Argentinian-based coder and maker for the last 16 months Roberto Alsina is prototyping his own computinginspired by r. Tandy Model 100 (opens in new tab), Alsina has created something that can only be described as strange in the world of clamshell laptops and keyboard tablets. But the process is just as fascinating as the result.
Alsina had to figure out how to run the computer, how to design the case, how to use a power supply, how to attach the keyboard, and how to provide a 5:1 aspect ratio screen.
The computer Alsina didn’t name runs a Radxa Zero. One of his reasons was that when he was looking to buy a single-board his computer to run his project, he had difficulty finding a Raspberry Pi in stock or at a reasonable price. .
But the Radxa Zero didn’t have all the ports Alsina needed, so he plugged a USB hub into a USB 3.0 port so he could power his display, keyboard, and USB sound card. bottom. Case (although the display charging issue required a rework, so he has an extra USB port).
The keyboard Alsina watered down to fit in his case was a cheap 65% board (he didn’t want to give up the arrow keys, I can’t blame him) that he found for under $20.
“It’s absolute garbage,” he wrote of the keyboard. “The stabilizers were terrible, the switches were rattling and ticking, and all the ’80s computer keyboards were bad, so it was perfect for the job.”
Alsina’s display is a non-touch 1920 x 480 screen. His intention is to control all this with a keyboard. After all, this rare type of screen doesn’t necessarily work on all operating systems, and Alsina had to build a custom his kernel from Github for it. Inside he had to order a weird cable to connect the screen via HDMI and it took him 3 months to ship. So if you’re going to follow Alsina’s orders, prepare early.
Alsina’s design didn’t work well with battery packs, so he got a “Raspberry Pi UPS” with a few 18650 batteries in a case attached to a circuit board. He had some issues. The power button didn’t turn off all the power outputs, but other than that it seems to work.
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All this had to be put into a case, but Alsina writes that she has no knowledge of 3D design software.instead, he CadQuery to develop his final 3D printed model.He arranged most of the scripts to produce these works on his code server.
The “laptop” runs Ubuntu Focal, which requires a custom kernel and a modified dynamic window manager. He uses it on his Alacritty terminal and his Falkon web browser. He used the device to watch his YouTube videos, run a “lightweight graphical desktop”, write code and text, and run apps in the terminal. He says he can use it for 3 hours to 5 hours on a single charge, depending on the intended use.
Prototipo rev 2 terminado y funcionando pic.twitter.com/IFOD2h2e7EMarch 2, 2023
“Did I succeed?” writes Arsina. “No way. It’s a hand-made prototype, so it’s very jerky, but it shows the seeds of possibility, the seeds of iterations that could make it possible.”
He also has some issues that he has to keep working on. For example, no airflow causes the system to overheat and cause some problems. The keyboard is too tall and uncomfortable, can slip on the table, and I’d like a nub for pointers that doesn’t require an integrated trackball or mouse.
For engineering details, pictures of messy wiring, details on the assembly process, and some amazing humor, go here. Blog post by Roberto Aisna in his build.
