Retro TV Raspberry Pi Case V2

Retro TV case based on a Toshiba Blackstripe I made for a Raspberry Pi 3B to run RetroPie and play cartoons. Designed to fit a Pi with a 3.5 inch HDMI MPI3508 LCD display and audio module hat.

Some demo videos here.

V2 features the following improvements over the original:

• Redesigned shell to fit an audio module.
• Added external access slot in the back for the Pi's micro SD card.
• Adjusted the viewport size to eliminate gaps between the 3.5" display and the TV shell.
• Removed the Pi case; the Pi is now mounted to the back piece which allows for much simpler opening and access to the Pi and USB ports.

In addition to the print you'll need:

• Raspberry Pi (I used a 3B but it should also fit a 4 or 5)
• 3.5 inch HDMI MPI3508 LCD display (such as this one)
• Pi speaker expansion board (such as this one). 
• HDMI flat flexible cable (such as this one). For a Pi 3B I used A2 + A2 + 5cm cable from the link.
• Right angle micro-usb adapter (such as these) to allow power cable to be connected from the back of the TV. Pi 3B uses the “down” version. For Pi's 4 and 5 that may need more clearance for the right angle USB-C adapters (such as these) please print the corresponding USB-C versions of the base and back.
• SD card with RetroPie (or whatever you want to run)
• 3x M2.5x5 screws for the Pi
• 4x M2.5x5 screws for the shell
• 2x M2.5x8 screws for the antennae
• 2x M2.5x8 screws for the base
• A wireless controller or keyboard

Optional:

• 30mm 5V fan (such as this one) + 3x M3x10 screws. I also used a JST 2-pin extension cable.

All parts should be printed with supports. The front is printed as multi-material. 

OS Configuration Notes:

I used the following values in my /boot/config.txt to reduce the display output to 4:3.
overscan_left=-10
overscan_right=35

CHANGE LOG

Feb 1 2024

• Added thicker USB-C adapter versions of back and base for Pi 4 and 5.

Jan 20 2024

• Tweak shell and base depth for better back fit.

Jan 16 2024

• Shifted Pi position to eliminate left side black bar. Updated overscan values.

• Enlarged shell to fit audio module
• External SD card slot access
• Adjusted viewport size to hide display gaps
• Removed Pi case; Pi is installed directly onto TV back enabling easier access