How to build a Raspberry Pi display
O3 helped establish a framebuffer prototype, then Aider with Gemini produced a Raspberry Pi display MVP. Further iterations added touch support to an LCARS MQTT logger and clock.
news.ycombinator.comSuggested prompt
Suggested prompt written by Agents In Use, not the source author. Replace bracketed inputs and review tool permissions first.
Help build [display application] on [Raspberry Pi model] with [touchscreen]. Prototype a framebuffer display using [device path], then implement [clock and MQTT requirements] and add touch interactions for [controls].
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See placements →Evidence at a glance
Sourced account- Source poster / publisher
- TeMPOraL
- Original account
- Read the source ↗
- Published
- Source link checked
- Reported result
- The author reports running an LCARS MQTT logger and clock with touch support on a Raspberry Pi 2B. The MVP arrived the same day as the prototype, followed by four days of iteration.
- Human involvement
- The author explored alternatives and iterated on the running project over four days; formal test or review procedures are not described.
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How the agent did it
- Discuss display setup with o3 and explore direct SPI driving.
- Switch to the framebuffer approach and obtain an o3 prototype.
- Use Aider with gemini-2.5-pro to build the MVP.
The author revived a Raspberry Pi display project using hardware bought ten years earlier: a Raspberry Pi 2B V1.1 and a small TFT touchscreen. Previous attempts had stalled amid work and family commitments. After finding the hardware again, they discussed getting the screen working with o3 between work tasks.
They first explored driving the display directly through SPI, but describe that route as a dead end. They returned to a framebuffer approach, where a system overlay handles the screen and their program writes to /dev/fb0. O3 produced a quick prototype to prove that approach.
The author then used Aider with gemini-2.5-pro and reports obtaining an MVP the same day. Over the next four days, they iterated on performance, functionality and style, and added touch support. The resulting project was an LCARS MQTT logger and clock running on the old hardware. An air-conditioning control panel was a future ambition, not a completed result. Who it's for: hobbyists reviving an unfinished Raspberry Pi display project who can test prototypes on their own hardware.
Prompt
Suggested prompt (written by Agents In Use, not the author's)
Source: Hacker News · TeMPOraL
Frequently asked questions
Which display approach ultimately worked?
The author abandoned direct SPI driving and used a framebuffer approach: a system overlay handles the screen while the program writes to /dev/fb0.
Was the air-conditioning control panel completed?
No. The author reported a working MQTT logger and clock with touch support, and described the air-conditioning panel as a planned extension.
More details
Remaining steps
- Iterate on performance, functionality and style, then add touch support.
About this account
Models produced a display prototype and application code while the author selected the approach and iterated on the hardware project.
Platform: Hacker News. Attribution: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44034118. Prompt: Suggested (written by Agents In Use, not the author's). Sourced by the Agents In Use pipeline.
Credit: TeMPOraL on Hacker News
Source published
Added to Agents In Use
Source checked
Tools and topics
o3 · Aider · gemini-2.5-pro · Raspberry Pi 2B · /dev/fb0
Raspberry Pi · Touchscreen · MQTT · LCARS
Editorial completeness: 100/100. Measures documented fields, not agent performance or verified outcomes.