Heltec Vision Master e290
The Heltec Vision Master e290 is a solid low-power option for running an off-grid mesh communication node.
The paper display is large and easy to read, and the pin header & qwiic connector offer easy development and hardware integration options.
Running as A Mesh Node
The Heltec Vision Master e290 is quite easy to integrate and develop for, given that it’s ESP32-based. It has ample memory and flash space.
I am considering designing a PCB that plugs into the pin headers, with a realtime clock, FRAM, and other components, for extremely easy node builds.
The e290 runs the ChatterBox mesh node firmware flawlessly (shown here), once you add GPS or a realtime clock. Download DIY mesh node build instructions from our site to give it a try.
Good Things
E-Ink Display is fantastic
Pin header and qwiic connector make hardware integration very easy
Plenty of processing power, memory, and flash space
LoRa / mesh functionality run very well on its sx1262
Encryption / digital signature / path finding algos run quite fast
Not So Good
Pigtail connector instead of a soldered SMA for LoRa
Buttons seem a little oddly placed, in that whatever enclosure or PCB you design for this is probably going to block access to the buttons
Limited enclosure options at this point, hopefully that will change soon
Soft power switch instead of sliding switch
Heltec e290 Specs
2.9” E-Ink Display
8 MB Flash
512 KB Ram, 384 KB Rom
Qwiic Connector
Battery management
WiFi, BLE, LoRa
Rating: Excellent
The Heltec e290 is a near-perfect option for building Lora mesh applications and running your own mesh node.
I have added a Heltec mesh node to my own private mesh cluster, and it continues to perform quite well. I like it so much, I’m considering expanding the ChatterBox product offerings to include a Heltec option.
In the mean time, you can definitely build a Heltec mesh node yourself and run the ChatterBox mesh firmware on it.
