disable the LCD & DRAM on STM32F429I-discovery to free-up pins?

[Hicss.2033]

Hi, I'm using a STM32F429Idiscovery board.

Is it possible a way to disable the LCD and the DRAM, so that some of the PIN utilized by such devices become free and can be utilized instead for some of the timers functionalities that are mapped on these pins?

[Paul1]

Open STM32CubeMX

Either of these

• [Access to Board selector], choose the Discovery Board, Delete the features and add the desired features on desired pins
• [Access to MCXU Selector], choose the MCU on the board, define only the pins+features you want to use (And the desired Programmer Pins SWD/JTAG) , you can look at above project to see how to define pins. This method is closer to when you make your own board.

Then:

• Setup these as desired (or as per a demo or tutorial for your chosen STM32, Highly recommend doing a few tutorials)
  • Clock Configuration
  • Project Manager...
• Generate Code, then open project in STM32CubeIDE

Paul

[Amel NASRI]

Another proposal when using STM32CubeMX with Board Selector: go to Pinout tab and click on "Clear Pinouts":

-Amel

[Tesla DeLorean]

Couldn't you just use a NUCLEO board, or find a WaveShare one

The STM32F429I-DISCO has been a cul-de-sac design from the outset.

[waclawek.jan]

If you keep the chipselect pins high, all other pins (maybe except dedicated output such as interrupt pin, if the LCD has such) can be considered as free.

JW

[Hicss.2033]

@Community member​ is suggesting just to disable/add the features on the desidered pin. I think that your answer is more correct ( disable the chips select) but what do you think of simply disabling the PIN (I think that there should be some interference, but I'm not sure).

Thanks in any way for your answer.

[waclawek.jan]

By setting the pins on STM32 which are connected to the chipselects, to GPIO Out and high, you make sure that data lines of the LCD controller and the SDRAM will never turn to output, potentially conflicting with the pins on STM32 to which these data lines are connected.

Address lines should be OK, they are input only.

A closer examination of SDRAM and LCD controller datasheet might reveal further details.

JW

[Hicss.2033]

thanks for your useful answer