Less is More
The inexpensive Display-O-Tron HAT has a three-line LC display, making it perfect for projects that need a display but not a bulky monitor.
The Display-O-Tron three-line display screen
Lead Image © Valery Kachaev, 123RF.com
It often seems like overkill when a full-grown monitor is hooked up to a diminutive Raspberry Pi (Rasp Pi). Even the official thin-film-transistor (TFT) display for the Rasp Pi is fairly large, making it impractical for some compact mobile solutions. The small TFT-based displays that come in Rasp Pi size are far less bulky by comparison. However, the lack of a suitable X Window GUI toolkit for this form factor [1] means working with the TFTs is not much fun.
Hardware extensions for the Rasp Pi have been standardized in the form of Hardware Attached on Top (HAT). HATs have given rise to many interesting components that function similarly to the plug-and-play principle. The UK manufacturer Pimoroni [2] has gained recognition for its many interesting HAT projects. For instance, Pimoroni manufactures the $28 (EUR22/£22) Display-O-Tron HAT (Figure 1).
You can purchase the Display-O-Tron from Adafruit [3] in the US and Pimoroni [4] in the UK. You'll discover the Display-O-Tron is a perfect fit for the gap that exists between a headless system and a regular display screen. Given that both software support and pricing are excellent, this display attachment serves as an inspiration for many interesting projects.
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