TheBox

Building My Ultimate Cyberdeck: The Box 

Introduction:

Have you ever dreamed of having a completely self-contained, portable computer that you can use for anything, anywhere? I have, and that dream has led me to create "The Box m1," my personal project to build the ultimate DIY cyberdeck. This blog post will detail the initial stages of this exciting endeavor, from choosing the core components to overcoming early design challenges.

The Brains of the Operation:

The heart of any computer is its processing unit. For The Box m1, I chose the Raspberry Pi 5. While the Radxa Rock 5B was a strong contender, I ultimately opted for the Pi 5 due to its vast community support and robust official software ecosystem. This ensures access to a wealth of resources, troubleshooting assistance, and ongoing updates. At the time of starting this project, the Compute Module 5 (CM5) wasn't available, which further solidified the decision to use the readily available Pi 5.

Navigating the Digital Landscape:

My initial plan for user interaction involved a mini keyboard paired with a trackball or a small trackpad. However, finding a suitable mini keyboard proved more difficult than anticipated. This led me to explore alternative input methods, ultimately settling on a touchscreen. Serendipitously, the Raspberry Pi Foundation had just launched their Touch Display 2, making it the perfect choice for The Box m1. This integrated solution provides a seamless and responsive touch experience, simplifying the build process significantly.

The Box #mark1: Initial Design and Challenges:

The Box m1 represents the first iteration of this project. The primary goal was to create a functional and portable platform for tinkering and experimentation. The combination of the Raspberry Pi 5 and the official Touch Display 2 has provided a solid foundation.

For addition of usable I/O i had to add an waveshare micro hdmi to full size hdmi adapter board for raspberry pi 4 , it works with pi5 the same.

The mark1 chassis for the box was modeled in thinker cad and printed out in PLA , it was just a first random off shoot to get an idea of how everything will go together and the mark2 was build upon the insights obtained from the mark1 design 

Next Steps and Future Plans:

This is just the beginning for The Box. In future iterations, I plan to explore:

• Power Management: Implementing a robust power solution for extended portability.
• Enclosure Design: Designing and building a custom enclosure to house all the components securely and aesthetically after a cyber deck does have to look cool
• Software and Customization: Optimizing the software environment for my specific needs and exploring custom software solutions, 
• Peripherals: Re-evaluating input methods and possibly incorporating other peripherals, to the touch display 2

Conclusion:

Building The Box m1 has been an exciting and rewarding experience so far. I’m eager to continue developing this project and share my progress with you. Stay tuned for future updates as I refine the design and functionality of my ultimate DIY cyberdeck!, now the things it lacking is a power source (a power bank or a ups) 

Call to Action:

What do you think of The Box m1? What features would you like to see in a cyberdeck? Let me know in the comments below!