Anyone had success with SEED Studio XIAO 7.5" ePaper Display

ESPHome
1

Having spent a couple of days with it I can say it has driven me to deep levels of frustration.

It is currently stuck in a loop of

[19:05:55][I][online_image:102]: Updating image http://192.168.1.168:10000/epaper-display/epaper-display?viewport=800x480&eink=2&format=jpeg
[19:06:05][W][http_request.arduino:116]: HTTP Request failed; URL: http://192.168.1.168:10000/epaper-display/epaper-display?viewport=800x480&eink=2&format=jpeg; Error: connection refused
[19:06:05][E][component:174]: Component http_request set Error flag: unspecified
[19:06:05][E][online_image:135]: Download failed.
[19:06:06][E][component:188]: Component http_request cleared Error flag

The url I am using to get the screenshot of the Dashboard using the recommended Puppet works perfectly if posted into a browser and dutifully creates 1 800x480 black and white version without issue.

But the ESPHome is just chugging up against this error and I have no idea how to fix it.

Anyone got any ideas?

This is trying every 30 seconds.

I have high hopes this ePaper display will actually do something because at the moment it is just being a ePaperweight :slight_smile:

2

Your yaml would assist.

3

Hi thanks

captive_portal:
http_request:
  verify_ssl: false
  timeout: 10s
  watchdog_timeout: 15s

online_image:
  - id: dashboard_image
    format: PNG
    type: BINARY
    buffer_size: 30000
    url: http://192.168.1.168:10000/epaper-display/epaper-display?viewport=800x480&eink=2&format=jpeg
    update_interval: 30s
    on_download_finished:
      - delay: 0ms
      - component.update: main_display

spi:
  clk_pin: GPIO8
  mosi_pin: GPIO10

display:
  - platform: waveshare_epaper
    id: main_display
    cs_pin: GPIO3
    dc_pin: GPIO5
    busy_pin: GPIO4
    reset_pin: GPIO2
    model: 7.50inv2
    update_interval: never
    lambda: |-
      it.image(0, 0, id(dashboard_image));    

I have just included the Captive Portal down do you need the rest?

Just went to the URL I specced and it generated :-):

epaper-display2
epaper-display2800×480 3.27 KB

Successfully and I was able to DL it without any issues

4

I’m not familiar with this component, but the format: PNG together with

...&format=jpeg
looks counter-intuitive.

5

Good catch - trying png setting now

6

ugh no progress

[14:31:17][C][http_request:019]:   Watchdog Timeout: 15000ms
[14:31:36][I][online_image:102]: Updating image http://192.168.1.168:10000/epaper-display/epaper-display?viewport=800x480&eink=2&format=png
[14:31:46][W][http_request.arduino:116]: HTTP Request failed; URL: http://192.168.1.168:10000/epaper-display/epaper-display?viewport=800x480&eink=2&format=png; Error: connection refused
[14:31:46][E][component:174]: Component http_request set Error flag: unspecified
[14:31:46][E][online_image:135]: Download failed.
[14:31:46][W][component:257]: Component online_image took a long time for an operation (10010 ms).
[14:31:46][W][component:258]: Components should block for at most 30 ms.
[14:31:47][E][component:188]: Component http_request cleared Error flag
[14:31:56][I][safe_mode:041]: Boot seems successful; resetting boot loop counter
[14:31:56][D][esp32.preferences:114]: Saving 1 preferences to flash...
[14:31:56][D][esp32.preferences:143]: Saving 1 preferences to flash: 0 cached, 1 written, 0 failed

Looks like it will be a paperweight :frowning:

7

I have also tried with the one provided in the instructions still no joy.

Just wondering if the connection refused is to do with vlan, opening up the paper device to talk to Home Assistant.

8

Nope networking not the issue - opened up bi directional traffic between paper and Home Assistant .

So something else if refusing the connection.

Just to be sure I’ll rebuild paper on the same vlan as Home Assistant just to be sure

9

OK Success!

By putting the Home Assistant and ePaper Display (ESPHOME device) on the same vlan fixed it.

Weird thing is they ONLY way to do this, because with the ePaper on the same vlan I could no longer update the esphome device over wifi and had to install the yaml by having the paper device connected by usb to my computer.

But hey it is working and now I can focus on getting the dashboard better and the screen will reflect whatever I put on there

IMG_8316
IMG_83161920×1080 125 KB

10

This is why most regulars avoid trying to fix any vlan based problem :slight_smile: . Glad you got it fixed.

1 Like
11

I am continuing to play with it. It may not be a vlan issue after all.

I am looking at why updates using wifi don’t work any and I get a connection refused

BUT if I update manually using a USB cable between computer and esphome device does work and no connection refused when getting the png file from Home Assistant.

The reason I noticed was because when I switched Home Assistant and esphome device to the same vlan I could no longer connect to the esphome device over wifi and had to do a manual install.

I suspect an issue with Puppet.

12

If it moved up address you may need to use use_address see https://esphome.io/components/wifi#configuration-variables

13

Might be a stab in the dark, however recently i noticed that a full reboot is sometimes needed after updating the configuration. Flashing it via USB might have triggered just that.

Based on your explanation however, it is not logical that the network itself would not form some sort of bottleneck though…

1 Like
14

Having now got it working I and that now configured to display anything I put on the ePaper Dashboard extremely reluctant to mess with is further.

I have documented how I got it to work and will refer to it again if I need to change the device again.

But at this stage not sure what the http requested was being denied by.

15

Thanks for the link, my first foray into ESPHome so all guidance very much appreciated.

As my only experience ESPHome is this ePaper my install/configure has been absolutely rote sticking to the instructions provided with this device.

This has peaked my interest so will look for another ESPHome device I can cut my teeth on :slight_smile:

16

You don’t have to look far, they are all over AliExpress/Amazon/eBay.

17

If you want something pleasing to play with and learn, pick Esp Wroom32 board.
If you want to challenge yourself find some Tuya device that uses large quantity of undocumented components like port expanders etc… :wink:

18

Is that a genuine recommendation for a noob or are you you just being mean :slight_smile:

19

Kindest possible.
Obviously I don’t know your objective… Some people even enjoy pain. :sweat_smile:

20

The pain is good - embrace the pain :slight_smile: