Pixlpal Is More Than Just a Screen

We have such an abundance of powerful development boards at our disposal these days that it is easy for the hobbyist to find the perfect hardware to meet each project’s unique needs. Does the project call for a RISC-V or an Arm processor? No problem, there are dozens of excellent options to choose from. Do you need support for every communication protocol known to humanity? Many boards offer everything but the kitchen sink in this department.

So, with the hardware design sorted out so quickly in many cases, the next big issue that needs to be considered is presentation. You may have the perfect Wi-Fi-capable development board with built-in environmental sensors picked out to power your dream weather station, but how is that bare PCB going to become something that you want to display in your home? For applications similar to this that essentially need a powerful development board and a slick display in one polished device, Pixlpal may be the perfect solution.

Pixlpal is a smart AIoT desktop companion designed to keep information visible without demanding attention. Its main feature is an 11.25-inch 128×64 RGB LED matrix display with a high-density 2 mm pitch, capable of presenting time, weather, calendar events, news headlines, market data, sports updates, and other real-time information at a glance.

Driving this display is Espressif’s ESP32-S3, a dual-core SoC that brings significantly more to the table than basic IoT duties. This microcontroller enables smooth audio playback from USB flash drives, high-quality internet radio streaming, and on-device AI functionality thanks to its built-in acceleration features. Audio capabilities are handled through a TI PCM5102A DAC, offering 32-bit, 384 kHz output via a standard 3.5 mm jack, while an INMP441 digital MEMS microphone provides audio input for voice or sound-based projects.

Hardware specs aside, Pixlpal is designed to fit naturally into living and working spaces. Rather than a circuit board and a mess of wires, the device looks more like modern décor. Integration with Home Assistant allows it to display smart home sensor data, security alerts, automation status, and energy usage, turning it into a visual extension of an existing automation ecosystem.

Perhaps most appealing to makers is Pixlpal’s open-source, hackable nature. If you’d like to do some hacking on Pixlpal for yourself, you can pick one up on Crowd Supply for $150.