OLED 0.96″ 128×64 I2C Blue Display

SSD1306 OLED controller with I2C interface

DESCRIPTION

This 0.96″ OLED display has a resolution of 128 x 64 blue pixels on a black background with an I2C interface for easy control by a uC.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• OLED 0.96″ 128×64 I2C Blue Display

KEY FEATURES OF OLED 0.96″ 128×64 I2C BLUE DISPLAY:

• Latest OLED light emitting technology
• 128×64 pixel resolution
• Blue on black monochrome display
• I2C interface uses only 2 pins on MCU
• SSD1306 OLED controller
• 3.3 or 5V operation

These displays can pack a lot of information into a small little form factor.

OLED Display

OLED displays are the latest in display technology which is just now starting to be introduced in flat-panel televisions.  They emit light without requiring a backlight and so have excellent  viewing angle, brightness and contrast in a very thin and efficient package.

The monochrome display has a resolution of 128 x 64 pixels.  The pixels are blue on a black background.

The module uses the SSD1306 controller and is compatible with software libraries that support that controller.

One thing to note about OLEDs is that they are similar to the old Plasma TVs in that they can retain an image if they are left on continuously displaying the same image.  They are best suited for applications where the screen is either turned off or the image is changed on occasion.

I2C Interface

This display incorporates an I2C interface that requires only 2 pins on a MCU to interface with and it has good library support to get up and running fast.

The default I2C address for these displays is 0x3C.  The address is marked on the bag that the module comes in.

If you are unsure of the I2C address of this or any other device, it is easy to find out what it is.  Just refer to this blog post.

Module Connections

Connection to the display is via a 4 pin header.

1 x 4 Header

• VCC –   Connect to 3.3 or 5V.  This can come from the MCU or be a separate power supply.
• GND – Connect to system ground.  This ground needs to be in common with the MCU.
• SCL –    Connect to the I2C / SCL pin on the MCU.
• SDA –   Connect to the I2C / SDA pin on the MCU.

OUR EVALUATION RESULTS:

These are interesting modules to work with since they have full graphical capability.

These modules are breadboard friendly with a 4-pin header on the back that can be inserted into a solderless breadboard or a 4-pin female connector can be used to connect to it if the display is to be mounted.  The display is very thin, so be sure to press on the header pins when applying pressure to insert them into a breadboard and not press on the glass.

Though these displays can be a little intimidating to use at first, follow these steps to get up and running easily.

Connect the display

This is simple, just connect VCC to 5V (or 3.3V) and GND to ground on the MCU.  The I2C lines just connect to the same lines on the MCU so connect SCL to SCL and SDA to SDA.

Install Libraries

Install the following 2 libraries if they are not already installed on your computer.  These can be installed from within the Arduino IDE Library Manager.
“Adafruit SSD1306”
“Adafruit GFX Library”

Set correct resolution for your display

The Adafruit library defaults to 128 x 32 resolution but we need 128 x 64.  To fix this, open the SSD1306.h file which will be in your library folder with a text editor like Notepad.  Find the following lines:

// #define SSD1306_128_64
#define SSD1306_128_32

Change them to be

#define SSD1306_128_64
// #define SSD1306_128_32

And save the file

Open sample program and modify I2C address

Once those libraries are installed, there will be a sample program available called “SSD1306_128x64_I2C”.   This program draws a number of graphics on the screen to illustrate its capabilities.

Open the program and change it to use the correct I2C address.  Find the following line just after SETUP:

display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3D);

change to:

display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);

Download program

Once downloaded it will start running an automated graphics program that illustrates some of the display and library capabilities.

BEFORE THEY ARE SHIPPED, THESE MODULES ARE:

• Inspected
• Functionality tested
• Repackaged in high quality resealable ESD bag for safe storage.

Notes:  

1. The display is thin and fragile.  Ensure you don’t apply pressure directly to the glass when inserting into a breadboard.
2. There are several manufactures of these modules, so the backside component placement may vary from the pictures, but functionality remains the same.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS