This blog will show you how to set up OctoDash or OctoScreen on UCTRONICS 3.5" HDMI Touchscreen and run OctoPi as a touchscreen control panel for 3Dprinter!

OctoPrint with a touchscreen interface will enhance your 3D printing process. There are a few ways to set it up, so read on to learn more!

Chris from Chris's basement used to install OctoDash using UCTRONICS'S HDMI touchscreen, this is a very comprehensive reference video：



 

Hardware

● Raspberry pi 4 Model B

● Micro SD card

● 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen (B0106)

 

OctoDash

Step 1: Preparing MicroSD with OctoPi image

You can use Raspberry Pi Imager to load the OctoPi image or install Octopi manually. For more information, please refer to: https://octoprint.org/download/

Step 2: Accessing the OctoPi using SSH

Install your screen on the Raspberry Pi, insert the Micro SD card, and power up your pi. At this point, the LCD lights up without any graphics. Now you have to log in to Octopi on your computer via  SSH, this uses PuTTY, you can use other tools as well.

 

Step 3: Updating Raspberry Pi OS

We need to update the Raspberry Pi OS.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Need to reboot after the update is complete

sudo reboot

 

Step 4: Enable the VNC Server

If you want to make a couple of configuration changes in Raspibian, this may not be so simple, but you can access it by enabling VNC Server. 

sudo raspi-config

Navigate to System Options->Boot / Auto Login->Console AutoLogin

Enable VNC Server

 Then reboot

 sudo reboot

 

Automatically reboots after installation, then octodash should be appeared.

 

 

 

Step 7: Final

After rebooting you will be able to use the screen touch function. Remember to connect the Raspberry Pi to a 3D Printer and Configure the OctoPi Web Interface. Else the “System” will not be working on OctoDash. Once you have connected, you will be able to use the touch screen to control your printer.

 

 

OctoScreen

Step 1: Preparing MicroSD with OctoPi image

Please refer to https://octoprint.org/download/

 

Step 2: The Hardware Connection

Stack the 3.5-inch TFT LCD onto the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B board, making sure the GPIO pins are aligned.

 

Step 3: Accessing the OctoPi using SSH

You need to log in to the OctoPi on the Raspberry Pi remotely via SSH.

 

Step 4: Updating Raspberry Pi OS

We need to update the Raspberry Pi OS

sudo apt update

 

Need to reboot after the update is complete

sudo reboot

 

Step 5: Install OctoScreen

sudo apt-get install libgtk-3-0 xserver-xorg xinit x11-xserver-utils

wget https://github.com/Z-Bolt/OctoScreen/releases/download/v2.7.4/octoscreen_2.7.4_armhf.deb

sudo dpkg -i octoscreen_2.7.4_armhf.deb

 

After reboot, octoscreen should be appeared.

 

Please note that due to the resolution requirements of OctoScreen, this 3.5" LCD touchscreen is not perfectly compatible with the Octoscreen graphical desktop.

 

Step 6: Install the 3.5" HDMI Touchscreen Driver

git clone https://github.com/UCTRONICS/UCTRONICS_LCD35_HDMI_RPI.git

cd UCTRONICS_LCD35_HDMI_RPI/Octoprint/

sudo chmod +x UCTRONICS_HSLCD35_SHOW

sudo ./UCTRONICS_HSLCD35_SHOW

After rebooting you will be able to use the screen touch function.

Step 7: Final

Remember to connect the Raspberry Pi to a 3D Printer and Configure the OctoPi Web Interface. 

Else the “System” will not be working on OctoScreen.