E-paper displays have wide applications in various fields, such as e-books, e-newspapers, signage, etc. This technology is a boon for builders, creators, designers, online publishers, and artists. It increases work efficiency, has low power consumption, and provides high visibility under different lighting conditions. These electronic papers (combined with an open-source development control) enhance functionality, allowing you to modify and collaborate on tasks freely. For people with e-books subscription, this is a great e-display to read favorite books.
This 4.2″ open-source monochrome and tricolor e-paper display of paperd.ink is perfect for creating amazing projects. It boasts smart features such as a long-lasting battery, completely accessible designs, and wireless connectivity options.
Choosing the Best Type for Your Work
The company has engineered this innovation in two versions – Classic and Merlot. Both these variants have high-quality visuals, enclosure, MicroSD card tray, Onboard CP2104 USB-UART converter, and FCC/CE certified network for WiFi & Bluetooth. Recently, Merlot’s attributes have been upgraded for more reliable performance.
The Classic model has 4 levels of gray, a quick refresh time of 1 second, and a slow-wave sleep current of 16µA with the timer wakeup. It comes with an integrated alert sound and a USB Type-C port for charging. Available foraround $89 on paperd.ink, it is a great option for working on calendars, to-dos, tracking, and so forth.
The Merlot model has a 3-shade display (black, red, and white). But it can consume more battery as compared to the Classic one. This is usually because of the slow speed of its tricolor display which has an update time of 17 seconds. Its display resolution, battery capacity, and other specifications are similar to the Classic.
The only difference is its slow-wave sleep current which is 17µA as per its timer wakeup. Its use extends to art displays, quote generators, and so on. You can buy it for almost $99 from paperd.ink.
Detailed Specifications of Merlot
Colors: Black, Red & White
Module & Processor: ESP32-WROOM-32 module with ESP32 dual-core processor, 4 MB SPI flash, 2.4 GHz WiFi 4
Display resolution: 400×300 px
Storage: MicroSD card slot
Battery Capacity: 3.7V 1,900 mAh LiPo battery
Full & Partial Update time: 17 sec
Deep sleep current: 17uA (Timer Wakeup) & 1.4mA (Button Wakeup)
USB: Type-C port
Dimensions: PCB – 92.1 x 78.1 mm; enclosure – 98 x 82 x 16 mm
Certifications: FCC/CE
Enclosure Color: White + Red
Both Classic and Merlot are impressive in terms of performance. And the choice between the two completely depends on the your requirements. However, Merlot, with its advanced features and updates, promises a great e-paper display experience.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
