How to Use SH1106: Examples, Pinouts, and Specs

The SH1106 is a monochrome OLED display driver designed to control OLED panels with a resolution of 128x64 pixels. It is widely used in embedded systems for displaying text, graphics, and simple animations. The SH1106 supports both I2C and SPI communication interfaces, making it versatile and easy to integrate with a variety of microcontrollers, including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other development boards.

• Wearable devices
• IoT dashboards and displays
• Portable electronics
• Industrial control panels
• Hobbyist and DIY projects

The SH1106 is a highly efficient display driver with the following key specifications:

The SH1106 OLED module typically has the following pinout:

1. Power Supply: Connect the VCC pin to a 3.3V power source and the GND pin to ground.
2. Interface Selection: Choose between I2C or SPI based on your application. For I2C, connect SCL and SDA to the corresponding pins on your microcontroller. For SPI, connect SCK, MOSI, RES, DC, and CS as required.
3. Pull-Up Resistors: If using I2C, ensure pull-up resistors (typically 4.7kΩ) are connected to the SCL and SDA lines.
4. Initialization: Use a compatible library (e.g., Adafruit SH1106 library) to initialize and control the display.

• Voltage Compatibility: If your microcontroller operates at 5V logic, use a level shifter to avoid damaging the SH1106.
• Capacitors: Add decoupling capacitors (e.g., 0.1µF) near the power pins to stabilize the power supply.
• Library Support: Use well-documented libraries like Adafruit GFX and SH1106 libraries for easier integration.
• Contrast Adjustment: Adjust the display contrast in software to optimize visibility and power consumption.

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SH1106.h>

// Define the I2C address for the SH1106 display
#define OLED_I2C_ADDRESS 0x3C

// Create an instance of the SH1106 display
Adafruit_SH1106 display(-1); // -1 indicates no reset pin is used

void setup() {
  // Initialize the display
  if (!display.begin(SH1106_I2C_ADDRESS, OLED_I2C_ADDRESS)) {
    Serial.println(F("SH1106 initialization failed!"));
    while (1); // Halt execution if initialization fails
  }

  // Clear the display buffer
  display.clearDisplay();

  // Display a welcome message
  display.setTextSize(1); // Set text size to 1 (smallest)
  display.setTextColor(WHITE); // Set text color to white
  display.setCursor(0, 0); // Set cursor to top-left corner
  display.println(F("Hello, SH1106!")); // Print message
  display.display(); // Update the display with the buffer content
}

void loop() {
  // Add your main code here
}

1. Display Not Turning On:

   • Ensure the VCC and GND pins are properly connected.
   • Verify the power supply voltage is within the specified range (2.4V to 3.6V).
   • Check for loose or incorrect wiring.

2. No Output on Display:

   • Confirm the I2C or SPI connections are correct.
   • Verify the I2C address (default is 0x3C) matches the one in your code.
   • Ensure the required libraries are installed and properly included in your code.

3. Flickering or Artifacts:

   • Add decoupling capacitors near the power pins to stabilize the voltage.
   • Check for noise or interference on the communication lines.

4. Partial Display or Missing Pixels:

   • Inspect the OLED panel for physical damage.
   • Ensure the initialization sequence in your code matches the SH1106 datasheet.

Q: Can the SH1106 work with 5V microcontrollers?
A: Yes, but you need to use a level shifter to convert 5V logic to 3.3V to avoid damaging the display.

Q: What is the maximum refresh rate of the SH1106?
A: The refresh rate depends on the communication speed and the size of the data being updated. Typically, it can achieve up to 60Hz with optimized code.

Q: Can I use the SH1106 with Raspberry Pi?
A: Yes, the SH1106 is compatible with Raspberry Pi via I2C or SPI. Use libraries like luma.oled for Python integration.

Q: How do I adjust the brightness of the display?
A: Brightness can be adjusted in software by modifying the contrast register using the appropriate library functions.

This concludes the SH1106 documentation.