Building a Retro Raspberry Pi CyberDeck Inspired by the Time Variance Authority

This project was built using an old Project-or-View slide viewer that I found at a thrift store. I was inspired by it's resemblance to a tiny computer, and decided to turn it into a small, portable, Raspberry Pi powered computer (Pi Deck).
The retro aesthetics of the Project-or-View also reminded me of Marvel's Time Variance Authority and the TV Show Loki. So I ran with that as a theme to further build out the design. I imagined it as a field computer for TVA agents to take with them on their journeys into the various timelines of the multiverse.
The project involved a fair amount of modification to the original components, as well as the design and fabrication of a number of custom 3D printed parts. These 3D printed components housed the electronics that would make up the computer and computer interface.
This Retro Raspberry Pi Deck can be powered by a standard AC outlet, or by the onboard 20100 mAh battery pack. It has all the functionality of a regular computer:
- 4GB Ram Raspberry Pi 4B
- 5" LCD Touchscreen
- 7" Standard LCD Display
- 1" GPIO Display
- SD Card Reader
- Micro SD Card Reader
- WiFi Connectivity
- Ethernet Port
- Audio AUX Port
- 4 Pin GX12 Aviation Connectors (USB Interface) (3x)
- GX12 to USB Hub (4x USB Type A Ports)
- Folding Keyboard
- Trackpad
Hackaday Project Page:
hackaday.io/project/187556-th...
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[@Nine-Signs]

A retro diy computer for monitoring and maintenance of the sacred timeline. How efficient.

[@SaHaRaSquad]

This is one of the most authentic-looking retro cyberdecks I've come across, it looks absolutely amazing and is integrated so well.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@peterblaikie3744]

Great job! Another project saving great craftsmanship from going to waste by repurposing that shell.

[@tnkrrbort214]

i love the aesthetic from Loki - TVA retro futurism. Nice find and excellent build.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@SusanAmberBruce]

Nice, love to see old stuff save from Mr shedder.

[@Meowsic]

The ultra rare Pip-Boy 69XLS Desktop Computer

[@gorillaau]

Hey. It would fit right into the Fallout universe. Is the look and feel Robco or General Electrics?

[@SMVvids]

I love shit like this. You have a great eye for detail, I would have never seen a computer in that little thing.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Glad you enjoyed the build Hazel!

[@ZapWizard]

Amazing build!

[@joemartin5881]

Awesome project. I love that retro look. Well done.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks Joe!

[@amoeba23]

fantastic build, looks amazing.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@mikesnowsell922]

That is very cool!!! Great build!!! Love the aesthetics!!!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks a bunch Mike!

[@jub8891]

making old things new! this is great work!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@ShiryouOni]

Fantastic work!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@sauerworks]

I love the retro aesthetic you kept with that fantastic case. Great build!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

[@Sage_OGK]

this is beautiful

[@danialothman]

that is beautiful, excellent job!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thank-you Danial!

[@joshuasimpson5522]

This is amazing!! Thanks for sharing

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks Joshua!

[@garycroftsmicroscopy]

Great build

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@mrbestohyeah]

I say, the effort you put into these videos makes you an aspiring KZbinr with so much potential. Good luck getting to 1k subs!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks a bunch Mr. Best!

[@SerjyoLegeeko]

Bravo, superbe travail !

[@DottEmmettBrown]

great scott!!! Great works!!!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@GlenfinnanForge]

Great project!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@SurfaceDweller]

Very cool!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@user-lm4gq9cz8b]

very nice looking pc! keep making things!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks! I plan to!

[@nuclearnyanboi]

this is seriously cool

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the build

[@FrugalShave]

Very cool project

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@reynolds_live6949]

This is awesome! I would only say if you used the original glass as a template and got a thinner sheet cut and maybe tinted it like green or yellow it would just add a bit more. Otherwise damn this is dope!!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

A couple people have suggested ways to keep the original glass. I agree it would be a better look. Perhaps if I ever revisit this project 🤔

[@nightmare956]

I gave it a dig and did a subscriptionism.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@matthewstout7974]

Really awesome! You should TOTALLY put a usb microscope in that bit where the lens assembly used to be on the front.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

It would fit perfectly there wouldn't it? Maybe I will have to build an addition...

[@RootinrPootine]

Amazing

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@JacobCarlson]

If you find another one of these and wanted to go *extra* retro, you could possibly get a small LCD to go where the slides go. That way you still get a reflection on the main glass, adding to its vintage look.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Hey Jacob! I wish I had included this in the final cut of the video! Using a tiny LCD in the slide position was actually what first inspired this build, sand I did shoot some footage of trying to make it work. Unfortunately when I tested it, the mini LCD just wasn't bright enough to be visible except in a dark room. @Giacinto Boccia suggested using a mini projector. Which I think might have worked with the proper lenses.

