Supported Boards¶
Espilon is compatible with most ESP32 development boards. This page lists tested and recommended boards.
Officially Tested¶
LilyGO T-Call v1.4¶
Status: ✅ Fully Supported (Official GPRS Board)
- Chip: ESP32
- Flash: 4MB or 8MB
- PSRAM: 8MB
- Modem: SIM800 (2G GPRS)
- USB: CH9102 (Type-C)
- Power: IP5306 with battery support
- Price: ~$18 USD
Modes: WiFi, GPRS
ESP32-DevKitC V4¶
Status: ✅ Fully Supported
- Chip: ESP32-WROOM-32
- Flash: 4MB
- PSRAM: None
- USB: CP2102 (Micro-USB or Type-C)
- Power: USB only (5V)
- Price: ~$5-8 USD
Modes: WiFi only
GPIO: 30 pins exposed
ESP32-WROVER-KIT¶
Status: ✅ Fully Supported
- Chip: ESP32-WROVER-B
- Flash: 4MB
- PSRAM: 8MB
- USB: FTDI (Micro-USB)
- Power: USB + LiPo connector
- Extras: JTAG debugger, camera connector
- Price: ~$15 USD
Modes: WiFi only
GPIO: 34 pins exposed
ESP32-CAM¶
Status: ⚠️ Supported (Camera Feature Experimental)
- Chip: ESP32-S
- Flash: 4MB
- PSRAM: 4MB
- Camera: OV2640 2MP
- USB: None (requires FTDI adapter)
- Power: 5V external or battery
- Price: ~$8-10 USD
Modes: WiFi only
Note: Limited GPIOs due to camera usage
Community Tested¶
These boards are reported working by community members but not officially tested:
ESP32-S2¶
Status: ⚠️ Community Tested
- Single-core ESP32-S2
- USB-OTG native support
- WiFi only (no Bluetooth)
Note: Requires ESP-IDF configuration changes
ESP32-C3¶
Status: ⚠️ Community Tested
- RISC-V core
- WiFi + Bluetooth 5 (LE)
- Lower power consumption
Note: Requires ESP-IDF v4.4+
ESP32-S3¶
Status: ⚠️ Community Tested
- Dual-core LX7
- WiFi + Bluetooth 5 (LE)
- Better AI/ML support
Note: Newer chip, limited testing
Not Recommended¶
ESP8266¶
Status: ❌ Not Supported
- Older chip (pre-ESP32)
- Limited RAM and Flash
- ESP-IDF not compatible
Alternative: Use ESP32-based boards
Arduino Nano ESP32¶
Status: ⚠️ Partial Support
- ESP32-S3 based
- Arduino ecosystem
- May require custom configuration
Board Selection Guide¶
For WiFi Mode¶
Budget: ESP32-DevKitC (~$5) - Simple, cheap, widely available - Perfect for labs and development
Advanced: ESP32-WROVER-KIT (~$15) - Extra PSRAM for camera or buffers - JTAG debugger included - Battery connector
For GPRS Mode¶
Only Option: LilyGO T-Call (~$18) - Integrated SIM800 modem - No external wiring - Battery support included
For Camera Features¶
Best Choice: ESP32-CAM (~$8) - Built-in 2MP camera - 4MB PSRAM - Very affordable
Alternative: ESP32-WROVER + OV2640 module - More GPIOs available - Better flexibility
Pinout Considerations¶
Reserved Pins (All Boards)¶
These pins are typically reserved and should not be used:
| GPIOs | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6-11 | Flash SPI | Do not use |
| 1, 3 | UART0 (USB) | Serial console |
| 0 | Boot Mode | Pull-up required |
| 2 | LED | Often has LED |
LilyGO T-Call Reserved Pins¶
| GPIOs | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 26, 27 | SIM800 UART | Do not change |
| 4 | SIM800 Power Key | Required |
| 23 | SIM800 Power Enable | Required |
| 5 | SIM800 Reset | Required |
| 13 | Status LED | Optional |
Available for Custom Use¶
Most boards have these GPIOs available:
Input-only: 34, 35, 36, 39
USB-to-UART Chips¶
Different boards use different USB chips:
| Chip | Compatibility | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| CP2102 | Excellent | Usually built-in |
| CH340 | Good | May need driver |
| CH9102 | Excellent | Usually built-in |
| FTDI | Excellent | Built-in (expensive) |
Driver Installation¶
Download from: - CP2102: Silicon Labs - CH340: WCH
Purchase Recommendations¶
Trusted Vendors¶
Official: - Espressif Store - LilyGO Official
Authorized Distributors: - Mouser Electronics - DigiKey - Newark
Community Favorites: - AliExpress (official stores) - Amazon (verified sellers) - Adafruit (US) - Pimoroni (UK)
What to Look For¶
✅ Good Signs: - Detailed specifications - High-resolution photos - Many positive reviews - Official store badges - Reasonable prices ($5-20)
❌ Red Flags: - Too cheap (<$3 for ESP32) - No specifications - Poor/fake reviews - Unknown sellers - Suspiciously high specs
Troubleshooting Board Issues¶
Board Not Detected¶
- Check USB cable (must be data cable, not charge-only)
- Install USB-to-UART drivers
- Try different USB port
- Check for physical damage
Flashing Fails¶
- Hold BOOT button while connecting
- Check baud rate (460800 or 115200)
- Try different USB cable
- Verify ESP-IDF version (v5.3.2)
Won't Boot After Flash¶
- Press RESET button
- Check power supply (5V, 1A minimum)
- Verify firmware built correctly
- Check for GPIO conflicts
Contributing¶
Tested a board not listed here? Submit a report with:
- Board name and vendor
- Flash/PSRAM specs
- USB chip model
- Test results (WiFi/GPRS)
- Photos (optional)
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