# Which board to run 1 tiny stepper motor and 2 small screens? **URL:** \ **Category:** Arduino\ **Created:** [1 July 2019 15:19 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739 "2019-07-01T15:19:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wyvern](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/wyvern/32/2812_2.png) [@Wyvern](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [1 July 2019 15:19 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739/1 "2019-07-01T15:19:03Z")
Brand new at this. Have an idea but don’t have any experience. Looking to make a car gauge for my VY SS that will go under the cover just above the centre ac vents in the middle of the dash. Plan to use a tiny stepper motor out of a cd/dvd drive to either lift the cover, or cut a panel out of it and have it pop-up like an RX-7 headlight to show 2x small screens or 1x 3" wide. Want to display oil pressure and water temp at this stage, plan to include trans temp and trans line pressure some time later. Want to have a bright white (maybe purple) then a dimmed green for night driving with the lights on. \*\*My question is- which board will have the capacity to run a stepper motor drive board aswell as 2x small RGB screens or a single larger one displaying the 2 colours? Have been looking at the Arduino Nano V3.0 or the Arduino Pro Mini 328 which looks like it has more memory. Would be nice and small to place behind the dash. Don’t know if either will be suitable? Don’t see the need for a Uno board looking at the specs compared to those 2x boards? Plan to use a delay board to supply power after ignition key off and close the cover. Will also need to work out headlights on/off and ignition off inputs. I have not actually bought anything yet. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![electron1979](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/electron1979/32/1941_2.png) [@electron1979](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/electron1979)\ **Post date:** [4 July 2019 00:43 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739/2 "2019-07-04T00:43:21Z")
Wyvern, AFAIK, the Nano, ProMini and Uno use the same microcontroller, 328p. 3.3V Minis are, also, available, so look out. You will most likely need a stepper motor driver. I haven’t seen a 2 colour back-lit/back-light display, but they may exist. A white back-light, RGB display may suit your needs. One that directly plugs on to an Uno (a shield) is the easiest to wire (no actual wiring!), at least for prototyping. A Nano or Mini would be good if you don’t have the space. One larger display would be easier to manage. ---
**Author:** ![Wyvern](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/wyvern/32/2812_2.png) [@Wyvern](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [4 July 2019 13:11 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739/3 "2019-07-04T13:11:59Z")
Cheers for the reply. I will use 2 voltage converters if I need 5V and 3.3V. Will watch out for that- cheers. Will use a stepper motor driver as you suggest. No worries with soldering wires, that’s why I thought a smaller board than the Uno would help with finding a spot to put it, like under the steering column area. Was thinking of using either 2x ![1_44inch%20128x128](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/5/5e742dc326d97697ee02e3441a5f934681ec47b8.jpeg) > **[1.44 inch Full Color 128x128 SPI TFT LCD Display Module ST7735 OLED For Arduino...](https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/392166902046?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESINDXX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649)** > > SPI interface. Pixel size. LCD Active area. Input Data. Display Format. Viewing Direction. Display Mode. This pin is reset signal input. or 1x ![3_2inch%20240x320](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/4/433b6cb2ac31ff871b27471480898ab1adb9ae75.jpeg) > **[3.2 inch 240\*320 TFT LCD Display Module Controller Board Kit with SD Card Cage...](https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/113757822517?var=413904603099&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESINDXX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649)** > > Resolution: 320 240 (Pixel). Module interface: 4-wire SPI interface. Using Serial Peripheral Interface serial bus, it only needs a few IO to lighten the display. Module PCB plate size: 55.04x89.3(mm). Would not need the full resolution for the info I want to appear but would be good for changing from white to green and maybe red as a warning colour if I can figure that one out. The SD card cage on the single looks interesting? I wonder if it could hold info for a startup graphic? Thankyou for your input. ---
**Author:** ![Roger39908](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b5e925/32.png) [@Roger39908](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Roger39908)\ **Post date:** [5 July 2019 06:39 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739/4 "2019-07-05T06:39:57Z")
`This may not suit your plans, but for 2 meters - with the possibility of adding more, have a think about using a pensioned off Android phone as your display. Multiple colors, touch facility, cheap, hi-res(ish) imagesi wifi on tap. I’ve just gone down that route for a project requiring 4 needles imposed on a single meter, plus the odd button, etc. . Just a thought cheers rde` ---
**Author:** ![Wyvern](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/wyvern/32/2812_2.png) [@Wyvern](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [6 July 2019 18:23 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/which-board-to-run-1-tiny-stepper-motor-and-2-small-screens/5739/5 "2019-07-06T18:23:15Z")
Thanks, did think about that. Problem is most would be too big for what I want. I want to put a display where the 2 centre gauges are in the middle of the dash, but not to stick up as high as the round gauges. ![2004-holden-vy-ss-series-2-commodore](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/core_electronics/original/2X/d/d96eeff09a91ede42090e6a97224c3e16a3c31a5.jpeg) If I decide to expand from 2 gauges then I’ll have another look if something would fit. Cheers.