After assembling a homemade mini laptop based on the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W computer this year, enthusiast Penk Chen has developed a new retro-style model.
The so-called Mainboard Terminal is a computer with a circular display and a motherboard used in the Framework modular notebooks.Image source: CNX SoftwareThe computer has been tested to work with Ubuntu 22.04 out of the box, only minor edits to the display configuration are required to ensure correct operation.
Taking into account the fact that the motherboard is based on the solution supporting Intel Core i5-1135G7, i7-1165G7 or i7-1185G7 Tiger Lake processors, it is likely that the solution is also compatible with other operating systems.
Image source: CNX SoftwareThe main components are freely available:Framework notebook motherboard ($399 and up);Preonic Keyboard MX Kit V3 ($140);1080×1080 resolution 5\" round LCD display and board with HDMI adaptor (about $82).
Most of the work went into designing the case for the Mainboard Terminal, Penk posted the STL files for the 3D printer on Github under a free MIT license.Because the display has an unusual resolution, additional configuration is required using xrand:Image source: CNX SoftwareIn addition, for aesthetic reasons, a terminal emulator is installed that simulates the old cathode display with a modified curvature.
This requires changing the following line in the app/qml/ApplicationSettings.qml directory:Image source: CNX SoftwareAll the 3D-printed parts are attached to each other using 5×2mm magnets, although Penk doesn't rule out that some will prefer screw connections, and can also make cutouts for USB 4.0 ports.
Although the circular display computer has a very limited scope, it looks quite curious.
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