Summary of ADAFRUIT’S PANEL-MOUNT TFT ESP32-S2 WI-FI FEATHER BOARD
Adafruit teased a panel-mount TFT ESP32-S2 Wi-Fi Feather Board combining an ESP32-S2-MINI module, onboard TFT display, Wi‑Fi, tactile buttons, NeoPixel, and a STEMMA-QT I2C header. The design evolves from earlier ESP32 Feather PCBs and aims to be an all-in-one, mini PyPortal–like device capable of running CircuitPython, with the TFT mounted on the back and compact connectors for sensors and peripherals.
Parts used in the Panel-mount TFT ESP32-S2 Wi‑Fi Feather Board:
- ESP32-S2-MINI module
- TFT display (panel-mounted on back)
- USB-Serial converter
- NeoPixel
- STEMMA-QT header (I2C connector)
- Tactile buttons
- MOSFETs for pixel driving
- Feather-form-factor PCB
Adafruit has teased us with the announcement of the panel-mount TFT ESP32-S2 Wi-Fi Feather Board. It appears to be a succeeding version of the previous ESP32 Feather boards, by changing few positions of the components like the ESP32 module and USB-Serial converter, with the ESP32-S2-MINI module.
Apart from the NeoPixel in the schematic diagram, the STEMMA-QT header fits in the middle of the device. The four colorful dots indicate the vertical appearance of the connector. It serves the purpose of I2C as the larger JST PH connectors cannot fit on the compact feather board.
From the two Feather PCBs with ESP32-S2 SoC from the earlier devices, the panel-mount Wi-Fi Feather board has the TFT on the back and embedded with some tactile buttons. The TFT display makes the device quicker as it powers each pixel of the screen with a single MOSFET. TFT displays are mostly brighter than LCD displays.
From the Twitter handle of Adafruit Industries, it can be understood that the company has been working on all-in-one-device. Hence, including a TFT display and WiFi on a single feather board. The design process of the device had started at the time of the creation of PyPortals, which was around 2 years ago now.
The company says “It started designing a low cost ‘mini PyPortal’ that would be able to run CircuitPython similar to those lilygo all-in-one esp32+display boards, but it did not have circuitpython running directly on the original esp32”
Read more: ADAFRUIT’S PANEL-MOUNT TFT ESP32-S2 WI-FI FEATHER BOARD
- What module does the new Feather board use?
The board uses the ESP32-S2-MINI module. - Does the board include a display?
Yes, it includes a panel-mounted TFT display on the back. - Is there an I2C connector on the board?
Yes, a STEMMA-QT header provides I2C connectivity. - Are tactile buttons included?
Yes, the board is embedded with tactile buttons. - Does the board feature NeoPixel support?
Yes, a NeoPixel is shown in the schematic. - Why is a STEMMA-QT header used instead of larger JST PH connectors?
The STEMMA-QT header fits in the compact feather board where larger JST PH connectors cannot. - What advantage does the TFT have over LCD according to the article?
The article notes TFT displays are mostly brighter than LCD displays. - Did Adafruit intend this as an all-in-one device?
Yes, Adafruit has been working toward an all-in-one device combining TFT display and WiFi on a single feather board. - Is this design related to PyPortal development?
Yes, the design process started around the time PyPortal was created and aimed to be a mini PyPortal running CircuitPython.
