Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

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tronicgr
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Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by tronicgr » Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:12 am

Hi all,

I wasn't sure where to start a thread to show off my latest handheld arcade system.
I build it with parts that I had laying around while awaiting for all parts to arrive for a Gameboy Zero.
20160607_142039.jpg
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Its using the following:

-Raspberry Pi3
-TFT HDMI 5inch screen (with touch if I can get it working with retropie).
-SMAKN® 5V 2A Dual USB LCD all-in-one Boost Lithium ion Battery Charger Module http://www.amazon.com/SMAKN%C2%AE-Lithi ... ge_o04_s00
-Lithium Ion Battery Pack - 3.7V 4400mAh https://www.adafruit.com/products/354
-SWITCH NAVIGATION BAT https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/ ... ND/2138044
-SWITCH PUSH SPST-NO https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/ ... ND/2116271
-A plastic ABS box 17cm x 12cm x 3.5cm (I think was from Digikey or Jameco)
-PiGrrl Zero Custom Gamepad PCB for some small extra buttons https://www.adafruit.com/product/2934
-PSP 2-Axis Analog Thumb Joystick https://www.adafruit.com/products/444
-Teensy (ATmega32u4 USB dev board) 2.0 - ATmega32u4 https://www.adafruit.com/products/199
-Mini Portable Stereo Speaker (taken apart and powered from RPi) http://www.ebay.com/itm/251748761553?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT


Here are some videos of it working:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBWINZ98q-0 (running Dragons Lair)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1nhiFUIgjA (Showing how well the stick works)

Dragons Lair 2 demo:
https://youtu.be/k_8VuSDbD9E

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My collection of consoles:

IMG_20160610_060457.jpg
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IMG_20160610_060549.jpg
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Thanks
Thanos


I'll post some photo
Last edited by tronicgr on Sun Jun 12, 2016 9:30 am, edited 2 times in total.

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tronicgr
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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by tronicgr » Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:15 am

Here are some photos of the inside
IMG_20160609_090243.jpg
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IMG_20160609_090500.jpg
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IMG_20160609_090732.jpg
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And the final appearance after adding some tape for border for the screen.
IMG_20160609_090823.jpg
Cheap border cover for screen
IMG_20160609_090823.jpg (405.34 KiB) Viewed 11796 times
Thanks
Thanos

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by Fleder » Fri Jun 10, 2016 12:59 am

Wow, nice project!
Wait... is this LCD Screen showing the battery level?

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by tronicgr » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:16 am

Fleder wrote:Wow, nice project!
Wait... is this LCD Screen showing the battery level?
Yes, it's the battery charger/booster/level/On-Off all in one device, I was surprised as well how it worked.

The cool blue LCD shows battery percentage, 5 volt charges 1/2.1 amp, and micro USB charging as (input). When charging it accurately shows battery percentage increasing which is pretty neat. Unfortunately it turns off the power to the Rpi when it's charging but that is not really an issue as I don't have that much free time to keep playing with it for 2 hours that the battery lasts... I will upgrade the battery to a 6000mA one of these days. I measured the charge rate and it can do up to 1A that charges any battery fast.

I don't even have any mechanical on off switch, as the Smakn board has a button that you press once to power the system, then after you shutdown the Rpi, you can hold for 1,5sec the same button and powers off.

So far it works fine. I got it to replace the adafruit powerbooster 1000c that I had before. That powerbooster failed but didn't burn completely resulting in output of 3v instead of 5v directly to the pins of the rpi2 I was using before the rpi3. That rpi2 is now shorted internally drawing 2.5A and of course not working, I suppose that was damaged from the very low voltage and caused internal lockup.


Thanks
Thanos
Last edited by tronicgr on Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:33 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by Fleder » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:31 am

tronicgr wrote:Yes, it's the battery charger/booster/level/On-Off all in one device, I was surprised as well how it worked.

The cool blue LCD shows battery percentage, 5 volt charges 1/2.1 amp, and micro USB charging as (input). When charging it accurately shows battery percentage increasing which is pretty neat.

I don't even have any mechanical on off switch, as the Smakn board has a button that you press once to power the system, then after you shutdown the Rpi, you can hold for 1,5sec the same button and powers off.

So far it works fine. I got it to replace the adafruit powerbooster 1000c that I had before. That powerbooster failed but didn't burn completely resulting in output of 3v instead of 5v directly to the pins of the rpi2 I was using before the rpi3. That rpi2 is now shorted internally drawing 2.5A and of course not working, I suppose that was damaged from the very low voltage and caused internal lockup.


Thanks
Thanos
This is very interesting.
Could you elaborate what and how you did here to make the battery percentage visible?
I would love to maybe integrate this in my builds. Thanks!

Edit: Nevermind, i just read it all again and found out you are using a special power supply board.
https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN%C2%AE-Lith ... entries*=0 Right?

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by tronicgr » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:36 am

Yes, it's the Smakn board from amazon. These boards are amazing. I got two but I'll buy more for my other battery powered projects perhaps I'll use it on my gameboy zero project as well if I can make it fit.

Thanks
Thanos

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by Fleder » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:43 am

So you are using this INSTEAD of the PowerBoost 1000 Charger, if i am right.

This module seems to be really great.
I am thinking about putting the screen in a small window on the back of the Case. We will see.
Thank you!

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by tronicgr » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:49 am

Fleder wrote:So you are using this INSTEAD of the PowerBoost 1000 Charger, if i am right.

This module seems to be really great.
I am thinking about putting the screen in a small window on the back of the Case. We will see.
Thank you!
Yes, I'm using only the Smakn charger/booster, NOT the Adafruit Powerboost 1000c. The PowerBoost was burned, I guess, could not handle the peak currents needed for the Raspberry Pi 3 and the HDMI screen.

Thanks
Thanos

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by Fleder » Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:08 am

Damn, those SMAKN Boards are not available here.
I only found a clone, but you would have to order 10 of them.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-Du ... b206283abd
Or this http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Diy-6-ch ... 0c1b&tpp=1. But i am not really sure if this is the same.
:cry:


Edit: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DIY-Kit- ... abfe&tpp=1 & http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Dual-USB ... 0c1b&tpp=1 :D Looking good.

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Re: Custom Handheld Arcade console with Raspberry Pi3

Post by joe7dust » Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:27 am

Fleder wrote:Damn, those SMAKN Boards are not available here.
I only found a clone, but you would have to order 10 of them.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-Du ... b206283abd
Or this http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Diy-6-ch ... 0c1b&tpp=1. But i am not really sure if this is the same.
:cry:


Edit: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DIY-Kit- ... abfe&tpp=1 & http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Dual-USB ... 0c1b&tpp=1 :D Looking good.
Hmm good find. I'm having trouble finding them in english. You'd think I could just knock the 'de.' off the front but that doesn't work unfortunately.

edit: Just noticed your links don't even have 'de.' in front of them. When clicking that from the US it changes.

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