Yes, the Commodore PET Mini is still a real, buildable open DIY project—but it is not a ready-made miniature PET. You print a PET 8032-inspired enclosure, install a Raspberry Pi and a small Waveshare SPI display, and configure emulation software. The standard printed keyboard is decorative, while the display extension cable, low-voltage power wiring, and aging software instructions make this an intermediate-to-advanced build.
The original project files remain available through the official project site and GitHub repository. They are useful in 2026, but some instructions date from the late 2010s and must be checked against the Raspberry Pi model, operating-system image, display revision, and current RetroPie software.
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What the PET Mini actually is
The Commodore PET Mini is a Raspberry Pi-based emulation project by Lorenzo Herrera, also known as Tin Cat. Its 3D-printed shell recreates the distinctive look of a Commodore PET 8032, including a hinged upper housing that opens to expose the electronics.
The finished build contains:
- A black-and-white 3D-printed PET-inspired case.
- A Raspberry Pi mounted in the base.
- A 2.8-inch Waveshare SPI display in the monitor housing.
- A rear power connection and switch.
- A decorative printed keyboard in the standard design.
It is a physical replica-inspired enclosure around an emulator, not original Commodore hardware. The Raspberry Pi does not contain the PET motherboard, CPU, display electronics, or keyboard matrix. The project guide uses RetroPie with the VICE emulator package for Commodore PET, VIC-20, and C64 emulation, although current package and image behavior can differ.
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Because the printed keys are not functional in the base build, you need an external USB keyboard, controller, or gamepad for practical use. The project also documents a separate USB keyboard gamepad and a more ambitious GPIO-connected working keyboard.
Who should build it?
Build it if you already have—or want to learn—3D printing, soldering, basic electronics, and Raspberry Pi/Linux troubleshooting. It makes an excellent display piece and compact retro-emulation project for someone who values the maker experience as much as convenience.
It is a poor fit if you want a turnkey product, a faithful hardware reproduction, a beginner project with no soldering, a portable console, or a working built-in keyboard without additional fabrication.
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The official parts list calls for:
- A 3D printer, black and white filament, and a supply of extra filament for supports and possible reprints.
- A Raspberry Pi 1 Model B+, Pi 2, Pi 3, or Pi 4.
- At least a 16-GB SD card.
- A 5-V, 3-A power supply.
- The exact Waveshare 2.8-inch Raspberry Pi display used by the project.
- 26-lane IDC ribbon cable and a male 26-pin IDC socket.
- M2.5 screws, glue, electrical insulation or heat-shrink tubing, and a panel-mount switch for the 15 × 10 mm rectangular opening.
- A micro-USB panel-mount extender for a Pi 3 or earlier, or a USB-C equivalent for a Pi 4.
- Two 10 × 2 mm round magnets.
- Soldering equipment, wire tools, and a multimeter with continuity mode.
- An external USB keyboard or gamepad unless you add a keyboard modification.
Do not interpret the original claim that several Pi generations work as a guarantee for every modern board. Pi 5, Pi Zero, Pi Zero 2 W, Pi 400, and newer variants are not documented as drop-in replacements. Their mounting points, ports, power requirements, GPIO clearance, heat output, or display-driver support may differ. Treat them as modification projects, not guaranteed fits.
A Pi 3 may be easier to cool and fit, but uses micro-USB power and is older. A Pi 4 offers more performance and USB-C power, but produces more heat and its pricing varies by memory configuration and region. Raspberry Pi lists the Pi 4 from $35, while its 2026 announcements describe additional memory-related price changes; check the official product page and current regional pricing rather than relying on historical project costs.
The display is the most important purchase. A visually similar 2.8-inch screen may use a different controller, pinout, connector arrangement, or driver. Verify the exact model before buying.
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Download and print the enclosure
Download the files from the creator’s official repository. The documentation identifies eight main STL pieces:
- Base
- Body shell
- Keyboard
- Monitor stand
- Monitor-box body
- Monitor-box rear cap
- Monitor-box front
- Monitor frame
The files are supplied ready for slicing. Preserve their orientations unless you have a specific reason to change them, and enable supports as recommended in the 3D-printing instructions. Use the intended black-and-white color scheme, but delay painting until the parts have been test-fitted.
