The miniature size of the Raspberry Pi allows users to be creative and innovative when working on projects. We’ve seen many projects involving the credit card-sized computer, including this VoIP handset, however, one such user has taken innovation to the next level. They’ve used a car reverse camera monitor to create a handheld console, backed up by the Raspberry Pi. XDA recently reported on this project, detailing just how the console was created. Let’s find out more.
How was the console created with the Raspberry Pi?
A user on Hackster, named Akash, had the brilliant idea of turning this simple car accessory into a fully functioning handheld console with the help of the Raspberry Pi. In this project, the car’s reverse monitor acts as the display, while a Raspberry Pi Zero powers the internals, allowing Akash to make a portable retro-inspired console.
Of course, finding some other small parts was necessary in making the console, including a battery, speaker, and soft buttons, however, the star of the show was definitely the RasPi. The car reverse camera itself was the perfect option for this console as it has a thin screen and features AV ports. This design is a great example of how the humble Raspberry Pi can be utilized in an innovative way to work on different creative projects.
Akash details the steps of the project in more depth on Hackster, describing how he first installed RetroPie OS on the Raspberry Pi and modified the configuration. He also describes how he used GPIOnext to configure the controller and set up the studio output. Additionally, he added an MP3 port with a selector button to switch between the MP3 jack and a built-in speaker.
Raspberry Pi users working on projects such as this one are definitely not uncommon. There happens to be a blossoming retro scene within the community that focuses on building similar devices to this. If you’d like to find out more on some of the accessories you can pair with the Raspberry Pi, check out some of our coverage on the topic, including our best Raspberry Pi power supply and case guides.
