Controller/Display Compatibility Question

[swbf]

Do Bafang displays work with Lishui stock, or are they all flashed with the open source firmware? Apparently they both use UArt to communicate, but people still warn not to pair them.

The UKC1 display works with both Bafang and Lishui controllers.
Some OEM ebikes pair Lishui controllers with Bafang, such as Rize Bikes.
They use the Bafang 800S stock, and sell an upgrade to the 850C which they're calling LCD V2.
I was able to confirm with a rep that they're using Lishui controllers for their hub motors.

There are also other examples of OEMs doing this. I wasn't able to find any solid information.
There was also a different store that was using Lishui controllers paired with Kingmeter displays, and when I asked if I could use a Bafang display with their bikes, they said they'd have to test them to see if they're compatible.

 

[amberwolf]

It all depends on what firmware is in each version of each display and each controller. If they wrote the FW to use the same data sets, codes, menus, etc., it will work. If not, it probably won't work, or not fully.

Since there are no general lists of which FWs are compatible with each other on which HW versions of which models of which brands of either display or controller, each combination would have to be tested.

Even all KM displays don't work the same with all Lishui controllers; there's a thread around here by me about a fatbike kit I found cheap at goodwill that had Lishui/KM combo, but the controller works differently with a KM display from a different Lishui and vice/versa. :/

 

[Blacklite]

UART is just physical hardware. The actual data format, amount of information etc etc is manufacturer specific.

 

[swbf]

It all depends on what firmware is in each version of each display and each controller. If they wrote the FW to use the same data sets, codes, menus, etc., it will work. If not, it probably won't work, or not fully.

Since there are no general lists of which FWs are compatible with each other on which HW versions of which models of which brands of either display or controller, each combination would have to be tested.

Even all KM displays don't work the same with all Lishui controllers; there's a thread around here by me about a fatbike kit I found cheap at goodwill that had Lishui/KM combo, but the controller works differently with a KM display from a different Lishui and vice/versa. :/

Ahh man that really sucks. I wish they were consistent with their firmware. Maybe I'll have to resort to trying the lishui open source firmware project.

I wonder if it would take off if we made a master spreadsheet of all the compatible controller/display/firmware combinations. I'm not sure how much interest there'd be in something like that.

 

[amberwolf]

You can try, but the best useful way to add to such a list is to fully test them and to know what the hardware and firmware versions are for each. Testing should include every feature and menu option for each display/controller combination, to show what is actually compatible between them. Charting all of this could be complex, too.

That is a lot of work, and hardly anyone is going to even try to do this. To many people, "compatible" means they didnt' get any smoke when they plugged them into each other.

A basic go-nogo check could be done with much less effort, just testing to see that the major information is displayed correctly and assist levels/etc can be changed from the display, and menus can be generally accessed, but leaving out all the detailed testing and checking to see if the data and options are the same between different combinations.

E-HP has a thread for some general compatibility notes on some controllers / displays, and there are numerous posts and threads with notes on attempts to use variuos types with each other that could be compiled into some form of list or chart in that thread, if you or someone else has the time and energy to do so.

 

[mindgames11]

Ahh man that really sucks. I wish they were consistent with their firmware. Maybe I'll have to resort to trying the lishui open source firmware project.

I wonder if it would take off if we made a master spreadsheet of all the compatible controller/display/firmware combinations. I'm not sure how much interest there'd be in something like that.

oh thank god that I'm not the first person to think of that.
I'm playing the buy-and-return (with some accumulation) from amazon game and wishing for the project of which you write.