.gif?width=768&height=403&name=hubspot%20blog%20image%20%20(756%20x%20516%20px).gif "Beyond the Standard: Adding an LVGL Display to a Headless System")
The phyCORE-AM64x was designed for applications that need Linux processing, real-time control, and industrial Ethernet. It doesn't have a dedicated graphics accelerator or display interface, so it's typically used in headless systems.
But what if an phyCORE-AM64x application also needs a local touchscreen?
Our team wanted to find out if they could add a graphical HMI without adding another processor just for the display.
The answer was yes.
The Hardware
The PHYTEC team used a 5-inch, 800 × 480 capacitive touchscreen from Crystalfontz with a Bridgetek BT817 EVE controller.
-
The display integrates a Bridgetek BT817 EVE controller
-
EVE (Embedded Video Engine) acts as an external graphics controller.
-
The phyCORE-AM64x communicates with the EVE controller over SPI
-
The EVE handles the TFT display, touch, and backlight
To connect the display to the phyCORE-AM64x Development Kit, we used the Crystalfontz CFA10098 EVE breakout board. The breakout board provides the connection between the display and the AM64x SPI interface.
phyCORE-AM64x Dev Kit → CFA10098 EVE Breakout Board → CFA800480E3-050SC EVE Display
The Software Stack
The demo runs on BSP-Yocto-Ampliphy-AM64x-PD25.2.1, with a custom Meta-Electra-Display layer added on top of the existing PHYTEC BSP. The layer adds the SPI display integration, LVGL application, and a systemd service that automatically starts the application at boot.
Once the layer is added to the BSP, the new phytec-lvgl-image target builds the complete image for the Development Kit.
Beyond the Standard Setup
This is a good example of the kind of engineering work that happens when we go beyond the standard use case. We started with a headless platform and a simple question: Can we add a touchscreen?
Working with Crystalfontz, our engineering team evaluated the display hardware, built the software integration, and packaged the result into a reusable Yocto meta-layer.
That's what we mean when we say PHYTEC is a SOM partner, not just a SOM vendor.
Sometimes it means asking what's possible, finding the right hardware, and doing the engineering work to make it happen.
Real engineers. Real solutions.
Try it!
Want to evaluate the same setup?
Development Kit: https://www.phytec.com/product/phyboard-am64x-development-kit/
Accessory Kit: https://www.phytec.com/product/5-spi-display/
Meta-Layer & Instructions: https://github.com/tloanPhytec/meta-electra-display/tree/scarthgap
Start with the reference implementation and see what you can build with the phyCORE-AM64x.
