ESP-32 Boards

Introduction

The ESP32 is a powerful and versatile microcontroller developed by Espressif Systems, known for its robust features and suitability for a wide range of applications, from industrial IoT devices to hobbyist projects. With a variety of development boards available, getting started with the ESP32 is accessible and straightforward for both beginners and experienced developers.

Here's a primer on the ESP32 architecture and some popular boards based on it.

ESP32 Architecture Overview

The ESP32 is a low-cost, low-power system on a chip (SoC) with integrated Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. It is designed for mobile devices, wearable electronics, and IoT applications. Here are some key features of the ESP32 architecture:

Processor: Dual-core Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor, with clock speeds up to 240 MHz. Some variants have a single-core processor.

Memory: Typically includes 520 KB of SRAM. External flash memory can be interfaced for additional storage.

Connectivity: Integrated 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n). Bluetooth v4.2 BR/EDR and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

Peripherals: Multiple GPIO pins with support for PWM, ADC, DAC, I2C, SPI, UART, and more.

Power Management: Ultra-low power consumption with power-saving modes. Suitable for battery-powered applications.

Popular ESP32-Based Boards

ESP32-CAM

A popular board for camera-based projects, and the one we use the most.

Features an OV2640 camera module.

Includes a microSD card slot for storage.

Can be used for applications like video streaming, face recognition, and more.

Some features:

Camera: Comes with an OV2640 camera module capable of capturing images and video.

Storage: Includes a microSD card slot for storing images and videos.

Connectivity: Supports Wi-Fi for wireless communication and streaming.

GPIO: Limited GPIO availability due to the camera interface, but still supports essential peripherals.

Programming: Can be programmed using the Arduino IDE or Espressif's ESP-IDF.

ESP32 DevKitC:

A development board that features the ESP32-WROOM-32 module.

Includes a USB-to-serial converter for easy programming.

Breaks out all the GPIO pins for prototyping.

ESP32-WROVER-KIT

A more advanced development board with an LCD display and camera interface.

Includes the ESP32-WROVER module, which has additional PSRAM for more demanding applications.

ESP32-PICO-KIT

A compact development board featuring the ESP32-PICO-D4 module.

Ideal for space-constrained projects.

TTGO T-Display

An ESP32 board with a built-in color display.

Useful for projects that require a user interface.

M5Stack

A modular, stackable development kit with an ESP32 core.

Offers a variety of modules and accessories for expansion.

Getting Started with the ESP32-CAM

The ESP32-CAM is a compact and cost-effective board designed for camera applications, and is the board we use in many of our kits. Here’s a detailed setup guide on how to get started with this module:

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ESP 32 CAM Setup and Streaming Guide⁠

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