What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? (/thread-188.html)

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What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - werk_ag - 17-01-2015

This topic pretends to be a hint for everyone that are planing, or are starting now building an WeatherDuino Pro 2 system.

Of course we all like color TFT displays. So the answer seems obvious, but may be not!
Starting from software v013, we are trying to separate the process of weather data processing from the process of data display. And why? To keep the costs low, our system uses an Arduino Nano as main processor, and it have a limited amount of RAM, many of it used by the routines or libraries to drive the TFT display, leaving us without RAM space, to further development of more important functionalities. This is the main reason why we have developed the WeatherDuino Pro2 Wireless Display system, freeing the main RX unit for its principal role: process your weather data, and pass them to Cumulus (if you use Cumulus, please donate to autor, he deserves).

As I said many times, I take backwards compatibility very seriously, but at some point in the future, near or not, new planned RX functionalities will require disabling the actual 1.8" TFT display, and use only the LCD display. If you already have an TFT display, of course you can continue using it, but you can't take vantage of some new functionalities that will be added in future software releases. Anyway, connecting an LCD display is very easy... the connector is already there.

If you are starting now, it's up to you decide the better way...
Maybe seems suspect, being I to give a suggestion, but its an honest one!
Leave the color displays, for the WeatherDuino Pro 2 Wireless Display units.

Example of an RX v4.0x unit with an LCD display, built by Mikko.

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RE: What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - uncle_bob - 17-01-2015

I use the LCD on my RX unit too, and I'm happy with it (it sits in a server room so it's hardly seen). Hell, I'd even be open to not having a screen on it at all

That said, it could be a nice feature to have the bottom line scrolling and/or data display switchable by the push button.
IE; Scrolling, Wind ave, Wind gust, daily rain, rain rate, pressure, scrolling....

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RE: What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - werk_ag - 17-01-2015

(17-01-2015, 04:40)uncle_bob Wrote:  That said, it could be a nice feature to have the bottom line scrolling and/or data display switchable by the push button.
IE; Scrolling, Wind ave, Wind gust, daily rain, rain rate, pressure, scrolling....

LCD display, already have almost all this...
The last display line, automatically switch between Wind Speed and Direction, Today Rain or Days Without Rain, Solar Radiation and UV.
I know you prefer Wind Gust instead of Wind Speed (average of the last 5 minutes), but it can be easily changed on the code, or added in future releases, who knows...
Additionally with a double click on the press button, you can see TX unit battery or power supply voltage, and case temperature (via TMP36).

I really believe that an LCD display is enough for the main RX unit. To watch my weather data in a color display I prefer a bigger 2.4" or 2.8"" TFT driven by an Wireless Display unit. I can move it from place to place, or have as many units as I want, placed where I need.
No other weather station system offer this possibility, at least, at the low cost of the WeatherDuino Pro2 Wireless Display units.

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RE: What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - werk_ag - 21-03-2015

If you have already read this topic (WeatherDuino Pro2 Data Logger), now you could better understand why, almost two months ago I started this thread, but at that time I could not say more.

Now it's clear: If you intend to use the data logger function (supported in a upcoming software version), you must use in your main RX unit, an LCD display instead of the small 1.8" TFT display.

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RE: What is better for an RX unit, TFT or LCD display? - werk_ag - 23-03-2016

Since more than a year, that we are recommending the users for not use of the 1.8" TFT display with the RX units. The reason is explained on the posts above.

From v2.0 software on, support for the 1.8" TFT display was definitely removed from the RX software.
Some of the pins left free, specially the Led+ and Led - pins can now be used for a more interesting feature. Drive a relay based on a user programmable condition!
A thread dedicated to this subject will published soon.

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