What is pocketlcd?

peng-zhihui/pocketlcd — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-24 · repo last pushed 2020-11-29

★ 6,513Audience · vibe coderComplexity · 4/5DormantLicenseSetup · hard

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((PocketLCD))
    What it does
      Portable HDMI monitor
      Built-in power bank
      Charges other devices
    Display
      5.5 inch screen
      1080x1920 resolution
      HDMI-PI signal board
    Power
      Li-ion battery cells
      USB-C Power Delivery
      Fast charging support
    DIY build
      Open source PCB
      Assembly tips included
      GPL license

mindmap root((PocketLCD)) What it does Portable HDMI monitor Built-in power bank Charges other devices Display 5.5 inch screen 1080x1920 resolution HDMI-PI signal board Power Li-ion battery cells USB-C Power Delivery Fast charging support DIY build Open source PCB Assembly tips included GPL license

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Build a portable 1080p secondary monitor you can carry in a bag for use with a laptop in the field.

USE CASE 2

Customize the open-source design to change the screen size or add different charging features.

USE CASE 3

Use the device as a camera monitor for videographers who need a portable high-resolution screen.

USE CASE 4

Study the circuit board design to learn how HDMI signal conversion and USB Power Delivery charging work together.

How does it compare?

	peng-zhihui/pocketlcd	rust-lang/rfcs	peng-zhihui/helloword-keyboard
Stars	6,513	6,487	6,617
Language	—	Markdown	C
Last pushed	2020-11-29	—	2024-01-12
Maintenance	Dormant	—	Dormant
Setup difficulty	hard	easy	hard
Complexity	4/5	1/5	5/5
Audience	vibe coder	developer	vibe coder

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · hard Time to first run · 1day+

Requires ordering custom PCBs, sourcing a specific 5.5-inch display panel, and soldering surface-mount components.

You can build and modify this for personal use, but you cannot manufacture and sell it commercially, GPL terms apply.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I want to build a PocketLCD. Walk me through the circuit board design, what does the HDMI-PI module do and how does it connect to the 5.5-inch display panel?

Prompt 2

Explain the USB Power Delivery charging section of the PocketLCD circuit. What chip handles fast charging and what protections are built in?

Prompt 3

I want to modify PocketLCD to use a different screen size. What parts of the HDMI-PI design would I need to change for a 7-inch panel?

Prompt 4

What are the assembly tips the PocketLCD creator gives about soldering the high-current charging path, and why does trace thickness matter there?

Prompt 5

Help me source the components for PocketLCD, what lithium-ion battery spec does the design use and how does the potentiometer brightness control fit into the circuit?

Frequently asked questions