e-Paper and Raspberry Pi Zero W

Support Product Questions
1

Hi

I am looking at making an e-Paper Beer tap handle like attached. I ordered an e-Paper before I found my Raspberry Pi Zero W.
Tap Handle

Do I need this part to attach to my Pi to connect the e-Paper display ? For some reason I though the board already had this.

https://core-electronics.com.au/color-coded-header-for-raspberry-pi.html

Current Parts

PiZero.JPG
PiZero.JPG1024×1365 153 KB

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2

Hi @Iain38040

Welcome :slight_smile:

This is super cool.

Good question.

The cables coming out of the e-ink display are called female jumper wires and they are designed to attatch to header pins (and similar) like what you’ve attached.
image

If you cut off the plastic connector at the bottom and expose the wire, you could tin and solder the wires directly to the zero as you have it :slight_smile:

So no, you dont have to buy those header pins… however

You may prefer to solder the headers you’ve linked to the zero, it would make this a little more maintainable. For example, if the display is damaged while in use it would be easier to swap out.

Does that answer your question?
Pix :heavy_heart_exclamation:

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Thank @Pixmusix for the prompt response. Very new to all this so appreciate that.

Soldering is not my strong point but I guess I’ll learn :smiley:

I’ll look at getting the header as I want to set a couple up, then I can change so more ordering to be done

Cheers

Iain

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4

Totally understand.
CE does sell some pre-soldered. If youre setting up multiple you might appreciate having all that soldering done for you.

Lots of recources out there for good soldering. You can do it!!

5

Hey @Iain38040 , what an interesting first forum post!

As @Pixmusix has outlined, those pre-soldered variants might be handy.
Good luck going forwards with the soldering if you go down that avenue!

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Thanks @Pixmusix and @Maghnus,

I’ve probably bitten off more than I can chew as a first project but having built computers and been a programmer in a previous life (and a hobby brewer), these seemed like a good way to throw myself in the deep end.

Cheers

Iain

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7

Hear me out.
First projects often need to be challenging enough to ignite our imaginations.
The result, the thing you’re making, needs to be exciting and maybe even personal.

If I told you that your first project should be to blink an LED, you might not bother because it’s missing a why.

Yes, you don’t want it to feel so out of reach that that you feel discouraged.
However, I don’t think that’s your situation.

Only two macro-tasks here.

  • Learn to solder.
  • Learn to program a controller to write the text Pale Ale up on a screen.

Maybe those are new skills for you, but they’re skills with lot’s of resources online.
That means you don’t need to build that path, just follow the path.
And that for me is what makes a good first project.

You’ve got all the pieces.
Good luck; keep in touch.

Pix :heavy_heart_exclamation:

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