Just checking in to see how you're doing. You've been quiet lately. I hope all is well with you.
@Chris Savage , I am just recovering from the holiday getting ready for the next one lol. Regards to all forum members I hope y'all being good.
I check in here every day but at the moment I don't have a lot going on, I have been toying around with ESP NOW using Arduino + Micropython, looking at DCC a little I am also looking at using the esp32 as a usb host but these things are only for personal interest, nothing serious.
What I am serious about is a contender that rivals the Rasberry Pi, or does it !! ?. I just need to let go of the money lol, but I will eventually.
I am talking about the ESP32 P4 and here are two links I am thinking of purchasing from, I will only buy from one source and I am leaning to the Waveshare option in particular the kit with the 10 inch display.
https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-tab5-iot-development-kit-esp32-p4?srsltid=AfmBOoo25IT7U7B1fUyuwou7C1mcYYsDqH_twuu_DPVoXQ-GQpZ8wkmQ
https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-p4-module-dev-kit.htm
Quote from: Jeff_T on Dec 03, 2025, 10:50 AM@Chris Savage , I am just recovering from the holiday getting ready for the next one lol. Regards to all forum members I hope y'all being good.
I think that's how many of us feel when the holidays seem stacked and various family are spread out.
I looked at your links. Very nice. Looks like a lot for minimal investment. Is there a particular project you're hoping to realize out of this platform?
As a note, not everything has to be a serious project. I rather enjoyed your posts documenting the experimenting you were doing. People sometimes find that interesting, enjoyable and good for project ideas.
I don't have a particular project but I did get interested in model railway control, I started looking at electronic turnout control using servos and ESP NOW where many servos could be controlled using a wireless system so assembly and disassembly of a layout would be considerably easier. This led me to look at DCC which superimposes a signal onto the track to control engines and accessories from a central controller. Of course these things have already been done and there are many variations of the theme available even an Arduino DCC controller. So I wanted to see if I could do something similar in Micropython at a significantly lower cost and I thought how cool it would be to have a 10 inch touch screen with an overlay of the track where you could set a point or several points and get a visual of the red/green signals and crossing gates etc. You can see I am getting carried away here lol but that is how my mind works and what keeps me happy. I will let you know when I eventually get my P4.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Dec 03, 2025, 12:17 PMI don't have a particular project but I did get interested in model railway control, I started looking at electronic turnout control using servos and ESP NOW where many servos could be controlled using a wireless system so assembly and disassembly of a layout would be considerably easier. This led me to look at DCC which superimposes a signal onto the track to control engines and accessories from a central controller. Of course these things have already been done and there are many variations of the theme available even an Arduino DCC controller. So I wanted to see if I could do something similar in Micropython at a significantly lower cost and I thought how cool it would be to have a 10 inch touch screen with an overlay of the track where you could set a point or several points and get a visual of the red/green signals and crossing gates etc. You can see I am getting carried away here lol but that is how my mind works and what keeps me happy. I will let you know when I eventually get my P4.
Very ambitious. If it ever does become a project, feel free to start a thread in the member projects section. In the mean time, if you have successes at the various stages, you can post in the appropriate forum about your various experiments. I know I always keep track of the experiments others are doing. I often learn from them myself.
@Chris Savage , I finally got the P4 with the 10 inch display. I'm having fun using the Waveshare examples and I am settling into a spot where I use Squareline Studio to create GUI's and then integrate them into Arduino IDE code that interfaces with the P4. Squareline Studio is like a front end for the lvgl library if your familiar with that. It's really nice to have a touch screen that is this large and touch responsive. Nothing serious as yet just enjoying the graphics, getting started was a little bit difficult, for me anyway, but I'm beginning to feel comfortable with still a long way to go.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 17, 2026, 07:20 PMSquareline Studio is like a front end for the lvgl library if your familiar with that. It's really nice to have a touch screen that is this large and touch responsive.
