I’ve received my 3.5 display to fit it onto my Pironman V2. First boot getting some glitches with RGB leds. After a few research, I found that there’s conflicts between RGB and display in GPIO. Remove RGB led’s jumper, disable RGB controller in Pironman v2 config. Rebooting system and then I need to log with a password, but it doesn’t recognize it. I restart all the setup with a new OS installation(bookworm 64 bits full), following instructions, installing display drivers for OS bookworm. All work fine, but after I update the OS and reboot it. It ask me to log with password, I enter the one I’ve set but it’s not recognize. Did I miss something? Is that normal that a get a grey screen when I want to connect with VNC?
Is there another link for a latest OS image mounted with bookworm, not buster? And for MHS 3.5 inches display.
Thanks Spf650, that’s help a bit. Now that’s work until I install the last update available raspi-utils-dt version 20250826 1~bookworm. If I install this one, on next reboot it’ll still on this screen.
Did you expect and extra delay at booting when 3.5 inches display is connected? It’s annoying!!! And all the desktop doesn’t fit into 3.5 inches Very disappointing about this product. Don’t want to try it on my Pironman5, I’ll lost the desktop on my 85 inches display So, I’m not sure what to do with this display… Any ideas?
I completely understand your frustration! The two issues you’re encountering—startup delay and abnormal desktop display—are typical phenomena with small displays (especially the 3.5-inch ones with non-standard resolutions) on the Raspberry Pi, and not indicative of a defect in the product itself. Almost all such screens that connect directly via GPIO exhibit this behavior.
Why is there a startup delay?
This delay occurs because the Raspberry Pi defaults to outputting display through HDMI. During system startup, it first checks the HDMI port, and only after confirming that no HDMI device is connected does it load and switch to the driver for the SPI display connected via GPIO. This detection and switching process takes that extra few seconds. This is completely normal and expected.
Why is the desktop display incomplete?
Your 85-inch large screen is likely a standard 1080p (1920x1080) resolution, while the resolution of the 3.5-inch screen is typically 480x320. When you switch displays, the Raspberry Pi attempts to compress the desktop interface configured for the HD large screen down to a tiny screen, which obviously results in an incomplete display. This is also an expected situation.
I suggest using it as a dedicated “info screen” or “status dashboard.”
Please don’t be disappointed with this screen! Its design goal was never to perfectly replace your 85-inch desktop monitor. Its true value lies in being a low-power, plug-and-play, easy-to-integrate display unit for various interesting DIY projects and specific applications.
I’ve bought this display for a project on NAS\VPN on my rpi4 mounted inside a Pironman v2 without monitor because it’s kind of complicated to access HDMI port being TV. After many setups of OS, I finally choose a lite version controlled by SSH. I’ve plug the 3.5 inches display and now I see the “terminal”. But unfortunately it’s stay ON even after an hour. Is there a way to set a sleep mode delay to maintain life of display? And when I shutdown the Pironman v2, display stay white…
Currently, the Raspberry Pi system does not send the correct shutdown command to the screen. The screen itself is not “smart” enough to detect inactivity and automatically enter sleep mode; it completely follows the commands issued by the Raspberry Pi.
The white screen after shutdown occurs because, once the Raspberry Pi loses power, it can no longer send any commands to the screen, which remains powered on.
Therefore, we recommend that you turn off the power directly to shut it down.
Ok but for a NAS\VPN project, I can’t it turn off. Unfortunately I removed the 3.5 inches display. I’ll put it on the side for other project or taking dust…
Very disappointing about this product. Don’t want to try it on my Pironman5, I’ll lost the desktop on my 85 inches display 
So, I’m not sure what to do with this display… Any ideas?