PiCade - Raspberry Pi based mini arcade cabinet - finally launched


gadgetoid

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We've finally launched the PiCade for general sale! We had a long slog after it being the first UK kickstarter. A lot of this time went into refining the control board and sourcing new LCDs.


I figured it's at least somewhat relevant to the Retro Gaming aficionados on this forum.


More info on our shop;

http://shop.pimoroni.com/products/picade

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From your website:

The only tool you'll need is a cross-head (pozi) screwdriver
But in the photos above, they don't look like you can use a cross-head on them. (Not that it bothers me, I've plenty of tools, but just thinking out loud)
Must say, I'm very tempted. How long is the offer on for?

Edit: Also meant to ask, are you providing an image file for the Pi to get it up and running, or is there a recommended one?
 
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From your website:

The only tool you'll need is a cross-head (pozi) screwdriver
But in the photos above, they don't look like you can use a cross-head on them. (Not that it bothers me, I've plenty of tools, but just thinking out loud)

Must say, I'm very tempted. How long is the offer on for?


Edit: Also meant to ask, are you providing an image file for the Pi to get it up and running, or is there a recommended one?

Good spot! I've corrected it.

The recommended image is RetroPie ( http://blog.petrockblock.com/retropie/), which works beautifully well and is what we've been using on the test units. It's also what ED will be using with RetroPi.

The 3rd Birthday sale will be running until midnight this Sunday, you could always take your chances on there being another one- we really love to put stuff on sale, just to keep the shop staff on their toes :D
 
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The 3rd Birthday sale will be running until midnight this Sunday, you could always take your chances on there being another one- we really love to put stuff on sale, just to keep the shop staff on their toes :D
Cool, what are the dimensions of the built unit?
 
The 3rd Birthday sale will be running until midnight this Sunday, you could always take your chances on there being another one- we really love to put stuff on sale, just to keep the shop staff on their toes :D
Cool, what are the dimensions of the built unit?
That's a mighty useful piece of information which should be on the shop too :D I've never measured one, but I bet we can find out the dimensions from the cutting files. I'll find out.


...here we go!

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That looks nice, but the screen really looks small compared to the bezel surrounding it. Rather than supplying a much bigger screen, the unit could do to be a tad deeper so the screen can be recessed behind a cheap plastic fresnel lens... that would seriously rock, and would enhance the retro feel enormously.

D.
 
That's why we've got a BYO screen version- sourcing screens and driver boards is really tricky!


We've got boxes full of candidates that didn't make the cut for one reason or another.


The screen mount assembly is ingenious - you can fit a range of screens and probably even an Android tablet if it has USB host to support the controller board.
 
That's why we've got a BYO screen version- sourcing screens and driver boards is really tricky!


We've got boxes full of candidates that didn't make the cut for one reason or another.


The screen mount assembly is ingenious - you can fit a range of screens and probably even an Android tablet if it has USB host to support the controller board.
Yeah, as you said - sourcing screens and driver boards is tricky - so the BYOB version is pretty pointless. I'd have a go at this myself if I knew where to get the lens from - but even then, the unit is likely not deep enough for that so we're stuck with that frankly enormous bezel, which is really off-putting.

D.
 
Oh an end-user can just grab whatever screen they want from Ali Express or GearBest or try hacking up an old laptop or TFT monitor if they're brave ( it's been done! Although how anyone finds the right drive board/ firmware for a laptop TFT beats me )- getting *one* screen is easy enough, getting them at the right volume/price to make a kit that's not astronomically expensive for everyone else- not so much!


Might be worth us looking at lenses and making up a tutorial for people who want to try it as a mod. I don't imagine them being easy to find though!


Ooo this is a start! - http://magnifieruk.com/rigid-pmma-magnifiers/rigid-fresnel/prod_36.html
 
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That's the fella :)

I'd be happy to pay a few extra quid for a system whose display fills the cabinet better - my old Grandstand Astrowars used one to great effect and there's very little (if any) visual degradation noticeable. 

Not criticising (though I am!) but your system is so good that it's a crying shame that it's been let down by the display aesthetics.

D.
 
Cool stuff, fascinating what's possible with todays tiny SOC boards. :) Not sure how powerful te emulation can be onto an Rasp (2) but I guess for older Arcade Games it's more than enough. Does it come with pre configured MAME software and ready to play OS-things?

Oh an end-user can just grab whatever screen they want from Ali Express or GearBest or try hacking up an old laptop or TFT monitor if they're brave ( it's been done! Although how anyone finds the right drive board/ firmware for a laptop TFT beats me )- getting *one* screen is easy enough, getting them at the right volume/price to make a kit that's not astronomically expensive for everyone else- not so much!

Might be worth us looking at lenses and making up a tutorial for people who want to try it as a mod. I don't imagine them being easy to find though!
Ha, good old Gameboy magnifier trick, eh? :D Well, we learned from the Pyra development that ist seems to be a pain in the ass to get an LCD display working with certain hardware. So would be a nice comfort option if you can check compatible models for the tinkering customers.

P.S.:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CM70mddypOo?feature=oembed
 
This thread inspired me to look at arcade cabinets again, which resulted in me searching for sticks and buttons which led me to tested.com (a really cool site with Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, which I visit from time to time to see things Adam does/likes/makes that I like) where I found an article about the PiCade.  Just thought I would share.
 
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