Firmware changelog

DotClock can show live transit departures, traffic status and more detailed rain nowcast data, with an updated embedded web UI for the new cloud settings.

Applies toRGB and RGB128 display builds with cloud events, plus ESP32-S3 RGB128 variants using the new shared RGB128 defaults.

• New Added cloud transit support for bus, tram, train and regional stops, including saved stop lists, scrolling transit summaries and dedicated transit screens.
• New Added dedicated traffic and rain nowcast screens, plus richer rain details such as compass bearing, source, confidence, intensity and distance.
• New Weather payloads now keep source metadata and can be requested from the web UI with a GET_WEATHER websocket message.
• Fix Improved banner redraw behavior after temporary screens close, preventing stale, blank or frozen clock areas while messages are scrolling.
• Fix Transit panels now reset their stop and destination cycling when the same screen is shown again, so repeated cloud events do not leave the display stuck on an old item.
• Fix Rain nowcast screens now distinguish a valid no-rain forecast from missing data, so they show NO RAIN instead of No nowcast data when the server has sent a forecast.
• Faster ESP32-S3 RGB128 builds now use a dedicated sdkconfig defaults overlay, while the shared defaults move to a lower 160 MHz CPU setting.

DotClock can show short-term rain timing from the cloud and handles complex Malayalam display text more safely.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB builds with cloud weather events, plus ESP32-P4 DISPLAY_128 builds using Malayalam text rendering.

• New Added a rain nowcast display element for cloud events that can show rain starting, stopping, continuing, confidence, distance, direction, and intensity.
• New RGB and RGB128 displays now render the rain nowcast with a compact text summary or rain icon, value, unit, and badge.
• Fix Static Malayalam strings on ESP32-P4 DISPLAY_128 builds now shape through a dedicated large-stack task, avoiding crashes from deep FreeType glyph rendering.

The small monochrome DOT clocks get a new number animation and power off more cleanly.

Applies toDISPLAY_DOT builds: v2 and v3.

• New Added a Matrix-style scramble animation, where the numbers briefly shuffle before settling on the new time.
• New The scramble now cascades one digit at a time, so the change feels more intentional and easier to follow.
• Fix When the DOT display is turned off, the firmware now shuts the display down completely instead of only dimming it.

New color choices make the clock easier to read for people who see colors differently.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB builds: v3-rgb, v3-rgb-oct, v4-rgb, v4.1-rgb, v5-rgb, rgb64, rgb-audio, and the v3/v4/v5 rgb128 family.

• New You can choose a color set made for red-green, blue-yellow, or black-and-white vision differences.
• New When you pick one, DotClock loads matching themes automatically, and you can still edit them afterwards.
• New The clock remembers which palette you picked, so the settings page shows the right choice next time.

We tested an animation where the numbers flip like an old station clock.

Applies toTrial animation only; touched RGB/RGB128 animation code, but it was removed and is not active in current firmware.

• New Added a flip-style number change animation for testing on the larger RGB display.
• Fix Removed it again after testing because it was not ready enough for daily use.
• Fix Cleaned up the animation notes in the firmware so future animation work starts from the right place.

A new animation lets letters fall into place before becoming the time digits.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB animation builds using LedDisplayRGB or LedDisplayRGB128: v3/v4/v5 RGB and RGB128 variants.

• New Added a Matrix-style effect where little characters fall down and reveal the next number.
• Faster Slowed the motion down so it looks smoother and is easier to follow.
• Fix Fixed a crash that could happen while drawing the falling letters.

The time can now change with a playful scramble effect before settling on the new number.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB animation builds using LedDisplayRGB or LedDisplayRGB128: v3/v4/v5 RGB and RGB128 variants.

• New Added an animation where the digits briefly shuffle before landing on the correct time.
• Fix Moved the animation slots around so this new effect has its own proper place.
• Fix Updated the firmware notes so the animation list matches what the clock actually uses.

When the clock is waiting for Wi-Fi setup, it can show a QR code on the screen.

Applies toDISPLAY_128 builds using LedDisplayRGB128: v3-rgb128, v4-rgb128, v5-rgb128, v5-rgb128-lte, v5-rgb128-aqi, and v5-rgb128-2x.

• New Added a setup screen with a QR code, so you can scan it instead of typing connection details by hand.
• New The QR code now uses the clock name, which helps when setting up more than one DotClock.
• Fix Adjusted the QR code and text so they do not overlap on the display.

DotClock can use calmer colors at night and brighter ones during the day.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB builds using LedDisplayRGB or LedDisplayRGB128: v3/v4/v5 RGB and RGB128 variants.

• New Added theme choices that can change automatically based on the time of day.
• New Night themes can be softer, so the clock is less bright when the room is dark.
• Fix Improved how saved color themes are managed, so changing palettes is more reliable.

The clock prepares its little icons ahead of time, so screens can appear more quickly.

