Worklog I'm making a PiGrrl Zero Portable just because ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Doom]

Pregaming for a possible contest project, I decided to make a PiGrrl Zero Portable as my first foray into pi making. Everything is documented from instructions to parts to code, so should be an easy project right? Guess Adafruit feels differently since nearly all the parts that are suggested for this are OOS. Nevertheless, we press on.

https://learn.adafruit.com/pigrrl-zero

THE PI:

Standard Pi Zero, no need for wifi edition for a portable really. Since GPIO screen gonna wire up the headers to just plug it in. Nice and small, overall build should be less wide than a DS or so.

THE CASE:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1546607

Going with a remixed version of the PiGrrl Zero Portable case. All the designs are open source, so NBD to open it up and AutoCAD and add some design features. A sneak preview:

THE SCREEN:

http://wiki.sunfounder.cc/index.php?title=2.2_Inch_TFT_Screen_Display_Extension_Board

Easy to get it working on the Raspian Linux build, but a bit tougher to get it working in Retropie. Since it was GPIO I figured I could just plug and play, but of course not. Not exactly sure what I did but it's working now. :lol:

(testing on an Rpi 3 because that's what I had available with header connectors.

WHAT'S NEXT:
-Pi Zero Get
-Screen Get
-Make sure screen works
-acquire headers, or just salvage them from the rPi3 for now.
-Load Retropie on Pi Zero
-finish case remix design
-Print Case
-Powerboost 1000c/battery or (hopefully) alternative
-Add Controls, most likely SNES (since I have a bookmark on hooking that up to GPIO) or alternative.

 

[Doom]

So much for reusing header pins ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[fibbef]

Not exactly sure what I did but it's working now.

Welcome to the world of IT! Looks like a fun "quick" project. Yeah, the header pins are not easy to remove. I tried it on a Pi2 with a desoldering iron. Managed to not bend any pins, but the black spacers were toast.

 

[DeoNaught]

So much for reusing header pins ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

View attachment 2802

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Doom]

Welcome to the world of IT! Looks like a fun "quick" project. Yeah, the header pins are not easy to remove. I tried it on a Pi2 with a desoldering iron. Managed to not bend any pins, but the black spacers were toast.

I'm going to try and print a GPIO header to save them. It's only $2 for a new one but it's probably (not) worth a try. Just don't feel like going out that way today.

Adafruit actually restocked some things so hopefully this won't be as much as a headache as initially thought. Whatever it takes to get the Hot Apple Pi going

 

[fibbef]

Whatever it takes to get the Hot Apple Pi going

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm going a different route for the compo. Hot Apple Pi is still on the burner, but I think this other project will be more interesting for the contest. Worklog....soon.

 

[Doom]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm going a different route for the compo. Hot Apple Pi is still on the burner, but I think this other project will be more interesting for the contest. Worklog....soon.

peer pressure

 

[fibbef]

You can't just say "peer pressure" and expect me to feel pressured.

 

[Doom]

You can't just say "peer pressure" and expect me to feel pressured.

peer pressure

 

[cheese]

peer pressure

 

[fibbef]

 

[Doom]

So much for reusing header pins ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

View attachment 2802

So all the pins fall out, what do? Just use the screen's GPIO to hold them in place when soldering to the Pi Zero.

All Soldered up, a nice meme. Screen attaches and detaches like it should. Probably didn't need to solder up all the connections since I don't think all of the GPIO pins were used but not leaving anything to chance, just in case. No need for more headaches.

So I remembered perf board was a thing. Didn't expect it to have the same pitch as the headers but somehow it worked out. Worked out pretty well.

Loaded up the Pi Zero with games to test and works well.

WHAT'S NEXT:
case memes pew pewpewpewpew

 

[fibbef]