Arduboy Mini [Kickstarter Funded!]

Arduboy Homemade
1

Funded 6x on Kickstarter!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bateske/arduboy-mini

What is this? An open source game development platform for ANTS?

Introducing Arduboy Mini!

20190703_181647
20190703_1816473024Ă—3024 490 KB

Arduboy Mini is small but it has lots of games!! Built using the external memory flash mod designed by @Mr.Blinky This tiny little device has the capability to store dozens and dozens of your favorite 8-bit open source games! Arduboy was reconstructed to smallest possible dimensions using the 0.96 OLED.

20190703_181654
20190703_1816543024Ă—3024 608 KB

I used TQFP packaging for this one because I thought it would be easier to solder. That chip was but I made a lot of other design choices that made bringing this board up a major pain in the behind.

The tight placement of the passive components meant that if there was any problems during reflow it was very difficult to get a soldering iron in.

I omitted ISCP programming pads because I figured it would be fine to program the chip using magnet wire to the pins. This was a terrible and error prone idea. Put programming pads on your board, you are only making your own life more difficult!

I also neglected to connect the signal network for the chip select for the external eeprom memory chip, so I had a little magnet wire bodge on that.

20190703_173126
20190703_1731262292Ă—2292 578 KB

It’s about half of the size of an Arduboy!

20190703_173138
20190703_1731382676Ă—2676 575 KB

The main lesson I learned on this which is actually more of something I already new, is the charging circuit will not power the device if a battery is not connected. This is the problem with Arduboys that have their battery tabs broken. The charger needs some kind of resisitive load in the circuit or it won’t work.

I’ll have to figure out a way to power the system with and without a battery installed. I’d like to let people chose to install the battery after and 3d print a case to keep the cost down to an absolute minimum.

The speaker was also omitted but easy to use solder pads are available to add your own.

You’ll note a keychain hole too, but this thing is fragile!

20190703_173118
20190703_1731184032Ă—3024 2.89 MB

Do you want an Arduboy Mini of your very own?

  • Yes, sign me up for Arduboy Mini
  • No, I have too many Arduboys already!

0 voters

If yes, you are in luck! I’m planning on producing a limited edition batch of these in 4 different color PCBs so you can chose your favorite or collect them all!

Stay tuned for more!

38 Likes
2

The mini looks awesome! :star_struck: I think I want a set of the 4 colors :smiley:

the magnet wire gives it a prototype look :wink:

and kudos for the silent silicon buttons :+1:

2 Likes
3

Will it come as the pic ?

great job sir !

1 Like
4

I also don’t see the RGB, TX or RX LEDs anywhere.

1 Like
5

There will be some modifications. I want to use a board edge button for the reset so it will be easier to press and more fun because it will sit on the top left corner like a power button.

There is no power switch so this relies on the bootloader to sleep when the reset button is pressed from the bootloader menu.

I need to give the OLED a little more room for the flexible connector by moving it up some, it runs into the buttons.

And yes, there is also no LED other than one for charge indicator.

2 Likes
6

Looks great will definitely be ordering to go with my others

7

nah, too many things that don’t appeal to me (no shell, no power switch, no speaker), but it looks nice.

1 Like
8

I should note that with a 180mah battery the device can sleep for several months in standby! Soft power button!

2 Likes
9

If not for the missing shell this is pretty darn perfect to me. Even just a simple acrylic layer would make it less fragile so I can still have it in my pocket.

Thar reminds me of the pocket arcade from tiny circuit.

1 Like
10

It’s also a design study to a smaller form factor. The $5 Arduboy will probably be about this size with a case. But it would have an LCD. I like the keychain idea. Unfortunately it’s very cost prohibitive to have hard plastic or metal parts made that need a mold and minimum order quantity.

4 Likes
11

My fingers are crying at the thought of trying to press the buttons.

3 Likes
12

It’s not like if there’s that many game that you’d play more than 15 minutes per session anyway so you should be alright.

1 Like
13

It looks so nice but I won’t buy it without a shell or speakers.

4 Likes
14

That is so awesome to finally see in a photo!!

1 Like
15

Not bad at all. Ye’ of little faith! You’ll remember I designed the Arduboy after all and faced similar criticism the whole time. If you trust me, this is good. I believe my standards for ergonomics are higher than most.

That’s also why I chose to demo San-San as the game requires rolling button presses on the D-Pad in conjunction with the A-Button, one of the harder moves to make on a controller.

Maybe someone else in the community can make a side business selling upverted minis with these parts! :wink:

4 Likes
17

Please do this for the ICSP header! :upside_down_face:

4 Likes
18

Yeah I saw that! unfortunately I don’t have room for that on the front side as that’s a dual side footprint.

Not even sure I’ll have routing space to do a standard header either. Sorry folks!

19

Well now i want one lol. That little guy is awesome.

20

How about 3 pads on one side, 3 on the other, people can jam their 2x3 connector sideways around the PCB?

IMG_20190704_184356
IMG_20190704_184356.jpg768Ă—432 79 KB

You already got reset and all the SPI signals right at the top edge with that ROM chip.

For routing, VCC can be left out (people will have to power it with the battery or USB), plus that makes it safer-ish with the male header (or female header with a male-male “adapter” pin set left in).

Route them behind the OLED to the top edge?

Also, your timing is hilarious… I was gonna wait a bit longer to show&tell but this is too good.

1 Like
21

Me too!Â