Can't build with esp-idf framework, only the default arduino. Want to use menuconfig and use PSRAM

[jdeltoft]

I'm loving this project so far, and have things working with 4 64x64 boards chained. But this uses a big chunk of DRAM that I would like to move to external RAM if possible.

#define LED_MATRIX_DATA_SIZE 49152 // 64x64 (pixels per panel) * 4 (num panels) * 3 (r g and b)
...
EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR uint8_t albumArtData[LED_MATRIX_DATA_SIZE+1] = { 0 };

But this didn't move it. I think I need to enable "CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_BSS_SEG_EXTERNAL_MEMORY" with menuconfig?

I was looking at these:

• executing menuconfig make target results in error platformio/platformio-core#3434

• enable external RAM on ESP32

• https://community.platformio.org/t/how-do-i-use-psram-in-esp32-s2-wrover/29408

I'm on mac and I only use pio CLI. I think I need to use the "esp-idf" framework to get the pio run -t menuconfig update to work, but this overall project isn't building with "esp-idf". Just the default "arduino".

I see platformio.ini has esp-idf references but not by default. Is there anyone that knows how to move over to esp-idf?

[solhuebner]

@jdeltoft there is a section in the readme about the usage of PSRAM: https://github.com/mrfaptastic/ESP32-HUB75-MatrixPanel-DMA/blob/master/README.md#required-memory

Are you using the mentioned combination of an ESP32-S3 and OCTAL SPI-RAM (PSTRAM) (i.e. ESP32 S3 N8R8 variant)?

[jdeltoft]

Thanks, let me dig into that section. In answering your question, I realized though that I don't believe have PSRAM. I'm on esp32-wroom-32 which per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESP32 doesn't have PSRAM.

Here is a snapshot of my build:

The ram there is a bit misleading (to me at first anyway):

CONFIGURATION: https://docs.platformio.org/page/boards/espressif32/nodemcu-32s.html
PLATFORM: Espressif 32 (6.5.0+sha.ee1dd5a) > NodeMCU-32S
HARDWARE: ESP32 240MHz, 320KB RAM, 4MB Flash
...
RAM:   [===       ]  28.9% (used 94548 bytes from 327680 bytes)
Flash: [========= ]  87.5% (used 1146241 bytes from 1310720 bytes)

Here is my running board printing out deltas it sees in free heap:

[solhuebner]

The issue is also that the normal ESP32 would not work even if you have the PSRAM version. Only the ESP32 „S3” (different chip) in the very specific OCTAL SPI-RAM (PSTRAM) (i.e. ESP32 S3 N8R8 variant) should work.

[jdeltoft]

Thank you sooo much @solhuebner ! This link above and the reminder for OCTAL SPI-RAM were very helpful. Found some nice ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 boards with N16R8 (basically pennies more than N8R8 ...)

Now just need to wait for them to test. Good time to go finally make the PCB for this while I'm waiting.

[jdeltoft]

Got the S3s!! Heap, awesome. So far though pins not setting up correctly:

#573