What do you get if you meld a Raspberry Pi, a chiptune synthesizer, and a case that looks like an imaginary Kenback-2000? Well, if you are [Artifextron], you get the NTRON. Part Nintendo console, part chip tune synthesizer, and part objet d’art. You can see the device do its things in the video below.
This is less of a bare metal design and more of a synthesis of parts, but it is a very clever system design using audio mixers and an assortment of modules to do its tasks. It does have an IC handling the gamepad ports. Of course, it also features a ton of 3D printed parts.
Not only is the build excellent-looking, but the documentation is painstakingly detailed. If the old Heathkit manuals were a perfect 10, this one is easily in the 7.5 to 8 range. Pictures, diagrams, and links for the materials are all there. It should be reasonably easy to replicate one of the variants described in the manual.
Overall, a great fusion of items in a gorgeous presentation. Maybe enough time to get one made to give as a holiday gift. Chiptune is definitely a thing. We see plenty of RetroPie projects, some of which don’t even use a Pi.