ePaper Waveshare 4.2 Cloud Module with ESP32 (18525)

ESPHome
1

Hello,

I got an ePaper from Waveshare, 4.2 inch, called Cloud Module as it is delivered with an embedded ESP32 module (Expressif WROOM-32), providing BT and WLAN connectivity. It is sold under the SKU 18525.
I have configured it with the given App and it is visible in my network. It comes with some python functions from Waveshare that can be used to configure it.
I was able to put on text and images using such python scripts from an RPi I have in the network.

The problem is that these functions require extra python libs not available under HA.
At the moment I see two possible alternatives to use this ePaper:

  1. to write a new HA integration including such functions to have the ability to use the ePaper directly from HA ,
  2. to flash ESPhome on it

I do not have the original FW (and it is not available anywhere), so the option 2 is a “one way only” alternative. No coming back.
Therefore before doing it, I want to be sure I can get it working.

I have seen in the forum many cases with the 4.2 display, but I could not find any with this specific module I have.
Does anyone know if this is fully supported by ESPHome?
Is such case, which FW should I use to flash it?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestion / comment.

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epaper1792×552 27.7 KB

epaper2
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2

Hi
I bought this today, and can’t get it recognized by Windows 11, or ESP web flash tool.

Here is the direct link to the manufacturer

I have found these usb drivers, installed them, without beeing able to connect the screen to Windows
image

https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/software/CP210x_Windows_Drivers.zip
https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/software/CP210x_VCP_Windows.zip
https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/software/CP210x_Windows_Drivers_with_Serial_Enumeration.zip
https://www.wch.cn/downloads/file/5.html?time=2025-01-17%2023:24:12&code=36Mh5PTU9NztGgfdp2wUcAk22Wm775ts6GWZyQV6
https://www.wch.cn/downloads/file/314.html?time=2025-01-17%2023:24:11&code=NEbDT8tEE7M0s0eiOMsnTJIp5ar5M853eJjkTuFD
https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/software/CP210x_Universal_Windows_Driver.zip

Can you connect your device to your computer?
If so, what drivers do I need?
Best regards

3

Hi,
actually I haven’t tried yet to connect to the computer via USB. I have used first the BT and the the WiFi.
Before flashing a new FW I wanted to be sure that this is working, therefore my post, asking if anybody has already done it.
On the ESPhome pages it is not clear if this module is supported. Maybe someone from the team knows it.

4

My goal right now would be just to get the module to connect to my home wifi…
Secondly I would like to be able to flash EspHome onto it.

Would you mind sharing the settings you imputed in the “settings app” on your phone, to get the module to connect to your wifi network?
And also; does the app save AND upload the saved settings to the ESP32 mcu when you press “save config” in the app?

image
image465×1033 77.9 KB

The app is so poorly translated that I’m having trouble understanding it…

5

Hi,
you need to work with a 2.4GHz network, it will not work with 5 GHz.

  1. With the given App and the BT enabled on the phone/tablet search for the ePaper.
  2. On the ePaper itself press the button once, you should see 2 icons on the top left. The BT should be active. If you do not find it, keep the button pressed for more than 5 seconds, this enables again the BT on the ePaper.
  3. Once you see it in the App and you have paired it, you should see its name on the top of the screen you have shared.
  4. device id is whatever you want to call the ePaper
  5. Insert the data of your WiFi (id & pwd)
  6. The host_ip is the machine from which you want to send the configuration to the ePaper
  7. device_ip is the ip address of the ePaper itself
  8. gateway_ip is the ip address of your router
  9. netmask is 255.255.255.0
  10. I have enabled the default password (123456)
  11. Warning voltage is the threshold when you should get an alarm for low batt (I used 3200)
  12. Once you have inserted all data in the page, press save config, this saves the configuration in the app (4 available slots).
    I used them to change the IP address of the source, as I run tests from different machines,
    The command Load config retrieves a saved configuration from the app.

Once you are ready with all inputs, press upload config. This sends the data to the ePaper. Just wait some seconds. You should see 2 arrows on the ePaper and at the end it should blink twice.
If the input data is correct, you will see the WiFi icon as well on the ePaper.
Once the WiFi is active and connected, the BT is switched off completely. If you need it again to change something via the App, then you have to switch it on manually pressing the button for more than 5 seconds.
That’s it.

1 Like
6

Thanks
Got the display to update and work with the accompanied demo folder from the Waveshare wiki

i ran it on my LAN connected Windows 11 machine.

From the wiki

Summary

Configure Windows
This guide is made in Windows 10

Note：
Please make sure that you have installed python3 on your Windows PC and the default version is python3 if you installed multiple versions.
You may need to close the firewall to make the python work.

Install libraries
Open a CMD or Powershell to install libraries with the following commands:

#python3

python -m pip install tqdm
python -m pip install pillow
python -m pip install numpy
python -m pip install pypiwin32
python -m pip install progressbar

Download demo codes
Download the Windows demo, unzip, and enter the Cloud_WIN directory.

python
Note that you need to run the CMD or PowerShell under the Cloud_WIN direcoty and turn the following command.

python ./examples/***inch_display_EPD
For example：

#If you have 4.2inch e-Paper Cloud Module
python ./examples/4.2inch_display_EPD
#If you have2.13inch e-Paper Cloud Module
python ./examples/2.13inch_display_EPD
7

Good! :grinning:

Now the point still to clarify is if this will work well with ESPHome!
Maybe somebody from the ESPHome team could help…

8

I’ve tried to setup a Flask server parallel to my Home Assistant server on my RPi5. My thought was that the server would at as an intermediary for HA to send rest commands via Flask for updating the e-paper screen.

But my networking and coding skills are limited, and I gotta say that this device might not be right for me.

I just want to flash the ESP32 mcu with EspHome and “go at it”. Not develop a software suite.

9

The idea is good. But indeed it requires some extra coding.

I am now trying to setup a “developer” HA on an extra RPi 5 to create a new integration that can configure the ePaper directly. Also a lot of work.
But before breaking the ePaper with a FW that will not work, I’ll try this a try.