Close
0%
0%

Xts-GamingSystem

Yet another handheld (the 4th...) but this time it runs Linux with natives & Lua softwares

Similar projects worth following
This is my 4th Gaming Console, still built in a GameGear enclosure,
but this time : no more BASIC programming, it runs Lua & arm-natives programs.
The core is no more an MCU, but an ARM Linux SoC (400MHz / 128MB RAM)

Here is the simplified bus & components diagram :

  • 1 × Arietta G25 ARM Linux SoC 400MHz 128MB RAM SD Card
  • 1 × Arietta G25 WiFi module
  • 1 × Arduino ProMini AT328p 3.3v 8MHz
  • 1 × ILI9341 320x240 Screen (SPI)
  • 1 × SX1509 GPIO expander (I2c)

View all 9 components

  • How it's built

    Franck GALLIAT12/14/2018 at 17:09 0 comments

     - The Pad

    The PCB was cutted then re-wired to keep original dir.-cross & btns

    I found a tutorial here to perform that.

    Then all buttons + GGear led were wired to a GPIO expander (SX1509 from SparkFun) that is readed by an Arduino ProMini 3.3v (8Mhz) because I had a lot of troubles by connecting it directly to the ARM SoC.

     - The SoC

    It's an AriettaG25 ARM SoC (not a raspPI one...).

    It has 128MB of RAM, 400MHz cpu, SD slot & pluggable WiFi module.

    no sound output, no HDMI output, so Why ?

    Because is more even tiny than the RPI-0, it has 3 USB host ports, you can change the GPIO header layout. (& I've got 3 of those left in my toolbox...)

    The Sound Interface

    I had 2 options :

     - plug an USB SoundCard (but needed to rebuild a full kernel w/ good sound modules since the model that I have is not reconized )

     - wire a DFPlayer Mini (Serial MP3 playback module that I already used in my previous console projects)

    I choose the DFPlayer, it does require less POWER & requires no CPU resources... (& it's cheap !)

    I finally plugged it onto the Arduino too to keep my others TTL lines free.

     - The Screen

    2 reasons to choose ILI9341 :

     - I already used it in my projects

     - there's an SD image file already built w/ Debian Jessie for the Arietta

    It's SPI connecting, has 320x240px 64k colors 

  • Features

    Franck GALLIAT12/14/2018 at 17:06 0 comments

    - Bash & Codiad IDE programmable

     - SSH over USB or WiFi

     - Lua & cpp can be used to develop

     - ARM core (400MHz / 128MB ram / uSD) that boots a Debian Jessie

     - 320x240 px color Screen

     - MP3 playback

     - Original SEGA GameGear enclosure w/ fully working btns

     - add USB Host to plug an ext. keyboard ....

View all 2 project logs

Enjoy this project?

Share

Discussions

Similar Projects

Does this project spark your interest?

Become a member to follow this project and never miss any updates