m5stack tab5 doesn't init st7123 display (BSP-759)

[CarbonNeuron]

Board

m5stack Tab5

Hardware Description

M5stack decided to slipstream in a different display IC on this board, they're fairly similar but require a different initialization sequence. Also different touchscreen controller. They updated this in their user demo, but, not in this bsp.

IDE Name

Vscode

Operating System

Windows 10

Description

M5stack decided to slipstream in a different display IC on this board, they're fairly similar but require a different initialization sequence. Also different touchscreen controller. They updated this in their user demo, but, not in this bsp.

Sketch

Nuhuh

Other Steps to Reproduce

No response

I have checked existing issues, README.md and ESP32 Forum

• I confirm I have checked existing issues, online documentation and Troubleshooting guide.

[github-actions]

Hi @CarbonNeuron! Please be aware that (1) the following suggestions are generated by a bot and haven't been fact-checked by Espressif Systems, (2) burning eFuses and enabling security features are irreversible operations and can damage your ESP32 device. We hope that this message will help you until an Espressif Engineer looks at your issue.

---

You’re right that M5Stack’s Tab5 hardware uses a MIPI‑DSI LCD, and the current BSP assumes a fixed panel/touch combination and provides only the generic “bsp_display_start / bsp_touch_new” API on top of ESP‑LCD/ESP‑LCD‑Touch. [m5stack_tab5 BSP; Tab5 component]

However, in the materials you referenced, there is no explicit information that:

• Tab5 has been revised to use an ST7123 LCD controller, or
• Tab5 has been revised to use the ST7123 touch (TDDI) controller, or
• what the exact “new” panel/touch part numbers and init sequences are on the updated hardware.

The official Tab5 BSP component still declares dependencies on: [Tab5 component]

• espressif/esp_lcd_ili9881c – LCD controller
• espressif/esp_lcd_touch_gt911 – GT911 I2C touch controller

and the README still describes the display as “5″ 1280×720 IPS TFT via MIPI‑DSI, touch by GT911”. [Tab5 README]

By contrast, the ST7123 support you linked is provided as generic components, not tied to Tab5:

• espressif/esp_lcd_st7123 – MIPI‑DSI LCD controller driver, with example MIPI‑DSI + DBI + ST7123 panel init (DPI config, vendor_config, etc.). [esp_lcd_st7123 component; esp_lcd_st7123 README]
• espressif/esp_lcd_touch_st7123 – I2C touch driver for ST7123 TDDI. [esp_lcd_touch_st7123 component; esp_lcd_touch_st7123 README]

So, based on the available data:

• The current Tab5 BSP does not yet integrate esp_lcd_st7123 or esp_lcd_touch_st7123, and therefore will not automatically handle a hardware revision that switched to ST7123.
• We also do not have in these sources:
  • M5Stack’s updated schematic / exact ST7123 wiring on Tab5
  • The revised LCD init command table for this particular panel
  • The revised touch wiring and config (INT/RST pins, swap/mirror flags, etc.)

Because of that, I can’t provide a ready‑to‑drop patch for bsp_display_new() / bsp_touch_new() that will definitely bring up your specific Tab5 revision. Doing so would require board‑specific details that are not in the knowledge sources.

What you can do in the meantime (workaround for your project):

1. Bypass the BSP’s built‑in panel driver and use esp_lcd_st7123 directly, following its example:

   // 1) Enable MIPI‑DSI PHY LDO
   esp_ldo_channel_handle_t ldo_mipi_phy = NULL;
   esp_ldo_channel_config_t ldo_mipi_phy_config = {
       .chan_id = 3,
       .voltage_mv = 2500,
   };
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_ldo_acquire_channel(&ldo_mipi_phy_config, &ldo_mipi_phy));
   
   // 2) Create DSI bus
   esp_lcd_dsi_bus_handle_t mipi_dsi_bus = NULL;
   esp_lcd_dsi_bus_config_t bus_config = ST7123_PANEL_BUS_DSI_2CH_CONFIG();
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_dsi_bus(&bus_config, &mipi_dsi_bus));
   
   // 3) Create DBI IO on that bus
   esp_lcd_panel_io_handle_t mipi_dbi_io = NULL;
   esp_lcd_dbi_io_config_t dbi_config = ST7123_PANEL_IO_DBI_CONFIG();
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_panel_io_dbi(mipi_dsi_bus, &dbi_config, &mipi_dbi_io));
   
