Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W enables a Commodore PET 600 to play YouTube videos
The Pi Zero W connects to the PET via the user expansion port and then connects to YouTube via Wi-Fi, with the Raspberry Pi converting the video into a grayscale stream. That stream is then manipulated to display an 80 x 25 grid of characters on the PET’s screen, with a custom program file enabling you to enter YouTube video URLs.
As you might expect, this project requires a custom interface card to optimize frame speed and, according to the video from Thorbjörn Jemander, the PET’s 1 MHz CPU presents limitations. However, the end result is nothing short of impressive, with Jemander producing a YouTube terminal that looks like it’s straight out of a cyberpunk movie.
The Commodore PET (or ‘Personal Electronic Transactor’) is a rebadged 8296 that appears to be having a bit of a moment right now, with The Future Was 8-Bit releasing the SD2PET specifically for the computer. In fact, Jemander also has a video explaining the Commodore PET / 8296, which you can watch below:
Of course, this project is just one example of using new tech to preserve the old, with the Raspberry Pi Pico being a $4 microcontroller that has a wealth of emulation capabilities.
If you’re interested in learning more about this YouTube terminal, check out the full video below:
Alternatively, you can also find Jemander’s YouTube terminal guide on GitHub.
Featured image and thumbnail image credit: Thorbjørn Jemander via YouTube
