ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 Standard version

ESP32-S3, Type-C USB & UART

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 With plastic case

ESP32-S3, Type-C USB & UART

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3
With case and prism cube

ESP32-S3, Type-C USB & UART

Overview

Introduction

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 is a high-performance, low-power development board launched by Waveshare, designed for Internet of Things (IoT), wearable devices, and smart home applications. This development board features a 1.3inch high-resolution LCD screen, providing clear and vivid display effects to meet various real-time data display needs. At the same time, the onboard ESP32-S3 system-on-chip (SoC) integrates high-performance low-power Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 (BLE) functions, and the stacked 16MB external Flash and 8MB PSRAM provide developers with the flexibility to develop complex applications and provide enough storage space. The board also has a lithium battery charging chip to support battery management functions, a six-axis sensor (three-axis accelerometer and three-axis gyroscope) for accurate motion detection and attitude sensing, and a TF card slot for easy data storage and expansion functions. Whether it is smart hardware development, environmental monitoring, smart wearables, or mobile devices, it can provide strong performance support and flexible development space, which is an ideal choice for IoT products.

Features

Equipped with high-performance Xtensa 32-bit LX7 dual-core processor, up to 240MHz main frequency
Supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth 5 (BLE), with onboard antenna
Built-in 512KB SRAM and 384KB ROM, with onboard 16MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM
Onboard 1.3inch LCD display, 240×240 resolution, 262K color
Onboard IMU, TD card slot; Lead out the 16PIN GPIO pin; Make it suitable for various occasions

Onboard Resources

1. ESP32-S3R8
Dual-core processor, up to 240MHz operating frequency
2. Patch ceramic antenna

3. 16MB Flash

4. TF card slot

5. Charge indicator
The indicator light turns off when fully charged

6. PL4054 Battery recharge manager Chip

7. ME6217C33M5G
Low dropout regulator, 800mA output (Max.)

8. MX1.25 Lithium battery interface

9. QST attitude sensor
QMI8658 (six-axis gyro accelerometer)

Interfaces

For more details, please refer to the Schematic diagram

Dimensions

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-B

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-C

Usage Instructions

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 currently provides two development tools and frameworks, Arduino IDE and ESP-IDF, providing flexible development options, you can choose the right development tool according to your project needs and personal habits.

Development Tools

Arduino IDE

Arduino IDE is an open source electronic prototyping platform, convenient and flexible, easy to get started. After a simple learning, you can start to develop quickly. At the same time, Arduino has a large global user community, providing an abundance of open source code, project examples and tutorials, as well as rich library resources, encapsulating complex functions, allowing developers to quickly implement various functions.

ESP-IDF

ESP-IDF, or full name Espressif IDE, is a professional development framework introduced by Espressif Technology for the ESP series chips. It is developed using the C language, including a compiler, debugger, and flashing tool, etc., and can be developed via the command lines or through an integrated development environment (such as Visual Studio Code with the Espressif IDF plugin). The plugin offers features such as code navigation, project management, and debugging, etc.

Each of these two development approaches has its own advantages, and developers can choose according to their needs and skill levels. Arduino are suitable for beginners and non-professionals because they are easy to learn and quick to get started. ESP-IDF is a better choice for developers with a professional background or high performance requirements, as it provides more advanced development tools and greater control capabilities for the development of complex projects.

Components Preparation

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 x1
TF card (capacity less than 64G) x1
USB cable (Type A male to Type C male) x 1
The following example program is based on ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3

Before operating, it is recommended to browse the table of contents to quickly understand the document structure. For smooth operation, please read the FAQ carefully to understand possible problems in advance. All resources in the document are provided with hyperlinks for easy download.

Working with Arduino

This chapter introduces setting up the Arduino environment, including the Arduino IDE, management of ESP32 boards, installation of related libraries, program compilation and downloading, as well as testing demos. It aims to help users master the development board and facilitate secondary development.

