Via the Raspberry Pi blog, we love this project combining a Raspberry Pi and Commodore styling
Created by retro fanatic Christian Simpson, aka Perifractic, the Brixty Four is a joy(stick) to behold. Inspired by a two-inch long Lego C64 produced by Chris McVeigh, it was initially developed as a replacement full-size bread-bin-style case for the 8-bit computer, with the sole intention of putting an actual C64 motherboard and keyboard inside. But then Perifractic’s attention shifted to the Raspberry Pi.
He realised he could slip a Pi into the case and hook it up to a C64 keyboard using an interface called the Keyrah V2b which allows classic Commodore computer keyboards to be connected to modern-day machines. It has proven popular for owners of old 8- and 16-bit computers as diverse as the VIC-20 and the Amiga and it works a treat. “The Keyrah V2b allows the Pi to communicate with the C64 via USB,” he explains.
The Brixty Four: Quick Facts
- 2192 bricks were used in the Brixty Four project
- The case alone can use $299 worth of bricks
- There are full, free building instructions
- Perifractic spent six weeks on the design
- The bricks were sourced from Bricklink
“The biggest obstacle was the price – these bricks are rare and used, so to build this machine is costly,” he says. “The second obstacle was time, but I wanted to make my final design free and open-source.” The results, however, have been more than worth the investment.
See the video below and read the entire article in-depth on the Raspberry Pi blog.