LILYGO T3S3 E-Paper: ESP32-S3 WiFi & BLE SoC with LoRa Module and 2.13-inch E-Paper Display

The LILYGO T3S3 E-Paper is an innovative development board that combines the ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth LE SoC with a 2.13-inch e-Paper display and an SX1262 LoRa module, making it suitable for off-grid messaging even in sunlight.

Specifications:

• Wireless Module: ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U
• SoC: ESP32-S3FH4R2 dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller @ up to 240 MHz
  • 2.4 GHz 802.11n WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE connectivity
• Memory: 2MB PSRAM
• Storage: 4MB SPI flash
• Antenna: IPEX connector
• Additional Storage: MicroSD card slot

Display:

• Type: 2.13-inch e-Paper (DEPG0213BN)
• Resolution: 250×122 pixels
• Size: 48.55 x 23.70 mm

Wireless:

• LoRa Module Options:
  • SX1262 @ 868/915 MHz
  • SX1276 @ 868/915 MHz
  • SX1280 @ 2.4 GHz
• Antenna: IPEX1 or SMA connector

USB:

• Type: USB Type-C port for power and programming

Expansion:

• Connectors:
  • 4-pin Qwicc connector
  • 2x 13-pin headers (unpopulated) with up to 21x GPIO, 2x UART, 4x ADC, SPI, Touch, 4x clock outputs, 5V, 3.3V, and GND

Miscellaneous:

• Switches: On/off switch, reset, and boot buttons
• Power Supply:
  • 5V via USB Type-C port
  • 2-pin JST connector for LiPo battery with ADC pin for battery voltage
  • TP4065B battery charger chip
• Dimensions: 67 x 29 mm

The GitHub repository provides Arduino samples for LoRa P2P communication, LoRaWAN, display, sensors, and more. This repository also points to third-party open-source firmware that could eventually work with the board, including SoftRF for general aviation proximity awareness, Paxcounter for passenger flow metering, and Meshtastic for off-grid messaging. However, the e-Paper display might not be supported out of the box. Still, it could be compatible with the Arduino sketches for the LILYGO T5 using the same 2.13-inch e-Paper display (codename: DEPG0213BN).

The T3S3 E-Paper ESP32-S3 board can be purchased on AliExpress for $29.98 including shipping with the SX1262 RF transceiver and accessories shown above. Other versions with SX1276 or SX1280 are not available yet including from the company’s Amazon store and own store where I can only find the T3S3/T3-S3 variants with an OLED display.

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