Environment Setup

Download and Install Arduino IDE

Click to visit the Arduino official website, select the corresponding system and system bit to download
Run the installer and install all by default

The environment setup is carried out on the Windows 10 system, Linux and Mac users can access Arduino-esp32 environment setup for reference

Install ESP32 Development Board

Before using ESP32-related motherboards with the Arduino IDE, you must first install the software package for the esp32 by Espressif Systems development board
According to board installation requirement, it is generally recommended to use Install Online. If online installation fails, use Install Offline.
For the installation tutorial, please refer to Arduino board manager tutorial

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 required development board installation description
Board name	Board installation requirement	Version number requirement
esp32 by Espressif Systems	"Install Offline" / "Install Online"	≥2.0.9 & <3.0.0

Install Library

When installing Arduino libraries, there are usually two ways to choose from: Install online and Install offline. If the library installation requires offline installation, you must use the provided library file
For most libraries, users can easily search and install them through the online library manager of the Arduino software. However, some open-source libraries or custom libraries are not synchronized to the Arduino Library Manager, so they cannot be acquired through online searches. In this case, users can only manually install these libraries offline.
For library installation tutorial, please refer to Arduino library manager tutorial

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 library file path:

..\ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-Demo\Arduino\libraries

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 library file installation description
Library Name	Description	Version	Library Installation Requirement
Adafruit_NeoPixel	RGB light control library	v1.12.4	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
Arduino_GFX	Arduino graphics library	v1.4.9	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
AnimatedGIF	GIF graphics decoding library	v2.1.1	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
ArduinoJson	Json parsing library	v6.21.2	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
HttpClient	HTTP client library	v2.2.0	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
lvgl	lvgl graphical library	v8.3.7	"Install Offline"
SensorLib	QMI8658 sensor driver library	v0.2.6	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
TFT_eSPI	Graphical library	v2.5.0	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
Time	ESP32 timer library	v1.6.1	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
TJpg_Decoder	JPG graphics decoding library	v1.0.8	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
JPEGDEC	JPG graphics decoding library	v1.6.1	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"
JPEGDecoder	JPG graphics decoding library	v2.0.0	"Install Online" or "Install Offline"

Run the First Arduino Demo

If you are just getting started with ESP32 and Arduino, and you don't know how to create, compile, flash, and run Arduino ESP32 programs, then please expand and take a look. Hope it can help you!

New Project

Run the Arduino IDE and select File -> New Sketch
Enter the code:

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  Serial.println("Hello, World!");
  delay(2000);
}

Save the project and select File -> Save As.... In the pop-up menu, select the path to save the project, and enter a project name, such as Hello_World, click Save

Compile and Flash Demos

Select the corresponding development board, take the ESP32S3 motherboard as an example:

①. Click to select the dropdown menu option Select Other Board and Port;
②. Search for the required development board model esp32s3 dev module and select;
③. Select COM Port;
④. Save the selection.

Some development boards with specified version numbers support direct model selection, for example, "Waveshare ESP32-S3-LCD-1.69":

If the ESP32S3 mainboard only has a USB port, you need to enable USB CDC, as shown in the following diagram:

Compile and upload the program:

①. Compile the program; ②. Compile and download the program; ③. Download successful.

Open the Serial Monitor window, and the demo will print "Hello World!" every 2 seconds, and the operation is as follows:

Demo

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 demo
Demo	Basic Description	Dependency Library
01_AstronautClock	Astronaut GUI	TFT_eSPI, TJpg_Decoder, HTTPClient, lvgl, AnimatedGIF
02_SD_Video	TF card play video	Arduino_GFX_Library,JPEGDEC
03_SDIMG_Game2048	TF card image browser and Game	TFT_eSPI, JPEGDecoder, Adafruit_NeoPixel, Sensor, lvgl
04_Snake	Snake Game	TFT_eSPI,Sensor
05_WIFI_AP	ESP32S3 as AP	-
06_WIFI_STA	ESP32S3 as STA	-

Arduino Project Parameter Setting

01_AstronautClock

Demo description

Realize the astronaut dial UI interface through networking; After entering the directory, you can see two demos: AstronautClock-NoPrism and AstronautClock-Prism. The former is suitable for the prism-free version, while the latter is suitable for the prism version.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

In the file AstronautClock_NoPrism.ino, find ssid and password, then modify them to the SSID and Password of the available router in your current environment.

const char *ssid = "you_ssid"; 
const char *password = "you_password";

Result demonstration

02_SD_Video

Demo description

By reading the video file inside the TF card and then playing it to the interface; Once you're in the catalog, you'll see two examples: SD_Video_NoPrism and SD_Video_Prism. The former is suitable for the prism-free version, while the latter is suitable for the prism version.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

Copy the mjpeg files under the Data directory to the TF card, then insert the TF card into the development board, and finally flash the demo.

