Adafruit Qualia ESP32-S3 for RGB-666 Displays

Use the new Qualia ESP32-S3 to add a higher resolution Dot Clock RGB-666 Display to your next project

by M. LeBlanc-Williams and Jeff Epler

published October 06, 2023, last edited July 01, 2025
last major update December 13, 2023

posted in CircuitPython LCDs & Displays/ Graphic TFTs Programming/ MicroPython / CircuitPython

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Intermediate

Product guide

Qualia S3 RGB-666 with TL028WVC01 2.8" Round Display

If you have issues running the example, you can always test your hardware by running a UF2 for your display from https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qualia-esp32-s3-for-rgb666-displays/arduino-rainbow-demo

Initialization Codes

Here are the init codes for this display:

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init_sequence = bytes((
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x13'
    b'\xef\x01\x08'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x10'
    b'\xc0\x02;\x00'
    b'\xc1\x02\x10\x0c'
    b'\xc2\x02\x07\n'
    b'\xc7\x01\x00'
    b'\xcc\x01\x10'
    b'\xcd\x01\x08'
    b'\xb0\x10\x05\x12\x98\x0e\x0f\x07\x07\t\t#\x05R\x0fg,\x11'
    b'\xb1\x10\x0b\x11\x97\x0c\x12\x06\x06\x08\x08"\x03Q\x11f+\x0f'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x11'
    b'\xb0\x01]'
    b'\xb1\x01-'
    b'\xb2\x01\x81'
    b'\xb3\x01\x80'
    b'\xb5\x01N'
    b'\xb7\x01\x85'
    b'\xb8\x01 '
    b'\xc1\x01x'
    b'\xc2\x01x'
    b'\xd0\x01\x88'
    b'\xe0\x03\x00\x00\x02'
    b'\xe1\x0b\x060\x080\x050\x070\x0033'
    b'\xe2\x0c\x11\x1133\xf4\x00\x00\x00\xf4\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\xe3\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe4\x02DD'
    b'\xe5\x10\r\xf50\xf0\x0f\xf70\xf0\t\xf10\xf0\x0b\xf30\xf0'
    b'\xe6\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe7\x02DD'
    b'\xe8\x10\x0c\xf40\xf0\x0e\xf60\xf0\x08\xf00\xf0\n\xf20\xf0'
    b'\xe9\x026\x01'
    b'\xeb\x07\x00\x01\xe4\xe4D\x88@'
    b'\xed\x10\xff\x10\xafvT+\xcf\xff\xff\xfc\xb2Eg\xfa\x01\xff'
    b'\xef\x06\x08\x08\x08E?T'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\x11\x80x'
    b':\x01f'
    b'6\x01\x00'
    b'5\x01\x00'
    b')\x802'
))

init_sequence = bytes((
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x13'
    b'\xef\x01\x08'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x10'
    b'\xc0\x02;\x00'
    b'\xc1\x02\x10\x0c'
    b'\xc2\x02\x07\n'
    b'\xc7\x01\x00'
    b'\xcc\x01\x10'
    b'\xcd\x01\x08'
    b'\xb0\x10\x05\x12\x98\x0e\x0f\x07\x07\t\t#\x05R\x0fg,\x11'
    b'\xb1\x10\x0b\x11\x97\x0c\x12\x06\x06\x08\x08"\x03Q\x11f+\x0f'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x11'
    b'\xb0\x01]'
    b'\xb1\x01-'
    b'\xb2\x01\x81'
    b'\xb3\x01\x80'
    b'\xb5\x01N'
    b'\xb7\x01\x85'
    b'\xb8\x01 '
    b'\xc1\x01x'
    b'\xc2\x01x'
    b'\xd0\x01\x88'
    b'\xe0\x03\x00\x00\x02'
    b'\xe1\x0b\x060\x080\x050\x070\x0033'
    b'\xe2\x0c\x11\x1133\xf4\x00\x00\x00\xf4\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\xe3\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe4\x02DD'
    b'\xe5\x10\r\xf50\xf0\x0f\xf70\xf0\t\xf10\xf0\x0b\xf30\xf0'
    b'\xe6\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe7\x02DD'
    b'\xe8\x10\x0c\xf40\xf0\x0e\xf60\xf0\x08\xf00\xf0\n\xf20\xf0'
    b'\xe9\x026\x01'
    b'\xeb\x07\x00\x01\xe4\xe4D\x88@'
    b'\xed\x10\xff\x10\xafvT+\xcf\xff\xff\xfc\xb2Eg\xfa\x01\xff'
    b'\xef\x06\x08\x08\x08E?T'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\x11\x80x'
    b':\x01f'
    b'6\x01\x00'
    b'5\x01\x00'
    b')\x802'
))

