Does "ILI9328 TFT LCD Arduino" 2.4" screen use SPI or parallel data?

Other Hardware Displays
1

I use a 2.4" TFT screen made by mcufriend, which uses ILI9328 and ILI9328 TFT LCD Arduino and GFS library from adafruit.
I am able to use the display and sd read/write. And it worked with my arduino nano v3.1. The screen log I got is shown below.

However I am not sure whether it uses all the GPIO pins or just use SPI? I need extra GPIOs from either nano or uno. What could I do with it?

I would like same screen with touch also, what are the exact types ro buy? I am a bit confused with so many types out there. The fewer pins the better and refresh rate is not as important.

Thank you.

TFT LCD test
Using Adafruit 2.8" TFT Breakout Board Pinout
TFT size is 240x320
Found ILI9328 LCD driver
Benchmark                Time (microseconds)
Screen fill              1379120
Text                     194864
Lines                    1110804
Horiz/Vert Lines         145204
Rectangles (outline)     105368
Rectangles (filled)      3267644
Circles (filled)         1244160
Circles (outline)        472268
Triangles (outline)      251020
Triangles (filled)       1736480
Rounded rects (outline)  220308
Rounded rects (filled)   3805636
Done!
2

A photo of the pcb side of the Shield would be a lot more useful.

I would guess that it uses an 8080-16 interface for the data bus on D22-D37. With D38-D41 for control signals.

The microSD will use D50-D53 i.e. the regular Mega2560 SPI pins.
I doubt that the SD will ever work reliably on the Mcufriend Mega Shield.

There should be several accessible GPIO pins e.g. A0-A7
Use some angle header strip to poke out of the side of the Arduino when the shield is in place.

Untested. A photo of the pcb would get you accurate replies.

David.

3

Thank you david_prentice.
Please see image below. I do notice the build quality is below par and my sd file only writes to 190KB and stops. I build low speed data samplers so any recommendation would be welcome.

480×640 44 KB

tft
image hosting for website

4

I am suitably gobsmacked. The photo in #0 shows an 18x2 header possibly for a Mega2560.
Your photo in #2 shows a regular Uno Shield.

It should work with Adafruit_TFTLCD or MCUFRIEND_kbv library.
The SD should work fine too.

You can always use A5
If you don't use the SD, you can use D10-D13 as well.

David.

5

You are correct. It works with Uno plug and play.
On Nano I connected everything up with jumper wires. Left only with A4/5/6/7, and A4/5/6 is occupied by my sensor. A7 is input to ADC only.

I would like to use nano due to the size.
And I need some user interface, either a few buttons or touch.

6

God invented Shields so that you could plug them into your Arduino.

Your 2.4" display is exactly the same size as a Uno / Leonardo / Zero / ...
So I don' t see how you get an advantage from a Nano. And you MUST connect A4 to LCD_RESET pin.

Yes, the Nano has got A6, A7 but so do many Chinese Uno clones.

David.

7

true. nano seems more powerful than uno.
when all is done and if I don't use uart when code is finished, can i repurpose the uart pins for data io,
for example poll a button or interrupt.

8

Whether it is Uno or Nano, overriding the USART pins is a little painful. You are fighting the USB chip.

I don't see what is "powerful". Uno and Nano are both 16MHz and 5V. Same mega328p. A6, A7 are Analog only.

David.