Glider is an innovative open-source E-ink monitor designed with a strong emphasis on low latency and high refresh rates. This project is particularly adept at supporting various electrophoretic display panels, such as E Ink, SiPix, and DES, making it versatile for different display needs.

Overview of Features

• Complete solution for low-latency/high-refresh-rate EPD monitor.
• Support for both monochrome and color-filter-array (CFA) displays, such as the Kaleido™ technology.
• Extremely low processing delay of < 20 µs.
• Multiple output modes including binary, 4-level grayscale, and 16-level grayscale.
• Latency-optimized driving modes.
• Enable hardware-based dithering techniques with no additional latency, including Bayer dithering, blue-noise dithering, and error-diffusion dithering.
• Newly integrated controller supports FPD-Link (LVDS), DVI (TMDS), and MIPI-DSI input.
• USB-C compliant design, supporting latest connectivity standards.

Hardware Specifications

The hardware design for Glider utilizes the Xilinx Spartan-6 LX16 FPGA and DDR3-800 framebuffer memory for optimal performance. It also features:

• Display options via Type-C DisplayPort Alt-Mode or DVI (via microHDMI).
• An effective e-paper power supply capable of delivering up to 1A peak current on +/−15V rails for large panels.
• Integrated support for a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, facilitating USB communication and firmware updates.

Advantages and Disadvantages of E-ink Technology

While E-ink displays shine in battery efficiency and visibility under direct sunlight, they do lack some attributes when compared to modern LCD technologies:

• Contrast Ratio: Typically ~17:1 for monochrome EPDs vs ~1000:1 for TFT LCDs.
• Response Time: EPDs have a response time of ~150 ms compared to ~10 ms for TFTs.
• However, E-ink’s bistability (retaining image without power) and paper-like display quality remain unparalleled.

Understanding E-ink Controllers

The E-ink controller is central to the functioning of any E-ink display, converting raw image data into appropriate signals. It employs various modes for efficient display, including greyscale and binary modes. The waveform is crucial here, acting as a lookup table guiding the voltage application to display varying shades effectively.

Join the Community

Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, developer, or merely curious about display technologies, there’s a community ready to welcome you! Join discussions and gain insights by subscribing to relevant channels or following Caster's open-source design.

For updates on hardware availability, visit the pre-launch page for the Modos Paper Monitor on Crowd Supply. Embrace the future of display technology with Glider, where innovation meets usability!