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The AiPi-Eyes-R2 can serve as the hardware base for a DIY touchscreen smart-home panel, but the project by Nickson Kiprotich is a work in progress—not a finished, demonstrated Home Assistant controller. It documents an Ai-Thinker SDK setup, firmware flashing, a basic example, and a printed enclosure. The R2 itself is a 4-inch, 480 × 480 capacitive-touch display board built for Ai-Thinker’s Ai-M61-32S module.
What the AiPi-Eyes-R2 is
The AiPi-Eyes-R2 is a display-driver board designed for Ai-Thinker’s Ai-M61-32S module. Ai-Thinker specifies a 4-inch RGB screen with 480 × 480 resolution, capacitive touch, and USB camera integration. The module’s listed wireless capabilities include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.3, alongside interfaces such as SPI, UART, I²C, I²S, USB 2.0, and GPIO. These are hardware capabilities, not proof that a particular smart-home interface or camera application is already implemented.
The R2 includes a built-in codec for single-channel audio input and output. It differs from the AiPi-Eyes-R1, which uses an external ES8388 audio chip and supports dual-channel audio. Consult Ai-Thinker’s current AiPi-Eyes-R2 documentation for board-specific resources—including source code, test firmware, schematics, PCBA files, screen specifications, and BL618 reference materials—and check the instructions for the exact board revision you have.
What the DIY project demonstrates
Nickson Kiprotich published “DIY Smart Home Control Panel with AiPi-Eyes-R2” on August 13, 2025. It sets out the goal of a dedicated touchscreen for a unified smart-home interface and describes SDK setup, compiling and flashing an example, and making a case. Its bill of materials names the AiPi-Eyes-R2, a 3.3 V FTDI Basic Breakout, and jumper wires.
#1 Best Overall
- 7 inches, 800x480 pixels, IPS type, wide viewing angle, capacitive touchscreen, enjoy smooth touch response and excellent clarity for all your Raspberry Pi projects.
- Specially designed, simply connect to your raspberry pi's MIPI DSI interface. (No additional connections required.)
- Fully Compatible with Raspberry Pi 5/ 4B / 3B+ / 3B / 3A+ / 2B. (No HDMI port, not compatible with any other device.)
- Supports for Raspbian OS 2 points to zoom the page(old version), for Ubuntu/Kali/Win10 IoT (single-touch only). Support backlight brightness adjustment.
- Easy to use, no configuration required, plug and play (for new and configuration unchanged raspberry pi systems). Instructions was provided.
The project is explicitly labeled “Work in progress.” Its listed future work includes adding more smart-device integrations, custom UI themes, optional voice control, and battery backup. Treat the unified panel as the project’s intended direction: the page does not establish a finished Home Assistant integration or a fully unified controller.
Build and flash with Ai-Thinker’s SDK
The documented firmware route is Ai-Thinker’s SDK, not a generic ESP32 workflow. The project describes cloning the Ai-Thinker AiPi-Open-Kits repository, initializing its submodules, configuring the SDK, selecting the AiPi-Eyes-R2 target for an example, compiling, and flashing. Follow the project’s build walkthrough alongside the latest manufacturer board guide.
Rank #2
- 5-inch 800*480 resolution capacitive touch screen, IPS type, good viewing angle.
- The MIPI DSI interface directly outputs, plug and play, no driver installation required.
- As a touchscreen monitor, compatible with Raspberry Pi 5 / 4B / 3B+ / 3B / 3A+ / 2B / 1B+ / 1A+. (No HDMI. Not compatible with any other devices.)
- Supports for Raspbian OS 2 points to zoom the page(old version), for Ubuntu/Kali/Win10 IoT (single-touch only). Support PWM backlight brightness adjustment.
- Easy to use -> No configuration required (for new and configuration unchanged systems). Provide detailed usage documentation.
- Prepare the SDK: Clone Ai-Thinker’s AiPi-Open-Kits repository, initialize the submodules, and configure the SDK as the project describes.
- Select and build an example: Choose the AiPi-Eyes-R2 board target for the example, then compile it using the SDK’s instructions.
- Wire the serial adapter: Use a 3.3 V USB-to-TTL adapter and jumper wires. The manufacturer’s wiring table identifies 3.3 V, TXD/RX, RXD/TX, and ground. Follow that guide’s pin mapping; do not assume a different adapter voltage or pin arrangement is suitable.
- Enter programming mode and flash: Use the board’s download and reset controls as directed by Ai-Thinker, and select BL616/618 in the flashing tool. The exact procedure is board-specific, so use the current instructions rather than generic ESP32 flashing steps.
Home Assistant and ESPHome: what is and is not established
Home Assistant describes ESPHome as a system for generating firmware and configuration for compatible devices that communicate with Home Assistant through its native API. Its documented microcontroller families include ESP32, ESP8266, and RP2040, among others. The AiPi-Eyes-R2 materials instead identify the Ai-M61-32S module and document an Ai-Thinker SDK workflow; the available sources do not establish ESPHome compatibility with this board.
ESPHome’s display components can draw pixel graphics using lambdas, but that general feature does not establish a working display driver, board-specific firmware port, or configuration for the AiPi-Eyes-R2. The project’s documented path is therefore the Ai-Thinker SDK. Treat an ESPHome port as unverified, not as an existing integration.
Rank #3
- 【IPS 1024×600 HD Display & 178° Wide Viewing Angle】 Experience crisp, vivid visuals on this ROADOM 10.1 inch touch screen monitor featuring a sharp 1024×600 HD resolution — a significant upgrade from standard 800×480 displays. The IPS touch screen panel delivers rich colors and a wide 178° viewing angle, ensuring clear picture quality whether you're viewing head-on or from the side. This 10 inch monitor punches above its weight with 300cd/m² brightness and a 700:1 contrast ratio. For the best touch experience, remove the pre-installed screen protector
- 【Responsive 5-Point Capacitive Touch — Plug & Play】 Enjoy swift, precise touch interactions with a rapid 3-5ms response time. This touchscreen monitor supports 5-point capacitive touch and intuitive gestures — tapping, zooming, swiping, and mouse clicks. A true plug and play touchscreen that requires no driver installation: simply connect via HDMI for video and USB Type-C for touch, and it works instantly with Windows, Linux (Raspberry Pi OS / Ubuntu / Debian), and macOS. This responsive touchscreen integrates seamlessly — no configuration headaches. Note: touch functionality is not supported on iOS systems
- 【Made for Raspberry Pi — Pi 5/4/3/Zero & Beyond】 Built for the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, this raspberry pi touchscreen works with all Pi versions including Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3, and Zero — an ideal raspberry pi monitor and raspberry pi display. Also compatible with Banana Pi, Retro Pi, and Octo Pi. Power your Pi and screen from one source with the included GPIO cable — a clean gpio powered screen setup. Supports Raspberry Pi OS, Noobs, Debian, Ubuntu, Kodi. Note: touch not supported on iOS / macOS. A versatile raspberry pi with screen solution for makers, tinkerers, and developers
- 【Dual Built-in Speakers & All-in-One Protective Case】 Rich, clear audio from dual built-in 1W×2 speakers — this monitor with speaker needs no external audio. Unlike bare touchscreen display boards, ROADOM integrates the LCD panel, circuit board, and protective casing into one seamless unit. No exposed PCBs, fragile ribbon cables, or DIY headaches. This touchscreen with case and monitor with dual speakers is ready right out of the box. The spacious 10.1-inch screen gives you extra real estate for portable gaming, video streaming, and diy touchscreen projects — more room to create than cramped 7-inch displays
- 【3 Display Modes, Versatile Stand & What You Get】 This portable touchscreen supports three display modes: Duplicate, Extend, and Second Screen Only. With a generous 10.1-inch screen, it excels as a laptop second screen for coding, a desktop second monitor for multitasking, a cctv monitor for security, or a 3d printer monitor for your workshop. The adjustable stand customizes height and tilt angle. Package includes: 10.1" monitor, HDMI & Micro-HDMI cables, USB-A to Type-C & Type-C to USB-A cables, GPIO power cable, 5V 3A power adapter, Pi mounting kit, and user manual — a complete portable hdmi monitor package
Make and fit the enclosure
The project starts with an Ai-Thinker case model, inspects or modifies it in Fusion 360, exports front and back parts as STL files, and prints them. The author describes mounting the board and screen and connecting the screen’s ribbon cable; PLA and PETG are named as example filament materials. The project does not establish a tested print profile or recommend a specific printer, so plan to check fit and assembly against your own board revision and printed parts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who this project suits
This is a fit for a maker who wants to experiment with a dedicated touchscreen interface and is comfortable working with a vendor SDK, serial flashing, and enclosure assembly. It is not, on the evidence described by the project, a ready-to-install replacement for an established smart-home dashboard. Before choosing the board, weigh the screen and touch hardware, Ai-M61-32S firmware ecosystem, wireless and peripheral capabilities, and the amount of custom software work your intended interface requires. Ai-Thinker’s documentation is the place to verify current board-specific resources and revision details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- DISPLAY SIZE: Features a 7-inch LCD touchscreen display with sleek black bezel design for optimal viewing and interaction
- HIGH RESOLUTION: Crisp 720 x 1280 pixel resolution delivers clear, detailed visuals for enhanced user experience
- COLOR DEPTH: Premium 24-bit RGB color support ensures vibrant and accurate color reproduction
- COMPATIBILITY: Specifically designed to work seamlessly with Raspberry Pi boards for easy integration
- TOUCH INTERFACE: Responsive touchscreen functionality enables intuitive control and navigation
Rank #4
- BUILD YOUR NEXT PROJECT: Bring your ideas to life with a compact touchscreen for Raspberry Pi projects, smart home dashboards, robotics, DIY electronics and embedded systems. Connect through HDMI and start building
- CLEAR IPS DISPLAY: See code, dashboards and system data clearly on the 1024×600 IPS display, with 420 nits of brightness, 60Hz refresh and a 170° viewing angle for a comfortable view
- TAP, SWIPE AND TAKE CONTROL: Tap, swipe and navigate naturally with 5-point capacitive touch. No extra touch driver is needed, making it easy to interact with supported apps on Pi OS, Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, Android and Windows. Note: Touch functionality is not supported on iOS
- CONNECT YOUR PI 5 OR 4: Connecting your Raspberry Pi 5 or 4 is simple: use the included Micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter, then connect the display to your board through HDMI. No need to buy the adapter separately
- TURN YOUR PC INTO A SENSOR PANEL: Keep an eye on CPU temperature, GPU usage, memory and other live system data with a compact PC sensor panel. It’s a practical addition to custom PC cases and hardware monitoring setups
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