A33-Olinuxino + MIPI 3.34 round +TFT +WiFi

[vellamy]

Hello,

I want to make a device for showing video ads in a display and control it remotely. This display must be round and fit in hole with a diameter of 85mm. I have found several round TFT.
I like this: http://www.szmaclight.com/product/3-3-inch-round-tft-lcd-display.html
This display works through MIPI-DSI.
I have not experience with this protocol and I think is very complicated to run it with a uC excepting the STM32f479. So, I begin to look for a mini-computer. Beaglebone is an option and A33-Olinuxino seems a better one. 

I have to design a custom PCB to adapt the disply to this board. Should be this round display  connected to the MIPI-DSI connector or the 2x20pins connector? I am confused with name of the pins.
The display needs:
-MIPI DATA -N
-MIPI DATA -P
-MIPI CLK -N
-MIPI CLK -P
-TE
-RST

Which WiFi module you recommend to add connectivity to A33-olinuxino?

Thank you in advances,
Best regards

[LubOlimex]

Some feedback from me:

0. Overall very ambitions and hard-to-accomplish project. Good luck.

1. I tested MOD-WIFI-RTL8188ETV yesterday. It seems to work fine with the A33 board and the official Linux image (as long as you have good USB adapter cable). This can be found here: https://www.olimex.com/Products/USB-Modules/MOD-WIFI-RTL8188ETV

2. The MIPI connector is named "CSI/DSI" - it is a ribbon cable connector. We sell compatible ribbon cables, if you can't find it elsewhere.

3. The A33 chip is the only Allwinner chip that has Linux support for the MIPI dispaly. This was implemented in kernel 4.18. Check the hardware support table here: http://linux-sunxi.org/Linux_mainlining_effort

4. The information in point 3. means that you can't use the official Olimex Linux image since it uses much older kernel. Building mainline kernel is possible for A33, but some of the on-board board's peripherals might not work properly, including the WIFI chip that I mentioned in point 1. However, no matter what image you use you would need to modify video output drivers for this display, so prepare for significant software effort.

5. We haven't seen a MIPI display with our eyes at this point.

6. I highly recommend you to find a display with other interface. Not sure what exactly you have to show on the display but if it is something simple even consider SPI or I2C displays (if you can't find RGB or LVDS one to connect to the 0.1" step "LCD" connector).

[vellamy]

Thank you for your wise comments. I really apreciate them very much.
I will follow searching for other displays because MIPI complicates  a lot the solution.