Installation

Note

The library has been tested against Python 2.7, 3.4 and 3.5.

For Python3 installation, substitute the following in the instructions below.

  • pip ⇒ pip3,
  • python ⇒ python3,
  • python-dev ⇒ python3-dev,
  • python-pip ⇒ python3-pip.

It was originally tested with Raspbian on a rev.2 model B, with a vanilla kernel version 4.1.16+, and has subsequently been tested on Raspberry Pi model A, model B2 and 3B (Debian Jessie) and OrangePi Zero (Armbian Jessie).

Pre-requisites

Enable the SPI port:

$ sudo raspi-config
> Advanced Options > A6 SPI

If raspi-config is not available, enabling the SPI port can be done manually.

Ensure that the SPI kernel driver is enabled:

$ ls -l /dev/spi*
crw-rw---- 1 root spi 153, 0 Nov 25 08:32 /dev/spidev0.0
crw-rw---- 1 root spi 153, 1 Nov 25 08:32 /dev/spidev0.1

or:

$ lsmod | grep spi
spi_bcm2835             6678  0

Then add your user to the spi and gpio groups:

$ sudo usermod -a -G spi pi
$ sudo usermod -a -G gpio pi

Log out and back in again to ensure that the group permissions are applied successfully.

Connecting the display

  • If you don’t want to solder directly on the Pi, get 2.54mm 40 pin female single row headers, cut them to length, push them onto the Pi pins, then solder wires to the headers.
  • If you need to remove existing pins to connect wires, be careful to heat each pin thoroughly, or circuit board traces may be broken.
  • Triple check your connections. In particular, do not reverse VCC and GND.

The GPIO pins used for this SPI connection are the same for all versions of the Raspberry Pi, up to and including the Raspberry Pi 3 B.

Warning

There appears to be varying pin-out configurations on different modules - beware!

Note

  • If you’re already using the listed GPIO pins for Data/Command and/or Reset, you can select other pins and pass gpio_DC and/or gpio_RST argument specifying the new GPIO pin numbers in your serial interface create call (this applies to both PCD8544 and ST7735).
  • Because CE is connected to CE0, the display is available on SPI port 0. You can connect it to CE1 to have it available on port 1. If so, pass port=1 in your serial interface create call.

PCD8544

LCD Pin Remarks RPi Pin RPi Function
RST Reset P01-18 GPIO 24
CE Chip Enable P01-24 GPIO 8 (CE0)
DC Data/Command P01-16 GPIO 23
DIN Data In P01-19 GPIO 10 (MOSI)
CLK Clock P01-23 GPIO 11 (SCLK)
VCC +3.3V Power P01-01 3V3
LIGHT Backlight P01-12 GPIO 18 (PCM_CLK)
GND Ground P01-06 GND

ST7735

Depending on the board you bought, there may be different names for the same pins, as detailed below.

LCD Pin Remarks RPi Pin RPi Function
GND Ground P01-06 GND
VCC +3.3V Power P01-01 3V3
RESET or RST Reset P01-18 GPIO 24
A0 or D/C Data/command P01-16 GPIO 23
SDA or DIN SPI data P01-19 GPIO 10 (MOSI)
SCK or CLK SPI clock P01-23 GPIO 11 (SCLK)
CS SPI chip select P01-24 GPIO 8 (CE0)
LED+ or BL Backlight control P01-12 GPIO 18 (PCM_CLK)
LED- Backlight ground P01-06 GND

HT1621

LCD Pin Remarks RPi Pin RPi Function
GND Ground P01-06 GND
VCC +3.3V Power P01-01 3V3
DAT SPI data P01-19 GPIO 10 (MOSI)
WR SPI clock P01-23 GPIO 11 (SCLK)
CS SPI chip select P01-24 GPIO 8 (CE0)
LED Backlight control P01-12 GPIO 18 (PCM_CLK)

UC1701X

The UC1701X doesn’t appear to work from 3.3V, but does on the 5.0V rail.

LCD Pin Remarks RPi Pin RPi Function
ROM_IN Unused    
ROM_OUT Unused    
ROM_SCK Unused    
ROM_CS Unused    
LED A Backlight control P01-12 GPIO 18 (PCM_CLK)
VSS Ground P01-06 GND
VDD +5.0V P01-02 5V0
SCK SPI clock P01-23 GPIO 11 (SCLK)
SDA SPI data P01-19 GPIO 10 (MOSI)
RS Data/command P01-16 GPIO 23
RST Reset P01-18 GPIO 24
CS SPI chip select P01-24 GPIO 8 (CE0)

LS013B4DN04

Also known as Adafruit_1393

LCD Pin Remarks RPi Pin RPi Function
VIN +3.3V P01-01 3V3
3V3 +3.3V P01-01 3V3
GND Ground P01-06 GND
SCLK SPI clock P0-23 GPIO 11 (SCLK)
MOSI SPI data P01-19 GPIO 10 (MOSI)
CS SPI chip select P01-24 GPIO 8 (CE0)
EXTMD External mode P01-14 GND
DISP Display on/off P01-16 GPIO 23
EXTIN PWM clock P01-12 GPIO 18 (PWM0)

Installing from PyPI

Install the dependencies for library first with:

$ sudo usermod -a -G spi,gpio pi
$ sudo apt-get install python-dev python-pip
$ sudo -i pip install --upgrade pip setuptools
$ sudo apt-get purge python-pip

Warning

The default pip bundled with apt on Raspbian is really old, and can cause components to not be installed properly. Please ensure that pip 9.0.1 is installed prior to continuing:

$ pip --version
pip 9.0.1 from /usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages (python 2.7)

Proceed to install latest version of the library directly from PyPI:

$ sudo -H pip install --upgrade luma.lcd