The $5 Raspberry Pi Zero is more than just a super-cheap computer. It’s also a super-small computer, measuring just about 2.6″ x 1.2″. That means the little machine is small enough to hold in one hand, slide into a pocket, or stuff inside of all sorts of other gadgets.

Case in point: Terence Eden opened up an Xbox controller, put a Raspberry Pi Zero inside, and essentially turned a controller into a fully functional game console.

raspberry pi zero xbox

OK, things are a little more complicated than that. The job required carving out a little bit of plastic to make room for the Raspberry Pi Zero and connecting a few cables for power, video output, and to connect the controller to a USB port on the computer board.

I also wouldn’t recommend using scotch tape to connect wires: if you’re not comfortable with a soldering iron, electrical tape will do the trick.

But the point is that it doesn’t take much work (or money) to essentially turn a game controller into a full-fledged PC that can run Linux, allowing you to play DOOM… or classic console games if you use RetroPie or other software that supports game emulators.

Anybody else have any other ideas for making old gear feel new by stuffing a small, inexpensive computer inside?

via Hacker News

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6 replies on “Stuff a Raspberry Pi Zero into an Xbox controller (or anything else)”

  1. Looks like a better, DIY version of those game-controller units that plug into a TV that you see for sale at a mall kiosk.

  2. If i could actually find one for the fake $5.00 price quoted, i would put it in a frame on the wall, cause aint nobody getting one for 5 bucks unless the chinese start mass production. smdh!

  3. I was lucky enough to find one at a local Micro Center, on Thanksgiving.

    The only problem I’ve found is that powered hubs, are hit or miss.

    1. If you supply a 2A (or even 1A!) power to the Pi0, you wont need a powered hub unless you want to add a bus-powered HDD.

  4. I’m putting mine into an NES controller, if I have any more space I might add a hub to allow for wireless ftp as well.

  5. I’m planning on mounting my pi zero on my sparkfun pi wedge, such that I don’t need the IO cable (female IO connector added to the bottom of the zero). This will put the PI on my breadboard and make it look like an Arduino type device.

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