Gamebit
Total Time: 24 hours
(I didn't journal v actively as I was building this game console, so a lot of it is taken from my friend's DMs whom i regularly updated and my ChatGPT history)
10th May, 2025 The day I first started pondering the idea, I researched existing game consoles like the Hackapet, Sprig, and Pi-tin console etc. Also saw a hell lot of yt tutorials on how game consoles are made, and also how to use kicad...bcs this is my second hardware project first was hackercard on easyeda. Session: 3 hours (4pm to 7pm)
11th May, 2025 I decided to make something like the Game Boy Micro. Browsed a lot on LCSC, JLCPCB, and Waveshare on what hardware components to use. For the mcu i settled on rpi 02W. Also found a good 2 inch lcd display on waveshare. Set up my kicad. Session: 3 hours (8pm-11pm)
15th May,2025 In my schematic i made a system for the rpi to send data and power through a usb c cable which i thought would be useful (in the later stages i eventually remove it) Also turns out that the connections i made were probably wrong.
Session : 2hours
25th May, 2025
By this time i realised by sending stuff on #electronics and smart hardware ppl that the usb c thingy wasnt really gonna work.So after more browsing and talking to chatgpt i settled on this chatgpt response. I figured I could just use the cable that the rpi usually uses, and for portability I could use an
Session :2hours
26th May,2025 After a lot of searching for the footprint and symbol of the lcd screen i had chosen for my game console, i learned that we cant find every footprint and that i could just use a mounting pin instead. So i made connections for my screen from that 1X8 Mounting pin to rpi02w.
Session: 1hour
11th June,2025 Started figuring out a BOM.
Session: 1hour
13th June,2025
Went crazy searching for the perfect tactile push buttons on jlcpcb and lcsc. The perfect size(settled on 8x8mm using a wonderful reference image i found), the perfect datasheet(bcs everything is in CHINESE rahhh), the right amount of pins etc etc .
Session: 3 hours
14th June,2025
Connected buttons to rpi
Session :30 mins
Made a pdf in canva regarding all the stuff i had completed on gamebit and some stuff which i planned to do which i will attach in my repo.
Session:30 mins
I found this repo which alexren linked on his game console guide: https://github.com/jackw01/pi-tin/ . The schematic is simply beautiful and helped me ALOT in the later stages on making this schematic.
15th June,2025
Researched about audio modules and wanted to find smth better than MAX98357A but i ended up using the same. So added it to my schematic and connected it to rpi.
Session:2 hours
I was trying to find the perfect speaker for the next 2-3 days for mannyyy hours on jlc and lcsc.
20th June,2025 I had decided on what speaker i was going to use so i added i made its footprint using the datasheet (one hell of a task). I also made the footprint for the buttons i had chosen earlier. Session :2hours
25th June,2025
Searched more buttons to be used for on/off mechanism. I also learned how software+ power on/off worked so i used a tactile button of the software shut doen(bcs we dont wanna fully cut the power) and a slide button for power on/off bcs we wanna completely cut of the power.
Added this to my schematic. After all foorptints were assigned i made my pcb file :yay:
Also polished all the connections on my rpi and put a lot of GND labels.
Session: 2hours
26th June,2025
Started working on the pcb which was very easy compared to the schematic. Today i just eyeballed stuff and arranged everything in a very rough format.
Session:30 mins
27th June,2025
Used correct measurements from datasheets to make the final pcb . Ran DRC.
Session:1hour
28th June,2025 Routed connections Session:30 mins
and just like that the game console GameBit is finally completed. Will focus on making a 3d printed case on fusion360 later. ps: the hours are not inflated but im a newbie and researching stuff takes a lot of time 😭 Lmao its somehow came out to Total :24 hours