PaperTTY: Put a Raspberry Pi Terminal on E-Paper

PaperTTY: Put a Raspberry Pi Terminal on E-Paper. Many tested displays are Waveshare models, and the project also documents some IT8951 devices.

PineMux Editorial 30 Sep 2026 2 min read

E-Paper & Displays

01 / Project overview

PaperTTY is an experimental Python project that renders a Linux terminal, standard input or supported remote-display output onto an e-paper panel. Many tested displays are Waveshare models, and the project also documents some IT8951 devices. It offers a starting point for a quiet text display or a custom terminal appliance.

02 / Materials & software

Raspberry Pi
a display on PaperTTY’s supported-driver list
SPI or the documented IT8951 connection
keyboard

03 / Compatibility & setup notes

PaperTTY is experimental and refresh behavior depends on the display driver. It should not be treated as a drop-in fast monitor; the project separates CC0 application code from GPL driver code.

04 / Build the project

Check the driver list for the exact panel, including controller and resolution.
Install the documented Python requirements and prove a simple text render first.
Configure the desired terminal or input source, then adjust the font and refresh behavior for readability.

FROM THE ORIGINAL PROJECT
The original terminal view illustrates why font choice and line spacing matter on e-paper.
joukos/PaperTTY · View original image

05 / Check the result

Test long lines, scrolling and repeated updates. Choose a font that makes punctuation and similar characters easy to distinguish on the actual panel.

PineMux build note: Keep a record of the board revision, firmware version and first successful test. Follow the upstream guide for exact pins and commands.

FROM THE ORIGINAL PROJECT
The upstream daylight example shows the reflective display in a different lighting condition.
joukos/PaperTTY · View original image