ESPHome + Waveshare 2.9inv2 e-ink display + partial refresh = flicker/artifacts?

da_syygy · August 30, 2021, 6:58am

Hi, I have tried this display on a Wemos D1 Mini Esp32. It works fine as long as I set it to full refresh every x seconds. If I try partial refresh the screen flickers with noise and the resulting image is garbage with missing pixels. As I want to use it for a generic info display where there is not a lot of change (temperatures, humidity, etc.) this is not a very big deal as I can set the full refresh to 10min or even longer. But still annoying to see the screen flash when it is performed…
Any ideas how to remediate this?

Burro · November 29, 2021, 2:43pm

Do you have any update on this issue? I just got this display and I’m facing the same problem.
Setting full_update_every to anything higher than 1 produces noise.

da_syygy · November 29, 2021, 3:13pm

Nope, the display currently gathers dust in the drawer… I have to reactivate it sometimes. There were several updates to ESPhome in the meantime, disappointing to hear that you are still facing the issue

Burro · November 29, 2021, 3:59pm

I found to open issues on this topic:

github.com/esphome/issues

Waveshare ePaper 2.9" Rev2.1 - flickering screen refreshing problem.

opened 05:33PM - 19 Aug 21 UTC

dougle03

integration: waveshare_epaper

### The problem Following the example within the ESPHome.io page `https://next.…esphome.io/components/display/waveshare_epaper.html` I've paired up a Waveshare ePaper 2.92 board version 2.1 to a Wemos D1 Mini and loaded the code. I get the basic itprint text on boot up, but on next refresh the screen shows noise, then flashes the correct display then fades to nearly nothing until the next refresh where the cycle repeats. ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/59865048/130116131-43196272-9850-4878-895d-cbc729fb58c7.png) ### Which version of ESPHome has the issue? 2021.9.0-dev ### What type of installation are you using? Docker ### Which version of Home Assistant has the issue? Not applicable ### What platform are you using? ESP8266 ### Board Wemos D1 (Clone) ### Component causing the issue Waveshare ePaper 2.9" rev2.1 ### Example YAML snippet ```yaml yaml below. spi: clk_pin: D0 mosi_pin: D1 #miso_pin: D7 #not connected display: - platform: waveshare_epaper cs_pin: D2 dc_pin: D3 busy_pin: D4 reset_pin: D5 model: 2.90inv2 #id: mydisplay update_interval: 30s full_update_every: 180 rotation: 90° #brightness: 100% lambda: |- //Header it.strftime(0, 0, id(font4), TextAlign::TOP_LEFT, "%a %H:%M", id(esptime).now()); it.print(0, 50, id(font3), "TESTING"); ``` ``` ### Anything in the logs that might be useful for us? ```txt Nothing in the logs of note. ``` ### Additional information https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/59865048/130116613-ad30d677-3dce-4061-958c-a3fba39d5742.mp4

github.com/esphome/issues

Waveshare not working after PR2366 :dev

opened 10:31AM - 22 Sep 21 UTC

dougle03

integration: waveshare_epaper

### The problem 2.9" ePaper (Waveshare) v2.1 no longer updates at all. Sever…al reboots of the ESP. No initial full refresh is being performed. This is a new issue, but could be related to the refresh issue #2334 ### Which version of ESPHome has the issue? dev ### What type of installation are you using? Docker ### Which version of Home Assistant has the issue? NA ### What platform are you using? ESP8266 ### Board D1 mini ### Component causing the issue Waveshare 2.9" ePaper v2.1 display ### Example YAML snippet ```yaml spi: clk_pin: D0 mosi_pin: D1 #DIN #miso_pin: D7 #not connected display: - platform: waveshare_epaper cs_pin: D2 dc_pin: D6 busy_pin: D7 reset_pin: D5 model: 2.90inv2 id: mydisplay update_interval: 15s full_update_every: 1 rotation: 90 #brightness: 100% lambda: |- it.printf(127, 0, id(font3), TextAlign::TOP_RIGHT, "ePaper1"); ``` ``` ### Anything in the logs that might be useful for us? ```txt Logs look normal. ``` ### Additional information does work with 2021.9.0 albeit with refreshing issues. see issue #2334 The work around for that was to set the full_refresh: to 1 - The downside is a full refresh every update. This appears to be a regression after `PR#2366`

But apparently no one is able to fix this. I think at least the documentation (Waveshare E-Paper Display — ESPHome) should be updated and the 2.9inv2 should be removed from the ‘full_update_every’ option as long as it is not working.

Lakini · March 14, 2022, 10:19pm

Hey everyone, do i get this right that as long as I want to stick to esphome, the only way to run an e-ink display is (at least at the moment) to have the whole screen “blink”/flash everytime I want to update anything on the screen? At least when I need a decent screen size, as the only other screen that supports partial refresh (and doesn’t cost a fortune) is the 1.54 inch version from what I found when comparing supported screens (Waveshare E-Paper Display — ESPHome) with available models that support partial refresh (“Selection guide” at the bottom of 200x200, 1.54inch E-Ink display module, SPI interface | HINK-E0154A05 WFC0000CZ07).

Well, let’s hope the fix gets finally published soon :-/

ncross · March 21, 2022, 10:14pm

I’ve had the same issue. @Lakini I don’t know of a way to make it partial refresh in home assistant. I’m just going to use a full refresh and slow down the refresh rate of my display (maybe every 45-60s) and see how long it lasts.