Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

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moosepr
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Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:45 am

So as you may know, I have a bit of an obsession for making things as small as i can. Now my last project was pretty small, the height was restricted by the height of the Pi zero, and the width was restricted by the width of the screen.

Now this works well, but it wasnt without its limitations. Firstly the controls were not perfect. using a 5 way navigation switch for the actions works, but it is not ideal, especially when you need to press more than one button at once.

So I decided to move to buttons, and while i was at it, try and reduce some of the excess bulk to the device.

while trawling the internet i cam across Pico-8 which is a goldmine of retro games and fun. One of the limitations of Pico-8 is the screen size of 128×128 pixels. this conveniently matched some 1.44″ screens i have found while trawling the internet and the rest, as they say, was history!

so enough chatter, lets see what all the fuss is about
DSCF0013.JPG
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I didnt have access to any bananas, so a lego stormtrooper is standing in as my scale (a much more fitting scale if you ask me). So lets have a look at what we have got…

up at the top is a ‘3 way’ navigation switch. Anyone old enough to remember the sony erricson phones of old might know this as a ‘jog dial’. This offers a left and right nudge, as well as a center press, all of which could be mapped to extra functions (maybe volume or such)

next down is the screen. This is 128×128 pixels, and only 1.44 inches in size, so is pretty small. You can see the Dank Tombs tecnical demo on the screen (i like to use this for battery tests)

Behind the screen are 2 piezo transducers (like the noise makers from musical birthday cards) giving a very quite and tinny version of stereo sound. This just helps to add to the games without being too noisy

You may recognise the 5 way navigation switch from my last gaming project. This gives a little joystick type input, with a centre click, which is mapped to the menu button in Pico-8 games

And this time we have actual buttons for the actions!! they are little rubber based tactile switches giving a nice click without being too noisy. Pico-8 games only really tend to have just 2 buttons so this is ideal

Finally at the bottom of the device is a simple power switch. The eventual goal will be to have a device like the old gameboy, where you can just flick the power on, play what you like and just flick it off without a care in the world. This is stil work in progress…

All this is mounted on a super skinny 0.8mm pcb, which is mounted directly to the back side of a pi zero w! this means that it really is super skinny!!

So all in all, I am convinced this is the smallest Pi based gaming device, until someone can prove me wrong and show me a smaller one!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE8x51qNStg
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:49 am

kite wrote:
Fri Apr 28, 2017 7:33 am
That is awesome i really like it! Have you seen this before http://hackaday.com/2016/11/28/tiniest- ... ur-pocket/
It would be neat to use an even smaller SBC to make it fit on a keychain like that post :) But I don't think you can really shrink the Pi Zero any more than you have done ;) Good work congrats!
hey thanks man!! i think you would have to start chopping the ends off the zero to get smaller, or i could go totally crazy and move the SoC to a custom board..... thats just crazy talk!!

i am aware of sprite_TM's tiny gameboy and am super jealous!! thats a next level of skill, although i can go for the keyring shot

Image

mine has more risk of fire :P
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by Helder » Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:25 am

Not if you make a small custom 3D printed case ;) Nice work on this.
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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Sun Apr 30, 2017 1:53 pm

Helder wrote:
Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:25 am
Not if you make a small custom 3D printed case ;) Nice work on this.
Thanks man! Just thinking of the smallest way to encase it without making it any bigger!
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by abrugsch » Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:27 pm

So you have a purple PCB there... Can I have one of your other 2 to go with the spare 1.44 screen I have? ;) (you already know what the first one is for...)
(Also which sticker did you get?)

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Mon May 01, 2017 2:05 am

abrugsch wrote:
Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:27 pm
So you have a purple PCB there... Can I have one of your other 2 to go with the spare 1.44 screen I have? ;) (you already know what the first one is for...)
(Also which sticker did you get?)
I'm sure I could oblige there. You will need to check your screen, it needs to have 13 pins on the ribbon. There is also a missed air wire on the board so it needs a tiny fix or the negative power terminal never actually connects to gnd! You can just see it at the top right between the 3 way navigation switch and the piezo
Tiny2.png
Tiny2.png (47.6 KiB) Viewed 16471 times
A got the sticker with the daisies on it, the spring collection
IMG_20170418_101042.jpg
IMG_20170418_101042.jpg (295.15 KiB) Viewed 16471 times
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by abrugsch » Mon May 01, 2017 8:34 am

Nice! Your boards are really looking good. PM me how much you want for it. Hopefully this week things get back to normal and I can re-start working on projects

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Mon May 01, 2017 10:17 am

@aburgsch Rodger that!

I have finally got round to getting retropie installed, makes for some interesting photos
IMG_20170501_165758.jpg
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IMG_20170501_165826.jpg
IMG_20170501_165826.jpg (1.84 MiB) Viewed 16436 times
IMG_20170501_170109.jpg
IMG_20170501_170109.jpg (1.96 MiB) Viewed 16436 times
IMG_20170501_170140.jpg
IMG_20170501_170140.jpg (1.75 MiB) Viewed 16436 times
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by moosepr » Tue May 02, 2017 6:34 am

Just a quick video for the above :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnwMN_q6XjE
Get a small cheep LCD in your project https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2312
Wrap it all round a battery https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2292
Or use a custom PCB to make it really small https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2512
or make it really really really really tiny!! https://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2919

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Re: Worlds Smallest Pi Based Gaming Device (possibly)

Post by rodocop » Thu May 04, 2017 3:17 pm

Super cool!

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