Game Boy Fridge - The Cold Boy

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After a lot of working for about three days, at about three hours a day, I have a working fridge that looks like a Game Boy. This idea came to me when I saw something sort of similar online, just a decal for a fridge that looked like a Game Boy, and I looked over at my mini fridge and decided I could build one my self, that is also functional. I found all of the parts, and then decided to do it. The reasoning for the timing of this build; the middle of the 2015 BitFix GamBoy Classic Competition, when I already had the Game Boy Color Advance as an entry,is that I wouldn't be able to be finished in time, so I still wanted an entry, and have all the time I need to finish the other project.

The Fridge is a functional mini fridge, with a custom door that looks like a Game Boy, and functions. Powered by a Raspberry Pi, this Mini Fridge will be a conversation piece for my dorm room, and one day my man cave.

Here is a link to the work log

I created the buttons out of wood by cutting the basic shape on a band saw, then using a belt sander in a vise (Since my floor belt sander hasn't gotten its new belts, I ordered over 2 months ago; they said it would be 7 days) I shaped them. The wooden buttons actuate tact switches, and these are wired up to an old USB keyboard, they are their respective key, except Start is Enter, and Select, is BACKSPACE.

I created the screen section by cutting a large hole in the fridge, and mounting the front bezel of the screen into the hole, then mounting the screen its self.

All of the wires run down a channel in the insulation and out the bottom right beside the hinge, then run to the back of the fridge where the PI is held, I would have mounted the PI in the door had I not worried about both condensation, or wanting to change it for another computer some day. With this design, I can use any computer with a VGA output (The PI has an HDMI to VGA converter) and USB ports.

to keep the cold in, I used loose fiberglass insulation to pack behind the channels, and hoes in the insulation.

I got two of the paints from Home Hardware choosing paint colors and getting them to mix a sample paint can for me, the red I mixed my self and the black I have. If I ever paint on the decals (No real intention for that right now), then I will also have to mix a blue.

The Pi is loaded with a 16 GB Class 10 SD card, so its very fast, and it has RetroPie on it, which is an easy distro with emulation station. A future project might change this out for something new, but I'm keeping it more or less a secret for now.

As far as game play goes, it functions as a Game Boy, but is so large I found myself basically punching the buttons, they press well (other than the right key, its a bit stiff at the moment), but since they are so far apart it make game play a bit awkward, also, you have to sit on the floor to play it.


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About Me

I do not claim to have perfect mods, but I am a mod purist. I strive to keep my mods looking as original as possible, unless the intention is to be specifically not original looking.

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