SOLVED: ILI9486, Waveshare 3.5" display works with Waveshare_ILI9486 but not with TFT_eSPI on Espduino32

[nogi47]

Hi,
I used an "old" Waveshare 3.2" display with an ILI9341 controller.
It worked quite nicely with TFT_eSPI including buttons and touch.

But unfortunately I broke it and had to replace it.
The replacement came with an ILI9486 controller.

Since the pins on both displays are the same I did not expect any problems besides
changing the #define ILI9341_DRIVER in User_Setup.h to #define ILI9486_DRIVER.

After days of frustrating trial and ERROR I signed up on GitHUB and hope you can help me
solve this puzzle.

When I upload the Sketch only the backlight and the touch functions work.
I can use the defined buttons and in the serial monitor even the touch functions work.
Seems like the SPI function is working properly but only for the touch controller.

I even tried to compare the init sequences of both libraries but that´s beyond my capabilities.
What else do you need in order to help me?

This is my User_Setup.h

`
// See SetupX_Template.h for all options available

#define ILI9486_DRIVER
// For the Waveshare shield, these are the default.
#define TFT_DC 14
#define TFT_CS 5
#define TFT_MOSI 23
#define TFT_CLK 18
#define TFT_RST 12
#define TFT_MISO 19
#define TFT_BL 13

#define TOUCH_CS 17

#define TOUCH_IRQ 25
#define TOUCH_BUSY 27

#define TFT_BACKLIGHT_ON HIGH // Level to turn ON back-light (HIGH or LOW)

#define SD_CS 16
//#define TFT_SDA_READ // This option is for ESP32 ONLY, tested with ST7789 and GC9A01 display only

/*
// These are the definitions which worke fine with Waveshare.h
constexpr unsigned int LCD_CS = 5; // 10; // LCD Chip Select
constexpr unsigned int LCD_BL = 13; // 9; // LCD Backlight
constexpr unsigned int LCD_RST = 12; // 8; // LCD Reset
constexpr unsigned int LCD_DC = 14; // 7; // LCD Data/Control

constexpr unsigned int TP_CS = 17;   // 4;
constexpr unsigned int TP_IRQ = 25;  // 3
constexpr unsigned int TP_BUSY = 27; // 6

constexpr unsigned int SD_CS = 16;   // 5;

/
/
#define TFT_DC 13 //4
#define TFT_CS 12
#define TFT_RST 4 //2
#define TFT_MISO 19
#define TFT_MOSI 23
#define TFT_CLK 18

#define TFT_CS PIN_D8 // Chip select control pin D8
#define TFT_DC PIN_D3 // Data Command control pin
#define TFT_RST PIN_D4 // Reset pin (could connect to NodeMCU RST, see next line)
//#define TFT_RST -1 // Set TFT_RST to -1 if the display RESET is connected to NodeMCU RST or 3.3V
*/

#define LOAD_GLCD // Font 1. Original Adafruit 8 pixel font needs ~1820 bytes in FLASH
#define LOAD_FONT2 // Font 2. Small 16 pixel high font, needs ~3534 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT4 // Font 4. Medium 26 pixel high font, needs ~5848 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT6 // Font 6. Large 48 pixel font, needs ~2666 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.apm
#define LOAD_FONT7 // Font 7. 7 segment 48 pixel font, needs ~2438 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:.
#define LOAD_FONT8 // Font 8. Large 75 pixel font needs ~3256 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.
#define LOAD_GFXFF // FreeFonts. Include access to the 48 Adafruit_GFX free fonts FF1 to FF48 and custom fonts

#define SMOOTH_FONT

#define SPI_FREQUENCY 20000000
//#define SPI_FREQUENCY 40000000
// #define SPI_FREQUENCY 80000000

#define SPI_READ_FREQUENCY 10000000

#define SPI_TOUCH_FREQUENCY 2500000

// #define SUPPORT_TRANSACTIONS
================end of User_Setup.h ===============
`

Init sequence from Waveshare_ILI9486.cpp

`
void initializeLcd()
{
// Trigger hardware reset.
digitalWrite(LCD_RST, HIGH);
delay(5);
digitalWrite(LCD_RST, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(20);
digitalWrite(LCD_RST, HIGH);

