ESP32-P4 AllSky Display

A comprehensive image display system for ESP32-P4 with advanced features including multi-image cycling, hardware acceleration, web configuration, and MQTT integration.

Features

Image Display & Processing

• Multi-Image Cycling: Automatically cycle through multiple image sources
• Hardware Acceleration: PPA (Pixel Processing Accelerator) for fast scaling and rotation
• Real-time Transformations: Scale, rotate, and position images dynamically
• Smart Screen Clearing: Optimized rendering to prevent flickering
• JPEG Support: Efficient JPEG decoding with format validation
• Memory Management: PSRAM-optimized buffering for smooth performance

Image Cycling System

• Multiple Image Sources: Support for up to 10 different image URLs
• Cycling Modes: Sequential or random order
• Configurable Intervals: Set custom cycling and update intervals
• Persistent State: Remembers current image across reboots
• Real-time Control: Change cycling settings through web interface

Web Configuration Interface

• Modern UI: Clean, responsive web interface
• Real-time Status: Live system and image status monitoring
• Network Configuration: WiFi and MQTT settings
• Image Source Management: Add, remove, and configure image sources
• Display Settings: Brightness, update intervals, and cycling options
• System Monitoring: Memory usage, uptime, and health status

Interactive Controls

• Touch Interface: Intuitive touch gestures for image control
• Serial Commands: Real-time image manipulation via serial interface
• Transform Controls: Scale (+/-), Move (WASD), Rotate (QE)
• Brightness Control: Adjust display brightness (L/K)
• System Commands: Memory info (M), Network info (I), PPA status (P)
• Reset Functions: Transform reset (R), System reboot (B)

MQTT Integration

• Remote Control: Control brightness and system functions via MQTT
• Status Publishing: Publish brightness and system status
• Configurable Topics: Customizable MQTT topic structure
• Secure Connection: Support for authenticated MQTT connections

System Monitoring & Reliability

• Watchdog Protection: Comprehensive watchdog timer management
• Memory Monitoring: Real-time heap and PSRAM usage tracking
• Network Health: WiFi connection monitoring and recovery
• Error Handling: Robust error detection and recovery mechanisms
• Performance Metrics: Download speeds, processing times, and system health

Touch Interface

• GT911 Touch Controller: Capacitive touch support via I2C interface
• Gesture Recognition: Single and double-tap gesture detection
• Smart Debouncing: Advanced timing controls to prevent false triggers
• Touch Actions:
  • Single tap: Advance to next image in cycling sequence
  • Double tap: Toggle between cycling and single refresh modes
• Mode Control: Switch between automatic cycling and manual refresh modes
• Visual Feedback: Touch actions confirmed via debug output

Hardware Acceleration

• PPA Integration: Hardware-accelerated image scaling and rotation
• Optimized Rendering: Direct bitmap drawing for maximum performance
• Memory Efficiency: Smart buffer management for large images
• Fallback Support: Software processing when hardware acceleration unavailable

Demo

Watch the ESP32-P4 AllSky Display in action:

View on YouTube

3D Printed case

Printables link for 3D printed case

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots showcasing the ESP32-P4 AllSky Display system in operation:

System Display Screenshots

Hardware Setup

ESP32-P4 with DSI Display setup

Hardware Requirements

• ESP32-P4 microcontroller
• DSI Display compatible with ESP32-P4 (with touch interface)
• GT911 Touch Controller (integrated with compatible displays)
• PSRAM enabled (required for image buffering)
• WiFi Connection for image downloading

Installation

1. Arduino IDE Setup:

   • Install ESP32 board support (version 3.2.1 or later)
   • Enable PSRAM in Tools menu
   • Install required libraries (see Dependencies section)

2. Upload Code:

   • Flash the main sketch to your ESP32-P4
   • Configure WiFi credentials through web interface or serial

3. Initial Wi-Fi setup:

   • Edit config_storage.cpp file
   • change the following piece of code to set wifi credentials

     void ConfigStorage::setDefaults() {
        // Set hardcoded defaults from original config.cpp
        config.wifiSSID = "";
        config.wifiPassword = "";

