Set up Hearthboard Ink

Before you begin

The first release target is the TRMNL 7.5-inch DIY kit: a Seeed XIAO ePaper Display Board EE04 with XIAO ESP32-S3 Plus and an 800 × 480 monochrome panel. Other ESP32-S3 boards need their own firmware.

• A supported board and a USB cable that carries data, not just power.
• A computer running desktop Chrome or Edge for browser flashing.
• A 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network, and Hearthboard on your iPhone.
• A Hearthboard iPad feed host if you want calendar, reminders, chores, or photos.

1. Install over USB

1. Open Hearthboard Ink on this site and select the exact EE04 DIY kit.
2. Close serial monitors and other flash tools. Connect the board directly to your computer with the USB data cable. If it is sleeping, press a board button to wake it.
3. Read the installation notice. Confirm the board model and that you understand saved settings may be reset.
4. Click Install Hearthboard Ink and select the board in the browser’s USB serial chooser. Keep the cable connected until the installer completes.

2. Join your home Wi-Fi

1. Wait for the panel to show the setup screen. Open Camera on your iPhone and scan the large Wi-Fi QR code to join Hearthboard-XXXX.
2. If Camera does not offer to join, choose Hearthboard-XXXX in Settings → Wi-Fi. The four-character suffix identifies your board.
3. The setup page should open automatically. If it does not, visit http://192.168.4.1 while connected to the display’s network.
4. Name your display, select your home 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, enter its password, and tap Connect.
5. Watch the panel for the result. When it succeeds, return your iPhone to your home Wi-Fi.

3. Pair with Hearthboard

The board remembers its pairing across a reboot. A full e-paper refresh takes about four seconds and flashes black and white; that is normal.

1. Open Hearthboard on your iPhone and look for the display in Nearby.
2. Select it and compare the six digits on your iPhone with those on the panel.
3. If they match, press the Right button on the back of the board to confirm. Left cancels.
4. If needed, use the QR or typed-code pairing option instead. Hold Right for five seconds to reopen pairing.
5. Add Clock and Weather to start, then move and resize them from the iPhone.

4. Connect your feeds

Clock and weather are good first widgets. Calendar, reminders, chores, and photos come from a paired iPad running Hearthboard. Pair the iPad with the display from Settings → Other Displays. Keep the feed host available for fresh data. Service widgets such as Home Assistant, Plex, and Frigate need their own sign-in through the companion.

USB power keeps the board connected. On battery it sleeps between scheduled check-ins, so changes may wait until the next wake. Press a button to wake it for setup or editing.