This Slick Raspberry Pi 4 In-Car Retro Gaming Build Gives Backseat Passengers Something Better to Do
Built around an all-in-one display and a Raspberry Pi 4, this near-wireless all-in-one gaming system keeps passengers entertained.
Pseudonymous maker "hoarsecheerleader" has turned a Raspberry Pi 4 into an in-car retro gaming system — for backseat passengers only of course — using an all-in-one display case and a 12V power supply.
The Raspberry Pi has long been popular for retro-gaming projects, thanks to a combination of low cost yet impressive performance in a small package. It's also the heart of more than a few in-car entertainment upgrades — but hoarsecheerleader's project combines the two.
"This display is a Raspberry Pi all-in-one machine, supporting 12V input, 5V, and 2.5A output," the maker explains of the build, which places a Raspberry Pi and 10.1" display onto the front seat headsets for passengers to use. "So as long as you power the display, the display can power the Raspberry Pi [and] the Pi is mounted and covered inside the screen, so there are no wires connecting from one place to another, easy to install."
The case, a SunFounder 10.1" IPS display which includes a housing that holds a Raspberry Pi 4 single-board computer, is powered via a 12V adapter into the car's accessory socket. Bluetooth controllers ensure no wiring tangles, and a wireless keyboard allows for impromptu troubleshooting. The software, meanwhile, is the ever-popular RetroPie — a dedicated Linux distribution built with a friendly front-end for selecting emulators and games.
More details on the project are available on hoarsecheerleader's Reddit thread.