We often see multi-monitor setups and curved screens in gaming and workstation setups, but not in embedded systems. What if we could bring this idea to microcontrollers? Charles Giguère from The Last Outpost Workshop did exactly that by creating a curved display using multiple small screens and ESP32 microcontrollers.
The project started as an experiment to see if multiple ESP32 boards could be synchronized to display an animated GIF across eight small 240x240 pixel TFT screens. Each ESP32 controls two screens over SPI, with a separate pin for synchronisation. At first, Charles used a perf board, but soldering was difficult, so he designed a custom PCB to make the connections easier. The PCB allows each ESP32 to control up to four screens. To make the display look seamless, he removed the bezels from the screens and used acrylic blocks with small magnets to position them properly on a stand.
For the stand, he tested different materials, including wooden sticks and metal strapping, before making a cleaner version with laser-cut acrylic. The ESP32 boards communicate with a Node.js based server that converts MP4 videos into GIFs, which are then sent over Wi-Fi to each ESP32. One of the ESP32 acts as a master controller for easier calibration and display sync. This setup ensures all screens display their frames in sync. A single 5V power supply runs the entire system, keeping it simple and efficient. The project is open-source, and all files and code are available for anyone who wants to build a similar display. You can find more details on Charles Giguère’s GitHub repository.
