off a component perpendicular to the fence, With a fence parallel component only permitted through. So if we picked up a piece of the light polarization slabs, feel like wearing sunglasses, the light became dark. But if the two pieces of polarizing film ideas together, it won’t be the same. When you rotate the two pieces of the relative Angle of the polarizing film, you will find that as the relative Angle is different, the brightness of the light will be more and darker. When two polaroids fence Angle perpendicular to each other, Light was completely failing. (see figure 8) and a liquid crystal display is to use this feature. Use upper and lower two pieces of fences between perpendicular slant plate, filled with liquid crystal, recycle electric field control liquid crystal rotation, to change the direction of light, so that different electric field sizes, can form different gray-scale brightness.

The upper and lower two layers of glass are mainly to grip the LCD with. Below the glass layer with Thin film transistor (thin film transistor, TFT screen), while the layer above the glass with a Color filter (Color filter). If you notice (see figure 3), these two pieces of glass are in contact with the side of the LCD screen, not smooth, but with jagged grooves. The main purpose of the groove with the hope of a long rod, liquid crystal molecules will line up along the grooves. In this way, Liquid crystal molecules are arranged neatly. Because if it is smooth and flat, the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules will not neat, causing light scattering, forming a light-leaking phenomenon. In fact, this is just a theory that told us to put the glass and LCD interface, complete processing so that the arrangement of liquid crystal has a certain order. But in the actual manufacturing process, and can not be with such a groove, the distribution of glass is made usually in glass coating on the surface layer of the PI (polyimide), and then a cloth to do the action of friction (rubbing), In order to make the surface molecules of PI no longer be scattered and arranged in a fixed and uniform direction, this layer of PI is called the coordination membrane, and its function is just like the grooves in the glass in FIG. 3, which provides the interface conditions for the uniform arrangement of liquid crystal molecules and allows the liquid crystals to be arranged in a predetermined order.

The STN LCD and TN LCD are very similar in structure, the main difference between TN LCD, the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules, the rotation angle from top to bottom. A total of 90 degrees and type the STN LCD liquid crystal molecules are arranged, the rotation angle will be greater than 180 degrees, usually is 270 degrees. (see figure 12) because of its rotation Angle is different, its characteristics different. We from figure 13 TN type and type the STN LCD voltage of the transmittance curve can know, when the voltage is low, the light penetration rate is very high. With a high voltage, the light of the penetration rate is very low. So they belong to the Normal White polaroids configuration. When the voltage in the middle position, the change of type TN LCD curve is flat, and the change of the STN LCD type curve is steep. So in TN type LCD, when transmittance change from 90% to 10%, corresponding to the voltage difference is larger than the STN LCD. We mentioned before, in the liquid crystal display, The different characteristics of TN and STN will result in TN type LCD, which has more grayscale changes than STN type LCD, so generally TN type LCD has 6~8 bits of changes. It is 64 ~ 256 gray-scale changes. Type the STN LCD for a maximum of 4 bits are only 16 orders of gray-scale changes. In addition, the STN type and TN LCD has a different place is the reaction time (response time) general type the STN LCD it’s response time to type in more than 100 ms and TN LCD its response time is 30 ~ 50 ms as shown in the image change quickly for the STN LCD type ghosting effect phenomenon is easy to happen.

TFT LCD Chinese translation of the name is called a thin film transistor liquid crystal display, from the beginning, we mentioned LCD voltage control is needed to produce gray. And the use of a thin-film transistor to generate the voltage, to control the transition of liquid crystal display, is called a TFT LCD. From the point of the cross-section structure of figure 8, between upper and lower two layers of glass, with LCD, will form a parallel plate capacitor, we call it the CLC (capacitor of liquid crystal). Its size is about 0.1 m3, But on the practical application, the capacitance and unable to keep the voltage to the next time to update the data in the picture.

That is to say, when TFT is good to the capacitor charging power, it is impossible to maintain voltage, until the next TFT this point charge again. (in general of 60 Hz screen update frequency, need time to keep about 16 ms.) as a result, there were changes in voltage, displayed gray scale is not correct. Therefore generally on the design of the panel, we will add a storage capacitor CS (storage capacitor is about 0.5 pF). So charged electric voltage can keep until the next update screen. But the right, long on the glass TFT itself, just use a transistor to make the switch. Its main work is to determine the LCD source voltage on the driver whether to charge to this point. As for this point more charge to high voltage, so as to show how the gray-scale. It is outside of the LCD source driver.

