Adafruit EYESPI BFF for QT Py or Xiao - 18 Pin FPC Connector

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

breakout

A breakout board carries a small or fine-pitched component and brings its connections out to standard, breadboard- and header-friendly pins. Describing a part as a breakout means it can be wired into a project without soldering directly to the component's tiny contacts.

CS

CS stands for chip select, a control pin used by SPI devices to tell which connected device should listen. It matters when you connect more than one SPI module to the same microcontroller, because each device usually needs its own CS pin.

DC

DC means direct current, where electricity flows in one constant direction, as supplied by batteries, USB ports and many plug-pack power supplies. When a product specifies DC, it runs from a DC supply rather than mains AC, so you need to provide the correct voltage and polarity.

FPC

FPC stands for flexible printed circuit, a thin flat flexible cable or connector style often used where space is tight or some movement is needed, commonly for displays, cameras and other high-density connections. Connecting to an FPC connector generally needs a matching cable with the correct pin count, pitch and contact orientation.

Headers

Rows of connector contacts on a fixed pitch (commonly 2.54 mm) used to link a board to a breadboard, jumper wires, or another board. They come as male pin headers and female socket headers; when a module ships with pre-soldered headers it can be used straight away, whereas bare pads require soldering the pins yourself.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

IRQ

IRQ (interrupt request) is a signal line a device uses to alert a microcontroller that something needs attention, so the microcontroller does not have to poll continuously. Wiring an IRQ pin to a free input lets code respond promptly to events such as new data being ready.

PCB

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board, usually rigid, with etched copper tracks that connect electronic components together without loose wiring. Components are mounted on the board and signals route between them through the copper layout.

RX

RX means receive, usually showing data being received by the board. An RX indicator LED can help with troubleshooting USB or serial communication.

solder jumper

A solder jumper is a small pair or group of pads on a circuit board that can be bridged or cut with solder to change a hardware setting. It matters because changing modes may require careful soldering rather than just changing software.

SPI

A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.

SRAM

Fast temporary memory used by a processor while a program is running. More SRAM helps with projects that handle larger data buffers, networking, displays, or more complex code.

STEMMA QT

A small plug-in connector system for I2C boards that lets you connect compatible sensors and controllers without soldering. It matters because it can make wiring faster and less error-prone, especially when adding several small modules to a project.

TFT

A thin-film transistor display is a common type of colour LCD used for graphics screens. Knowing a product is for TFTs helps you check that the driver board matches the display’s connector, resolution, backlight, and signalling method.

through-hole

A mounting style where the component leads pass through holes in a circuit board and are soldered on the other side. Through-hole parts are often easier to handle and solder by hand, which is useful for classroom and hobby projects.

TX

TX means transmit, usually showing data being sent from the board. A TX indicator LED can help you see when the board is communicating or uploading code.