Customer:
Device: Inkplate 6 PLUS
I received my device, set it up for Arduino use, and powered it on via USB-C. The screen refreshed and the front light turned on. However, when I tested the device using the provided library examples (I started with “Inkplate6PLUS_Partial_Update”), nothing happened. The code compiled and uploaded successfully, but produced no output. Now the front light will not activate.
I uploaded the Peripheral Mode sketch and tested some commands. I was able to communicate with the device over Serial, but when I send #R(?)* (getPanelState) I get back #R(0)*, indicating that the panel is not being powered.
I tried the VCOM reprogramming sketch, and it failed during the peripheral testing stage while testing the epaper PSU. Serial returned “- TPS Fail!”.
Originally submitted via email support on 9 October 2023. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.
Soldered Support:
Which board definition are you using in Arduino? There is “Soldered Inkplate6PLUS” and “e-Radionica Inkplate6PLUS”. Using the correct board definition is key because it changes how the ESP32 interacts with the ePaper display. If you have a newer version (purple PCB), it’s the ‘Soldered’ one, and an older version (blue PCB) is the ‘e-Radionica’ one.
Please check that you have the latest version of the library and board definitions installed, as described in the tutorial: Inkplate Get Started Page — Inkplate docs documentation
If it still doesn’t work, could you please send a screenshot of your Arduino ‘Tools’ menu so we can review your configuration?
The fact that the VCOM Factory programming sketch fails when trying to interface with the TPS is strange, as that should be straightforward I2C, but it could still be due to the board definition used.
Customer:
After checking the latest board definitions and selecting the Soldered definition (which I should have since I have a purple PCB), there was still no change. The serial monitor shows #R(?)* still returns 0.
However, I decided to try the e-Radionica definition instead, and it works. I’m able to turn on the power supply for the screen, draw to the screen, turn on the front light, and run other examples successfully.
Comparing my board to the screenshots on soldered.com, they have very different layouts. Is it possible I have an older board that just looks new (e.g. is purple)?
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Soldered Support:
The issue is the GPIO expander. You have the MCP23017 IO expander. The newer versions of Inkplate with the ‘Soldered’ board definition use a different one. Here is more info: Inkplate Arduino — Inkplate docs documentation
You have one of the rarer cases where a model with a purple PCB uses the e-Radionica board definition. To be clear, we fully support the e-Radionica devices and board definitions. All Inkplate library updates apply to it as well, even though it’s an older model.