1.3" 240x240 IPS TFT LCD Display Module - Full RGB, ST7789, 7-Pin SPI

Specifications

• Display Technology: IPS TFT LCD

• Screen Size: 1.3 Inches (Diagonal)

• Resolution: 240 x 240 Pixels

• Color Depth: 65K Full RGB

• Driver IC: ST7789

• Interface Type: 4-Wire SPI

• Operating Voltage: 3.3V DC (Power and Logic)

• Pin Count: 7 Pins

• Pinout Definition: GND, VCC, SCL (SPI Clock), SDA (SPI MOSI), RES (Reset), DC (Data/Command), BLK (Backlight)

• PCB Dimensions: 27.78mm (W) x 39.22mm (L)

Key Applications and Projects

• DIY Smartwatches: Serving as the primary, high-resolution color interface for custom 3D-printed wearable devices.

• IoT Weather Dashboards: Displaying visually rich, color-coded temperature and humidity graphs pulled from an internet-connected ESP8266.

• Audio Spectrum Analyzers: Rendering real-time, multi-color EQ bars in custom audio amplifier builds using the fast SPI refresh rate.

Unlock New Capabilities (Project Evolution) The Mini Retro Arcade: A monochromatic OLED is fine for reading text, but gaming requires color and speed! Evolve your programming skills! Hook this 1.3" IPS display up to a Raspberry Pi Pico or an ESP32 alongside a small analog thumbstick and a couple of tactile buttons. Using optimized graphics libraries like TFT_eSPI, you can write your own miniature versions of classic arcade games (like Pac-Man, Tetris, or Space Invaders) running at a flawless 60 frames per second in your pocket!

Package Includes:

• 1 x 1.3" 240x240 RGB TFT IPS LCD Module (7-Pin)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is the difference between IPS and standard TFT? IPS (In-Plane Switching) is a superior type of TFT screen. It offers much wider viewing angles (colors do not wash out when tilted) and deeper, more accurate color reproduction compared to standard twisted-nematic (TN) TFTs.

2. What is the resolution of this screen? It features a high-density resolution of 240 pixels by 240 pixels in a square aspect ratio.

3. What driver chip does this display use? It utilizes the ST7789 driver IC, which is heavily supported by the open-source electronics community.

4. Is this an SPI or I2C display? This is an SPI display. The 7-pin layout utilizes a 4-wire SPI interface (Clock, Data, Reset, and Data/Command) to allow for fast color image rendering.

5. What does the "SDA" pin mean on an SPI display? While "SDA" usually means I2C Data, on these generic SPI modules, SDA actually stands for "SPI Data Terminal" and should be connected to your microcontroller's MOSI (Master Out Slave In) pin.

6. What does the "SCL" pin connect to? SCL stands for "SPI Clock Terminal" and must be connected to the SCK (Serial Clock) pin on your microcontroller's hardware SPI bus.

7. What is the operating voltage? This module operates strictly on 3.3V DC for both power (VCC) and data logic.

8. Can I connect this directly to a 5V Arduino Uno? Caution: Connecting the logic pins directly to a 5V Arduino can permanently damage the 3.3V ST7789 chip. You must use a logic level converter (like a TXS0108E) to step the 5V signals down to 3.3V before connecting them to this screen.

9. What does the "DC" pin do? DC stands for Data/Command. The microcontroller uses this pin to tell the ST7789 chip whether the incoming SPI bytes are configuration commands (like "turn on screen") or raw visual data (like "draw a red pixel").

10. What does the "RES" pin do? RES is the hardware Reset pin. It must be pulsed low by the microcontroller during the startup sequence to initialize the screen properly.

11. Do I need to connect the "BLK" pin for the screen to work? The BLK (Backlight) pin controls the LEDs behind the screen. On most modules, leaving it disconnected will default the screen to full brightness. However, if your screen is dark, you may need to connect it to 3.3V (HIGH) or GND (LOW) depending on the specific board's default resistor configuration.

12. Can I dim the backlight? Yes! By connecting the BLK pin to a PWM-capable pin on your microcontroller, you can write analog values to dim or brighten the screen smoothly.

13. Is this a touchscreen? No, this specific model is a standard display only and does not feature a digitizer for touch input.

14. What Arduino library should I use? For ESP32 and advanced microcontrollers, the TFT_eSPI library by Bodmer is highly recommended for its extreme speed. For general use, the Adafruit_ST7789 combined with Adafruit_GFX works perfectly.

15. Why are the colors inverted (reds look blue) when I run my code? This is a very common issue with ST7789 displays. Depending on the library, the color format might be expecting RGB but the screen is wired for BGR. You can fix this by simply calling the tft.invertDisplay(true); or tft.invertDisplay(false); command in your code's setup loop.

16. Why is there a static "snow" border on the edge of my screen? This happens when you initialize the library with the wrong resolution (e.g., 240x320 instead of 240x240) or the wrong screen offset. Ensure your software setup defines a 240x240 ST7789 display.

17. Can I rotate the screen to draw sideways? Yes. Display rotation is handled entirely in software. Using the tft.setRotation() command, you can orient the drawing field to 0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees.

18. Can this display live video? It is not designed for 60fps HD video. However, on a fast enough microcontroller (like a Raspberry Pi or ESP32), the SPI bus can push data fast enough to display compressed GIF animations or low-framerate MJPEG video.

19. What are the physical dimensions of the board? The blue PCB measures approximately 27.78mm in width and 39.22mm in length.

20. Does it come with the header pins attached? Yes, the module comes with the 7-pin male header row pre-soldered to the board, making it instantly ready to plug into a breadboard.