I'm not familiar with it. The only GUIs I have created are on the PC, including using Visual Studio. So far, all of my microcontroller / microcomputer interfaces have been using text on LCD or 7-Segment Displays. I'd be interested to see any videos / photos you have of your demos.
I'll try and put a video together. Squareline Studio is free to use for personal use and makes it easier to create GUI's for tft displays ranging from small to large. There are a lot of YouTube videos on the subject.
LVGL (Light and Versatile Graphics Library) is open source and was designed for use with microcontrollers, it's new to me also, I usually get by with the primitive shapes or uploaded images but using a larger screen I have found Squareline faster with better results.
The basic ESP32 P4 dev kit is only $20 from Waveshare, runs at ~400MHz has display and camera ports onboard I2S plus other features, I may buy another.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 19, 2026, 05:54 PMLVGL (Light and Versatile Graphics Library) is open source and was designed for use with microcontrollers, it's new to me also, I usually get by with the primitive shapes or uploaded images but using a larger screen I have found Squareline faster with better results.
That's a good point. I have used the primitives on OLED screens of 128x64 or smaller, but I could see it taking much longer to draw the display that way on a higher resolution display, especially with complex graphics.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 19, 2026, 05:54 PMThe basic ESP32 P4 dev kit is only $20 from Waveshare, runs at ~400MHz has display and camera ports onboard I2S plus other features, I may buy another.
Do you have a link for that?
@Chris Savage https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-p4-module-dev-kit.htm?sku=30560
The basic kit is $19.99 and it looks like it comes with a small speaker and connector.
If you decide to get one then get one for me and we can share the cost of the goods and shipping.
If it's not on your wish list no worries I can wait a while before I get another.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 19, 2026, 09:15 PMThe basic kit is $19.99 and it looks like it comes with a small speaker and connector.
So, it does or does
not come with the display?
(https://www.waveshare.com/img/devkit/ESP32-P4-Module-DEV-KIT/ESP32-P4-Module-DEV-KIT-details-9.jpg)
Unfortunately no, there are four dev kits associated with that particular board, here is a list of each kit
basic = $19.99 P4 + speaker
dev kit a =$29.99 P4 + speaker & camera
dev kit b $73.99 P4 + camera speaker & 7 inch touch screen
dev kit c $77.99 P4 + camera speaker & 10 inch touch screen
Waveshare have other options but this seemed the pretty good for the cost for me, I have the kit you have pictured but I thought having another basic board would be a good idea.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 19, 2026, 11:12 PMWaveshare have other options but this seemed the pretty good for the cost for me, I have the kit you have pictured but I thought having another basic board would be a good idea.
Gotcha. Let me have a look again tomorrow and I will follow up within a day or two.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Jan 19, 2026, 11:12 PMdev kit c $77.99 P4 + camera speaker & 10 inch touch screen
I have the kit you have pictured but I thought having another basic board would be a good idea.
Okay, this weekend I am going to order some stuff. I am going to get kit c as well as an extra basic board for you to continue working on projects. I will let you know the ETA once I place the order and then I will arrange to send that to you.
Awesome Chris, I have a pretty good handle on the graphics and yesterday I played the Starwars theme through the on board I2S but to have someone else to bounce ideas off will be great. I can definitely help you avoid some of the bloopers I made.
Of course, my order got delayed. I will let you know the ETA as soon as I get an update.
@Chris Savage np.
I have decided I want at least one with Micropython and I have another on order from Amazon which is also delayed !!!
Just let me know when your ready and we can exchange details.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Feb 04, 2026, 04:25 PMJust let me know when your ready and we can exchange details.
I will follow-up on this by tomorrow noon. I need to also look into the Z80 Emulation platform from another thread.
