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Connect Raspberry Pi with LCD Display

2020-08-26

Topway TFT LCD display connects with Raspberry Pi 3B+, to form a small system with touch and connect to Internet through WiFi.

  • Hardware: 7" TFT LCD display LMT070DICFWD-NFA, Raspberry Pi 3B+
  • System: Raspbian GNU
  • Memory card: 16GB SD card

Connect Hardware

Connect Raspberry Pi and TFT display module as diagram below.

  • Connect LMT070DICFWD-NFA with Raspberry with HDMI cable
  • Use USB cable, connect Raspberry Pi to LCD display's RTP (resistive touch panel)
  • Hook up 5V and 12V power supplies with Raspberry Pi & LMT070DICFWD-NFA separately

Install Operation System

  • Download Raspbian from Raspberry web site, https://www.raspberrypi.org
  • Format SD card, use Win32DiskImager write Raspbian system image to SD card
  • Insert SD card into Raspberry Pi card slot, turn on the device and install OS by following on-screen instructions

Setup Screen Resolution

Update Raspberry Pi configuration file with the best resolution 800x480.

Edit config.txt under Windows or use Raspbian's edit command, add following lines.

   disable_overscan=1
   overscan_left=16
   overscan_right=16
   overscan_top=16
   overscan_down=16
   framebuffer_width=800
   framebuffer_height=480
   hdmi_group=2
   hdmi_mode=87
   hdmi_cvt=800 480 60 6 0 0 0

Setup Network

Connect Raspberry Pi to Internet, through WiFi

Install Touch Panel Driver

  • Download and install pmLinux-Raspbian_v4_5_8_R1_(Jessie)_20180131
  • Run PenMount Utility to calibrate touch screen

Install On-Screen Keyboard

Install SDK

   sudo apt-get install libfakekey-dev libpng-dev libxft-dev autoconf libtool -y

Compile & Install matchbox-keyboard

   git clone https://github.com/mwilliams03/matchbox-keyboard.git cd matchbox-keyboard ./autogen.sh
   make
   sudo make install

Install matchbox database

   sudo apt-get install libmatchbox1 -y

Create a new document

   sudo nano /usr/bin/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh

      #!/bin/bash
      #This script toggle the virtual keyboard
      PID=`pidof matchbox-keyboard`
      if [ ! -e $PID ]; then
        killall matchbox-keyboard
     else
       matchbox-keyboard&
     fi

Set proper execution permission

   sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh

Add an item in Start menu

   sudo nano /usr/share/applications/toggle-matchbox-keyboard.desktop

   [Desktop Entry]
   Name=Toggle Matchbox Keyboard
   Comment=Toggle Matchbox Keyboard
   Exec=toggle-matchbox-keyboard.sh
   Type=Application
   Icon=matchbox-keyboard.png
   Categories=Panel;Utility;MB
   X-MB-INPUT-MECHANSIM=True

Create an icon on task bar, open up LXDE setting

   nano ~/.config/lxpanel/LXDE-pi/panels/panel

     Plugin {
        type = launchbar
       Config {
          Button { id=toggle-matchbox-keyboard.desktop }
          Button { id=lxde-screenlock.desktop }
          Button { id=lxde-logout.desktop }
        }
     }

Bring up keyboard with this command: matchbox-keyboard

Adjust keyboard size with  -s option: matchbox-keyboard -s 50 extended