Archive:PiBoy

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PiBoy Release status: obsolete [box doku]
Description	Running RetroPi on a huge display
Author(s)	Matthias

The PiBoy is a huge copy of a Gameboy made out of the HUB75 LED Panels with a resolution of 160x160.

Warning: The LED panels draw a lot of watts, don't touch the electrics in the back while it is running.

Hardware

• 10x 64x32 P5 HUB75 Panels
• 5x 32x32 P5 Hub75 Panels
• Raspberry 3
• Power Supply with 300 Watts
• Aluminium and stell for the frame

For the handhelds, we are using Wiimotes right now. Unfortunately, if they are not connected via Bluetooth, the driver software blocks Wifi on the Raspberry (seems like an issue on the RPi3 with Wifi and BT).

Software

OS

It is running the latest Raspbian image. The hostname is piboy (ssh pi@piboy.local), it is automatically connecting to the munichmakerlab wifi. It also runs without Wifi. There is a custom HDMI setting in the /boot/config.txt, so that the display starts in a 320x320 mode (which is twice the size of the display, but with this size, a normal monitor connected via HDMI still works - in opposite to a real 160x160 setting).

LED driver

Originally based on software from hzeller https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix and https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-fb-matrix with our own modifications:

• We needed to adjust the transformer to reflect our special wiring.
• The 32x32 panels have swapped green and blue lines. We could change the wires but made it in the software instead.
• The 32x32 panels are also a little brighter, so we dimmed them a little bit.

Software:

• The main library with the necessary changes: https://github.com/siedi/rpi-rgb-led-matrix/tree/piboy
• The main program (mainly the framebuffer copy) with the necessary changes: https://github.com/siedi/rpi-fb-matrix

The framebuffer program is launched via the crontab immediately at boot and thus grabs any output on the HDMI port (so you will also see some Linux command line output).

RetroPi

For the Gameboy emulator, we are using the [1] with some configuration changes (e.g. our own MuMaLab Logo as booting screen).

To install further games, see the RetroPi wiki.

Installation

The frame can be separated into three parts so that we can transport it maker fairs and exhibitions. Actually, just release all screws with the butterfly nut (not the normal nuts).

Usage

Just turn it on by putting the power plug in the socket. Once the MuMaLab logo disappears, the RetroPi is loaded. Connect both Wiimotes by pressing the "1" and "2" buttons simultaneously. You have to hold the Wiimotes horizontally (instead of vertically as you are used from the Wiimotes).

'Have fun'!