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ESPboy - RetroGaming&Software development MuliTool

For IT geeks, retro game fans, makers. Open source, portable, modular to explore, create, learn, code & play

romansRomanS
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ESPboy_edu has 55 orders / 3reviews
Ships from Russia
ESPboy2 - retro gaming, pentests, IT and IoT experiments multi-tool
www.espboy.com

- Open source, open hardware, portable, modular
- To explore, create, learn, code & play
- Empowered with AppStore and community support
- WiFi onboard, 100% Arduino IDE compatible
- Could be:
-- prototyping and developing platform for makers and IoT experiments
-- a retro game console (supports Little Game Engine, GameBoy, ZX Spectrum 48k, Arduboy, CHIP8/SCHIP)
-- WiFi analyzer/packet sniffer/attacks detector...
- Uses ESP8266 microcontroller (Xtensa Tensilica 32bit core, 80/160mHz, 4Mb) and has built-in WiFi, 8 buttons, RGB led, high-quality speaker, extension header
- With attachable extension modules turns to any portable gadget in a minute
-- weather station
-- IR blaster
-- FM radio
-- MP3 player
-- LORA messenger
-- GPS navigator
-- GSM phone
-- Radio beacon
-- Sub1Ghz inspector
-- RFID/NFC reader
-- AY player
-- and more

Have fun with ESPboy

ESPboy is open-source (most software is under MIT license) and open-hardware (CERN license) project.

OSHWA certification record

Openhardware.io record

ESPboy is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] learning platform which encourages and enhances creativity, imagination, and ingenuity through project-based learning and reverse engineering.

ESPboy is ideal to learn game development, internet of things, start programming, understand how gadgets work, and try robotics basics all with the community help.

It's a fantastic experience to assemble the ESPboy yourself or together with your child. Make your own games and apps, share them with the community online. You can make any fully functional gadget in a minute with additional modules, play with it, understand the way of work, modify it and create the unique new one!

It's about fun engineering education and creativity through limitations :)

ESPboy utilizes a powerful ESP8266 microcontroller with built-in WiFi, Arduino IDE compatible with tons of libs and professional firmware and SDKs

Simple schematic (for detailed schematic, ESPboy+casing PCBs and Gerber files please check project page at www.easyeda.com

Connecting the original modules to the ESPboy's header and updating software through WiFi, you'll get fully functional gadget in a minute (LORA messenger, weather station, GSM phone, FM radio, MP3 player and more)

"ESPboy App Store" with a load of games and applications available through your WiFi network connection. It’s free, online, and works fine directly from your ESPboy

WiFi analyzer & packet sniffer

Create games with "Little game engine", "ESPiCo game engine" or any other framework


Play old retro Nintendo Game Boy games like Zelda, Super Mario etc...

Try ARDUBOY retro console emulation with excellent Arduboy2 game creation library ported. It will take just few minutes to recompile any game from Arduboy to ESPboy )

Play retro Chip8/Superchip games. It's an true digital heritage from the 70s with CHIP8/SCHIP emulator. Try new modern games from the OCTO jam.

Have fun with retro ZX Spectrum 48k gamesfrom the 80-90s using zx48 emulator.

Listen the portable FMradio, MP3s or WiFi radio with ESPboy modules

Listen the retro AY38910 chip synth music with DAC module

Write programs or chat in messengers using keyboard module

ESPboy has WiFi onboard to:

Specification:

Read more »

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View all 8 components

View all 117 project logs

  • 1
    Check the video build instruction
  • 2
    ESPboy Kit and parts

    You can get ESPboy Kit with partially preassembled PCB where is soldered most of small components. 

    Only 3 modules and speaker should be soldered in following order:

    1. speaker (as you can see on black PCB pictures, not buzzer, as at red PCB pictures)

    2. TP4056 battery charging module (don't forget to replace R3 resistor according the following info)

    3. WeMos D1 mini (LOLIN) microcontroller module

    4. LCD display module

    Official ESPboy Kit:

    PCB with most of small components presoldered

    Or you can order the ESPboy PCB or buy it clean and also buy all components separately

  • 3
    ESPboy assembly tools

View all 12 instructions

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Discussions

Roberto A. Foglietta wrote 01/21/2024 at 14:45 • point

Hi @RomanS , I wish to receive some information about the keyboard module which is depicted into some image but not listed into components BOM. Can you help me to find it on the market please? Thanks, R-

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 04/25/2024 at 06:10 • point

Hi. It is blackberry q10 keyboard

  Are you sure? yes | no

Nazwa wrote 06/04/2022 at 22:07 • point

fuzix os can run on this device? (meybe external keyboard must be added)

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 06/05/2022 at 05:26 • point

as far as i see there is a ESP8266 port of fuzix os https://www.cnx-software.com/2021/02/23/fuzix-unix-like-operating-system-ported-to-raspberry-pi-pico-and-esp8266/

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 06/05/2022 at 11:25 • point

the core of ESPboy is ESP8266 and i see the fork of the fuzix os for ESP8266 so, yes, its possible

  Are you sure? yes | no

Nazwa wrote 06/10/2022 at 14:34 • point

can You show a video?

