Mini Retro TV: ESP32-S3 plays JPEG video

A small handheld video player built on the MaTouch Lite ESP32-S3 with a 2.4-inch ST7789 touchscreen. Instead of decoding video, it plays a sequence of JPEG frames read from a microSD card.

Build sheet

Board: MaTouch Lite ESP32-S3
Display: 2.4in ST7789 SPI IPS touch
Audio: MAX98357A + 2W speaker
Storage: microSD (JPEG frames)

Can I build this?Intermediate · AI 4/5

Difficulty: Intermediate
AI-buildability: 4/5
Time: 3 hours

Parts

MaTouch Lite ESP32-S3 2.4in ST7789 SPI IPS touchscreen MAX98357A amplifier 2W round speaker USB-C panel mount USB-C breakout board microSD card

Tools

3D printersoldering iron

Starter prompt

Based on "Mini Retro TV: ESP32-S3 plays JPEG video" on Afterware: https://afterware.xyz/p/mini-retro-tv-esp32-s3-plays-jpeg-video

Write MicroPython or Arduino firmware for an ESP32-S3 board with a 2.4-inch ST7789 SPI touchscreen and a microSD card slot. On startup, read numbered JPEG frames from the SD card in order and draw each one to the display at full screen resolution. Add a simple frame-rate limit and a touch tap to pause and resume playback.

Estimates based on the original write-up. Building with an AI assistant? Connect it to Afterware (free MCP server).

Story

The project started from an interest in pushing small microcontrollers beyond sensors and automation. The goal was a tiny television built around the MaTouch Lite ESP32-S3 and its 2.4-inch ST7789 SPI IPS touchscreen.

Playing a conventional MP4 directly on the ESP32 is not practical, since H.264 needs more processing power and memory than the board offers. Instead, each video is converted into a series of JPEG images, resized to the display resolution, and saved to a microSD card. The ESP32-S3 reads the frames in order and draws them to the screen, which gives the impression of video.

Firmware is installed through a web flasher page. The microSD card holds the clips so the internal flash is not used for the full video. A MAX98357A amplifier and a 2W round speaker are listed in the parts, so the build includes audio output.

Resources · 3

Project page Firmware flasher MaTouch Lite ESP32-S3 board