Applies toLedDisplayRGB128 / DISPLAY_128 builds that use the SVG canvas loader.

• Faster DotClock now preloads SVG icons instead of waiting until the moment they are needed.
• New Weather, alerts and info screens feel snappier because the artwork is already ready to draw.
• Fix This also reduces tiny pauses when the display changes from one kind of information to another.

DotClock became better at choosing the right screen layout for different hardware versions.

Applies toLedDisplayRGB128 / DISPLAY_128 builds; the commit changed RGB128 layout handling and cloud-reported layout data.

• New Added dynamic layout switching, so the same firmware can fit different display shapes more gracefully.
• New Added better hostname configuration, which makes each clock easier to recognize on your network.
• Faster Added a reduced color-depth option for displays that need lighter, faster drawing.

DotClock can show more than the time: it can also display indoor air-quality information when the sensor is present.

Applies tov5-rgb128-aqi, the build that enables ENS160_ENABLED.

• New Added support for the ENS160 air-quality sensor.
• New The clock can show air quality, TVOC and estimated CO2 readings.
• Fix Wi-Fi setup mode was cleaned up while adding the new sensor support.

DotClock became better at drawing languages that need more careful letter shaping.

Applies toESP32-P4 DISPLAY_128 builds; the HarfBuzz code is guarded by CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32P4 and DISPLAY_128.

• New Moved complex text shaping into its own background job, so the display can keep running smoothly.
• New Improved support for scripts where letters change shape depending on the word.
• Fix The date now refreshes when the minute changes, so the display does not lag behind.

The firmware learned how to notice Google Cast devices and report their status.

Applies toNetworked firmware builds with mDNS enabled; the on-clock Google Cast display UI is implemented in LedDisplayRGB128.

• New Added Google Cast discovery, so DotClock can see Cast devices on the local network.
• New Added status handling, which gives the clock better awareness of those devices.
• Faster Expanded flash layout support, giving newer hardware more room for firmware and web files.

Animations became easier to tune, so number changes can feel less stiff.

Applies toAnimated display classes touched by the change: LedDisplayDOT, LedDisplayRGB, LedDisplayRGB128, and LedDisplayRGY.

• New Added a timing control for animations, a bit like choosing how quickly the clock changes its numbers.
• New This makes it easier to create effects where parts of the display move one after another.
• Faster The display code can reuse the same animation system for more effects instead of treating every one as special.

DotClock gained a simple way to show stock information on the display.

Applies toCloud stock support is firmware-wide, with on-clock rendering in LedDisplayRGB128 and the shared display-element system.

• New Added a stock display element, so selected market symbols can appear on the clock.
• New Improved roaming behavior, helping the clock choose a better Wi-Fi connection when signal quality changes.
• Fix Updated display assets around the same work so the information screens look more complete.

DotClock improved support for its built-in real-time clock chip, helping it keep time more reliably.

Applies toDS3231 builds: v4.1-rgb, v5-rgb, v5-rgb128, v5-rgb128-lte, v5-rgb128-aqi, and v5-rgb128-2x.

• New Added calibration support for the DS3231 clock chip.
• Fix Improved how the clock chip starts up and reads its settings.
• Fix This helps the clock recover more cleanly after power changes or restarts.

DotClock learned to keep ready-made number shapes in memory, so drawing the time is quicker.

Applies toBuilds using the shared DigitCache-backed display code; current 128-display code uses it directly.

• Faster Added a digit cache, which is like keeping the number shapes ready instead of redrawing them from scratch every time.
• New This helps the time display update more smoothly.
• Fix Improved display synchronization so screen updates are less likely to flicker or tear.

DotClock gained more flexible sun timing options and steadier display handling for seasonal information.

Applies toRGB and RGB128 display builds with cloud weather, sun timing, and display-element rotation enabled.

• New Added more configuration around sunrise, sunset, and snow-related display behavior.
• Fix Improved thread safety while rotating display elements, reducing small display glitches.
• Fix Made the firmware more careful when showing weather-driven information during automatic screen changes.

You can tune what DotClock considers daytime, so brightness and colors fit your home better.

Applies toDISPLAY_RGB and DISPLAY_128 builds that use color schemes and automatic day/night display modes.

• New Added configurable daytime start and end hours.
• New Expanded the available color-scheme configuration.
• Faster Optimized hot display functions so frequent screen updates spend less time doing repeated work.

The firmware improved how sensor values are prepared for smart-home style reporting.

Applies toMatter-enabled firmware experiments and builds with illuminance or pressure sensor data available.

• New Added Matter-oriented reporting for illuminance and pressure values.
• Fix Restored Wi-Fi task creation around the same work, helping network services start correctly.
• Fix Updated supporting configuration so sensor reporting is more consistent across builds.

When something goes badly wrong, the firmware can keep better clues for debugging instead of failing silently.

