https://github.com/smengerl/lcd_text_clock
Multi purpose textual clock with LCD (HDD44780) based on ESP32
https://github.com/smengerl/lcd_text_clock
3d-printing esp32 esp32-arduino hdd44780 maker
Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Multi purpose textual clock with LCD (HDD44780) based on ESP32
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/smengerl/lcd_text_clock
- Owner: Smengerl
- License: other
- Created: 2025-01-02T22:19:46.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-03-07T23:22:12.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-06-15T18:20:41.300Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: 3d-printing, esp32, esp32-arduino, hdd44780, maker
- Language: C++
- Homepage:
- Size: 13.8 MB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE.txt
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README
# LCD Text Clock
[](#)
[](#)
[](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
A text-based clock using an LCD display with I2C interface on an ESP microcontroller with automatic NTP time sync.
## Table of Contents
- [Mechanics](#mechanics)
- [Electronics](#electronics)
- [Software](#software)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Customization Ideas](#customization-ideas)
- [Acknowledgements](#acknowledgements)
- [Development](#development)
- [License](#license)
- [Authors](#authors)
- Displays the current time and date as text like "five minutes to four"
- 16x2, 40*2 or 20x4 character LCD display support
- Customizable animations
- Supports buttons to flip between modes showing different informationwhich can be easily extended
- Automatic backlight switching and dimming (optional feature)
- Automatic time synchronization using NTP
The whole project rather serves as an example how text on a LCD display can be beautifully presented to users and can easily be extended/adapter to match your usecase.
| Without pushbuttons | With 4 pushbuttons |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  |  |
# Index
- [Mechanics](#Mechanics)
- [Electronics](#Electronics)
- [Software](#Software)
- [Usage](#Usage)
- [Customization ideas](#customization_ideas)
- [Acknowledgements](#Acknowledgements)
## Mechanics
Two different types of housings for 20*4 LCD displays are provided.
Using the acrylic plate on top of the LCD is optional but gives a cleaner look (not used in the example photos)
Very simple housing that consist of a front and a back piece (Shown is the version with the pushbuttons)
| Front | Back | Isometric |
| ---------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | --------- |
| 
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
| 
|
### 3D-Printed Parts
1. Without pushbuttons:
| Filename | Thumbnail | Required | Notes |
| ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| -------- | ------|
| `./print/stl/Lower_part_nobuttons.stl` | 
| 1 | |
| `./print/stl/Upper_part_nobuttons.stl` | 
| 1 | |
2. With 4 pushbuttons:
| Filename | Thumbnail | Required | Notes |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| -------- | ------|
| `./print/stl/Lower_part.stl` | 
| 1 | |
| `./print/stl/Upper_part.stl` | 
| 1 | |
| `./print/stl/Pushbutton_base.stl` | 
| 1 | |
| `./print/stl/Pushbutton_cover.stl` | 
| 1 | |
Printer settings:
- All printed parts designed for PETG.
- Best experience on my printer was to print the front upside down (the actual front of the case facing the print bed) as this does not require any supports. For a cleaner look you can consider to print it reversed with ironing enabled but note that this requires a lot of support material.
- Using fuzzy skin for all outside walls creates a nice look
- Use ironing to get a nice clean look on top of the pushbutton baseplate and cover
- No rafts/brim etc. reguired for any model.
### Required parts
| Name | Spec | Required | Notes |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------- | -------- | ------|
| countersunk screw | M3 5mm, e.g. DIN EN ISO 4762 | 4 | To attach ESP to back of housing |
| countersunk screw | M3 5mm, e.g. DIN EN ISO 4762 | 4 | To attach display to back of housing |
| cylinder head screw | M3 10mm | 4 | To fix back and front of housing |
| semi-transparent acrylic board | max 2mm, 95-100mm * 40-50mm | 1 | Optional, for cleaner look |
### Assembly
- The ESP is screwed to the back of the housing.
- The acrylic plate is glued to the front (optional)
- The LCD is then fixed via screws to the front
- When using the pushbuttons, click the pushbutton PCB into the baseplate and snap-in the pushbutton top cover. Then slide it into the lower part of the housing
- Finally the lower and the upper part of the housing are assembled and tightened via the screws.
- Consider using some hot glue to make sure everything stays in place
## Electronics
### Part list
| Unit price | Quantity | Partname | Example | Notes |
| ---------- | -------- | -------------------------- | --------- | ----- |
| 5 USD | 1 | ESP32 Dev module | AliExpress | USB-C Version |
| 5 USD | 1 | 2004 HD44780 character LCD module | AliExpress | Consider "negative" LCD (colored fonts on black background), as this gives a clean look, esp. when placing under an acrylic plate |
| 1-2 USD | 1 | PCF8574 I2C module for LCD | AliExpress | You might want to pick one that has a jumper to enable/disable backlight as we can "misuse" this to dim the backlight via GPIO |
| 1-2 USD | Optional | 4 button module | AliExpress | Optional | Unsolder SMD LED |
Total cost about 10-15 USD!
### Schematics
## Software
### Prerequisites
- PlatformIO
- LiquidCrystal_I2C (via PIO)
- ESPDateTime (via PIO)
- WiFiManager (via PIO)
### Installation
1. Clone the repository:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/smengerl/LCD_Text_Clock.git
2. Open the project in PlatformIO.
3. Wait for PIO to configure and download the required libraries
4. Compile and upload the project to your ESP32 microcontroller.
## Usage
- Power on the ESP32.
- On first usage only: Configure the ESP to your local WiFi. For this, connect to the ESP's access point and use the default configuration page to enter your WLAN SSID and password
- Wait for NTP sync
- The current time will be displayed on the LCD display.
- Use the (optional) buttons to flip through the pages and watch the animation
## Customization ideas
- Modify the text and backlight settings in the code to customize the display.
- Adjust the NTP server and time zone settings as needed.
- Add more pages, e.g. showing sensor data
- Get weather forecast via internet and display it on the screen with custom characters
- Write your own animations for text transitions
## Acknowledgements
- ESPDateTime library by mcxiaoke
- WiFiManager by wnatth3
- LiquidCrystal_I2C by marcoschwartz
## Development
Contributions are welcome.
See `CONTRIBUTING.md` for details and follow the `CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md` when contributing.
All .stl, .png, and assembly pictures are automatically exported via my Fusion add-in, see [here](https://github.com/smengerl/fusion-exporter)
## License
This project is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0) — see `LICENSE.txt` for details or visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
## Authors
- Simon Gerlach
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If something in this README is missing or unclear, please open an issue in the repository so the instructions can be improved.