   // 4) Create ST7123 panel
   esp_lcd_panel_handle_t panel_handle = NULL;
   const esp_lcd_dpi_panel_config_t dpi_config =
       ST7123_1560_720_PANEL_60HZ_DPI_CONFIG(EXAMPLE_MIPI_DPI_PX_FORMAT);
   st7123_vendor_config_t vendor_config = {
       .flags = { .use_mipi_interface = 1 },
       .mipi_config = {
           .dsi_bus = mipi_dsi_bus,
           .dpi_config = &dpi_config,
       },
   };
   const esp_lcd_panel_dev_config_t panel_config = {
       .reset_gpio_num = EXAMPLE_LCD_IO_RST,        // adjust for Tab5 wiring
       .rgb_ele_order = LCD_RGB_ELEMENT_ORDER_RGB,
       .bits_per_pixel = EXAMPLE_LCD_BIT_PER_PIXEL,
       .vendor_config = &vendor_config,
   };
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_panel_st7123(mipi_dbi_io, &panel_config, &panel_handle));
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_panel_reset(panel_handle));
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_panel_init(panel_handle));

   [esp_lcd_st7123 component]

   If the panel still needs manufacturer‑specific tweaks (gamma, voltages, etc.), use the standard “extra init sequence” pattern after esp_lcd_panel_init() as described in the ESP‑LCD docs. [ESP‑LCD steps]

2. Use ST7123 touch driver directly, if your Tab5 revision really uses ST7123 TDDI for touch:

   esp_lcd_panel_io_i2c_config_t io_config = ESP_LCD_TOUCH_IO_I2C_ST7123_CONFIG();
   
   esp_lcd_touch_config_t tp_cfg = {
       .x_max = CONFIG_LCD_H_RES,
       .y_max = CONFIG_LCD_V_RES,
       .rst_gpio_num = -1,   // update if Tab5 connects RST
       .int_gpio_num = -1,   // update if Tab5 connects INT
       .levels = {
           .reset = 0,
           .interrupt = 0,
       },
       .flags = {
           .swap_xy = 0,
           .mirror_x = 0,
           .mirror_y = 0,
       },
   };
   
   esp_lcd_touch_handle_t tp;
   esp_lcd_touch_new_i2c_st7123(io_handle, &tp_cfg, &tp);
   
   // In your main loop / timer:
   esp_lcd_touch_read_data(tp);
   uint16_t touch_x[1], touch_y[1], strength[1];
   uint8_t touch_cnt = 0;
   bool pressed = esp_lcd_touch_get_coordinates(tp, touch_x, touch_y, strength, &touch_cnt, 1);

   [esp_lcd_touch_st7123 component]

3. Once that’s working in your project, the proper BSP fix would be:

   • Update bsp_display_new() in bsp/m5stack_tab5 to create the ST7123 panel instead of the ILI9881C (and adjust resolution/TE/backlight handling as needed).
   • Update bsp_touch_new() to use esp_lcd_touch_st7123 instead of GT911, with the correct I2C bus and GPIOs for the Tab5 revision.
   • Optionally add board‑revision detection (e.g., GPIO strap or IO‑expander ID) if both old and new LCDs exist in the field.

Because the repo snippets you shared don’t contain those m5stack‑specific wiring details or M5Stack’s revised demo code, I cannot supply a fully tested patch here. The minimal, actionable guidance I can give is:

• Use esp_lcd_st7123 and esp_lcd_touch_st7123 directly in your application as above to verify the new hardware, and
• Open a PR or an issue on esp-bsp linking your working code so the Tab5 BSP can be updated accordingly.

If you can attach M5Stack’s updated Tab5 demo or schematic in that GitHub issue, Espressif can then align the BSP with the actual ST7123‑based hardware.

