Review on Eviciv Portable Monitor: Touch Screen, Built-In Speakers, 7-Inch Display (1024X600), MDS-702 by Mark Lewis

UPDATE 3/2/2022 It's been a while since I looked at this screen and since then I can see that some of my issues have been resolved. In particular, the item description and marketing material no longer references the Pi Zero (which was one of my original complaints). The current item description no longer makes me believe that Pi Zero devices should be supported out of the box. I believe this is a reasonable solution to my complaint in this area. I've also noticed in some other recent reviews that some users have posted pictures including the new 4-pin JST connector to the USB-A cable. While I haven't confirmed this myself, if it's indeed a recent adapter that came with it, that would also fix my other complaint (HDMI on the back, but no USB on the back). Also, since this is an updated review, I now have decent data on the reliability and quality of the display itself. My projects have been using this screen almost 24/7 since I got it in 2019. Mostly static images (partial screen, black borders where applicable) were displayed for up to 30 minutes (e.g. a digital image). frame type). I didn't notice any fading or color issues, and the glass cover was virtually scratch-free (I'm careful with it, but given the time it's been used, anything can happen). The screen is essentially as good as day one in every way. EVICIV support recently noticed this review and contacted me (they wanted to help solve some issues and make me aware of the updates they made, including their support process). EVICIV support has improved a lot since purchasing this screen and now I'm sure they can help me if I have any problem with their products. I'm revising this review to 4 stars as one of the biggest issues has been resolved and another appears to have been resolved. If I could rate their support independently of the product I would give their current support team 5 stars. Raspberry Pi Zero out of the box. You'll need to assemble a few adapters and cables to get it working - which is why I argue that selling this as Pi Zero compatible is misleading, especially given that the back of the screen is clearly marked for use with the Pi Zero, which suggests so Pi Zero is the intended use case (it shows exactly where to mount it - not to mention the lack of space on the surface that the screen sits on makes it a bit tricky to find the required adapters for the physical connection in this one to get the mounting position). Issues with Pi Zero:* Only 2 of the 4 mounting points can be used. This is a fairly minor issue as the Zero is small enough to hold well enough on just two mounts; However, for most products that use such small stands, they can usually be unscrewed and moved to other locations. The mounting points on this screen are non-removable, so you only get 4 mounting points for full-size Raspberry Pi models. (Mounting points #3 and #4 are not used, I expected mounting points #1 and #2 to be unscrewed so they can be moved 3/4). *FPC cables (supplied with two) are for full size HDMI and micro HDMI only - Zero uses mini HDMI* Using a standard FPC cable end (look for Revain, not many options) which is a mini HDMI end has, the cable itself FPC is shorter by about 1 inch. to accommodate the Mini HDMI Zero connector. That means the only way to use the Zero is to buy your own mini-HDMI cable and use the full-size HDMI port on the side. *Zero only uses micro USB to micro USB cable or with adapter. prevents the display from being properly placed on the stand due to the proximity to the support surface (this also applies to full-size Pi models, but the FPC cables just about fit) Input (HDMI can be connected without using the side port, so Why not use the USB port?). You can power up the screen with a dedicated power cord and outlet from the back, but this is power-only and doesn't support touch input. (Please note that there is an undocumented 4-pin connector labeled GND, DP, DM, 5V - this appears to be a dedicated USB connector, but no cable or documentation was provided for this connector - I will perform additional electrical tests to determine if can be used as a rear USB port to avoid using any of the side ports). not that bright). It would be nice to be able to disable/remove these LEDs - they waste power (important for battery powered projects) and cause light pollution. circuit board - this can distract viewers * Dimming the display has little effect on power consumption - this is evidenced by the backlight leaking as its brightness remains constant regardless of the brightness of the display (this is mainly important in projects involving batteries, as it means that the display's power consumption is always at its maximum regardless of the settings.) 250mA @ 5V via USB touch input - less depending on brightness and content * The included stand is not adjustable - if you don't like the height or angle , you can you don't need to build your own stand * Screen is nice and solid and a good weight - I don't feel like I'll break it if I pick it up * Good build quality * Firmware on-screen navigation buttons in some Menus upside down (upside down on some menu screens) Reasons for low score * Misleading Marketing regarding the Pi Zero - my project was based on using the Zero but now I have to assemble a few other parts to get it working * Q Whilst rear HDMI was provided rear USB was not - why only provide half the solution ? If you want touch and HDMI, you're stuck with a cable sticking out the side. If you only want HDMI without touch screen, you can also do it without screen adjustment (D+, white), DM (D-, green), 5V (red) connector is actually electrically connected to the USB touch interface. I was able to make a custom micro USB 4 pin cable and now have touch functionality without using any of the side ports. Also note that if you're using an FPC cable, you won't be able to use side HDMI - even if the rear device is powered off. My screen detects duplicate connections and blinks. Physically unplugging the FPC cable allows me to reuse the side HDMI. It's ok, but during development I prefer to use multiple devices, so it struck me as strange that simply connecting the FPC cable caused a problem (the FPC cable was connected to another dead and disconnected device - logically this should be an open circuit, same as disconnecting the FPC cable, but in the end it doesn't).