Result demonstration

03_SDIMG_Game2048

Demo description Read the images from the TF card and quickly render them on the screen. After rendering all the images from the TF card, enter the Game2048 game interface.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

Currently, image display only supports JPG format. The development board is equipped with a QMI sensor, which can control the movement of the game through adjusting the angle of the development board.

Result demonstration

04_Snake

Demo description

This example is a highly reference-worthy and playable snake game.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

The development board is equipped with a QMI sensor, which can control the direction of the game through adjusting the angle of the development board.

Result demonstration

05_WIFI_AP

Demo description

This demo can set the development board as a hotspot, allowing phones or other devices in STA mode to connect to the development board.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

In the file 05_WIFI_AP.ino, find ssid and password, then a phone or other device in STA mode can connect to the development board using these ssid and password.

const char *ssid = "ESP32_AP";
const char *password = "12345678";

Result demonstration

After flashing the program, open the serial terminal, if the device is successfully connected to the hotspot, the MAC address of the device will be output, as shown in the figure:

06_WIFI_STA

Demo description

This example can configure the development board as a STA device to connect to the router and access the system network.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

In the file 05_WIFI_STA.ino, find ssid and password, then modify them to the SSID and Password of the available router in your current environment.

const char *ssid = "you_ssid"; 
const char *password = "you_password";

Result demonstration

After flashing the program, open the serial terminal, if the device is successfully connected to the hotspot, the IP address obtained will be output, as shown in the figure:

Working with ESP-IDF

This chapter introduces setting up the ESP-IDF environment setup, including the installation of Visual Studio and the Espressif IDF plugin, program compilation, downloading, and testing of demos, to assist users in mastering the development board and facilitating secondary development.

Environment Setup

Download and Install Visual Studio

Open the download page of VScode official website, choose the corresponding system and system bit to download
After running the installation package, the rest can be installed by default, but here for the subsequent experience, it is recommended to check boxes 1, 2, and 3
- After the first two items are enabled, you can open VSCode directly by right-clicking files or directories, which can improve the subsequent user experience.
- After the third item is enabled, you can select VSCode directly when you choose how to open it

The environment setup is carried out on the Windows 10 system, Linux and Mac users can access ESP-IDF environment setup for reference

Install Espressif IDF Plugin

It is generally recommended to use Install Online. If online installation fails due to network factor, use Install OIffline.
For more information about how to install the Espressif IDF plugin, see Install Espressif IDF Plugin

Run the First ESP-IDF Demo

If you are just getting started with ESP32 and ESP-IDF, and you don't know how to create, compile, flash, and run ESP-IDF ESP32 programs, then please expand and take a look. Hope it can help you!

New Project

Create Demo

Using the shortcut F1, enter esp-idf:show examples projects

Select your current IDF version

Take the Hello world demo as an example

①Select the corresponding demo
②Its readme will state what chip the demo applies to (how to use the demo and the file structure are described below, omitted here)
③Click to create the demo

Select the path to save the demo, and require that the demos cannot use folders with the same name

Modify COM Port

The corresponding COM ports are shown here, click to modify them
Please select the COM ports according to your device (You can view it from the device manager)
In case of a download failure, please press the Reset button for more than 1 second or enter download mode, and wait for the PC to recognize the device again before downloading once more

Modify Driver Object

Select the object we need to drive, which is our main chip ESP32S3

Choose the path to openocd, it doesn't affect us here, so let's just choose one

Other Status Bar Functions

①.ESP-IDF Development Environment Version Manager, when our project requires differentiation of development environment versions, it can be managed by installing different versions of ESP-IDF. When the project uses a specific version, it can be switched to by utilizing it
②.Device flashing COM port, select to flash the compiled program into the chip
③.Select set-target chip model, select the corresponding chip model, for example, ESP32-P4-NANO needs to choose esp32p4 as the target chip
④.menuconfig, click it to Modify sdkconfig configuration file Project configuration details
⑤.fullclean button, when the project compilation error or other operations pollute the compiled content, you can clean up all the compiled content by clicking it
⑥.Build project, when a project satisfies the build, click this button to compile
⑦.Current download mode, the default is UART
⑧.flash button, when a project build is completed, select the COM port of the corresponding development board, and click this button to flash the compiled firmware to the chip
⑨.monitor enable flashing port monitoring, when a project passes through Build --> Flash, click this button to view the log of output from flashing port and debugging port, so as to observe whether the application works normally
⑩.Debug
⑪.Build Flash Monitor one-click button, which is used to continuously execute Build --> Flash --> Monitor, often referred to as "little flame"