[CarbonNeuron]

The new chip is documented here: https://docs.m5stack.com/en/core/Tab5#softwares

…

On Thu, Dec 11, 2025, 11:23 PM github-actions[bot] ***@***.***> wrote: *github-actions[bot]* left a comment (espressif/esp-bsp#695) <#695 (comment)> Hi @CarbonNeuron <https://github.com/CarbonNeuron>! Please be aware that (1) the following suggestions are generated by a bot and haven't been fact-checked by Espressif Systems, (2) burning eFuses and enabling security features are irreversible operations and can damage your ESP32 device. We hope that this message will help you until an Espressif Engineer looks at your issue. ------------------------------ You’re right that M5Stack’s Tab5 hardware uses a MIPI‑DSI LCD, and the current BSP assumes a fixed panel/touch combination and provides only the generic “bsp_display_start / bsp_touch_new” API on top of ESP‑LCD/ESP‑LCD‑Touch. [m5stack_tab5 BSP <https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp/blob/master/bsp/m5stack_tab5/API.md>; Tab5 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/m5stack_tab5>] However, in the materials you referenced, there is *no explicit information* that: - Tab5 has been revised to use an ST7123 LCD controller, or - Tab5 has been revised to use the ST7123 *touch* (TDDI) controller, or - what the exact “new” panel/touch part numbers and init sequences are on the updated hardware. The official Tab5 BSP component still declares dependencies on: [Tab5 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/m5stack_tab5>] - espressif/esp_lcd_ili9881c – LCD controller - espressif/esp_lcd_touch_gt911 – GT911 I2C touch controller and the README still describes the display as “5″ 1280×720 IPS TFT via MIPI‑DSI, touch by GT911”. [Tab5 README <https://github.com/espressif/esp-bsp/blob/master/bsp/m5stack_tab5/README.md> ] By contrast, the ST7123 support you linked is provided as *generic components*, not tied to Tab5: - espressif/esp_lcd_st7123 – MIPI‑DSI LCD controller driver, with example MIPI‑DSI + DBI + ST7123 panel init (DPI config, vendor_config, etc.). [esp_lcd_st7123 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/esp_lcd_st7123>; esp_lcd_st7123 README <https://github.com/espressif/esp-iot-solution/blob/master/components/display/lcd/esp_lcd_st7123/README.md> ] - espressif/esp_lcd_touch_st7123 – I2C touch driver for ST7123 TDDI. [esp_lcd_touch_st7123 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/esp_lcd_touch_st7123>; esp_lcd_touch_st7123 README <https://github.com/espressif/esp-iot-solution/blob/master/components/display/lcd_touch/esp_lcd_touch_st7123/README.md> ] So, based on the available data: - The *current Tab5 BSP does not yet integrate esp_lcd_st7123 or esp_lcd_touch_st7123*, and therefore will not automatically handle a hardware revision that switched to ST7123. - We also *do not have* in these sources: - M5Stack’s updated schematic / exact ST7123 wiring on Tab5 - The revised LCD init command table for this particular panel - The revised touch wiring and config (INT/RST pins, swap/mirror flags, etc.) Because of that, I can’t provide a ready‑to‑drop patch for bsp_display_new() / bsp_touch_new() that will definitely bring up your specific Tab5 revision. Doing so would require board‑specific details that are not in the knowledge sources. What you *can* do in the meantime (workaround for your project): 1. *Bypass the BSP’s built‑in panel driver* and use esp_lcd_st7123 directly, following its example: // 1) Enable MIPI‑DSI PHY LDOesp_ldo_channel_handle_t ldo_mipi_phy = NULL;esp_ldo_channel_config_t ldo_mipi_phy_config = { .chan_id = 3, .voltage_mv = 2500, };ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_ldo_acquire_channel(&ldo_mipi_phy_config, &ldo_mipi_phy)); // 2) Create DSI busesp_lcd_dsi_bus_handle_t mipi_dsi_bus = NULL;esp_lcd_dsi_bus_config_t bus_config = ST7123_PANEL_BUS_DSI_2CH_CONFIG();ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_dsi_bus(&bus_config, &mipi_dsi_bus)); // 3) Create DBI IO on that busesp_lcd_panel_io_handle_t mipi_dbi_io = NULL;esp_lcd_dbi_io_config_t dbi_config = ST7123_PANEL_IO_DBI_CONFIG();ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_panel_io_dbi(mipi_dsi_bus, &dbi_config, &mipi_dbi_io)); // 