	//  TO-DO - how long after a reset until the screen can be used?  Doesn't seem to be
	//  specified in the datasheet.
	//  Experimentally, any less than this and the initial screen clear is incomplete.
	delay(65);

	startWrite();
	{
		//  Power control settings
		lcdWriteCommand(0xC0, 0x19, 0x1a);
		lcdWriteCommand(0xC1, 0x45, 0x00);
		lcdWriteCommand(0xC2, 0x33);        //  Power/Reset on default

		lcdWriteCommand(0xC5, 0x00, 0x28);  //  VCOM control

		lcdWriteCommand(0xB1, 0xA0, 0x11);  //  Frame rate control

		lcdWriteCommand(0xB4, 0x02);        //  Display Z Inversion

		lcdWriteReg(0xB6);                  //  Display Control Function      
		lcdWriteData(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x42);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x3B);

		lcdWriteReg(0xE0);                  //  Positive Gamma control
		lcdWriteData(0x1F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x25);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x22);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x0B);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x06);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x0A);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x4E);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0xC6);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x39);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);

		lcdWriteReg(0XE1);                  //  Negative Gamma control
		lcdWriteData(0x1F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x3F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x3F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x0F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x1F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x0F);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x46);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x49);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x31);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x05);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x09);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x03);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x1C);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x1A);
		lcdWriteDataContinue(0x00);

`
==============Init sequence from Waveshare_ILI9486.cpp ==========

[nogi47]

After a few days of trial and error my problem is finally solved :-))
A simple #define RPI_DISPLAY_TYPE in my User_setup.h did it.

The working User_setup.h
`// See SetupX_Template.h for all options available
#define RPI_DISPLAY_TYPE
#define ILI9486_DRIVER
#define TFT_WIDTH 320
#define TFT_HEIGHT 480
// For the Waveshare shield, these are the default.
#define TFT_SCLK D13 //18
#define TFT_MISO D12 //19 // (leave TFT SDO disconnected if other SPI devices share MISO)
#define TFT_MOSI D11 //23
#define TFT_CS D10 // Chip select control pin
#define TFT_DC D7 //14
#define TFT_RST D8 //12
#define TFT_BL D9 // 13

#define TOUCH_CS 17

#define TOUCH_IRQ 25
#define TOUCH_BUSY 27

#define TFT_BACKLIGHT_ON HIGH // Level to turn ON back-light (HIGH or LOW)

#define SD_CS 16
//#define TFT_SDA_READ // This option is for ESP32 ONLY, tested with ST7789 and GC9A01 display only

/*
// These are the definitions which worke fine with Waveshare.h
constexpr unsigned int LCD_CS = 5; // 10; // LCD Chip Select
constexpr unsigned int LCD_BL = 13; // 9; // LCD Backlight
constexpr unsigned int LCD_RST = 12; // 8; // LCD Reset
constexpr unsigned int LCD_DC = 14; // 7; // LCD Data/Control

constexpr unsigned int TP_CS = 17;   // 4;
constexpr unsigned int TP_IRQ = 25;  // 3
constexpr unsigned int TP_BUSY = 27; // 6

constexpr unsigned int SD_CS = 16;   // 5;

/
/
#define TFT_DC 13 //4
#define TFT_CS 12
#define TFT_RST 4 //2
#define TFT_MISO 19
#define TFT_MOSI 23
#define TFT_CLK 18

#define TFT_CS PIN_D8 // Chip select control pin D8
#define TFT_DC PIN_D3 // Data Command control pin
#define TFT_RST PIN_D4 // Reset pin (could connect to NodeMCU RST, see next line)
//#define TFT_RST -1 // Set TFT_RST to -1 if the display RESET is connected to NodeMCU RST or 3.3V
*/

#define LOAD_GLCD // Font 1. Original Adafruit 8 pixel font needs ~1820 bytes in FLASH
#define LOAD_FONT2 // Font 2. Small 16 pixel high font, needs ~3534 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT4 // Font 4. Medium 26 pixel high font, needs ~5848 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT6 // Font 6. Large 48 pixel font, needs ~2666 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.apm
#define LOAD_FONT7 // Font 7. 7 segment 48 pixel font, needs ~2438 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:.
#define LOAD_FONT8 // Font 8. Large 75 pixel font needs ~3256 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.
#define LOAD_GFXFF // FreeFonts. Include access to the 48 Adafruit_GFX free fonts FF1 to FF48 and custom fonts

#define SMOOTH_FONT

#define SPI_FREQUENCY 10000000
//#define SPI_FREQUENCY 40000000
// #define SPI_FREQUENCY 80000000

#define SPI_READ_FREQUENCY 5000000

#define SPI_TOUCH_FREQUENCY 2500000

// #define SUPPORT_TRANSACTIONS
`
Side note: DO NOT USE the "WEMOS_D1 R32" Board definition but the "DOIT ESPduino32" Board.

-NoGi47