Skip to main content

FAQ

Q: What is the purpose of the CH32? Why are some pins controlled by CH32?

The CH32 is a microcontroller from WCH, primarily used as an I/O expander controller. The ESP32‑C5 acts as the main controller and communicates with the CH32 via I2C. The CH32, functioning as a slave device, controls certain peripheral pins according to commands sent by the ESP32‑C5.

Since the ESP32‑C5 has a limited number of available GPIOs, signals that only require high/low level control, such as LCD_RST, PA_CTRL, etc., are managed by the CH32. This conserves ESP32‑C5 GPIO resources and centralizes the control logic for some peripherals.

In addition, backlight PWM control is also provided by the CH32, corresponding to CH32_PWM. Users can refer to the 01_ch32_test example and the relevant interfaces in the BSP project for integration and secondary development.

Q: I cannot connect to the serial port when reprogramming the device. What should I do?

A:

  1. First, open the task manager and check whether other applications, such as Arduino IDE or VS Code, are occupying the serial port. If so, close the relevant application and retry. Restart your computer if necessary.
  2. Try entering download mode: disconnect USB, press and hold the BOOT button on the board, reconnect to your computer, then release the BOOT button. Afterwards, re‑check whether the COM port is detected correctly.
  3. Check whether you are connecting the board through a docking station or hub. If so, try connecting directly to a USB port on your computer.
  4. If the issue persists, try multiple USB cables that support data transfer, such as phone data cables.
Q: How can I check the current COM port?

A: On Windows, open Device Manager and expand "Ports (COM & LPT)" to view the port number. On Linux, use ls /dev/ttyUSB* or dmesg in the terminal to check for the serial device.

Q: Why can't the weather example in the factory firmware retrieve weather information?

The weather example requires connecting to a specified Wi‑Fi hotspot before it can access the weather API to fetch data. Please follow these steps to verify:

  1. Turn on the Wi‑Fi hotspot before powering up the board, and ensure the hotspot name and password match those in the example program:

    Wi‑Fi SSID: weather-wifi
    Wi‑Fi Password: 12345678

  2. If the weather information still cannot be retrieved, first try connecting to the hotspot with your phone or computer to confirm that the hotspot is working and has internet access.

  3. Verify that the hotspot is operating on a Wi‑Fi band supported by the device, and check whether the network has firewall restrictions, no internet access permissions, or limited API access.

Q: Can I use the board without a TF card?

A: Yes. Examples that require TF card read/write or audio file reading will not work.

Q: What should I be aware of when using the TF card?

A: The board supports TF cards up to 64 GB. Please format the card as FAT32 before use.

Q: What is the difference between 04_sd_music and 05_spiff_music? Aren't they both for playing audio?

A: Both 04_sd_music and 05_spiff_music are audio playback examples, but they differ in where the audio files are stored and their applicable scenarios.

  1. The 04_sd_music example plays audio files from the TF card. Before using it, format the TF card as FAT32, create a music folder in the root directory, and place .mp3 audio files into that folder.

  2. The 05_spiff_music example plays audio files stored in the Flash file system, making it suitable for building a music player interface with LVGL.

The key difference is that the ESP32‑C5 has limited SPI resources, and both the TF card and the LCD share the same bus. If audio data is frequently read from the TF card while refreshing the LVGL interface, real‑time performance may degrade, causing playback stuttering or display issues. Therefore, 04_sd_music is mainly used to verify TF card audio playback functionality without turning on the display, while 05_spiff_music plays audio from Flash, allowing better integration with the screen interface for a complete music player demonstration.

Q: Why is there no serial output after successfully flashing the code?

A: The ESP32‑C5‑Touch‑LCD‑2.8 uses the native USB functionality of the ESP32‑C5. Check the USB CDC, serial output, and port configuration in your project, and make sure the serial monitor is using the correct port and baud rate.

Q: Can I remove the screen myself?

A: The screen is bonded to the backplane. Do not attempt to remove it or pry open the adhesive layer, as this may damage the display.

Q: What is the maximum brightness of the screen?

A: 450 cd/㎡.