[DIY] Cyberdeck Part 1 - Conceptualization
For the unaware, cyberdecks are DIY (usually portable) computing devices, that often incorporate a retro-futuristic aesthetic inspired by cyberpunk stories. The term itself comes from William Gibson’s 1984 novel Neuromancer.
At the moment I am rather fascinated with the concept and I want to build my own. This project was born as an extension of an earlier project in which I turned a MiSTer FPGA into a retro-styled wedge PC which made it the perfect device for emulating old PC's like the Commodore 64 or MSX. I fell in love with that device and I really wanted to use it for posting to some of my favorite forums and image boards but unfortunately it just wasn't possible. I did manage to get a version of the terminal-based browser Lynx running on it but it wasn't compatible with HTTPS, so it was essentially useless because just about everything requires HTTPS these days. I accepted defeat and recognized that to achieve my goal I would either need to cram a raspberry pi inside of it or make a new device altogether. And thus, this project was born.
I looked around online to get ideas for the direction that I want to go with this project and there were a lot of great builds floating around on the web. My absolute favorite was this device inspired by old laptops from the 1980s
This is the Griz Sextant, and it is an absolute beauty. I would absolutely love to make this, but unfortunately I don't think I would get much use out of it. The screen is tiny and it's not possible to dock it with anything else. I could modify the design to allow it to dock with a larger monitor but I think that the monitor of the laptop would get in the way.
I have instead opted for a more stationary design as I have seen with many other cyberdecks. This seems easier to design and assemble as I don't have to worry about a hinge, and it would be sturdier as there are no moving parts. I will make my own design, but the end result will look vaguely similar to this:
This device will be a 2-in-1. It will be a fully functional cyberdeck that runs Linux and can be used as its own device, but it will also be able to connect with my desktop PC and offer extra comforts and convenience when I'm using my desktop. This will increase the usefulness of the device and shrink it's footprint in my home as I won't have to find a home for it within my home and it will be something I use every day instead of just something I pull out for fun sometimes.
For that reasoning, this cyberdeck will use the mechanical keyboard that I use with my desktop PC. I will attach a 1920x515 monitor (stretched, and very short) above the keyboard. This will give the unit a display while also keeping a low profile. It will be powered by an N100-based mini PC running Linux (distro to be determined) and will be able to dock with a larger display. I will also add a holder for attaching a larger portable monitor.
There will be ports on the back for connecting with my desktop, and when I'm at the desktop this device will serve as my keyboard as well as a secondary display. Believe it or not a secondary display of this form factor would be extremely convenient for me when using my desktop.
At the moment I am working on planning the physical design and am researching options for the display and which mini PC to use as the brain of the device. The case will absolutely be 3D printed. We will figure all of that out in part 2!
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