4) Create ST7123 panelesp_lcd_panel_handle_t panel_handle = NULL;const esp_lcd_dpi_panel_config_t dpi_config = ST7123_1560_720_PANEL_60HZ_DPI_CONFIG(EXAMPLE_MIPI_DPI_PX_FORMAT);st7123_vendor_config_t vendor_config = { .flags = { .use_mipi_interface = 1 }, .mipi_config = { .dsi_bus = mipi_dsi_bus, .dpi_config = &dpi_config, }, };const esp_lcd_panel_dev_config_t panel_config = { .reset_gpio_num = EXAMPLE_LCD_IO_RST, // adjust for Tab5 wiring .rgb_ele_order = LCD_RGB_ELEMENT_ORDER_RGB, .bits_per_pixel = EXAMPLE_LCD_BIT_PER_PIXEL, .vendor_config = &vendor_config, };ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_new_panel_st7123(mipi_dbi_io, &panel_config, &panel_handle));ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_panel_reset(panel_handle));ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_lcd_panel_init(panel_handle)); [esp_lcd_st7123 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/esp_lcd_st7123>] If the panel still needs manufacturer‑specific tweaks (gamma, voltages, etc.), use the standard “extra init sequence” pattern after esp_lcd_panel_init() as described in the ESP‑LCD docs. [ESP‑LCD steps <https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32/api-reference/peripherals/lcd/index.html#steps-to-add-manufacturer-specific-initialization> ] 2. *Use ST7123 touch driver directly*, if your Tab5 revision really uses ST7123 TDDI for touch: esp_lcd_panel_io_i2c_config_t io_config = ESP_LCD_TOUCH_IO_I2C_ST7123_CONFIG(); esp_lcd_touch_config_t tp_cfg = { .x_max = CONFIG_LCD_H_RES, .y_max = CONFIG_LCD_V_RES, .rst_gpio_num = -1, // update if Tab5 connects RST .int_gpio_num = -1, // update if Tab5 connects INT .levels = { .reset = 0, .interrupt = 0, }, .flags = { .swap_xy = 0, .mirror_x = 0, .mirror_y = 0, }, }; esp_lcd_touch_handle_t tp;esp_lcd_touch_new_i2c_st7123(io_handle, &tp_cfg, &tp); // In your main loop / timer:esp_lcd_touch_read_data(tp);uint16_t touch_x[1], touch_y[1], strength[1];uint8_t touch_cnt = 0;bool pressed = esp_lcd_touch_get_coordinates(tp, touch_x, touch_y, strength, &touch_cnt, 1); [esp_lcd_touch_st7123 component <https://components.espressif.com/components/espressif/esp_lcd_touch_st7123> ] 3. Once that’s working in your project, the *proper BSP fix* would be: - Update bsp_display_new() in bsp/m5stack_tab5 to create the ST7123 panel instead of the ILI9881C (and adjust resolution/TE/backlight handling as needed). - Update bsp_touch_new() to use esp_lcd_touch_st7123 instead of GT911, with the correct I2C bus and GPIOs for the Tab5 revision. - Optionally add board‑revision detection (e.g., GPIO strap or IO‑expander ID) if both old and new LCDs exist in the field. Because the repo snippets you shared don’t contain those m5stack‑specific wiring details or M5Stack’s revised demo code, I cannot supply a fully tested patch here. The minimal, actionable guidance I can give is: - Use esp_lcd_st7123 and esp_lcd_touch_st7123 *directly* in your application as above to verify the new hardware, and - Open a PR or an issue on esp-bsp linking your working code so the Tab5 BSP can be updated accordingly. If you can attach M5Stack’s updated Tab5 demo or schematic in that GitHub issue, Espressif can then align the BSP with the actual ST7123‑based hardware. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#695 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AD756NJBSE7N4EQ7NEGV5F34BJGMFAVCNFSM6AAAAACO2AKC46VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTMNBUHE3DIMZVGM> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[easytarget]

This hardware change has been made, all Tab5's shipped recently have a ST7123 in place of the old GT911/ILI9881C panel.

Either Expressif or M5Stack need to do the work here if Expressif want to keep offering a valid BSP for the Tab5.

When they updated the UserDemo for the ST7123 they updated the BSP in the userdemo:
https://github.com/m5stack/M5Tab5-UserDemo/tree/main/platforms/tab5/components/m5stack_tab5
It is totally devoid of any details (empty readme etc) but should give a start.

You can see all the changes they made to suppor this by looking at all the commits on the 9'th sept 2024 : https://github.com/m5stack/M5Tab5-UserDemo/commits/main/