2.8" TFT Touchscreen Breakout Board Issues

[bboyd0808]

I am having trouble getting my 2.8" TFT Touchscreen breakout board using the 8-Bit mode to work. I have tried re-wiring it twice but am still having the same issues. Everything compiles correctly when I try to run the graphics test but the screen stays white.

I don't think there is an issue with my soldering (although admittedly I am still new at it)

The serial monitor shows this:

TFT LCD test
Using Adafruit 2.8" TFT Breakout Board Pinout
Unknown LCD driver chip: 0
If using the Adafruit 2.8" TFT Arduino shield, the line:
#define USE_ADAFRUIT_SHIELD_PINOUT
should appear in the library header (Adafruit_TFT.h).
If using the breakout board, it should NOT be #defined!
Also if using the breakout, double-check that all wiring
matches the tutorial.

I am fairly certain that I have wired it correctly (or at least one of the 3 times I did) and followed all of the instructions in the tutorial but I am not sure where to go from here? I used the shield version previously so I have seen this program work before on my computer/Arduino. Is there anything else that could be causing this issue? I wanted to try 8-Bit first since I can afford the pins but should I just go with SPI since I think it will be sufficient in my project?

If this helps:
-I am using a 7805 for power (although this does not seem to be the issue since I see the white screen)
-I have tried other examples with the same issues (even ones I created for the shield)

[Franklin97355]

Did you comment out the line in Adafruit_TFT.h as it said to?

[bboyd0808]

Yes, I think my TFTLCD.h file should be correct.

// IMPORTANT: SEE COMMENTS @ LINE 15 REGARDING SHIELD VS BREAKOUT BOARD USAGE.

// Graphics library by ladyada/adafruit with init code from Rossum
// MIT license

#ifndef _ADAFRUIT_TFTLCD_H_
#define _ADAFRUIT_TFTLCD_H_

#if ARDUINO >= 100
#include "Arduino.h"
#else
#include "WProgram.h"
#endif

#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>

// **** IF USING THE LCD BREAKOUT BOARD, COMMENT OUT THIS NEXT LINE. ****
// **** IF USING THE LCD SHIELD, LEAVE THE LINE ENABLED: ****

//#define USE_ADAFRUIT_SHIELD_PINOUT 1

[Franklin97355]

OK. Could you post clear pictures of your board and the connections to it?
I'll take a look. Also you might try re-installing the libraries to see if that was the problem.

[bboyd0808]

Ok, I just tried to download the libraries again and this did not fix the issue. I have taken pictures and posted them on my photobucket http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/bboyd ... t=3&page=1.

It is hard to get a good picture of mine since I am using jumper wires, so let me try and explain where the wires are going.

In photo 1 (showing digital pins) from left to right:

-Yellow wire D7 to Arduino 7
-Orange wire D6 to Arduino 6
-Black wire D5 to Arduino 5
-Yellow wire D4 to Arduino 4
-Green wire D3 to Arduino 3
-Red wire D2 to Arduino 2
-Blue wire D1 to Arduino 9
-Orange wire D0 to Arduino 8

In photo 2 (Analog PIns) from left to right:
-Green wire from RST to Arduino Reset
-Yellow wire from RD to Arduino A0
-Orange wire from WR to Arduino A1
-Green wire from C/D to Arduino A2
-White wire from CS to Arduino A3
-Red 5V power
-Blue ground

[Franklin97355]

Jumpers look OK but I would get a flux pen and hit those solder joints again. Hold your iron at the junction of the pad and the post for good thermal transfer. Thae a look at this Soldering Guide

[bboyd0808]

Thanks for posting the guide. I realized that I am using too much solder and maybe not heating the pad like I should. I tried to clean it up some (see most recent photobucket image) but it still isn't working. Do you think this is the issue? And if so, should I just try to solder the SPI side and try this mode?

I appreciate your guidance.

[bboyd0808]

Today, after a helpful tip from a friend, I used a multimeter to check continuity from the pins to the chips. All pins are showing continuity. After laughing at my soldering "skills", he suggested that there is a possibility that I blew one of the chips while soldering if I held it on too long..I can see how this is a possibility, but do you think this is the cause of the issue that I am seeing? If so, could I still use SPI mode?

[Franklin97355]

They didn't look burned at all so I would say that isn't the problem. When you redo the solder make sure there is no solder splash between the pins and anything else.

[lantonyj]

Hello franklin97355,

I have bboyd's break out board, cleaned up the solder connections and reconnected it to my arduino Uno rev 3, same as his. Triple checked pin connection, made sure #define line was commented out and Initially I saw the same as he did in serial monitor, displayed below:

TFT LCD test
Using Adafruit 2.8" TFT Breakout Board Pinout
Unknown LCD driver chip: 0
If using the Adafruit 2.8" TFT Arduino shield, the line:
#define USE_ADAFRUIT_SHIELD_PINOUT
should appear in the library header (Adafruit_TFT.h).
If using the breakout board, it should NOT be #defined!
Also if using the breakout, double-check that all wiring
matches the tutorial.

I simply changed the code to the following:

Code: Select all

uint16_t identifier = 0x9341;

Instead of

uint16_t identifier = tft.readID();

LCD screen still shows nothing but serial monitor now displays

TFT LCD test
Using Adafruit 2.8" TFT Breakout Board Pinout
Found ILI9341 LCD driver
Benchmark Time (microseconds)
Screen fill 1322300
Text 402048
Lines 4014848
Horiz/Vert Lines 139360
Rectangles (outline) 103144
Rectangles (filled) 3070156
Circles (filled) 1325008
Circles (outline) 1751224
Triangles (outline) 1274532
Triangles (filled) 1574956
Rounded rects (outline) 592428
Rounded rects (filled) 3622548
Done!

Could this be an indication that the pin layout or pin assignment provided by adafruit is incorrect? I read several post similar to this and there only seems to be an issue with the breakout board. Sometime ago a member had the exact problem as here, he simply asked for the shield pin schematic, which was provided, and the issue was "fixed".

Is there anyway for you to wire a breakout board in the 8bit configuration and test with the direction given on the site? This would help quickly determine if there is an issue from our end or adafruits.

Thank you for your time...