[@mitawishance]

Cool hat. Also like the whole project. Great work.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks! Glad you liked the hat

[@aygeemusic]

Love the work you put into the project! Looks amazing!! What I would suggest is getting a tinted transparent piece of glass for the display made to establish the same effect of the built-in one without the blurriness

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks Aygee!

[@Neoblades]

Amazing!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@MaxDad7]

This was a great build to watch! A couple points that I could make that might make it a little better: I liked the idea of 3D printing stamps, and I understand that you probably abandoned it due to the inconsistency; personally I would have ran with it. These thing is old and the carry box shows it. I would have stamped it, let it dry, and then used some light sandpaper to make a couple passes to show a little more age. I also think that cutting a piece of plexi glass to go in place of the old glass would have probably worked out pretty well. It would protect the screens and keep the vibe without destroying the view. These are personal touches I would have went with, and some food for thought if you are looking for any ideas to improve the design. This thing is amazing and the time to build is was long and arduous.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I did abandon the stamps due to the difficulty they were presenting. I also had the thought that I could potentially remove the stickers and reattempt the stamping process in the future, whereas if I messed up the stamps it would be much more difficult to recover. Using a thin plexiglass would definitely have worked for the screens🤔. Like you say, lots of opportunity to revisit this project and make improvements! Glad you enjoyed the build.

[@shaunxthexmod777]

that looks great, a Cyberdeck, is on my list. .of things to do, And I was looking at them keyboards, only last week..

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

They are a lot of fun to build, would recommend!

[@forquer73]

Why would you even consider changing the text of the case? That amazing texture was on everything when I was a kid. That is the perfect texture for this build.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

In retrospect, I can't believe I ever considered it either! It is perfect

[@matthew-lawrence]

Great build and how to! I watched this a few months ago, I just lucked upon the same projector on ebay, getting here next week. Home I can make something cool as well!

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Woah! That's awesome! Let me know how your build goes, hopefully it turns out!

[@matthew-lawrence]

@@ExercisingIngenuity Will do!

[@matthew-lawrence]

@@ExercisingIngenuity Hope we see a new build from you as well

[@mrgodBG]

very very nice man!!! only thing i would do differently is i would print logo etc on cover with screen printing and than weather it to match the rest of the look

[@linuxrant]

You can use some sort of a plexi convex glass on those screens, smoke it or tint it black around the corners to sell that vintage look to those screens, scratch it a little or add some dust, wrinkles etc...

[@IncendiarySolution]

Would have liked to see the big screen and mirror being used in that. I like the look of tubes and lenses

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Yeah, I might have to revisit the build, it would be really cool to make use of all that

[@LarsZondervan]

Very cool build! Perhaps you could try to use the downward sloping ridge on the front to mount a projection keyboard. This way no external keyboard is needed and perhaps it would fit there nicely ;-)

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

This is a very cool idea! Would make for an extremely unique and high tech look

[@TheJacklwilliams]

Great build! Got My sub! Btw? I’m old enough, yeah, I used one of those as a kid. Along with overhead projectors and mimeographs 😂😂😂… Feels like a thousand years ago.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Wild! How technology has progressed.

[@WastedProps]

Looks great mate! Love using old equipment in retromod projects. Could I make one mention of an upgrade? Use a round OLED screen in place of the rectangle monitors? Or paint the silver bezels to blend them in a bit.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Glad you enjoyed it! Haven't considered a round screen before, but have definitely thought of upgrading or changing the screen set-up

[@southerndime333]

bat-shit crazy! love it

[@giacintoboccia9386]

Did you consider keeping the mirror and translucent screen and using a small internal projector instead of LCDs?

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

I actually considered something similar, using a tiny ultrabright LCD in conjunction with the existing mirrors and lenses. However, a small protector would have been the way to do it, I never considered that! The tiny LCD was not bright enough and the projected image was only visible on the view screen in complete darkness. I ended up cutting that experiment from the video, as it never ended up contributing to the final build.

[@General_Mills_]

@@ExercisingIngenuity should be doable with a mini short throw projector and two mirrors but most need like 6 feet of throw so you'll need to use a diopter element in front of it.

[@ArturhMars]

Omg i need this

[@ferencgaborsimon245]

I like the keyboard actually I would by that with that color scheme :-)

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Yeah, the colour scheme is pretty fun! You can actually find regular key caps in the same colour scheme as the TVA on Amazon. I went with spray paint since I needed something so compact.

[@michaelschmied9276]

Well done my Man, ever considered the case with a I between peace to make a bigger lcd screen and therefore you could use a non-folded keyboard.

