Gen4-uLCD70DT - Can it be used as a calender clock ??

[MogaRaghu]

Came up with a code using ESP8266 + DS3231 RTC module + Gen4-uLCD70DT to do the following :

1. Show the (Line 1) Day of Week / (Line 2 ) HH : MM : SS / (Line 3) DD : MM: YYYY
2. Once everyday at midnight log on to the NTP server and update the RTC so that once started this clock needs no correction
3. Dim the display from 10PM to 6AM and also based on ambient light.

The whole code is tried out and works fine with the display as a Serial Slave . So what is the problem ??

I am worried about the screen burn in particularly in the Day of Week and Month and Year fields. These are going to be there static for long periods. So is my worry genuine first ??

If so I plan to over come as below but not sure if any will help :

A. Change the colour of the concerned static fields once every hour
B. Shift position of the static fields by about 5 pixels horizontally once every hour ( something like a Windows screen saver )
C. Enable the display based on a PushButton or a hand wave with additional sensors for a few seconds and then sleep. ( would hate to do this !!)

Any inputs for above issue ??

For those who want to see the code its here :

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Diablo_Const4D.h>
#include <Diablo_Serial_4DLib.h>
#include <ESP8266WebServer.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFiMulti.h>
#include <WiFiUdp.h>
#include <NTPtimeESP.h>
#define DisplaySerial Serial


#define DS3231_Address           0x68
#define DS3231_Sec_Reg          0x00
#define DS3231_Cnt_Reg           0x0E
#define DS3231_UpDateFlag      0x08

byte  pulseLED  = 0;
byte  linkOffLED = 14;
byte  linkOnLED = 13;
byte  spareLED  = 12;
byte  reset4D     = 15;

boolean debug = false;                                    // true = more status messages
boolean intrpt ;
char dayString[10];
char monthString[10];
char timeString[15];
char monthYearString[25];
byte ntpMonth, ntpDate, ntpDay, ntpHour, ntpMinute, ntpSecond ;
byte rtcMonth, rtcDate, rtcDay, rtcHour, rtcMinute, rtcSecond, rtcToday ;
byte rtcYear;
byte ntpYear;

unsigned long  upDateMillis = millis(), upDateInterval = 1000;
unsigned long  dateChkMillis = millis(), dateChkInterval = 30000;


IPAddress timeServerIP;
ESP8266WebServer server(80);
WiFiUDP udp;
ESP8266WiFiMulti wifiMulti;
NTPtime NTPch("asia.pool.ntp.org");                           // Choose server pool as required
strDateTime dateTime;

Diablo_Serial_4DLib Display(&DisplaySerial);


const int NTP_PacketSize = 48;
byte packetBuffer[ NTP_PacketSize];
char* ntpServerName        = "asia.pool.ntp.org";            // NTP Time server
unsigned int localPort       = 2390;

void setup()
{

  Serial.begin(9600) ;
  Display.TimeLimit4D   = 5000 ;

  Wire.begin() ;
  delay(1000) ;

  pinMode(pulseLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(linkOffLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(linkOnLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(spareLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(reset4D, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(reset4D, LOW);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(reset4D, HIGH);
  delay (3500);

  connectMultiWiFi( );

  if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED )
  {
    digitalWrite(linkOnLED, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(linkOffLED, LOW);
    delay(2000);
  }
  else
  {
    digitalWrite(linkOnLED, LOW);
    digitalWrite(linkOffLED, HIGH);
    delay(2000);
  }

  Display.gfx_ScreenMode(LANDSCAPE);               // Fix the orientation    
  Display.gfx_Cls();                                                 //Clear the screen
}



void loop()
{

  if (millis() - upDateMillis > upDateInterval)
  {
    upDateMillis = millis();
    updateWiFiStatus() ;

    readRtcTime();

    sprintf ( timeString, "%02u:%02u:%02u", rtcHour, rtcMinute, rtcSecond );

    int century = 20;
    sprintf( monthYearString, "%02u-%02u-%2u%2u", rtcDate, rtcMonth, century, rtcYear);

    updateGenie();                                                   // Display update
  }

  if ( millis() - dateChkMillis > dateChkInterval )           // In case WifI router down, avoid checking too frequently...
  {
    dateChkMillis = millis();

    if (rtcDate != rtcToday)                                          // Has the date changed ??
    {
      if ( WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED )
      {
        connectMultiWiFi();                                         // Connect WiFi if link dropped
      }
      getNtpDateTime();                                             // WiFi is connected... synch with NTP.
    }
  }

}



void connectMultiWiFi( )
{
  wifiMulti.addAP("wireless1");   // add Wi-Fi networks you want to connect to
  wifiMulti.addAP("wirelss2");
  wifiMulti.addAP("wireless3");

  if (debug ) WiFi.printDiag(Serial);

  digitalWrite(linkOnLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(linkOffLED, HIGH);

  // ... Give ESP 10 seconds to connect to station.

  unsigned long startTime = millis();
  while (wifiMulti.run() != WL_CONNECTED && millis() - startTime < 10000)
  {
    delay(500);                                                                 //Wait for the Wi-Fi to connect: scan for Wi-Fi networks and connect to the strongest of the networks above..
  }

  if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED)                           // Check connection
  {
    digitalWrite( linkOffLED, LOW);
    digitalWrite( linkOnLED, HIGH);
    udp.begin(localPort);
  }
  else
  {
    digitalWrite( linkOffLED, HIGH);
    digitalWrite( linkOnLED, LOW);
  }
}




void readRtcTime()
{
  readDS3231time(&rtcSecond, &rtcMinute, &rtcHour, &rtcDay, &rtcDate, &rtcMonth, &rtcYear);

  getDayOfWeek(rtcDay);