Timings

Here are the timing settings for this display:

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tft_timings = {
    "frequency": 15000000,
    "width": 480,
    "height": 480,

    "hsync_pulse_width": 2,
    "hsync_back_porch": 10,
    "hsync_front_porch": 10,
    "hsync_idle_low": False,

    "vsync_pulse_width": 6,
    "vsync_back_porch": 10,
    "vsync_front_porch": 10,
    "vsync_idle_low": False,

    "pclk_active_high": True,
    "pclk_idle_high": False,
    "de_idle_high": False,
}

tft_timings = {
    "frequency": 15000000,
    "width": 480,
    "height": 480,

    "hsync_pulse_width": 2,
    "hsync_back_porch": 10,
    "hsync_front_porch": 10,
    "hsync_idle_low": False,

    "vsync_pulse_width": 6,
    "vsync_back_porch": 10,
    "vsync_front_porch": 10,
    "vsync_idle_low": False,

    "pclk_active_high": True,
    "pclk_idle_high": False,
    "de_idle_high": False,
}

Example

Here's an example using those settings:

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from displayio import release_displays
release_displays()

import displayio
import busio
import board
import dotclockframebuffer
from framebufferio import FramebufferDisplay

tft_pins = dict(board.TFT_PINS)
tft_timings = {
    "frequency": 15000000,
    "width": 480,
    "height": 480,

    "hsync_pulse_width": 2,
    "hsync_back_porch": 10,
    "hsync_front_porch": 10,
    "hsync_idle_low": False,

    "vsync_pulse_width": 6,
    "vsync_back_porch": 10,
    "vsync_front_porch": 10,
    "vsync_idle_low": False,

    "pclk_active_high": True,
    "pclk_idle_high": False,
    "de_idle_high": False,
}

init_sequence = bytes((
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x13'
    b'\xef\x01\x08'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x10'
    b'\xc0\x02;\x00'
    b'\xc1\x02\x10\x0c'
    b'\xc2\x02\x07\n'
    b'\xc7\x01\x00'
    b'\xcc\x01\x10'
    b'\xcd\x01\x08'
    b'\xb0\x10\x05\x12\x98\x0e\x0f\x07\x07\t\t#\x05R\x0fg,\x11'
    b'\xb1\x10\x0b\x11\x97\x0c\x12\x06\x06\x08\x08"\x03Q\x11f+\x0f'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x11'
    b'\xb0\x01]'
    b'\xb1\x01-'
    b'\xb2\x01\x81'
    b'\xb3\x01\x80'
    b'\xb5\x01N'
    b'\xb7\x01\x85'
    b'\xb8\x01 '
    b'\xc1\x01x'
    b'\xc2\x01x'
    b'\xd0\x01\x88'
    b'\xe0\x03\x00\x00\x02'
    b'\xe1\x0b\x060\x080\x050\x070\x0033'
    b'\xe2\x0c\x11\x1133\xf4\x00\x00\x00\xf4\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\xe3\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe4\x02DD'
    b'\xe5\x10\r\xf50\xf0\x0f\xf70\xf0\t\xf10\xf0\x0b\xf30\xf0'
    b'\xe6\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe7\x02DD'
    b'\xe8\x10\x0c\xf40\xf0\x0e\xf60\xf0\x08\xf00\xf0\n\xf20\xf0'
    b'\xe9\x026\x01'
    b'\xeb\x07\x00\x01\xe4\xe4D\x88@'
    b'\xed\x10\xff\x10\xafvT+\xcf\xff\xff\xfc\xb2Eg\xfa\x01\xff'
    b'\xef\x06\x08\x08\x08E?T'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\x11\x80x'
    b':\x01f'
    b'6\x01\x00'
    b'5\x01\x00'
    b')\x802'
))

board.I2C().deinit()
i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
tft_io_expander = dict(board.TFT_IO_EXPANDER)
#tft_io_expander['i2c_address'] = 0x38 # uncomment for rev B
dotclockframebuffer.ioexpander_send_init_sequence(i2c, init_sequence, **tft_io_expander)
i2c.deinit()

bitmap = displayio.OnDiskBitmap("/round-display-ruler-720p.bmp")

fb = dotclockframebuffer.DotClockFramebuffer(**tft_pins, **tft_timings)
display = FramebufferDisplay(fb, auto_refresh=False)

