SparkFun Forums

[mpanetta]

Does anyone know of a cheap ARM (or other) based CPU that is not in a BGA package that has a built in TFT LCD controller? I would prefer one that can do at least 16BPP preferably all the way up to 24BPP.

I have seen the LPC247x from NXP and the price point is almost perfect, but they do not seem to exist in distribution anywhere...

Basically I just want something simple that I can use to make an SPI/I2C/UART/USB (or whatever) interface to a raw TFT display. Preferably one like the PSP or Nintendo DS displays. All the chips I have found are way too expensive and way over powered for what I want to do, plus you have to hang sdram and flash off them which drives the cost up even more. The perfect controller I think would be ARM7 based, have 256-512K of built in flash and up to 512K of built in SRAM. If it does not have enough ram adding SRAM is pretty cheap, so I could handle that expense. Something in the $10 range would be perfect...

If anyone knows of any chips that would fit the list and *actually exist* that would be awsome!

TIA,
Mike

[Azoore]

There isn't anything, except the LPC2478. There's the BlueStreak microcontrollers, but they need external memory as I'm sure you know. If you can't wait for the LPC2478, I would go for a cheaper ARM and an external LCD controller, or an ARM and a CPLD/FPGA. It'll probably be more expensive, but it will work for sure. I can't say that about the first rev of the LPC2478

[clemtaylor]

Does anyone know of a cheap ARM (or other) based CPU that is not in a BGA package that has a built in TFT LCD controller? I would prefer one that can do at least 16BPP preferably all the way up to 24BPP.

I'm getting ready to use an Atmel AVR32 (AT32AP7000) part to control the PSP LCD. It runs Linux and has what looks to be a fairly easy to use TFT controller. Initially I'm just using the NGW100 eval board (~$70), which has a header for the LCD controller.

Sadly, the AT32AP700[02] are BGA parts, the AT32AP7001 is a LQFP 208 package but it doesn't have the LCD controller [grrrr].

[mpanetta]

I did the same, thats actually what inspired me. The AVR32 is damn cool by the way. I am thinking of making a board based on it that would work with the PSP display... Wish it werent BGA, but at least there are places that will stuff them for you pretty cheap...

Mike

[directgumby]

Hello,

The LCD on the LPC2378 Dev Board actually runs off of a SPI bus...
So, fairly easy to program to... but a small screen for sure.

As a side note I've been looking at some of the small ARM systems that support the .Net Micro Framework but those are only now starting hit the market with support Micro Framework boot loaders... once I get one up and running i'll let you know as it should make programming for the LCD quick and easy... although you do lose true real-time if that is a core need for you.

Thanks