Raspberry Pi Drives 'Sidecar' Internet Access for Psion PDA - Tom's Hardware

Maker and developer Kian Ryan has a immense passionateness for old-school technology. When it came clip to tinker astir with a Psion PDA from the 90s, helium knew helium had to propulsion a Raspberry Pi into the mix. