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Yes: a maker ported the 13.3-inch Pimoroni Inky Impression driver to C on the Pico SDK and brought the panel up with a Pico Plus 2 W. The working setup uses a specific EL133UF1 / Spectra 6 display, and reproducing it means getting the adapter wiring, dual-controller behavior, and panel timing right. The driver repository demonstrates display bring-up and image loading; Wi-Fi, MQTT, and deep sleep are described as part of separate firmware, not this standalone driver.
What the project runs—and what it does not
The target is Pimoroni’s 13.3-inch Inky Impression, model EL133UF1, a six-colour electronic-paper panel with a 1600 × 1200-pixel landscape frame. The C project ports the panel driver to the Raspberry Pi Pico SDK and documents bring-up, test patterns, an embedded sample image, and two ways to supply images. The driver README is the implementation reference; Pimoroni’s product page lists the panel specifications.
This repository is not a complete connected display system. Its scope is the panel driver and image paths. The author’s separate networked setup is described as using Wi-Fi, MQTT, and POWMAN deep sleep, but those features are not included in this standalone driver.
Why use a Pico Plus 2 W?
Pimoroni lists the Pico Plus 2 W as an RP2350B board with 520 KB SRAM, 8 MB PSRAM, 16 MB flash, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth through its RM2 module. The key distinction for this display project is PSRAM: the driver’s on-device JPEG path allocates a 5.76 MB RGB888 image buffer as well as a 0.96 MB packed frame, which is why the README says PSRAM is required for that path. The board specifications are on Pimoroni’s Pico Plus 2 W page.
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Choose an image path
- Decode on the Pico: The device decodes a JPEG, dithers it for the display, and builds the packed frame in PSRAM. This avoids preparing the final panel frame on a host, but it requires the memory used by the project’s decode path.
- Prepare a packed frame on a host: Convert the image ahead of time and send the packed frame to the driver. This avoids on-device JPEG decoding and does not require PSRAM for that image path.
The Pico Plus 2 W’s PSRAM makes the first workflow practical for this driver; it is not a requirement of every possible workflow for the panel.
Check the adapter wiring before debugging software
The project used a Hard Stuff “Pico to Pi Hat.” Its README describes the adapter as a 1:1 Pi-BCM-to-Pico-GP passthrough, but says the physical unit used by the author had clock and data swapped relative to the vendor documentation. The author reports verifying that specific unit with a meter. Do not assume every adapter has the same swap: check the actual board’s continuity and pinout before applying the project’s settings.
Rank #2
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| Signal | Pico pin in the documented setup | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| SPI1 SCK | GP10 | Confirm the adapter’s clock mapping. |
| SPI1 TX (MOSI) | GP11 | Confirm the adapter’s data mapping. |
| DC | GP22 | Panel data/command control. |
| RST | GP27 | Panel reset. |
| BUSY | GP17 | Active low. |
| CS_M | GP26 | Chip select for one controller. |
| CS_S | GP16 | Chip select for the other controller. |
| Button A | GP15 | Active low. |
These are the pins documented for this project’s setup, not a universal wiring guarantee for other adapters or Pico boards. The README’s wiring and implementation notes should be read alongside the physical adapter’s own documentation.
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This is not just a matter of wiring an SPI display and sending one frame. The driver’s notes describe two panel controllers, a landscape 1600 × 1200 frame rotated clockwise, and a split at controller column 600. The implementation must address the two controller regions consistently with the rotation and frame layout.
Rank #3
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The README also reports that commands need about 300 ms of D/C setup or they may be dropped. That is a project-specific timing note for this panel and driver. Respect it when adapting the code; shortening delays without confirming the panel’s behavior can create intermittent command failures that look like wiring or image-data problems.
- Verify the adapter’s SCK and data connections rather than trusting its printed or published mapping.
- Preserve the active-low behavior of BUSY and Button A used by the documented setup.
- Keep the two controller chip selects and the driver’s split/rotation logic aligned.
- Do not remove the documented D/C setup delay casually.
Expect a refresh measured in tens of seconds
Pimoroni lists a 12-second manufacturer core refresh time for the 13.3-inch model at 25–50°C, while its product page gives 20–35 seconds as a complete real-world refresh cycle depending on panel and host. The project README reports about 35 seconds for a full refresh. In other words, the 12-second figure is not the time to budget for the whole visible update in this setup. Cooler conditions may lengthen refresh. See the details on Pimoroni’s Inky Impression page and in the driver README.
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What can—and cannot—be said about battery life
The reason to pair a slow-refresh electronic-paper display with deep sleep is that the screen is intended to remain readable between updates without being continuously refreshed. Pimoroni says electronic-paper displays consume power while refreshing and are suited to dashboards and electronic photo frames that do not need constant updates. That is general manufacturer guidance, not a measured power profile for this particular Pico-and-panel build.
The maker’s Reddit project post describes a wall-mounted display intended to avoid a permanent outlet cable. A commenter estimated “a few months” from a 10 Ah battery with an update every 30 minutes and POWMAN deep sleep. Treat that as an estimate, not a verified runtime: the post does not establish battery chemistry, exact load profile, Wi-Fi duty cycle, or a measurement procedure. Battery life will depend on the complete firmware and hardware, especially how often the radio wakes and how much time the controller spends awake. The project discussion is at the maker’s Reddit post.
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The cited material does not establish a battery voltage, chemistry, charge controller, or protected-pack arrangement. Select those components for the full build’s electrical requirements rather than treating the 10 Ah estimate as a battery specification.
Make sure your panel is the supported size and revision
The documented driver targets the 13.3-inch EL133UF1, not every display sold under the Inky Impression name. Pimoroni also lists 4.0-inch (600 × 400) and 7.3-inch (800 × 480) Spectra 6 models, but the existence of those products does not mean this driver supports them. The 7.3-inch panel revision changed in 2026, so anyone adapting a driver for that size should verify the exact revision and its documentation. The 13.3-inch panel is a 297 × 210 mm glass board with a 270.40 × 202.80 mm usable area; Pimoroni warns that the glass is fragile and should not be pressed, and that the display is not touch-enabled. Current product details are on Pimoroni’s product page.
Quick Recap
A practical reproduction checklist
- Confirm the hardware: Use the 13.3-inch EL133UF1 / Spectra 6 panel and a Pico Plus 2 W if you want to follow the documented on-device JPEG workflow.
- Inspect the adapter: Verify the physical SCK and data paths with its pinout or continuity testing; the project author’s clock/data swap applied to one adapter unit.
- Match the documented pins: Set SPI1 SCK GP10, TX GP11, DC GP22, RST GP27, BUSY GP17, CS_M GP26, CS_S GP16, and Button A GP15, preserving active-low signals where specified.
- Keep the panel-specific logic: Follow the driver’s two-controller split, clockwise frame rotation, and D/C setup timing rather than substituting generic display assumptions.
- Pick the image workflow: Use host conversion for a packed frame without JPEG decoding, or use the JPEG path with the PSRAM buffers described in the README.
- Plan for the update duration: Allow roughly 20–35 seconds for a complete refresh under Pimoroni’s stated guidance; this project reports approximately 35 seconds.
- Treat battery runtime as a system result: Measure your own completed firmware and power setup across the update interval and sleep/network behavior you intend to use.
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