Do not assume a particular print time, filament weight, or total cost. Those depend on nozzle size, layer height, infill, support settings, printer, and failed-print rate. Do not casually scale parts either: small changes can affect the hinge, screen opening, screw locations, magnets, and Pi clearance.
Prepare the electronics before closing the case
Perform the software installation and a basic hardware test on the bench before final assembly. Use a temporary HDMI display, keyboard, controller, power supply, and network connection. This separates software problems from a hidden display-cable or enclosure problem.
The official project specifies a 5-V, 3-A supply because the Pi also drives the SPI display. An undersized or poor-quality supply can cause reboots, voltage warnings, or instability. A 3-A rating is the creator’s requirement, not a universal guarantee for every Pi, cable, display, and accessory combination.
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Install RetroPie and VICE
The creator’s original workflow is:
- Download the RetroPie image appropriate to the selected Pi.
- Unzip it to obtain the
.imgfile. - Write the image to the SD card using an imaging tool such as balenaEtcher.
- Boot the Pi with HDMI, a keyboard, power, and preferably a USB controller.
- Complete first-run setup and connect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Open RetroPie-Setup and choose Manage packages → Optional.
- Install VICE, the package used for PET, VIC-20, and C64 emulation.
Consult the current RetroPie installation documentation if the image, login behavior, menu labels, or package locations differ. The project’s page is a historical workflow, not a guarantee that the same interface remains unchanged in 2026.
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- Premium Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Case, Display Cable, 2 x Heat Sinks, GPIO Quick Reference Card, CanaKit Full Color Quick-Start Guide
Installing an emulator does not provide legal permission to copy or redistribute copyrighted software. Obtain ROMs, disk images, and other software only from sources you are entitled to use.
Install the Waveshare display
The display-driver step is where the original guide needs the most caution. Its documented sequence is:
Ctrl+F4The guide then expects:
username: pi
password: raspberryIt gives these commands:
git clone https://github.com/waveshare/LCD-show.git
cd LCD-show
./LCD28-show
sudo poweroffAfter shutdown, the guide says to disconnect HDMI, attach the small display, and power the Pi back on. Treat these as the creator’s original instructions, not universal current installation advice. Modern images may not have the default pi/raspberry account, and the LCD-show scripts may not support every current kernel, Pi model, or OS image. Verify the exact display and inspect the project and driver documentation before running an installer script.
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sudo nano /boot/config.txtand changing:
dtoverlay=waveshare32b:rotate=270to:
dtoverlay=waveshare32b:rotate=270,speed=80000000,fps=60Save with Ctrl+O, exit with Ctrl+X, and reboot:
sudo rebootDo not copy this overlay to a different Waveshare model. The overlay name, configuration-file location, and boot behavior vary between OS generations. The fps=60 setting is a configuration value suggested by the project, not proof of a stable 60 frames per second in every emulator or game. Increasing SPI speed can introduce artifacts or instability, especially with a long, poorly assembled cable.
The hardest part: the mirrored 26-pin display cable
Normally, the Waveshare display mounts directly on the Pi’s GPIO header. In the PET Mini, the screen sits in the raised monitor housing, so you must build an extension cable from 26-conductor ribbon cable and a male 26-pin IDC socket.
The cable must correct the display’s mirrored side connections. Every adjacent pair is swapped:
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1 ↔ 2
3 ↔ 4
5 ↔ 6
7 ↔ 8
9 ↔ 10
11 ↔ 12
13 ↔ 14
15 ↔ 16
17 ↔ 18
19 ↔ 20
21 ↔ 22
23 ↔ 24
25 ↔ 26Use thin, flexible ribbon cable so the upper housing can move without binding. Identify conductor 1 at both ends, compare the connector orientation with the display and Pi pinouts, and check every connection with a multimeter before applying power. The guide specifically warns that the Pi must not be connected until the mirroring is corrected. GPIO pins 27 and 28 also need to be bent carefully for connector clearance and protected against shorts.
This is not merely a cable that might produce a blank screen if wired incorrectly. A wrong orientation or short can damage the display or Raspberry Pi. If the screen is not working, stop repeatedly powering it and recheck the pinout, pair swaps, connector orientation, driver, overlay, and Pi model in that order.
Build the enclosure and power switch
Follow the project’s pre-assembly and assembly guides:
- Glue the body shell, monitor stand, and monitor-box body.
- Slot the assembly onto the base and verify that the hinge moves freely.
- Glue the decorative keyboard if desired.
