authortom / diy-game-console

I'm designing and building my very own video game console using off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software.

DIY-game-console

I’m going to build a game console! 🚀

When trawling through Reddit. The suggestion is to attempt something more achievable. Yes, I don’t have a multi-million dollar budget to spend. And yes, it’s only me. And yes again, I don’t have access to a huge Research and development department. Why would someone want to waste their time?

Anything is doable when you put your mind to it. Heck! Elon Musk sent an electric car into space on a rocket. Why not. How difficult can it be?

There are only a handful of large manufacturers: Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Even Valve joined the party with the Steam Deck. There is always room for another. I’m not aiming for a commercial product but who doesn't like a challenge.

Throughout my life gaming has always been there. Although I have a love for gaming. I would agree I’m not the greatest gamer. Among my friends and family, I’m known to be quite the opposite. Deep down my true love is the technology running behind the scenes. Knowing what makes things work and understanding the hardware that drives the experience.

I can imagine as you scroll through. You’re thinking, what’s the point? I don’t think it’s as hard as you think. With a little bit of ingenuity, some off the shelf parts and a splash of open-source magic. I should be able to get a working prototype together. There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Those before me have done most of the hard work. I need to research, join the dots and make use of the available resources. As they say, work smarter, not harder.

This is quite the project. It’s daunting but also a learning opportunity. I’m sure between us we are going to learn a thing or two about building a product together.

1.0 Requirements and Specifications

I have outlined some requirements and specifications. The brief is to be compact, quiet, power-efficient, and ergonomically designed. Providing a high-quality gaming experience while fitting seamlessly into a user's living room.

1.1 Power

1.2 Storage and Performance

1.3 Weight and Dimensions

1.4 Acoustic Performance

1.5 Thermal and Power Efficiency

1.6 Ergonomic Design

1.7 Connectivity

1.8 Other

2.0 Hardware

3.0 Operating System & Software