[update] random thought: there is a global brightness setting, why not play with that to get greyscale?

So I tried some greyscaling on the LCD, but my ESP code runs out of sync with the LCD that updates every pixel in a certain frequency that I don't know. So I get a sometimes grey, sometimes not so grey value and an analog TV style walking distortion on it.

https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/LCD/Monochrome/Nokia5110.pdf 

According to this datasheet there is an OSC pin, that accepts an external clock for displaying. So here comes the "what if": could I use an attiny and spit out a frequency of around 32kHz and a "frame" / vsync pulse for the esp to check / interrupt on? that would be so cool. I could use the data in / MISO for that (tiny would be connected to CS of display as well). 

Oh the stuff you think about when you have no lab / hardware :D 

http://gamebuino.com/wiki/index.php?title=Grey-scale_rendering

Cool side note, the SSD1305 that's on the 1.54 OLED has exactly that integrated. [doesn't seem to be broken out on the cable though] Also from the datasheet: "There are 4-color selections to support monochrome or area color OLED/PLED." -> I think that has something to do with those split oleds, where there's an orange bar on top of the blue display etc.
https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/datasheets/SSD1305.pdf

found a SSD1327 controlled OLED that's 128x64 and monochrome.

https://www.generationrobots.com/media/Ecran_OLED_0_96/SSD1327_datasheet.pdf

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SSD1327OLED12864/32833020568.html