Pi TV

[g0ggles1994]

In a break from usual PC Building, I have decided to dive into the Raspberry PI Pool.


Before I begin I'd like to pass this warning:

This project involves a CRT (Cathode-Ray-Tube) TV which carries a High Voltage warning (Which can be up to 30kV). Which I strongly advise people take into account, these things are dangerous without proper discharging. I do not advocate any Tom, D*ck or Harry doing something similar without prior experience or qualification of handling CRTs

In short. Do not replicate this idea yourself unless you are experienced or qualified to handle CRTs. Should you choose to make your own, PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.


Now with that out the way
The idea behind this project is that as well as a PC enthusiast I am a very keen game collector, especially anything that predates the millennium. I love playing my original machines on TVs that were available at the time. So to me, hooking a SNES or MegaDrive up to a new TV is heresy. I want to be able to play different consoles on my old TV without having to change console constantly because I don't have space to have multiple consoles out at a time, otherwise I would. So that's where this comes in.

To the gear that will bring this to life

Raspberry PI 3 Model B
Raspberry Pi Power Adapter
Pi Supply Switch
3.5 RCA Jack to Composite Cable
128GB MicroSD Card
Green LED Momentary Switch
Red LED Momentary Switch
Red non-LED momentary Switch
Male to Female USB Type A 30cm Cables
Raspberry Pi Heatsinks
Noctua NF-A4x10 5V 40mm Fan


That is all the stuff I can readily buy, I will still need a few things custom made which I will be designing and sending off.

Here is the TV in question, it's a little Daewoo 14 inch with a VCR built in

Before I can do anything, I gotta get it open to get plenty of measurements and things to avoid which was fairly easy, 2 screws at the top and 2 at the bottom and the whole back slides straight off revealing the old dusty guts which I couldn't resist wiping to see how dusty it is, but it is nearly 20 years old, so it could be worse!

I've hit jackpot with this TV for two things, The flyback transformer (That holds that huge voltage) is on a different circuit to the main motherboard, and mounted no where near it! Still though, gotta avoid touching it even after discharging it, same goes for the anode that is connected to the CRT

Jackpot reason two, the TV's motherboard is secured to a base that just slides out case which will make my life a hell of a lot easier, and safer!

After 20 minutes of being very careful I got the old VCR removed, who knew how many different parts they would have? I expected unscrew the base and it comes out as a unit, but nope, had to remove it bit by bit.

Since I've got it all out, I can begin measuring, I want to use the old screws and mounts the VCR used for the PI but it leaves a huge gap in the middle which can bow and bend, so I'll be adding legs that will sit on the blank parts of the motherboard. The other thing I'm measuring is the VCR's slot, which I will turn into the controller ports as well as the power switch.

Both of these are being worked on now and will add an update in a week to give you all an idea of what they will look like!

 

[Wraith]

Noice! Loved my old CRT days and hooking up the Vic20, C64, Amigas, Nes, Snes, N64, Mastersystem, Megadrive/MegaCD, Saturn, Dreamcast, Playstation.. I love the idea of doing this for ease of setup. Subbed for sure.

 

[AlienALX]

Nahh. What you want to do is stick a nice long screwdriver into that flange on the back of the glass. Yes, I actually did that once. No I would never do it again. Good thing I was holding the handle, was one hell of a spark

Looks like a fun project.

 

[Excalabur50]

Well this is some thing different watching for sure

 

[sheroo]

If it all goes quiet, we'll know you've crossed the streams...

 

[JLR]

what a project, I will be keeping an eye on this one.

 

[g0ggles1994]

Noice! Loved my old CRT days and hooking up the Vic20, C64, Amigas, Nes, Snes, N64, Mastersystem, Megadrive/MegaCD, Saturn, Dreamcast, Playstation.. I love the idea of doing this for ease of setup. Subbed for sure.

Vic20, C64 and Amigas. I envy you mate, I would get one of each but I look at the cost and think, nahh I'll get that later

Nahh. What you want to do is stick a nice long screwdriver into that flange on the back of the glass. Yes, I actually did that once. No I would never do it again. Good thing I was holding the handle, was one hell of a spark

Looks like a fun project.

Aye that it was, mine did when I discharged it. Gave me a bigger jump than 90% of horror movies I've watched

If it all goes quiet, we'll know you've crossed the streams...

Don't worry, I'll finish it beyond the grave
That being said though, with the way the motherboard comes completely out on its own is a blessing, Only bit I'll be a bit weary of is the mount I'll be installing into the VCR slot, but I'll just be verry careful.

Well this is some thing different watching for sure

what a project, I will be keeping an eye on this one.

Thanks everyone, I hope it goes well. Luckily the TV still works without the VCR, just says "Emergency" instead of showing a video tape on the OSD.

 

[g0ggles1994]

Right, so after much measuring, modelling and cursing I finally have the custom parts made up so I can get them sent for printing.

The first is simple, it is the block that will house the USB ports and 2 main power switches. Added a little indicator above each one to identify which port is for which player, like on the N64

Can't do much explaining on why I've done things like this, but it will become obvious when I have them in my hands and can start building.