Compile, Flash and Serial Port Monitor

Click on the all-in-one button we described before to compile, flash and open the serial port monitor

It may take a long time to compile especially for the first time

During this process, the ESP-IDF may take up a lot of CPU resources, so it may cause the system to lag
If it is the first time to flash the program for a new project, you will need to select the download method, and select UART

This can also be changed later in the Download methods section (click on it to pop up the options)

As it comes with the onboard automatic download circuit, it can be downloaded automatically without manual operation
After successful download, it will automatically enter the serial monitor, you can see the chip output the corresponding information and be prompted to restart after 10S

Use the IDF Demos

The following takes ESP32-S3-LCD-1.47-Demo as an example to introduce the two opening methods of the project and the general steps of use, and the detailed explanation of the ESP-IDF project. If you use other projects, the operation steps can be applied similarly.

Open In the Software

Open VScode software and select the folder to open the demo

Select the provided ESP-IDF example and click to select the file (located in the /Demo/ESP-IDF path under demo)

Open from Outside the Software

Select the project directory correctly and open the project, otherwise it will affect the compilation and flashing of subsequent programs

After connecting the device, select the COM port and model, click below to compile and flash to achieve program control

ESP-IDF Project Details

Component: The components in ESP-IDF are the basic modules for building applications, each component is usually a relatively independent code base or library, which can implement specific functions or services, and can be reused by applications or other components, similar to the definition of libraries in Python development.
- Component reference: The import of libraries in the Python development environment only requires to "import library name or path", while ESP-IDF is based on the C language, and the importing of libraries is configured and defined through CMakeLists.txt.
- The purpose of CmakeLists.txt: When compiling ESP-IDF, the build tool CMake first reads the content of the top-level CMakeLists.txt in the project directory to read the build rules and identify the content to be compiled. When the required components and demos are imported into the CMakeLists.txt, the compilation tool CMake will import each content that needs to be compiled according to the index. The compilation process is as follows:

Demo

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 demo
Demo	Basic Description	Dependency Library
01_WIFI_AP	ESP32S3 as AP	-
02_WIFI_STA	ESP32S3 as STA	-
03_FactoryProgram	Comprehensive project	LVGL

01_WIFI_AP

Demo description

This demo can set the development board as a hotspot, allowing phones or other devices in STA mode to connect to the development board.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

In the file softap_example_main.c, find SSID and PASSWORD, and then your phone or other device in STA mode can use the SSID and PASSWORD to connect to the development board.

#define EXAMPLE_ESP_WIFI_SSID      "waveshare_esp32"
#define EXAMPLE_ESP_WIFI_PASSWORD      "wav123456"

Result demonstration

After flashing the program, open the serial terminal, if the device is successfully connected to the hotspot, the MAC address and IP address of the device will be output, as shown in the figure:

02_WIFI_STA

Demo description

This example can configure the development board as a STA device to connect to the router and access the system network.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

In the file esp_wifi_bsp.c, find ssid and password, then modify them to the SSID and Password of the available router in your current environment.

wifi_config_t wifi_config = {
      .sta = {
        .ssid = "PDCN",
        .password = "1234567890",
      },
  };

Result demonstration

After flashing the program, open the serial terminal, if the device is successfully connected to the hotspot, the IP address obtained will be output, as shown in the figure:

03_FactoryProgram

Demo description

This is a comprehensive project for testing onboard functionality. This example requires a specific IDF version, and versions V5.2.0 and above may not be able to scan for surrounding WiFi. If the test fails due to a high version, you can compile using a lower version or directly use the BIN firmware we provide.

