In the latest episode of Retro Tech Insanity, the hosts dove into the fascinating world of PCB design, taking their first steps with the popular KiCad software. It wasn’t a massive board—just a tiny one—but as everyone who’s ventured into electronics knows, every journey begins with a single, small circuit.
While jokingly calling their creation less of a Pi “Hat” and more of a Pi “Shoe,” the Retro Tech Insanity crew put together a neat PCB featuring an OLED display and a rotary encoder. This handy little board is set to interface internally with a Commodore 128, functioning as an internal Pi1541 interface, making it easier than ever to breathe new digital life into old-school hardware.
The board design was inspired by the incredible work of Stephen White, whose Option B design laid the groundwork for the immensely popular Pi1541 project. Without his efforts, enthusiasts everywhere might still be wrestling with floppies instead of enjoying seamless Commodore computing.
Technical details for the project are straightforward. The OLED display easily connects via the Raspberry Pi’s I2C pins (Pins 3 and 5), powered by a convenient 3.3V supply (Pin 17). Meanwhile, the rotary encoder hooks up using the familiar button pins (13, 15, and 16), drawing its 5V power from the Pi itself.
For those interested in exploring or even building this innovative PCB, the Retro Tech Insanity crew has generously shared their design files publicly. Whether you’re an experienced maker or just starting your journey in electronics, this little board could be the perfect weekend project.
Check out the full project details: Commodore 128 Internal Pi1541 Interface on PCBWay
Learn more about the original Pi1541 project by Stephen White: Pi1541 Official Page
Also, don’t forget to peek at the GitHub repository for this project: Retro Tech Insanity GitHub