4. Configuration:

   • Access web interface at device IP address
   • Configure image sources and cycling settings
   • Set update intervals and display preferences

Dependencies

• ESP32 Core (3.2.1+)
• GFX Library for Arduino (1.6.0+)
• JPEGDEC (1.8.2+)
• PubSubClient (2.8+)
• Built-in Libraries: HTTPClient, WebServer, WiFi, Preferences

Configuration

Web Interface Configuration

• Access: http://[device-ip]:8080/
• Image Sources: Add/remove URLs in cycling configuration
• Display Settings: Brightness, update intervals
• Network Settings: WiFi and MQTT configuration
• System Monitor: Real-time status and diagnostics

Touch Controls

Single Tap    : Advance to next image (cycling mode)
Double Tap    : Toggle cycling/single refresh modes

Touch Modes:

• Cycling Mode: Automatically cycles through multiple image sources
• Single Refresh Mode: Stays on current image, refreshes periodically

Serial Commands

+/-   : Scale image up/down
W/S   : Move image up/down
A/D   : Move image left/right
Q/E   : Rotate image 90° CCW/CW
R     : Reset all transformations
L/K   : Brightness up/down
B     : Reboot device
M     : Memory information
I     : Network information
P     : PPA acceleration status
T     : MQTT status
H/?   : Show help

System Architecture

Modular Design

• Config Management: Persistent storage with web interface
• Display Manager: Hardware abstraction and rendering
• Touch Manager: GT911 touch controller interface and gesture recognition
• Network Manager: WiFi connectivity and monitoring
• MQTT Manager: Message broker integration
• System Monitor: Health monitoring and watchdog
• PPA Accelerator: Hardware acceleration interface

Memory Management

• PSRAM Utilization: Large image buffers stored in PSRAM
• Smart Buffering: Multiple buffers for smooth transitions
• Memory Monitoring: Real-time usage tracking and alerts

Error Handling

• Watchdog Protection: Prevents system freezes
• Network Recovery: Automatic WiFi reconnection
• Download Timeouts: Configurable timeout protection
• Format Validation: JPEG header verification

Performance Features

Download Optimization

• Chunked Downloads: Efficient streaming with progress monitoring
• Timeout Protection: Multiple timeout layers prevent hanging
• Connection Management: Automatic cleanup and retry logic
• Progress Feedback: Real-time download status

Rendering Optimization

• Hardware Acceleration: PPA for scaling and rotation
• Smart Clearing: Minimal screen updates to prevent flickering
• Buffer Management: Optimized memory usage
• Transform Caching: Efficient transformation pipeline

System Monitoring

• Performance Metrics: Download speeds, processing times
• Memory Tracking: Heap and PSRAM usage monitoring
• Health Checks: System stability monitoring
• Debug Information: Comprehensive logging system

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Compilation Errors:

   • Ensure PSRAM is enabled in Arduino IDE
   • Check ESP32 core version (3.2.1+)
   • Verify all dependencies are installed

2. Memory Issues:

   • Monitor PSRAM usage through serial output
   • Reduce image buffer sizes if needed
   • Check for memory leaks in debug output

3. Network Problems:

   • Verify WiFi credentials
   • Check image URL accessibility
   • Monitor network status through web interface

4. Display Issues:

   • Verify DSI display compatibility
   • Check display initialization in serial output
   • Ensure proper wiring and power supply

5. Touch Issues:

   • Verify GT911 touch controller is properly connected
   • Check I2C connection and address configuration
   • Monitor touch debug output in serial console
   • Ensure touch controller reset pin is properly configured

Debug Information

• Serial Output: Comprehensive debugging information
• Web Interface: Real-time system status
• Memory Monitor: Heap and PSRAM usage tracking
• Network Status: Connection monitoring and diagnostics

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is open source. Please check the license file for details.

Support

For issues, feature requests, or questions:

• Create an issue in the GitHub repository
• Check the troubleshooting section above
• Monitor serial output for debugging information