}



void readDS3231time (byte *sec,
                     byte *min,
                     byte *hour,
                     byte *day,
                     byte *date,
                     byte *month,
                     byte *year)
{
  Wire.beginTransmission(DS3231_Address);
  Wire.write(0);                                                    // set DS3231 register pointer to 00h
  Wire.endTransmission();
  Wire.requestFrom(DS3231_Address, 7);             // Request seven bytes of data from DS3231 starting from register 00h
  *sec             = bcdToDec(Wire.read() & 0x7f);
  *min             = bcdToDec(Wire.read());
  *hour            = bcdToDec(Wire.read() & 0x3f);
  *day             = bcdToDec(Wire.read());
  *date            = bcdToDec(Wire.read());
  *month         = bcdToDec(Wire.read());
  *year            = bcdToDec(Wire.read());
}



void setRtcTime( )
{
  setDS3231time(ntpSecond, ntpMinute, ntpHour, ntpDay, ntpDate, ntpMonth, ntpYear);
}


void setDS3231time(byte sec,
                   byte min,
                   byte hour,
                   byte day,
                   byte date,
                   byte month,
                   byte year)
{
  Wire.beginTransmission(DS3231_Address);
  Wire.write(0);                                                          // Set next input to start at the seconds register
  Wire.write(decToBcd(sec));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(min));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(hour));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(day));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(date));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(month));
  Wire.write(decToBcd(year));
  Wire.endTransmission();
}



byte decToBcd(byte val)
{
  return ( (val / 10 * 16) + (val % 10) );
}



byte bcdToDec(byte val)
{
  return ( (val / 16 * 10) + (val % 16) );
}



void getDayOfWeek( byte dayNo)
{
  switch (dayNo)
  {
    case 1 : strcpy ( dayString, "SUNDAY");
      break;
    case 2 : strcpy ( dayString, "MONDAY");
      break;
    case 3 : strcpy ( dayString, "TUESDAY");
      break;
    case 4 : strcpy ( dayString, "WEDNESDAY");
      break;
    case 5 : strcpy ( dayString, "THURSDAY");
      break;
    case 6 : strcpy ( dayString, "FRIDAY");
      break;
    case 7 : strcpy ( dayString, "SATURDAY");
      break;
    default : break;
  }
}



void getMonth( byte monthNo)
{
  switch (monthNo)
  {
    case 1 : strcpy ( monthString, "January");
      break;
    case 2 : strcpy ( monthString, "February");
      break;
    case 3 : strcpy ( monthString, "March");
      break;
    case 4 : strcpy ( monthString, "April");
      break;
    case 5 : strcpy ( monthString, "May");
      break;
    case 6 : strcpy ( monthString, "June");
      break;
    case 7 : strcpy ( monthString, "July");
      break;
    case 8 : strcpy ( monthString, "August");
      break;
    case 9 : strcpy ( monthString, "September");
      break;
    case 10 : strcpy ( monthString, "October");
      break;
    case 11 : strcpy ( monthString, "November");
      break;
    case 12 : strcpy ( monthString, "December");
      break;
    default : break;
  }
}


void getNtpDateTime ()
{
  dateTime = NTPch.getNTPtime(5.5, 0);
  if (dateTime.valid)
  {
    NTPch.printDateTime(dateTime);
    ntpHour     = dateTime.hour;
    ntpMinute  = dateTime.minute;
    ntpSecond = dateTime.second;
    ntpYear     = dateTime.year - 2000;
    ntpMonth   = dateTime.month;
    ntpDate     = dateTime.day;
    ntpDay      = dateTime.dayofWeek;

    setRtcTime();
    rtcToday    = rtcDate;                                           // No need to check till tomorrow..
    delay(2000);
  }
}



void updateWiFiStatus()
{
  if ( WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED )
  {
    digitalWrite(linkOnLED, HIGH);
    digitalWrite(linkOffLED, LOW);
  }
  else
  {
    digitalWrite(linkOnLED, LOW);
    digitalWrite(linkOffLED, HIGH);
  }
}



void updateGenie()
{
  Display.txt_FontID(4);
  Display.txt_Width(4);
  Display.txt_Height(4);
  Display.txt_Xgap(10);

  Display.txt_FGcolour(AQUA);
  Display.gfx_MoveTo(250, 50);
  Display.putstr(dayString);

  Display.txt_FGcolour(YELLOW);
  Display.txt_Width(6);
  Display.txt_Height(6);
  Display.gfx_MoveTo(75, 190);
  Display.putstr(timeString);

  Display.txt_FGcolour(RED);
  Display.txt_Width(4);
  Display.txt_Height(4);
  Display.gfx_MoveTo(120, 370);
  Display.putstr(monthYearString);
}

[Jerson]

Good day,

Burn in may not be a permanent issue like in CRT displays, and in most cases may be resolvable if it occurs, by simply exercising all the pixels. What also need to maintain is the backlight as constant use will reduce its lifetime as stated on the datasheet. Changing color might also help reduce wear on the LCD, you can try inverting color themes for day or night for example or cycle colors every week.

Best Regards,

[MogaRaghu]

Good day to you !!

Your reply sounds pretty good and very encouraging ... actually I got worried to read this warning in the data sheet ( attached )

And none of the the suggested methods in it (except to dim out in night) will work for a Calender clock !!

I guess go ahead and keep rolling the concerned colors at frequent intervals and dim out the contrast to less than 5 in night time. And 3000 hrs life for LCD is OK for me !! Calender and clocks anyway need to be changed much earlier as you get bored with the same one if seen for a long time ....

Thanks