How to Connect an SPI Display to a Raspberry Pi 5 for GUI Output

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The Raspberry Pi 5 brings significant performance improvements, but its updated architecture also introduces changes to how external displays are managed—particularly SPI-based secondary screens. Users accustomed to older methods may find that previous configurations no longer function as expected.

This guide explains the current state of SPI display support on the Raspberry Pi 5 and provides actionable solutions for displaying a full desktop GUI.

Understanding the Challenge: Deprecated Display Stacks

If you’ve recently tried connecting an SPI display to a Raspberry Pi 5 using methods that worked on earlier models, you may have encountered issues such as a blank screen or error messages like:

* failed to open vchiq instance

This occurs because the Raspberry Pi 5 has completely removed the legacy display stack that was deprecated since the Bullseye release over two years ago. Tools like fbcp (frame buffer copy) that relied on the DispmanX API are no longer functional on this new hardware.

Modern Alternatives for SPI Display Support

The recommended approach for SPI displays on Raspberry Pi 5 involves using drivers compatible with the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) framework. This modern graphics stack offers better performance and integration with the standard desktop environment.

Option 1: TinyDRM and panel-mipi-dbi Drivers

The successor to the deprecated fbtft drivers is the TinyDRM framework and specifically the panel-mipi-dbi driver. These drivers:

Option 2: SSD1306 Overlay (For Specific Displays)

For SSD1306-based displays (typically I2C, but some SPI variants exist), there's already a DRM-compatible overlay in the main Raspberry Pi kernel tree. This can be activated through standard device tree configuration.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Prerequisites

Configuration Process

  1. Identify your display's controller chipset - Check manufacturer documentation or product listing
  2. Install necessary firmware files - Some displays require specific firmware binaries placed in /lib/firmware/
  3. Configure device tree overlays - Modify /boot/config.txt to load appropriate drivers

Example configuration for Waveshare 1.3-inch display (240×240, ST7789V):

# Waveshare 1.3in - 240x240pixel - SKU19650
dtoverlay=mipi-dbi-spi,speed=32000000
dtparam=compatible=wavesku19650\0panel-mipi-dbi-spi
dtparam=write-only,cpha,cpol
dtparam=width=240,height=240,width-mm=23,height-mm=23
dtparam=reset-gpio=23,dc-gpio=25,backlight-gpio=24

  1. Connect display to GPIO pins:

    • RST → GPIO23
    • DC → GPIO25
    • BL → GPIO24
    • DIN (MOSI) → GPIO10
    • CLK (SCK) → GPIO11
    • CS → GPIO8
  2. Reboot - The display should initialize alongside any HDMI output or as the primary desktop

👉 Explore more display configuration strategies

Performance Considerations

With the new DRM-based drivers, performance is significantly improved over previous solutions:

Testing has shown that even high-resolution video (1080p) can play smoothly on SPI displays like the ILI9341 with 90-degree rotation applied.

Current Limitations and Ongoing Development

While the new driver framework offers significant advantages, there are some considerations:

  1. Display compatibility - Not all displays have been tested with the new drivers
  2. Firmware requirements - Some panels need specific firmware files
  3. Community support - The ecosystem is still evolving as more displays are tested

Raspberry Pi engineers and community contributors are actively working to expand support for various displays. The goal is to create a unified configuration system that can support multiple panels through parameterized overlays rather than separate overlays for each display type.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Display Initializes But Shows No Content

This often indicates a mismatch between the device tree configuration and actual hardware connections. Double-check:

VLC Player Shows Error Messages

When using video players, you may need to specify the output driver explicitly:

vlc --vout=drm video_file.mp4

This directs VLC to use the DRM output rather than attempting to use deprecated interfaces.

Rotation and Orientation Issues

For display rotation, it's recommended to use the screen configuration tools rather than modifying firmware files directly. This provides better performance and compatibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my working SPI display setup stop working on Raspberry Pi 5?
The Raspberry Pi 5 removed the legacy display stack that tools like fbcp depended on. This stack had been deprecated for over two years and is completely unavailable on the new hardware.

Can I use the same config.txt settings from my Raspberry Pi 4 on Pi 5?
No, the configuration system has changed significantly. You'll need to use the new DRM-based drivers and device tree overlays specifically designed for Raspberry Pi 5.

Will fbcp or similar software be updated for Raspberry Pi 5?
No, these tools relied on deprecated APIs that are no longer available. The future is DRM-based drivers that offer better performance and integration.

How do I know if my specific SPI display is supported?
Check community forums and repositories for your display's controller chipset (ST7789, ILI9341, etc.). Many common displays already have working configurations, and support is expanding rapidly.

Can I use both HDMI and SPI displays simultaneously on Raspberry Pi 5?
Yes, the DRM system treats each display as independent output. You can extend your desktop across both displays or mirror content between them.

What's the performance difference between the old and new methods?
The new DRM-based approach offers significantly better performance through GPU acceleration. Tasks like video playback and desktop composition are much smoother compared to the software-based fbcp solutions.

Future Outlook

The transition to DRM-based display drivers represents a significant step forward in the Raspberry Pi ecosystem. While the change requires some adjustment for existing projects, the benefits include:

Community collaboration is essential for expanding support to various displays. Users with specific panels are encouraged to share their experiences and configurations to help improve compatibility for everyone.

👉 Get advanced methods for display configuration

As the software stack continues to mature, SPI displays on Raspberry Pi 5 will become increasingly seamless to configure and use, offering impressive performance for embedded display applications.