[@ikscdmdegi6954]

a single display would’ve been nice

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Definitely! I couldn't find anything appropriately sized at the time. But if I ever come across something that fits it would be fun to do a rebuild.

[@Balsksks]

​@@ExercisingIngenuity why you don't use the lenses and set them to an little Display inside. Would't be there an projection from the little display on the main display? You know what i mean? You would keep the retro quality like from the projected picture at the beginning..

[@chyneuze]

Really nice build! A slightly smoked glass to cover all screens will be top! 😉👍 I'm currently working on something similar with a B&W Flat CRT, but the rpi still pricey...

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

The CRT build sounds cool! How big is the screen? They keep saying the raspberry pi's are coming back in stock but like you say the prices have still been slow to recover for sure. If it's a big enough build could you fit an old laptop board inside it instead? I've been thinking of trying something like that on another build.

[@chyneuze]

@@ExercisingIngenuity The CRT screen is 4 inches, I already made a first version ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4uYl6RvhNBrg5o ) but I try to make a new one with integrated and portable keyboard. Using a mini pc is an option but we need a composite video output for CRT, perhapse a hdmi-composite converter.

[@kyleharris1865]

14:24 scared me so bad, it's like 4am and I have headphones on

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Sorry about that Kyle 😅

[@RickMunday]

VERY cool build! I've been looking for a random/odd build idea and this one added more fuel to the fire. :D Off the wall question - what is the notebook you use? I love the perforated page types, haven't found a good one in a while though.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Hey Rick! I'm glad you enjoyed the build. The notebook I use is actually just from Walmart. I'm not sure on the brand name, looking online it might be "simply sketchbook". Hope that helps!

[@RickMunday]

@@ExercisingIngenuity Thanks! There's so few good ones anymore. Or, if you do find a good one they are so expensive.

[@gavinwilliams4330]

Hey man, loved the video! The design is dope and very creative. I've been trying to build a cyberdeck of my own for a bit, and I'm having trouble with the battery options. What method did you use?

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. For this build I'm actually just using a USB battery bank that has 5v output. Not the best solution, but the battery bank was an off the shelf reliable option that I thought would be simple. It worked, the only issue being that when the battery bank is charging, it doesn't output any power, hence the awkward method of switching between battery power and the plug in power supply.

[@z-sd5nh]

I would love to see what it would look like if you put a transparent display where the slides normally go

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Yes, there are so many cool alternatives that it would be nice to revisit the project!

[@riceniceman548]

Boys will literally see this and immediately say "That's cool, now make a Pip-Boy."

[@riceniceman548]

Pretty unfortunate the glass screen didn't work out, I don't suppose you could boost the brightness to get around it or polish the glass or make it thinner somehow.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Some people have suggested using a mini projector along with the original mirrors and lenses, which I think could be a really cool look

[@gorillaau]

It could have been the form factor for an old world Apple Mac.

[@pgtmr2713]

I had an idea looking at that huge back panel. What are your thoughts on installing an HDMI projector in there?

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

It's been suggested before. Or are you thinking it could be set up to project out the back of the cyberdeck? Maybe as an alternate display?

[@pgtmr2713]

@@ExercisingIngenuity Yes as an alternate display. Regular use, the front display. Movie or game time, project onto a wall. I have explored the dual screen capabilities of my Pi4s. I use Twister OS for desktop and Retropie is built in to that. Also Android 13, (specifically Konstakang, Lineage OS, with GAPPS,) If you start up Android 13 with 2 HDMI plugged in it will show the same on both screens. Twister OS you can put an icon on the desk for changing display settings. Use them as 2 screens or mirror, OS dependent. 1 exception. If you use DSI (official 7") with Android you can't get an HDMI out at the same time. You'll get no screen at all. Not sure about composite, never used that for anything. A projector would run down the batteries much quicker. So when I do my projector, I will give the projector it's own battery. I'm thinking LED, something automotive designed to work on 12v, but not a headlight, maybe a foglight, less amp draw. My favorite cyberdeck is built into a boombox. I took the CD player out which left a hole the size of a Gamecube. At home it's on 24-7. Watching Inception on it right now. On the desk next to me.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Sounds like you've experimented with the pi display capabilities a lot more than I have! I really like the idea of having the projector as an alternative, but like you say it would require much more power Might have to revisit this pideck at some point and see what can be done.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

The boombox deck sounds wicked, repurposing old devices as enclosures is where it's at 👌

[@pgtmr2713]

​@@ExercisingIngenuity I wanted something I could always use. Power tool batteries is where it's at. My tools were already Milwaukee 12v so I went with those. Well knockoffs from ebay that have more amps. If I were going clean slate, no influence. DeWalt 20v lithium knockoffs. Reason being it's a completely flat battery pack that slides into place, higher voltage, more amps. The Milwaukee 12v batteries are harder to figure into a smaller device. They do look bonkers on the Boombox tho kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3q4mIuAbdehnZY

[@HarveyChen253]

Hey this is Harvey from PCBWay and we really like your videos. is there any chance we can take part in your next one? Look forward to your reply.