- Install the display into the monitor frame.
- Glue the monitor-box front to the frame.
- Screw the Pi and USB extender to the base.
- Secure the switch and screen assembly.
- Install the two magnets in the base and keyboard, checking that they attract.
- Fit the monitor-box rear cap.
Never force the display into the printed frame. File or sand the frame gradually, test-fitting often, and support the panel evenly; excessive pressure can crack the screen.
For the rear switch, the original procedure cuts a panel-mount USB extender approximately halfway, reconnects and insulates the black wires, and routes the red wire through the switch. This is low-voltage USB wiring rather than mains wiring, but exposed conductors, shorts, reversed polarity, poor solder joints, or an unsuitable switch can still destroy the Pi or power supply. Verify wire functions with a meter instead of assuming every cable uses standard colors, then insulate every joint with heat-shrink or equivalent protection.
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What works—and what does not?
| Feature | Base build |
|---|---|
| Commodore PET emulation | Yes, after installing and configuring suitable emulator software such as VICE. |
| VIC-20 and C64 emulation | Supported through the documented VICE path, subject to current software compatibility. |
| Printed keyboard | No; decorative in the standard build. |
| External keyboard or gamepad | Yes. |
| Built-in sound | Optional modification; see the project’s sound guide. |
| Battery operation | Optional modification; it requires careful charging, protection, heat, and enclosure planning. |
| Pi 5 drop-in compatibility | Not guaranteed or documented by the original project. |
A PET emulator can run PET software, but that does not mean every original program, peripheral, timing behavior, or hardware interaction will be identical to a real PET.
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Useful upgrades and alternatives
USB keyboard gamepad
The community keyboard gamepad uses Cherry MX switches and a separate printed case. It is more authentic than a generic controller while avoiding the complexity of modifying the PET Mini’s GPIO and keyboard enclosure. Its STL is available in the repository’s “Other files” area; see the project contribution page.
GPIO working keyboard
The working-keyboard contribution uses a custom PCB and GPIO integration while preserving the screen connections through an extension connector. This is the best route for typing BASIC, but it is a substantial electronics and fabrication upgrade rather than a simple accessory.
HDMI screen
A larger HDMI display avoids the SPI driver and mirrored 26-wire cable. The trade-off is a less authentic design and likely changes to the monitor opening, frame, mounting, and case.
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The project documents both a portable battery modification and a sound modification with an amplifier board, speaker, and audio jack. Battery integration should be treated as an advanced Li-ion/LiPo project: use appropriate charging and protection hardware, allow for heat management, and do not trap an unsafe battery inside the enclosure.
Common problems
- Blank display: Confirm the exact model, pin 1 alignment, pair-swapping, GPIO orientation, driver support, overlay, OS image, and Pi model. First confirm that the Pi itself boots over HDMI.
- Case will not close: The ribbon cable may be too thick or rigid, the connector may be misaligned, or a different Pi board may not clear the shell. Reroute the cable before forcing the hinge.
- Cracked screen: The frame is undersized or tight. File it gradually; never press the display into place.
- Reboots or power warnings: Check the supply, extender, solder joints, cable resistance, and connector quality. A Pi 4 and display can expose weaknesses that a bare Pi does not.
- Keyboard does nothing: That is normal for the decorative printed keyboard. Connect a USB input device or build one of the documented keyboard modifications.
- Heat or throttling: The original documentation does not provide a thermal analysis. A Pi 4 or newer board may require more ventilation than the original design assumed.
Is it worth building in 2026?
Yes—if you want a distinctive retrocomputing project and are prepared to debug it. The PET Mini is most attractive to builders who already own a compatible Pi, 3D printer, soldering tools, and a verified Waveshare display. It is much less attractive as a cheap, effortless way to play retro games.
Budget for more than filament: the Pi, exact display, SD card, reliable power supply, cable and IDC connector, tools, failed prints, shipping, and an external input device can dominate the final cost. Prices vary sharply by country, reseller, RAM configuration, and availability, so avoid relying on old “low-cost project” estimates.
The sensible approach is to buy the display first, verify the Pi and software path on a bench, print the parts without scaling, and build the risky cable only after you understand both connector orientations. If you want the look and the maker challenge, it remains an excellent project. If you want a working miniature PET straight from the box, choose a different solution—or plan on adding the keyboard and display upgrades.
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