How To’s and Best Practices with Paul Mirel and Bianca Cilento - Pt. 5

Описание: After over a month of frustration, countless multimeter tests, and multiple rebuilt circuits, we finally discover the root cause of a non-functioning display: a simple misunderstanding about the word "jumper."

What You'll See:
Real-time electronics troubleshooting session
Wire-by-wire verification of TFT display connections (MISO, MOSI, SPI, I2C)
CircuitPython debugging and testing
Multimeter continuity testing
The moment we discover what went wrong

The Problem:
A 2.8" TFT touchscreen display powers on but won't show any graphics. The touchscreen works perfectly, proving the I2C bus is functioning. All connections test good with a multimeter. The code runs without errors. So what's wrong?

The Solution:
The display requires three jumper connections on the back of the PCB to enable SPI communication. Instead of soldering across the jumpers (the small chevron-marked pads labeled IM0, IM1, IM2), the connections were made to the via holes—a misunderstanding that persisted because everything else in the build used vias.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Setting the Stage
02:18 Initial Hardware Setup Verification
05:25 Display Wiring Verification - Part 1
10:21 Display Wiring Verification - Part 2
19:22 Code Setup & Line-by-Line Input
26:06 Loop Testing & Debugging
30:57 Library File Verification
33:00 Circuit Python Version Check
35:48 Battery Power Alternative Test
36:50 THE DISCOVERY - Jumper Misunderstanding
40:13 Root Cause Analysis - Terminology Problem
42:06 Communication & Terminology Lessons
44:02 The Missing Pictures Problem
48:19 Engineering Meeting Parallels
51:22 Celebration & Closure

Key Lessons:
✅ Clear technical communication is critical in engineering
✅ Terminology matters—"jumper" means something specific
✅ Visual documentation (photos/diagrams) prevents misunderstandings
✅ Balance confidence with healthy skepticism when troubleshooting
✅ Remote collaboration requires extra clarity

The Reality of Engineering:
This video captures an authentic learning moment that happens all the time in engineering—from student projects to spaceflight hardware. As mentioned in the discussion, multiply this by 1-10,000 connections with multiple technicians, and you can see how crucial clear communication becomes.

"That's what makes bridges stay up or fall down."

Perfect for students learning electronics, educators teaching technical communication, or anyone interested in the real problem-solving process behind hardware projects.

Project Details:

ESP32-S3 Microcontroller
2.8" TFT Touchscreen Display
CircuitPython 9.2.8
Custom breadboard build with display, rotary encoder, and SD card

DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/GY7NR
#Electronics #Engineering #Troubleshooting #CircuitPython #STEM #Education #ProblemSolving #TechnicalCommunication #Microcontroller #ESP32