I did a (quite terrible) edit to show what it will (kind of) look like once it is installed

The second part is a simple cover for the Rear Scart input. I originally intended on removing the SCART from the motherboard and wiring it to face inside, but at the same time, I want to retain as much of the TV's functionality as possible, which I know is ironic considering I've ripped the VCR out. So I just thought, I'll drill some holes to allow the composite ports to connect to the SCART through an adapter then build a cover for it

The left-hand part is completely removable, and will slide into place with the right-hand part which will be attached to the TV

The third part is what took me most of the time, this is the stand that the Pi and Power switch will be mounted to. This will use the standoffs that the VCR used as well as have a pair of legs of its own to sit on two blank areas of the motherboard for extra support. I've decided to cut out a load of polygons to reduce the amount of plastic required to make it which in turn will keep costs down, I can also use it route cables through the gaps, which will keep everything nice and tidy

The black standoffs are the original standoffs the VCR used

 

[sheroo]

Coool!!

 

[AlienALX]

Yeah that's cool man can't wait to see the printed parts

 

[Excalabur50]

Imagine how much harder this would be without three d printers

 

[g0ggles1994]

Yeah that's cool man can't wait to see the printed parts

Thanks man, I can't wait either, jut a bit worried about whether I've got my measurements right, I've checked three times and they've all come out right but I'm still worried, we'll have to see.

Imagine how much harder this would be without three d printers

Aye, if that was the case, I would be thinking I'm back at school and make it out of ABS myself. It wouldn't be neat at all though

 

[g0ggles1994]

Little update.

The project is not dead or anything. I've just had to wait until I got my wages sorted before I could be let loose. That being said, I've got my Pi and other bits coming this week, and the 3D printing is being done for this week as well. Was hoping to have made a start by now but alas, things don't play out as you always hope for

 

[tinytomlogan]

Little update.

The project is not dead or anything. I've just had to wait until I got my wages sorted before I could be let loose. That being said, I've got my Pi and other bits coming this week, and the 3D printing is being done for this week as well. Was hoping to have made a start by now but alas, things don't play out as you always hope for

Sure it will be worth the wait dude

 

[AlienALX]

All good things come to those who wait

Looking forward to seeing updates.

 

[Tripp]

Only just stumbled across this thread, will be watching as I'm looking into making something similar myself.

 

[g0ggles1994]

Sure it will be worth the wait dude

Aye the end result will be, just a slow path to get there. Thanks guv

All good things come to those who wait

Looking forward to seeing updates.

Aye, after Ryzen I should be used to the waiting game now

Only just stumbled across this thread, will be watching as I'm looking into making something similar myself.

Well I hope you read my disclaimer lol. It is a fun little project with a lot of practical use, just gotta be careful with what kind of TV you use when doing it.

 

[g0ggles1994]

Got up this morning expecting nothing to arrive until tomorrow, but *DING DONG* and there was the postman with not just the one parcel I was expecting, but another as well.

Instinctively, I opened up the mystery parcel first and to my amazement, it was the 3D Printing stuff I ordered and I must say, I'm very impressed with the results, and not only that, I've got 2 printouts of the main stand. Which is quite handy as a spare if (which by if, I mean when) I ruin something.

The USB mount fits perfectly into the VCR slot on the TV but the USB ports don't fit because like the donkey I am, I forgot that 3D printing has a tolerance and I measured the gaps exactly, so I've got some files on order to sort that out.

Now parcel number 2 and as you can expect, it's the gear I ordered for the Pi as well as the Pi itself.

I know people say that these are a waste of time, but since I'm using it purely for gaming, and that I have a thing for proper cooling, I got them anyway

Main thing to note is this: Pi Supply Switch. The Pi itself doesn't have a power off option, unless you get a switch on the power cable or pull the power cable out but even then you've got to tell it to shut down anyway. So I found this. It's a little board that you connect the main power cable to, then use a USB to the Pi, it has 3 switches on it, one for On, Soft Off, and Hard Off. It works using a relay to cut power or connect power to the Pi.

On switch simply does what it says on the tin. flicks the relay to power the Pi

Hard Off switch immediately flicks the relay to cut power to the Pi and bypasses the capacitor, like pulling the plug on it.

Soft Off is where it does its magic. It sends a command through the two pins connected to the Pi's GPIO to shutdown. While the Pi shuts down (Or just after it shuts down) the switch cuts power from USB by flicking the relay and begins running on the power stored in the capacitor. Once that is depleted the Pi is fully off.

Only thing you can notice is that you got to solder the whole thing exept the micro USB, which for me is great. But at the same time annoying because the soldering gun I have doesn't exactly have a small tip, so that's another amazon order for tomorrow.

That's it for now, would get the Pi online but got work instead so will most likely be Friday

 

[AlienALX]

Which is quite handy as a spare if (which by if, I mean when) I ruin something.

That's the spirit

 

[g0ggles1994]

That's the spirit

Of course, it had to be said