Retro Smart Digital E-ink Alarm Clock
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Bill of Materials
- Jumper wires x 1:
- USB-C 5V power supply x 1:
- B20K potentiometer x 1: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005723920782.html
- Standard 5mm LED + 220Ω resistor x 1:
- Passive piezo buzzer (12mm) x 1: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010400627387.html
- 12x12mm tactile buttons x 2: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003727192340.html
- WS2812B LED strip, 10 LEDs x 1:
- WeAct Studio 3.7" e-paper B&W (GDEY037T03) x 1: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009712001279.html
- ESP32-WROOM-32 dev board (38-pin) x 1: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006490116433.html
Description
Retro Desk Clock
A retro-inspired desk clock. The clock combines a 3.7" e-paper display, addressable RGB LED strip, WiFi-synced time, live weather forecast, and a fully functional alarm system, all driven by an ESP32 microcontroller.
- E-paper display, 3.7" black and white WeAct Studio panel (GDEY037T03). Hour/minute layout on the left, 4-day weather forecast on the right.
- NTP time sync, connects to WiFi on startup and syncs time automatically via pool.ntp.org. No RTC module needed
- 4-day weather forecast, fetched from the Open-Meteo API. Shows day, max temperature, and weather condition. Refreshes every hour
- WS2812B LED strip, 10 addressable LEDs. Toggle on/off with the light button
- Alarm system, set alarm hour via potentiometer dial (fully left = off, right = hours 1–12). Toggle AM/PM with the snooze button while the alarm popup is visible. Small indicator LED lights up when alarm is active
- Snooze/dismiss button, press once to dismiss the alarm, or press during alarm setup to toggle AM/PM
Hardware:
| Component | Notes |
|---|---|
| ESP32-WROOM-32 dev board (38-pin) (Mine: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006490116433.html) | Get one with a screw terminal breakout board; makes wiring much easier |
| WeAct Studio 3.7" e-paper B&W (GDEY037T03) (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009712001279.html) | Specifically the black/white version |
| WS2812B LED strip, 10 LEDs | Any density works |
| 2x 12x12mm tactile buttons (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003727192340.html) | |
| Passive piezo buzzer (12mm) (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005010400627387.html) | Must be passive, not active |
| Standard 5mm LED + 220Ω resistor | For alarm indicator |
| B20K potentiometer (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005723920782.html) | For alarm dial |
| USB-C 5V power supply | |
| Jumper wires |
Feel free to use any other components; those are just the ones I used.
Wiring
E-paper Display
| Display Pin | ESP32 Pin |
|---|---|
| VCC | 3V3 |
| GND | GND |
| DIN | D23 |
| CLK | D18 |
| CS | D5 |
| DC | D26 |
| RST (RES) | D27 |
| BUSY | D4 |
LED Strip
| Pin | ESP32 |
|---|---|
| VCC | VIN (5V) |
| GND | GND |
| DIN | D13 |
Other Components
| Component | ESP32 Pin | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Light button | D14 + GND | Diagonal pins |
| Snooze button | D33 + GND | Diagonal pins |
| Buzzer + | D25 | Long leg |
| Buzzer − | GND | Short leg |
| Alarm LED + | D32 | Via 220Ω resistor |
| Alarm LED − | GND | |
| Pot left pin | GND | |
| Pot middle pin | D34 | Analog input |
| Pot right pin | 3V3 |
Software Setup
Code: https://github.com/TaminoDesign/clock01
Libraries (install via Arduino IDE Library Manager)
- GxEPD2 by ZinggJM
- Adafruit GFX (installed automatically as GxEPD2 dependency)
- FastLED by FastLED
- ArduinoJson by Benoit Blanchon
Board Setup
- Add to Arduino IDE > Preferences > Additional Board Manager URLs: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json
- Install esp32 by Espressif Systems via Tools > Boards Manager
- Select ESP32 Dev Module
- Set Partition Scheme to Huge APP (3MB No OTA/1MB SPIFFS)
Before Uploading
Edit the top of index.ino:
cpp
const char* ssid = "YOUR_WIFI_NAME"; const char* password = "YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD";
Update coordinates in weatherURL for your location:
cpp
“?latitude=-36.4&longitude=174.7”
Let me know if you have any questions
Boost Me (for free)
License
You shall not share, sub-license, sell, rent, host, transfer, or distribute in any way the digital or 3D printed versions of this object, nor any other derivative work of this object in its digital or physical format (including - but not limited to - remixes of this object, and hosting on other digital platforms). The objects may not be used without permission in any way whatsoever in which you charge money, or collect fees.
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