If you have a chance, take a magnifying glass, close to the LCD screen. You will find that as shown in figure 9 shows. We know that red, blue and green, are the so-called primary colors. That is to say, using the three kinds of color, can produce a variety of different colors. In a lot of flat-panel displays, this principle is used to show the color. We put the RGB 3 kinds of color, is divided into independent three points, each has different gray-scale changes, then the three neighboring RGB display point, as the basic unit of a display, Pixel is that this a pixel, and can have different color changes. Then for a need for a 1024 * 768 resolution display screen, we just let the composition of the flat panel display with 1024 * 768 pixels, can show a picture of the right. In figure 9, each point between the Black part of RGB is called the Black matrix. We can find that looking back on it in figure 8Black matrix is mainly used to cover do not intend to previous to light part. Such as some ITOs walk the line, or Cr/Al walk the line or are part of a TFT. This is why we in figure 9, the highlight of each RGB, it seems, is not a rectangle, and also on the top left corner is a piece of black matrix cover part, this part of a black missing Angle is the location of the TFT.

The CRT screen, it is using a high-speed electron gun that emits electrons, hits the phosphors on the silver screen, so as to produce the light, to show the picture. LCD itself, however, can only control the brightness of the light through, no glowing function itself. Therefore, a liquid crystal display must be combined with a backplate, to provide high brightness, brightness, and uniform distribution of the light source. We can see in figure 14, of the backplate of the main parts are CCFL (cold cathode tube), reflex plate, guide plate, prism sheet, Diffuser plate, and so on. Tubes are the main light-emitting parts, by a light guide, everywhere. The light distribution and baffle will be limited only to the TFT LCD light direction. Finally, by prism sheet and help diffuser, the light evenly distributed to all areas, provide TFT LCD a bright light. While TFT LCD is borrowed by the rotation of the voltage-controlled liquid crystal, control through the brightness of the light, so as to form different grayscale.

A very important specification of LCD is brightness, and the most important factor to determine the brightness is the opening rate. What is the opening rate? Is simple light can pass through the effective area proportion. 17, let’s look at the picture to the left of figure 17 is an LCD display from directly above or below the past structure. When the light is emitted through the backplate, not all of the light can be through the panel, like for LCD source driver chip and the gate driver chip signal line, and TFT itself, the stored voltage is the use of storage capacity, etc. These places besides incomplete pervious to light, but also because the light through these places is not under voltage control, to display the correct gray-scale, so have to use the black matrix to cover, in order to avoid interference to other correct brightness of the light area. So the effective area of the previous to light, it’s just like figure 17 shows area on the right. This piece of the effective area of the previous to light and the ratio of the total area is called the opening rate.

STONE is industrial screen manufacturers, provide a full range of 3.5 inches to 15.1 inches of small and medium-size standard quasi TFT LCD module, TFT screen module, TFT display module, display industry, industrial LCD screen, under the sunlight visually highlight TFT LCD display, industrial custom TFT screen, TFT LCD screen-wide temperature, industrial TFT LCD screen, touch screen industry. The TFT LCD module is very suitable forindustrial control equipment, medical instruments, POS system, electronic consumer products, vehicles, and other products.

There are lots of interesting displays hiding in cell phones, cameras, mp3 players and various other devices. In this post we will be looking at two of my non-Nokia favorites: The iPod Nano 2G display and the so called “cheapest TFT in the world”. Then we will be making a gadget that hopefully does something useful with them.

To repurpose a display we need to determine its interface mode (serial/parallel), pinout and driver ic. If the display has a nice part number printed on the side then you might get lucky and have the interwebs answer all your questions. Much more often than not you have to do it the hard way.

If you have 20 or more pins you have an 8 bit parallel interface. If you have 24 or more chances are it is 16 bit parallel. Many displays have the ability to run in both serial and parallel modes that can be selected with one or more external pins. If you are short of GPIOs this is a good option.

If one dismembers enough mp3 players one starts to notice patterns of part usage. One display caught my eye: it was very common in cheap 128×160 mp3 players, was a crisp and high contrast TFT, and had a hot bar solder connector that looked like it could be soldered by humans.

After dismembering a very nice Insignia digital photo keyframe and applying the logic analyzer the traces look very familiar. It was aILI9163. Other devices turned up a ILI9161 and a SamsungS6D0144. All variants seem to have a very similar physical outline; another defacto standard like the touchscreen used in microtouch.They are widely available in China for $2 making them the cheapest TFT going.

The smartlcd adds intelligence to a TFT 20 display. An inexpensive Arm Cortex M0 or M3 microcontroller is used to provide graphics and media processing as well as providing a high speed serial interface the 3v3 display.With additional components the smartlcd can offer a spi-flash or microSD file system and usb.One single pcb scales from bare bones serial through to a stand alone lipo battery powereddevice.

The client does not have to be a Arduino; the smartlcd can connect tovirtuallyany serial device or USB. However smartlcd makes it very easy to display text, graph values and draw graphics quickly on Arduino: