This is a good place to start if you’re already familiar with the classic ESP32 architecture and want to explore graphics and touch.


Introduction
The classic ESP32 is capable of doing so many tasks including driving a graphics display along with capacitive touch. It has enough horsepower to do graphics and simple animations because of its powerful core, the Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor, along with its various peripherals. Additionally, there are endless applications you can do with an ESP32, including low-power IoT, audio streaming, MP3 playback, voice, and the like. Couple this with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality and you’ll end up with an excellent wireless capable device.
The WT32-SC01 - ESP32 with integrated LCD Display, Touch and Expansion Slots
The WT32-SC01 combines an ESP32 module (ESP32-WROVER-B) with a 3.5-inch (320×480) LCD screen with a capacitive touch (2-point control) feature. The ESP32’s ports are routed conveniently through expansion slots, which allow you to extend the board’s features to interface with other peripherals such as sensors, communication, or power devices.
The ESP-32 WROVER-B Module
The main microcontroller is housed in an ESP-32 WROVER-B module. This classic, time-tested module includes extension PSRAM (8MB) and Flash (16MB) chips. These extensions allow you to write long lines of code and work on your data sets conveniently. The ESP32 WROVER-B module also incorporates a PCB antenna for WiFi and Bluetooth wireless functionality.
HOw to Code for the WT32-SC01
There are several ways to code for the WT32-SC01 board which are listed below.
Using a GUI Development Platform called 8ms
WT32-SC01 is compatible with a GUI development platform called 8ms. 8ms is an internal tool developed in conjunction with the board’s hardware manufacturer. Through this tool, you can develop colorful touch-controlled GUIs. 8ms can also incorporate Blocky code for simple development. If you want to compile custom code, you may have to build a development environment in VS code.
Using Arduino IDE along with the TFT_eSPI and FT6236 Libraries
You have learned how to compile and program for your ESP32 boards in Arduino IDE. With this, you can straight away program the LCD display of WT32-SC01. Simply install the TFT_eSPI library. Below is an example code to write ‘Hello World’ on the LCD screen.
#include // Include the graphics library (this includes the sprite functions)
TFT_eSPI tft = TFT_eSPI(); // Create object "tft"
void setup() {
tft.init();
tft.setRotation(1); // Set the display orientation
tft.fillScreen(TFT_BLACK); // Clear the screen with black color
tft.setTextColor(TFT_WHITE, TFT_BLACK); // Set text color to white with black background
tft.drawString("Hello, WT32-SC01!", 10, 10, 4); // Draw text on the screen
}
void loop() {
// Your code here
}
To write code for the capacitive touch interface, install the FT6236 library.
Use LVGL Library with SquareLine Studio
The recommended way to easily incorporate open-source graphics on this board is to use the LVGL library along with SquareLine Studio. This method creates jaw-dropping visuals simulated from your PC and then transferred to your ESP32. Afterward, you can compile the resulting code in your favorite development environment (ESP-IDF or Arduino IDE).
Conclusion
The WT32-SC01 is an excellent tool for developing graphics and touch along your custom applications using the classic ESP32. It has expansion slots to access its ports easily. You can easily code for it using its in-house 8ms app, or through open-source tools like LVGL with SquareLineStudio.