[@edwardseth1230]

add an old x486 pc 2pin header postcode speaker and a raspberry pi CPU fan to the side of the air vents.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Great ideas! Honestly I've got so many good suggestions, I'm going to have to do a rebuild at some point

[@weirdsciencetv4999]

Wait is this the thing us 80s kid watched stories on in the classroom? Where it beeper for the next slide?

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Probably not, it only does one slide at a time. But it might be in the same family of devices?

[@ardentdrops]

Like taking a mona lisa and painting a meme face on it. Heartbreaking to see antiques destroyed like this

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Oof. Honestly I can understand your perspective here. But for this kind of build I think of it as bringing new life to an amazing piece of technology that otherwise would likely not seen use again.

[@arubberroomwithrats]

old comment but it's not like this magnifier is truly something priceless, these were very mass produced back in the day and aren't worth that much, i think it's nice seeing something that serves zero purpose nowadays turned into something cool, which will likely recieve much more use than the original magnifier ever did.

[@mirm0n]

Dude, your videos are great! But you need to work on your mic quality. I wonder why you don't upload that often. Seems like you have alot of potential

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks so much! I would like to start uploading more often! And I would like to get a better mic, if you have any recommendations?

[@ToPProjectsCompilation]

Hey, the project is great. We want to feature it on our channel (with proper credits). If it sounds good, then kindly reply.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Hey! Thanks for the interest! Sorry for the late reply. It looks like you already posted the cyberdeck video. Great video, and a lot of cool projects! If you are planning to do another similar video in the future I'd love to have this project featured!

[@ToPProjectsCompilation]

@@ExercisingIngenuity Sure, we will let you know, if we will feature your projects. 🙂

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks!

[@ToPProjectsCompilation]

@@ExercisingIngenuity We've featured this project in our recent video. Kindly check it out.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thank you! I will definitely check out the video 👍

[@blazeneal6049]

Shame you couldn’t find a way to use that whole display cutout in the frame 😢

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Yeah 😕 perhaps if I searched harder I could find a better fit or something custom. It's not a very common size or shape.

[@mustafaturanl1779]

2 big panel secren make

[@PB8man]

Cool build... You're under extruding tho.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Glad you enjoyed the build. Thanks for the feedback on the printing too. I feel like I've tweeked the settings now so it has improved. Would welcome any suggestions if you have them to keep it from happening again.

[@PB8man]

@@ExercisingIngenuity calibrate your esteps and flow rate... Maybe add 10 percent layer squish for first layer if the other 2 don't fix it. Not sure what slicer you're using so specific functions may have a different name

[@OktoPutsch]

Despite I appreciate the efforts, I disagree with the design choices, especially for the combination of displays and their overall look altogether, it disappoints me in missing the true retro look. I've enjoyed the TVA designs too from the tv show, so let me explain : having such a nice piece of retroprojection machine and discarding the lenses to just put off-the-shelf LCD displays is a huge mistake. You should remake it and retrofit some dismantled 4:3 LCD to project the picture on the original screen, otherwise the combination you did just look like a toy. The initial case design is pure gold and a very good base to start - even the wrinkled paint should be replaced by some beige color instead - and the main idea to reuse it was very good, but the way you fitted displays, no way... You can find small 4:3 displays for cheap and can even hack such a model to plug it on the raspeberry pi without much modifications, in the same way people used to make their own DIY retroprojector, just smaller. Come on ! Please fix this for next episod. Cheers. The hidden case for the powersupply was very nice btw 👍

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks for the feedback! I also agree that the displays are the most lacking part of the build. If I revisit it in the future, I'm definitely going to try and reuse the original glass.

[@FabulousKhaled]

Nice project, video was too long tho

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@ermert1403]

ᵖʳᵒᵐᵒˢᵐ

[@greenaum]

The "Coast" song in this is honestly tempting me to just quit the video, it's that annoying. And I think it's an interesting project. In fact fuck it, I've got the basic idea.

[@jordanhorst6]

I think the loki show is terrible and destroys the continuity of the other films, characters and comics. But the aesthetic and creativity of your build is cool. Good work.

[@ExercisingIngenuity]

Fair opinion. I still haven't watched the second season yet TBH

[@superbman4088]

you are not using aesthetic right in a sentence