using Kindle display with Arduino ?

Hi everyone !
I have a little project to do, for the school, and I had the idea to use a eInk display to display informations about the thing we have to make. Simply, my question is : can I use a Kindle display ? You're gonna say "why do you want to get complicated and don't you use a shield like Sparkfun's or Adafruit's one ?", and the answer is simple : it's pretty small, and pretty expansive for this price.
I'd like to have a big screen (big is at least 6 inches), to display big things, so my main question is here : let's admit that I buy a Kindle display (you can find them on AliBaba, just a little example here), will I be able to use it with the Arduino ? If not, what can I use to be able to use it ?
Thank you in advance,
Thomas

One of two things need to happen for you to be able to use the Kindle-display on your Arduino.

1: You need the complete datasheet for the "E-paper"-display. This could be very hard to source, as the displays are usually a custom order, and only the manufacturer and customer holds these documents, which is not available to the public.

2: You have the means to "sniff" the communication between the "E-paper"-display and Kindle-motherboard. This will require a high-speed logic analyser, good insight on what you are looking at and a LOT of time.

After you have deducted how the Kindle talks to the display, you can get started writing some code.

I have no experience interfacing with e-paper-displays, but i would think it works a lot different from LCDs, as the display itself have a kind of "memory" - let's call it permanent persistence.

// Per.

  1. Yeah I found datasheets but not the good ones I guess, since there were not any electronic info but only measures... Still searching though.
  2. That will be complicated, and I don't have the hardware. But it would be a great deal if I could find how to use that. But I don't think having the necessary skill level fo' that.

So last question : I wanted a ePaper to get a big energy save, will a LCD be way more consumer ? (don't know if the sentence is correct :/). I plan to use two batteries of 8Ah each, but it's for Arduino + eletrical engines so...
Waiting for your answer.
Thanks again.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you about power consumption, you will have to do the math on that. Go for a LiPo battery if you can as they typically have longer lives.

Bill

If you use a static driven LCD, the power consumption will be very low. Like this kind:

http://cf.ydcdn.net/1.0.1.23/images/computer/_CUSTTN.GIF (Like the display on your scales, thermometers, clocks etc.) - They do require a specialised LCD driver, and is not dot-matrix, only "standard" segments and custom design.

// Per.

Do you know where I could find a custom one ?
Is it even possible or have I to find a satisfying existing one ?
Thanks again

Hoximor:
Do you know where I could find a custom one ?
Is it even possible or have I to find a satisfying existing one ?
Thanks again

http://bit.ly/1uQSnJD

// Per.