this post was submitted on 08 Dec 2025
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41
What microcontroller options do I have? (slrpnk.net)
submitted 2 days ago by faythofdragons@slrpnk.net to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
24 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I've been wanting to make a 1:220 scale megacity diorama and don't know what options I have. I'm projecting I'll need to control the speed of two motors, some LEDs, and maybe a dozen or so tiny screens as digital billboards. It's the screens I'm worried most about.

I'd like to scavenge digital displays from e-waste, group them by type/resolution, and have a slideshow for each group that rotates throughout the city.

My initial idea was to use digital photo frames, but they're too big, and used ones are still too expensive for the quantity I need.

I'm assuming I will need multiple controllers(/processors?), but I don't know enough terminology to find what I need. I'm still thinking out the diorama, so if it's too hard/expensive I can just do backlit decals, but that's boring.

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[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (11 children)

ESP32-S3 will do everything you want and then some. And you can do it all without any programming by using ESPHome. And they are incredibly cheap (starting around $3 a board and up depending on options).

There are more suited, fancier, better options, like using STM32FX microcontrollers, but that will require more knowledge, programming skills, and you'll find it harder to get help.

[–] Steve@startrek.website 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Esphome is not going to run random displays

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Wonder what's running this display then

Considering there's not much else on this board

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

TBF, nothing was running the display when you took the pictures!

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That's fair. It was a $10 Bitcoin lottery miner and it auto boots to the mining software and I didn't want to give them free advertisement.

But trust the display works.

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

I've no doubt; I'm just teasing!

[–] Steve@startrek.website 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I cant see the code in this picture…

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

? That's like the one thing that's super visible. It starts with "ESP32".

[–] Steve@startrek.website 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

ESPhome is software that generates code, ESP32 is hardware.

I know the hardware is capable.

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 1 points 2 days ago

Oh, my bad. I thought you were talking about the silicone. I don't really consider myself a bright person. Again super sorry if I sounded rude.

[–] wildbus8979@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 days ago

It sure does, with its in-house display library, nexion displays, or LVGL.

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