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 06/12/2022 at 11:56 • point

I haven't checked it myself, but you can google it.)

  Are you sure? yes | no

kwapiszon wrote 11/16/2020 at 10:39 • point

i prefer a joyistick like a chinese console game

for tempest game and for volume a potenciometer

how long this device work on one charge?

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 11/19/2020 at 18:36 • point

"how long this device work on one charge" depending on many factors. wifi, LCD brightness, sound. few hours till few weeks if it uses sleep mode for IoT. "i prefer" you can always make your own deice )

  Are you sure? yes | no

Nazwa wrote 06/04/2022 at 22:09 • point

Ii prefer yoistick, knob too ( or other analog input data not only keys) 

this sugestion is very important if the keyboard have only 6 keys

for example this yoistick https://powkiddy.com/products/powkiddy-rgb10-max-handheld-game-players down/left is better than only 4 keys for walking trought menu

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 04/25/2024 at 06:12 • point

ESPboy is not designed for gaming )

  Are you sure? yes | no

morgan wrote 01/14/2020 at 00:21 • point

Really love those brass screw button caps, nice touch.

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 01/14/2020 at 06:37 • point

:) 

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jacob MacLeod wrote 10/06/2019 at 11:01 • point

This is really cool!

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 10/10/2019 at 08:19 • point

thanks!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jacob MacLeod wrote 01/13/2020 at 09:32 • point

When do you think a kit will be available? 

Also, what sort of price do you think of will cost?

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 01/13/2020 at 15:41 • point

I have to finish with formalities to start selling. Hope it will take a couple of months. The price will be about the same as similar projects on the market I suppose... Anyway, there is also the way to DIY ESPboy for the lowest price. All schematic, software, instructions are available free.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jacob MacLeod wrote 01/13/2020 at 22:36 • point

Right... so if I order the PCB at JLC PCB and use the SMT tool, what components are presoldered, and what components do I need to buy myself(from aliexpress/ebay/Amazon/LCSC)

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 01/13/2020 at 22:48 • point

The components JLC can presolder is the question to JLC i think ) i don't know. Probably the easiest way is to order at JLC just PCB and all other parts separately from aliexpress/ebay/Amazon/LCSC/Mouser Electronics/digikey/etc...

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jacob MacLeod wrote 01/13/2020 at 22:58 • point

Ok... the build guide shows that some parts will be presoldered in the kit. Which parts are these?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Ken Yap wrote 01/13/2020 at 23:24 • point

JLCPCB is a sister company to LCSC so presumably they can presolder anything that LCSC sells. However there are minimum quantities for items ordered from LCSC, but maybe this doesn't apply to presoldered components.

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 01/14/2020 at 06:23 • point

According to my JLCPCB order, they agreed to presolder all small parts, but it costs. Buttons (8), MCP23017, header, all resistors (4), variable resistor, fuze, slide switches, RGB led, MCP4725. So the rest (wemos d1 mini, charging module, LCD, speaker) you have to solder by yourself. But remember that you can assemble a simple breadboard version of ESPboy with just few components and without soldering.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Jacob MacLeod wrote 01/14/2020 at 10:15 • point

Ok... how hard is it to solder small SMT components? Is it very different to larger through-hole components?

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 01/14/2020 at 10:34 • point

it's better to try the SMD soldering to understand ) more experience, easier and faster result. there are a lot of videos about this process at youtube

  Are you sure? yes | no

Peabody1929 wrote 07/30/2019 at 21:16 • point

Is there a kit available?

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 10/10/2019 at 08:20 • point

soon at tindie.com i hope

  Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/14/2019 at 17:00 • point

Wat you think about much modern ESP32? more gpios, save expander, ble, touch, better power management. Official arduino support, mp3 playback, 2x analog out???

  Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 10/10/2019 at 08:22 • point

Too much devices are aleready on the market with ESP32 theese days )

  Are you sure? yes | no

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