Hardware connection

Connect the board to the computer using a USB cable

Code analysis

It has features including RGB LEDs, QMI, Wi-Fi, SD_Card, BLE, PSRAM, Flash, BAT, ADC, and backlight control. With the board placed with the USB end facing down, standing upright and perpendicular to the ground can achieve turning off the LCD backlight (the backlight will turn on when placed normally on the desk)

Result demonstration

First enter the color display screen, and display the R, G, B colors with a 1.5s interval

After displaying RGB, enter the multi-functional display interface

Flash Firmware Flashing and Erasing

The current demo provides test firmware, which can be used to test whether the onboard device functions properly by directly flashing the test firmware
bin file path:
```
..\ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-Demo\Firmware
```

Flash firmware flashing and erasing for reference

Resources

Schematic Diagram

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 Schematic diagram

Structure Diagram

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 Structure Diagram

Demo

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3 Demo

Datasheets

ESP32-S3

Other Components

1.3inch_LCD_Module Datasheet

Software Tools

Arduino

VScode

VScode official website

Firmware Flashing Tool

flash_download_tool_3.9.7

FAQ

Question: Failed to set up the VSCode environment?

Answer:

First consider the network issue, try switching to another network

Question: Error when compiling an Arduino program?

Answer:

Check if the Arduino IDE -> Tools is correctly configured
Is the ESP32 version in Arduino consistent with the demo requirement?

Question: How to deal with the first compilation of the program being extremely slow?

Answer:

It's normal for the first compilation to be slow, just be patient

Question: How to handle the display "waiting for download..." on the serial port after successfully ESP-IDF flashing?

Answer:

If there is a reset button on the development board, press the reset button; if there is no reset button, please power it on again

Question: What should I do if I can't find the AppData folder?

Answer:

Some AppData folders are hidden by default and can be set to show.
English system: Explorer->View->Check "Hidden items"
Chinese system: File Explorer -> View -> Display -> Check "Hidden Items"

Question: How do I check the COM port I use?

Answer:

Windows system:

①View through Device Manager: Press the Windows + R keys to open the "Run" dialog box; input devmgmt.msc and press Enter to open the Device Manager; expand the "Ports (COM and LPT)" section, where all COM ports and their current statuses will be listed.
②Use the command prompt to view: Open the Command Prompt (CMD), enter the "mode" command, which will display status information for all COM ports.
③Check hardware connections: If you have already connected external devices to the COM port, the device usually occupies a port number, which can be determined by checking the connected hardware.

Linux system:

①Use the dmesg command to view: Open the terminal.
①Use the ls command to view: Enter ls /dev/ttyS* or ls /dev/ttyUSB* to list all serial port devices.
③Use the setserial command to view: Enter setserial -g /dev/ttyS* to view the configuration information of all serial port devices.

Question: Why does the program flashing fail when using a MAC device?

Answer:

Install MAC Driver and flash again.

Question: How to choose lithium batteries?

Answer:

Normal 3.7V-4.2V lithium battery, and exposed PH1.25 battery holder on the development board

Question: How to use SquareLine Studio to design interfaces?

Answer:

Please refer to SquareLine Studio tutorial

Support

Technical Support

If you need technical support or have any feedback/review, please click the Submit Now button to submit a ticket, Our support team will check and reply to you within 1 to 2 working days. Please be patient as we make every effort to help you to resolve the issue.
Working Time: 9 AM - 6 PM GMT+8 (Monday to Friday)

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ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3

Overview

Introduction

Features

Onboard Resources

Interfaces

Dimensions

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-B

ESP32-S3-LCD-1.3-C

Usage Instructions

Development Tools

Arduino IDE

ESP-IDF

Components Preparation

Working with Arduino

Environment Setup

Download and Install Arduino IDE

Install ESP32 Development Board

Install Library

Run the First Arduino Demo

New Project

Compile and Flash Demos

Demo

Arduino Project Parameter Setting

01_AstronautClock

02_SD_Video

03_SDIMG_Game2048

04_Snake

05_WIFI_AP

06_WIFI_STA

Working with ESP-IDF

Environment Setup

Download and Install Visual Studio

Install Espressif IDF Plugin

Run the First ESP-IDF Demo

New Project

Create Demo

Modify COM Port

Modify Driver Object

Other Status Bar Functions

Compile, Flash and Serial Port Monitor

Use the IDF Demos

Open In the Software

Open from Outside the Software

ESP-IDF Project Details

Demo

01_WIFI_AP

02_WIFI_STA

03_FactoryProgram

Flash Firmware Flashing and Erasing

Resources

Schematic Diagram

Structure Diagram

Demo

Datasheets

ESP32-S3

Other Components

Software Tools

Arduino

VScode

Firmware Flashing Tool

Other Resource Links

FAQ

Support