[Dan Schnur] has a simple strategy to ensure their business card stays on the client’s desk and doesn’t just get lobbed in a drawer: make it into a simple gaming platform. This entry into the 2024 Business Card Challenge is based around the tinyjoypad project, integrating an SSD1306 OLED display, joypad, and push button.
Powered by the superstar ATTiny85, the electronics are really not all that much, just a sprinkling of passives to support the display and the six switch inputs from the joystick and push button. Or at least, that’s how much we can glean from the PCB images, as the PCB design files are not provided in the project GitHub.
Leaving the heavy lifting of the software to the tinyjoypad project, the designer can concentrate on the actual job at hand and the reason the business card exists to stay at the forefront of the client’s mind. In the meantime, the card can be a useful distraction for those idle moments. A few such distractions include a tiny version of Missile Command (as shown above), tiny tris, and a very cut-down Q-bert. Sadly, that last game isn’t quite the same without that distinctive sound.
Cool swag to hand out.
To a technical audience, though, use of a tired decades-old 8-bit MCU convey a bit of a stodgy / out-of-date image. If you’re trying to call out how cutting edge and innovative you are, something a bit more recent might be noticed. Risc-V maybe. Like this: https://github.com/wagiminator/CH32V003-GameConsole
Nice, but can we do a little better? How about something that doesn’t rely chips from manufacturers that are controlled by totalitarian regimes with expansionist ambitions?
Care to elaborate?
Damn so no US, Russia, China or India and probably a few more. Any alternatives that come to mind?
I chose Microchip because they are based a few miles from where I live. Some of the passives are from ON, which is near me too. I decided to keep it local… well, at least a little local.
I like this update of tinyjoypad ! Although it’s yet another half-open hardware project. He only provides gerbers/pdf, no source files. On this matter, if follows the original tinyjoypad :-(
I actually do provide the design files. They are for EasyEDA. The project is also shared on their site. Have at it!
Wow, I love that one! If I had it again, I might do something like that. I was thinking of using a Pi Pico, but the BOM would be larger. Trade off would be that I could use much better games though… BTW: The source for my board is published in EasyEDA format on my Github archive.. You can also search for it on their site.
> Sadly, that last game isn’t quite the same without that distinctive sound.
@!#?@!
There’s a speaker on the back of the card. Flash space allowing, it can play just about any sound.