# Create a TileGrid to hold the bitmap
tile_grid = displayio.TileGrid(bitmap, pixel_shader=bitmap.pixel_shader)

# Center the image
tile_grid.x -= (bitmap.width - display.width) // 2
tile_grid.y -= (bitmap.height - display.height) // 2

# Create a Group to hold the TileGrid
group = displayio.Group()

# Add the TileGrid to the Group
group.append(tile_grid)

# Add the Group to the Display
display.root_group = group

display.auto_refresh = True

# Loop forever so you can enjoy your image
while True:
    pass

from displayio import release_displays
release_displays()

import displayio
import busio
import board
import dotclockframebuffer
from framebufferio import FramebufferDisplay

tft_pins = dict(board.TFT_PINS)
tft_timings = {
    "frequency": 15000000,
    "width": 480,
    "height": 480,

    "hsync_pulse_width": 2,
    "hsync_back_porch": 10,
    "hsync_front_porch": 10,
    "hsync_idle_low": False,

    "vsync_pulse_width": 6,
    "vsync_back_porch": 10,
    "vsync_front_porch": 10,
    "vsync_idle_low": False,

    "pclk_active_high": True,
    "pclk_idle_high": False,
    "de_idle_high": False,
}

init_sequence = bytes((
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x13'
    b'\xef\x01\x08'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x10'
    b'\xc0\x02;\x00'
    b'\xc1\x02\x10\x0c'
    b'\xc2\x02\x07\n'
    b'\xc7\x01\x00'
    b'\xcc\x01\x10'
    b'\xcd\x01\x08'
    b'\xb0\x10\x05\x12\x98\x0e\x0f\x07\x07\t\t#\x05R\x0fg,\x11'
    b'\xb1\x10\x0b\x11\x97\x0c\x12\x06\x06\x08\x08"\x03Q\x11f+\x0f'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x11'
    b'\xb0\x01]'
    b'\xb1\x01-'
    b'\xb2\x01\x81'
    b'\xb3\x01\x80'
    b'\xb5\x01N'
    b'\xb7\x01\x85'
    b'\xb8\x01 '
    b'\xc1\x01x'
    b'\xc2\x01x'
    b'\xd0\x01\x88'
    b'\xe0\x03\x00\x00\x02'
    b'\xe1\x0b\x060\x080\x050\x070\x0033'
    b'\xe2\x0c\x11\x1133\xf4\x00\x00\x00\xf4\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\xe3\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe4\x02DD'
    b'\xe5\x10\r\xf50\xf0\x0f\xf70\xf0\t\xf10\xf0\x0b\xf30\xf0'
    b'\xe6\x04\x00\x00\x11\x11'
    b'\xe7\x02DD'
    b'\xe8\x10\x0c\xf40\xf0\x0e\xf60\xf0\x08\xf00\xf0\n\xf20\xf0'
    b'\xe9\x026\x01'
    b'\xeb\x07\x00\x01\xe4\xe4D\x88@'
    b'\xed\x10\xff\x10\xafvT+\xcf\xff\xff\xfc\xb2Eg\xfa\x01\xff'
    b'\xef\x06\x08\x08\x08E?T'
    b'\xff\x05w\x01\x00\x00\x00'
    b'\x11\x80x'
    b':\x01f'
    b'6\x01\x00'
    b'5\x01\x00'
    b')\x802'
))

board.I2C().deinit()
i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
tft_io_expander = dict(board.TFT_IO_EXPANDER)
#tft_io_expander['i2c_address'] = 0x38 # uncomment for rev B
dotclockframebuffer.ioexpander_send_init_sequence(i2c, init_sequence, **tft_io_expander)
i2c.deinit()

bitmap = displayio.OnDiskBitmap("/round-display-ruler-720p.bmp")

fb = dotclockframebuffer.DotClockFramebuffer(**tft_pins, **tft_timings)
display = FramebufferDisplay(fb, auto_refresh=False)

# Create a TileGrid to hold the bitmap
tile_grid = displayio.TileGrid(bitmap, pixel_shader=bitmap.pixel_shader)

# Center the image
tile_grid.x -= (bitmap.width - display.width) // 2
tile_grid.y -= (bitmap.height - display.height) // 2

# Create a Group to hold the TileGrid
group = displayio.Group()

# Add the TileGrid to the Group
group.append(tile_grid)

# Add the Group to the Display
display.root_group = group

display.auto_refresh = True

# Loop forever so you can enjoy your image
while True:
    pass

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