This is a very incomplete description of adding a 320x240 SPI LCD screen to a Pico Pi and using Arduino 1.8.15 and Bodmer's TFT_eSPI libraries to generate images. I will add more text and description as I have time.

Hoping to use the LCD to extend this project:

https://www.instructables.com/Arbitrary-Wave-Gener...

Supplies

Pico Pi

320x240 SPI LCD screen

Step 1: This Is an Incomplete Overview of Getting the Pico Pi to Drive an LCD Using Arduino 1.8.15

The Pico Pi is a fascinating little board for $4. I thought I would do a comparison of the Pico Pi versus some other boards I have tested using Coremark for Arduino. See Paul Stoffregen's code and comparisons:
https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/CoreMark

Here are my results. Note that the power measurements were all done (except for the Ambiq Apollo) with one of these: https://www.amazon.com/MakerHawk-3-7-30V-Voltage-M...

I don't claim scientific accuracy but decent relative measurements.

Also note that the Coremark test is for single core performance. The Pico Pi is a dual core like the ESP32 and unlike the DUE, BLACK PILL, BLUE PILL, TEENSY 4. Of course the Teensy 4 blows the socks off of everything else for calculation speed, and the Ambiq Apollo blows the doors off of everything else for power usage. (I think the 5mW I measured is probably high!) As a comparison, an Arduino 16MHz Nano AVR ATmega328, which is unable to run Coremark (The Arduino Mega scores about a 7 on Coremark) consumes around 0.13W at idle.

But for $4 at your nearest Microcenter, this board is a great compromise of price, performance and power. Plus the high speed GPIO and DMA. https://www.microcenter.com/product/632771/raspbe...

It runs well under Arduino, especially the board set designed by Earl Philhower III which allows setting the clock rate as a menu selection! Or if you like Micro Python, you are all set with Thonny.

1. Download and install Arduino 1.8.15

2. Install the Raspberry Pico Pi using Board Manager

3. Install the Bodmer LCD Library: https://github.com/Bodmer/TFT_eSPI

4. Install the Bodmer JPEG Library: https://github.com/Bodmer/TJpg_Decoder

5. Wire your LCD to the SPI lines of the Pico Pi. Using pins 16 to 21 is illustrated.

6. Attach LCD VCC and LED to the Pico Pi 3.3V.

7. Edit the Bodmer library file to reflect the pins used.

8. Run the example sketches to test.