@Jeff_T , so, as I said, I would get back to you this weekend. What I ordered were:
ESP32-P4-Module-DEV-KIT-C (https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-p4-module-dev-kit.htm?sku=30844)
ESP32-P4-Module-DEV-KIT (https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-p4-module-dev-kit.htm?sku=30560)
At the time, I didn't realize the shipping had a range of 12-30 days. So, TBH, I have no idea when it will get here. When it does, I will follow-up here, as well as arrange for the extra board to be shipped to you.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Feb 04, 2026, 04:25 PMJust let me know when your ready and we can exchange details.
Guess what arrived today?
Waveshare_Delivery_2026-02-20.jpg
I got a notification from my security cameras that a package was delivered. A little while later my wife sent me this photo. When I get home I will make sure everything arrived safely.
@Chris Savage that is awesome, about 5 minutes of assembly and you will be good to go.
I have a quick start write up in the SBC forum and I am currently putting together a video on using Squareline studio and creating a gauge widget. I will post a link to the video in that SBC thread.
I don't see you having any issues but if you do just holla.
Quote from: Chris Savage on Feb 20, 2026, 01:57 PM... I will make sure everything arrived safely.
Pics of inside the box? Share some of that new package love! ;D
Paul
Quote from: doggiedoc on Feb 21, 2026, 08:23 AMPics of inside the box? Share some of that new package love! ;D
Paul
For doc's gratification...
20260220_210735_640.jpg
The contents of the box was...two more boxes?!?
Okay, I was just joking...scroll down! Don't hate! :P
20260220_210822_640.jpg
Contents of the larger inside box.
20260221_172024_640.jpg
Sorting the parts reveals the display.
20260221_172038_640.jpg
Contents of the smaller box. This box is being sent out on Monday morning,
@Jeff_T
Sweet! Looks like some fun to be had there...
Quote from: doggiedoc on Feb 21, 2026, 09:57 PMSweet! Looks like some fun to be had there...
In this instance, I am the
student, not the
teacher. I am following work by Jeff_T. Likewise, in another thread, I am following work by granz.
Quote from: doggiedoc on Feb 21, 2026, 09:57 PMSweet! Looks like some fun to be had there...
I agree ,
@Chris Savage the Squareline video isn't going well :'( , I have given it a rest for today and I will get back on it probably tomorrow evening. These guys on YouTube make it look so easy.
Quote from: Jeff_T on Feb 21, 2026, 10:58 PMI agree , @Chris Savage the Squareline video isn't going well :'( , I have given it a rest for today and I will get back on it probably tomorrow evening. These guys on YouTube make it look so easy.
It's all good. I appreciate your efforts. There is no rush. ;)
Quote from: Chris Savage on Feb 21, 2026, 05:39 PMQuote from: doggiedoc on Feb 21, 2026, 08:23 AMPics of inside the box? Share some of that new package love! ;D
Paul
For doc's gratification...
20260220_210735_640.jpg
The contents of the box was...two more boxes?!?
That reminds me of when we were kids, we would often take a present for a sibling (there were six of us,) and place it in a box, then that inside another box, and another box. Like those Matryoshka dolls (little Russian dolls that fit inside one another - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll).)
One Christmas, Tim (one of my brothers) received a package like that. After getting through three, or four, layers another kid teased him saying, "there's nothing in there, just stomp on it." So Tim did :o , and Dad had a fit - it was a model plane. Luckily, my brother did not damage the plane. ;D
Quote from: granz on Feb 22, 2026, 06:16 AMThat reminds me of when we were kids, we would often take a present for a sibling (there were six of us,) and place it in a box, then that inside another box, and another box. Like those Matryoshka dolls (little Russian dolls that fit inside one another
We had a set of those dolls when we were kids. We grew up knowing them as, "Russian Nesting Dolls".
Quote from: granz on Feb 22, 2026, 06:16 AMOne Christmas, Tim (one of my brothers) received a package like that. After getting through three, or four, layers another kid teased him saying, "there's nothing in there, just stomp on it." So Tim did :o , and Dad had a fit - it was a model plane. Luckily, my brother did not damage the plane. ;D
Oh, my! :o