Character-Based LCD Display =========================== .. seo:: :description: Instructions for setting up character-based LCD displays. :image: lcd.jpg .. _lcd-pcf8574: PCF8574 ------- The ``lcd_pcf8574`` display platform allows you to use standard character-based LCD displays like `this one `__ with ESPHome. This integration is only for LCD displays that display individual characters on a screen (usually 16-20 columns and 2-4 rows), and not for LCD displays that can control each pixel individually. This version of the LCD integration is for LCD displays with an PCF8574 connected to all the data pins. This has the benefit that you only need to connect two data wires to the ESP instead of the 6 or 10 with the :ref:`lcd-gpio`. As the communication with the :ref:`I²C Bus `, you need to have an ``i2c:`` section in your configuration. .. figure:: images/lcd-pcf8574.jpg :align: center :width: 75.0% The PCF8574 chip attached to the LCD Display. .. figure:: images/lcd-hello_world.jpg :align: center :width: 60.0% .. code-block:: yaml # Example configuration entry i2c: sda: D0 scl: D1 display: - platform: lcd_pcf8574 dimensions: 18x4 address: 0x3F lambda: |- it.print("Hello World!"); Configuration variables: ************************ - **dimensions** (**Required**, string): The dimensions of the display with ``COLUMNSxROWS``. If you're not sure, power the display up and just count them. - **address** (*Optional*, int): The :ref:`I²C ` address of the PCF8574 chip, defaults to ``0x3F``. - **lambda** (*Optional*, :ref:`lambda `): The lambda to use for rendering the content on the display. See :ref:`display-lcd_lambda` for more information. - **update_interval** (*Optional*, :ref:`config-time`): The interval to re-draw the screen. Defaults to ``1s``. - **id** (*Optional*, :ref:`config-id`): Manually specify the ID used for code generation. .. _lcd-gpio: GPIO ---- The ``lcd_gpio`` display platform allows you to use standard character-based LCD displays like `this one `__ with ESPHome. This integration is only for LCD displays that display individual characters on a screen (usually 16-20 columns and 2-4 rows), and not for LCD displays that can control each pixel individually. Also, this is the GPIO version of the LCD integration where each of the data pins of the LCD needs a dedicated GPIO pin on the ESP. These LCD displays are also commonly sold with a PCF8574 chip which only need two lines to the ESP, for that see :ref:`lcd-pcf8574`. .. figure:: images/lcd-full.jpg :align: center :width: 75.0% LCD Display. .. code-block:: yaml # Example configuration entry display: - platform: lcd_gpio dimensions: 18x4 data_pins: - D0 - D1 - D2 - D3 enable_pin: D4 rs_pin: D5 lambda: |- it.print("Hello World!"); Configuration variables: ************************ - **dimensions** (**Required**, string): The dimensions of the display with ``COLUMNSxROWS``. If you're not sure, power the display up and just count them. - **data_pins** (**Required**, list of :ref:`Pin Schemas `): A list of the data pins you have hooked up to the LCD. The list can either be 8 items long (when you have connected all 8 data pins), or 4 items long (if you're operating in 4-bit mode with either the first 4 data pins connected or the last 4 data pins connected). - **enable_pin** (**Required**, :ref:`Pin Schema `): The pin you have ``EN`` hooked up to. - **rs_pin** (**Required**, :ref:`Pin Schema `): The pin you have ``RS`` hooked up to. - **rw_pin** (*Optional*, :ref:`Pin Schema `): Optionally set the pin you have ``RW`` hooked up to. You can also just permanently connect that pin to GND. - **lambda** (*Optional*, :ref:`lambda `): The lambda to use for rendering the content on the display. See :ref:`display-lcd_lambda` for more information. - **update_interval** (*Optional*, :ref:`config-time`): The interval to re-draw the screen. Defaults to ``1s``. - **id** (*Optional*, :ref:`config-id`): Manually specify the ID used for code generation. .. _display-lcd_lambda: Rendering Lambda ---------------- The LCD displays has a similar API to the fully fledged :ref:`display-engine`, but it's only a subset as LCD displays don't have a concept of individual pixels. In the lambda you're passed a variable called ``it`` as with all other displays. In this case however, ``it`` is an instance of either ``GPIOLCDDisplay`` or ``PCF8574LCDDisplay``. The most basic operation with LCD Displays is writing static text to the screen as in the configuration example at the top of this page. Each of the three methods (``print``, ``printf`` and ``strftime``) all optionally take a column and row arguments at the beginning which can be used to print the text at a specific position. These arguments are set to ``0`` (column) and ``0`` (row) by default which means the character at the top left. .. code-block:: yaml display: - platform: lcd_gpio # or lcd_pcf8574 # ... lambda: |- // Print 0 at the top left it.print("0"); // Print 1 at the second row and second column. it.print(1, 1, "1"); // Let's write a sensor value (let's assume it's 42.1) it.printf("%.1f", id(my_sensor).state); // Result: "42.1" (the dot will appear on the "2" segment) // Print a right-padded sensor value with 0 digits after the decimal it.printf("Sensor value: %8.0f", id(my_sensor).state); // Result: "Sensor value: 42" // Print the current time it.strftime("It is %H:%M on %d.%m.%Y", id(my_time).now()); // Result for 10:06 on august 21st 2018 -> "It is 10:06 on 21.08.2018" # (Optional) For displaying time: time: - platform: sntp id: my_time .. note:: If you're not seeing anything on the display, make sure you try turning the contrast potentiometer around. Please see :ref:`display-printf` for a quick introduction into the ``printf`` formatting rules and :ref:`display-strftime` for an introduction into the ``strftime`` time formatting. Backlight Control ----------------- For the GPIO based display, the backlight is lit by applying Vcc to the A pin and K connected to ground. The backlight can draw more power than the microcontroller output pins can supply, so it is advisable to use a transistor as a switch to control the power for the backlight pins. With the ``lcd_pcf8574`` the backlight can be turned on by ``it.backlight()`` and off by ``it.no_backlight()`` in the display lambda definition. The jumper on the PCF8574 board needs to be closed for the backlight control to work. Keep in mind that the display lambda runs for every ``update_interval``, so if the backlight is turned on/off there, it cannot be overridden from other parts. Here is one solution for a typical use-case where the backlight is turned on after a motion sensor activates and turns off 90 seconds after the last activation of the sensor. .. code-block:: yaml display: - platform: lcd_pcf8574 id: mydisplay # ... binary_sensor: - platform: gpio # ... on_press: then: - binary_sensor.template.publish: id: backlight state: ON - binary_sensor.template.publish: id: backlight state: OFF - platform: template id: backlight filters: - delayed_off: 90s on_press: then: - lambda: |- id(mydisplay).backlight(); on_release: then: - lambda: |- id(mydisplay).no_backlight(); See Also -------- - :doc:`index` - :doc:`/components/switch/gpio` - :doc:`/components/binary_sensor/gpio` - :doc:`/components/pcf8574` - :apiref:`lcd_base/lcd_display.h` - `Arduino LiquidCrystal Library `__ - :ghedit:`Edit`