Pip-Boy 3000, How to handle a paperweight, I think....

[Rymo]

Just got my hands on one with the same issue. It looks to be also sticking at the initialization screen. Also glad this isn’t a dead thread from years ago, been looking to also get it to some form of use. I really like the idea with the zero and it’s small form factor. I purchased it knowing it was likely to have this issue, and really surprised it even turned on after charging it, with how cheap it was.

The Zero would be a good choice. It’s a great little board for the price. I used one in my Marksmann GPS replica from The Lost World:Jurassic Park and it worked well for my needs. It’s definitely perfect for projects where limited space is an issue.

 

[KakashiSensei]

The Zero would be a good choice. It’s a great little board for the price. I used one in my Marksmann GPS replica from The Lost World:Jurassic Park and it worked well for my needs. It’s definitely perfect for projects where limited space is an issue.

Exactly, I actually just picked up soldering for this project. I read that possibly changing out the internal cr battery would fix the issue and opened it up for that. The black cable from the charging port to the board came off(barely kissed by solder). Tried a test board and then was able to solder it back in place. Other then the codeing side to this.

 

[teslabe]

After a long pause and a long distance move, I thought it was time to get back on this project and start to put everything into the prop, now seemed to be a good time to move forward.... The next series of videos will show the reduction of size/bulk of the electronics and the close up of the prop, should be fun...... Be sure to check the other videos, or this won't make sense.

 

[zapwizard]

Have you looked at using the Pypboy code? I am currently planning on using it as the base for my code.

Also if your going to VGA perhaps a VGA circuit for the Pi could be smaller.

 

[teslabe]

Have you looked at using the Pypboy code? I am currently planning on using it as the base for my code.

Also if your going to VGA perhaps a VGA circuit for the Pi could be smaller.

Thank you for your suggestion, but the VGA circuit you link to uses I/O pins that I need for the code rworne wrote and that code would need to be modified for the circuit to work. The HDMI-VGA adapter I've modified is small and need no code modes to work. To further reduce the size of my adapter I will most likely remove the HDMI connector and hard-wire the cable, I'll post pictures when I'm done. I have not looked at "Pypboy", what rworne did for me works so well, I had no need to look anywhere else for what I used in my project, but thanks for the heads up.....

 

[rworne]

Have you looked at using the Pypboy code? I am currently planning on using it as the base for my code.

Also if your going to VGA perhaps a VGA circuit for the Pi could be smaller.

From what I recall, this is based off of the original Pypboy code, though the whole UI was pretty much redone. The basic engine is still there.

 

[teslabe]

From what I recall, this is based off of the original Pypboy code, though the whole UI was pretty much redone. The basic engine is still there.

This is the opening line in your post #8, "It's running Raspian, with a heavily modified PipBoy source based on one of the PyGame submissions in GitHub. Based from sabas1080/pypboy.", so it looks like you did, all I know is that it works better than I could have hoped for, thank you very much for all your help....

 

[rworne]

This is the opening line in your post #8, "It's running Raspian, with a heavily modified PipBoy source based on one of the PyGame submissions in GitHub. Based from sabas1080/pypboy.", so it looks like you did, all I know is that it works better than I could have hoped for, thank you very much for all your help....

Anytime. How much of my electronic junk would not be working if it weren't for you? The feeling is mutual.

 

[teslabe]

Well, the modifications went very well but the Pi Zero seems to be having a problem running the code, I need to change some setting and see if "over-clocking" will improve things otherwise I'll focus on reducing the clutter and stay with the Pi 3 A+.

 

[zapwizard]

You got me thinking I need to convert to the Pi Compute Module 4 if the CPU on the zero isn't going to be up to snuff. It may also be possible that the code could be optimized. I had smooth animation on the Pi 2040 but didn't have enough CPU left for audio at the same time as animation.

 

[teslabe]

Got some more work done, this time it was the Hall Effect mod to replace the switches in the prop that won't work with my mods and rworne's code. I had hoped to have it done but I could find any of the many small magnets that are lost in my store room, I spend soooooooo much time looking for things since my move only to buy them again..... I will have magnets on Monday and hope to test it next week.

 

[zapwizard]

It looks like you have it all in hand, but you could have used less sensors, and more magnets. One or two sensors that detects the passage of multiple magnets, similar to a optical mouse wheel sensor. There are also rotary hall effect sensors that detect the rotation of a single magnet, but they are typically harder to use.

 

[teslabe]

There are always other ways of doing things, but the point of these mods are to keep it simple and make it work with the code that rworne repaired and have it fit in the volume that this prop gives me to work with, but also fit "naturally" in the prop , I have no interest in over complicating the need of a simple switch. Seven Hall ICs and one magnet seems pretty simple. Besides, the chances of finding an "off the shelf" switch that would drop in to the prop are pretty slim, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[teslabe]

Just an update showing that the routing of the signal wires are very important when using sensitive Hall Effect Sensors. I had to go back and route the wires so they were away from the hall plate inside the IC. I'm leaving the old pictures in the earlier post for reference.

 

[teslabe]

For anyone who might be wanting to do this mod to their defective Pipboy here is some more work. In this video I show some of the mods to the case and the modification of an existing switch from a single to a two push button switch for the scrolling up/down in some of the codes menus.
I never played the game or had a functioning Pipboy 3000 to know what this switch did in the prop, I'll be using it for scrolling as I mentioned before. The video will show what switch it is, hope someone finds this helpful.

 

[zapwizard]

In-game the character pressed the large button as a sort of "select" option, but the character also presses it sometimes when changing screens.

 

[teslabe]

It's been some time since the last update, I wanted to get a working Geiger Counter in the prop so here it is. This little project took some time and was so nice when it all worked. The prop has artwork for the meter movement and is not your typical meter configuration and I want something that fit the space and look, I think it turned out ok.

 

[zapwizard]

The final movement looks pretty good. That is one tiny servo. I have always avoided servos due to the noise they make.

Since you are bouncing the needle: You might have been able to get a similar result by using a magnet glued to a shaft, and then use a small electromagnet to make the needle twitch on each pulse. An air core motor is basically just that, a shaft, magnet and two coils that allow you align the coil to the magnetic field.

 

[teslabe]

The final movement looks pretty good. That is one tiny servo. I have always avoided servos due to the noise they make.

Since you are bouncing the needle: You might have been able to get a similar result by using a magnet glued to a shaft, and then use a small electromagnet to make the needle twitch on each pulse. An air core motor is basically just that, a shaft, magnet and two coils that allow you align the coil to the magnetic field.

I'm not bouncing the needle, the servo is "moving" the needle and I tried using magnets/coils and the effect was underwhelming....
The servo noise works in this case, after all it's detecting radiation....

 

[Markus]

It's been some time since the last update, I wanted to get a working Geiger Counter in the prop so here it is. This little project took some time and was so nice when it all worked. The prop has artwork for the meter movement and is not your typical meter configuration and I want something that fit the space and look, I think it turned out ok.

Wow! Very nice - I'm deeply impressed.
Would you mind giving some details, how you built the Geiger Counter?