Do you have an old Netbook gathering dust in a corner? In this video tutorial, we will guide you through converting that aging Netbook into a portable gaming powerhouse using Raspberry Pi OS and RetroPie.
Hardware
What you will need:
Old Netbook: Acer Aspire One D257 or Asus EeePC (or similar) with an Intel Atom or AMD CPU
Controllers: ANAVI Handle with Wii Nunchuk (or another controller)
NOTE: If you don’t have a Netbook, you can do the same on almost any old laptop or desktop that can run the Raspberry Pi OS.
Software
Follow the steps below to install and configure all the required software on your Netbook.
Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS for Desktop
Raspberry Pi Desktop for PC and Mac is a GNU/Linux distribution tailored as a 32-bit operating system for older and less powerful Macs and PCs. It is based on Debian, one of the most popular Linux distributions, and it offers the Raspberry Pi OS desktop environment and a suite of recommended software. If you possess an aging computer unable to handle modern commercial operating systems, Raspberry Pi OS could breathe new life into it, potentially restoring its usability. Download it, flash the iso file onto a USB stick, boot it on the netbook, and proceed with the installation.
Step 2: Install RetroPie
Follow the installation instructions for a PC running Debian or Ubuntu from the official documentation. Perform a Basic Install using the RetroPie setup script.
Step 3: Transfer ROM files
After installing RetroPie, you have to move ROM files for your favorite games into the correct associated directories. If you followed the steps above the main directory for all ROMs is ~/RetroPie/roms (or /home/pi/RetroPie/roms, which is the same here). There is a sub-directory for every supported emulated system: NES, SNES, etc.
Step 4: Connect ANAVI Handle and Nunchuk
Now, it’s time to plug in your Wii Nunchuk controller to your computer using our open-source hardware adapter. Edit config.json and enable keyboard mode:
{
"type": "keyboard"
}
The keyboard mode of ANAVI Handle in the default open source firmware is written in CircuitPython and includes a D-pad (directional pad), along with A and B keys. Once you have made changes to config.json, ensure they take effect by disconnecting and then reconnecting the ANAVI Handle. Configure the controls in RetroPie using the Nunchuk controller and ANAVI Handle.
Through the RGB LED, the default open-source firmware shows three distinct states for the connection:
A green light indicates a properly connected Nunchuk controller.
A blue light signifies the disconnection of the controller from the ANAVI Handle.
A red light alerts users to the absence or improper connection of the Nunchuk controller.
In the demo video, you will notice that the green light is illuminated, which is your signal to dive into some classic games!
Enjoy Retro Gaming on the Go
Once everything is set up, you are ready to embark on your retro-gaming journey! Fire up your Netbook. RetroPie will automatically launch (unless configured otherwise) and dive into the world of classic arcade, home console, and homebrew games. Whether you’re battling aliens or boxing with the heavyweight champ, a whole world of gaming is waiting for you.
So dust off that old Netbook, grab a Nunchuk and an ANAVI Handle, follow this tutorial, and get ready to relive the golden age of gaming!