Maker Creates Streaming Handheld with a Raspberry Pi Zero

Moonlight is an open-source platform built on Nvidia's GameStream protocol. It allows you to stream PC games to remote devices, including the Raspberry Pi Zero.

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Raspberry Pi Zero

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How it works

The handheld is built using a 5.5" Waveshare AMOLED screen, which has a 1080 x 1920 resolution and toughened glass touch panel, connected directly to the Pi Zero. A 5 GHz WiFi dongle provides the support necessary to pull off a seamless streaming experience. A TeensyLC board helps handle the various inputs. There is no speaker, audio is handled using a 3.5mm jack on the Waveshare screen. It's powered with a 2500 Mah battery and, according to Tombston, lasted 2.5 - 3 hours when testing.

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Waveshare 5.5" AMOLED

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The streaming is handled using Moonlight, the open-source Nvidia GameStream software mentioned before. Put together, this rig can stream in 720 as well as 1080 with an FPS of 60, although at a reduced bitrate.

You can check out the full post on Reddit where Tombston details more specifics about the project—including hardware used in the construction. In the post, Tombston mentions this project was the first they've tackled of this magnitude having never even soldered before. Well done, Tombston! We think this project is awesome and your hard work shows.