Applies toESP-IDF firmware builds with panic/core-dump support enabled.

• New Added a panic manager for handling crash data.
• New Added core-dump and panic-data handling so failures are easier to investigate.
• Fix Improved DMA handling around the same period, reducing display-output edge cases.

DotClock learned to rotate through more cloud-fed information and render text more cleanly.

Applies toFirmware builds using the shared display-element rotation system and cloud display elements.

• New Added cloud earthquake and alert/news display elements to the normal rotation system.
• New Improved UTF-8 text rendering, including better cursor placement for letters with descenders.
• Faster Cached available display elements so the firmware does less repeated work while rotating screens.

Settings changes became safer and more granular, so the clock can update one piece of configuration without disturbing the rest.

Applies toAll networked firmware builds using NVS settings, cloud configuration, and sensor updates.

• New Moved configuration handling toward individual NVS updates.
• New Added current color handling for the display configuration.
• Fix Improved thread safety for cloud, sensor, canvas, and weather-alert data.

Older stock and sensor screens became a little more polished and reliable.

Applies toESP32-S3 and ESP32-C6 firmware builds with cloud stock display and onboard sensor support.

• Fix Fixed stock display text so the letter O is not accidentally shown like the number 0.
• Fix Improved sensor initialization for ESP32-C6 builds.
• New Updated color-scheme and configuration handling for supported display builds.

The firmware gained broader hardware coverage and more display data options.

Applies toMultiple hardware builds added or refined around v3/v4 RGB, RGY, ESP32-S3, and related display variants.

• New Added support for more hardware variants in the build configuration.
• New Added extra weather display data elements for richer on-clock information.
• Fix Improved display logic so different hardware shapes could share more of the same code.

DotClock moved toward a stronger cloud connection path and added IPv6 support.

Applies toNetworked firmware builds using MQTT, Wi-Fi, and cloud display updates.

• New Moved cloud communication from the older WebSocket path toward MQTT.
• New Added IPv6 support in the Wi-Fi task.
• Fix Improved default display behavior when no display element is selected.

DotClock gained the first pieces needed to appear more naturally in Home Assistant.

Applies toNetworked firmware builds exposing clock configuration, light, sensor, switch, and number-style entities.

• New Added Home Assistant integration pieces for configuration, light, sensor, switch, and number controls.
• New Added WebSocket support around the integration work.
• Fix Improved display and Wi-Fi behavior while adding cloud stock detail support.

DotClock gained a pressure information screen for builds with the right sensor data.

Applies toFirmware builds with pressure-capable sensors and cloud/WebSocket display updates.

• New Added a pressure sensor display element.
• Fix Improved WebSocket handling when the connection is closed.
• Fix Updated TLS and I2C settings around the same work for better compatibility.

The firmware added more sensor options and made brightness control part of the display system.

Applies toSensor-enabled builds using AHT10, BMX280, I2C, and automatic brightness control.

• New Added AHT10 sensor support.
• New Added BMX280 sensor support.
• New Added display brightness control based on sensor input.

DotClock gained a clearer system for rotating between time, sensors, weather, news, and other display pages.

Applies toRGB and RGY display builds using the shared display task and display-element system.

• New Added display-element management for choosing what the clock shows.
• New Added the display update task that keeps the clock face moving through its screens.
• Fix Improved Wi-Fi and time-sync startup timing so the display has better data to show.

The firmware added cloud news handling and became better at drawing international text.

Applies toCloud-connected firmware builds with news display and UTF-8 text rendering.

• New Added cloud news handling for the display rotation.
• New Improved UTF-8 support for incoming text.
• Faster Improved display rotation and WebSocket memory handling around cloud messages.

DotClock became gentler in dark rooms by reducing brightness during night hours.

Applies toRGB and RGY display builds with automatic brightness or time-based display behavior.

• New Added night brightness reduction.
• Fix Improved display timing and font work around the same period.
• Faster Optimized display-message rendering so text updates are lighter.

Weather alerts became easier to recognize and friendlier for non-English text.

Applies toCloud-alert display builds using RGB/RGY display classes and UTF-8 message rendering.

• New Improved alert icon handling for cloud warning messages.
• New Improved UTF-8 handling for alert text.
• Fix Fixed weather data handling in the surrounding display work.

DotClock gained early support for showing stock information from the cloud.

Applies toEarly RGB firmware builds with cloud data display enabled.

• New Added stock-related cloud display work.
• New Moved clock animations into the main display loop around this period.
• Fix Improved number printing so the display handles more values correctly.

This is the first RGB-era firmware baseline visible in the two-year git history.

Applies toEarly RGB display hardware using ESP-IDF 5.3 builds.

• New Added the early RGB display firmware baseline.
• New Moved the firmware onto the ESP-IDF 5.3 generation used by later RGB builds.
• Fix Set up the dependency and display foundations used by later firmware releases.