1981 Portable VCR Raspberry PI Media Centre @Raspberry_Pi #piday #raspberrypi

Check out this awesome pi powered media center build project tutorial from MisterM on instructables. We love the 80s vibe.

This is an early ’80s Sharp VC-2300H portable VCR that I’ve converted – it now has a Raspberry Pi at its heart, running the excellent Raspbmc media centre software. Other upgrades include a snazzy arduino-based clock and an EL wire “tape” that ejects to reveal the slots of a powered USB hub. The original buttons are used for various functions and it has an integrated 15″ HD screen at the back, with a clear access panel on the side showing off the Pi.

I picked up this unusual old VCR for £6 from ebay back in June with the goal of making it into something special for my first Raspberry Pi project – I had no idea it would be so long and complicated to build, but it’s my favourite upcycling project so far.

It’s controlled via a standard media centre remote control (or mobile app) and does a cracking job of streaming content via WiFi from the BBC Iplayer & Youtube, as well as playing internet radio and files from the local network or USB storage.

Read more.


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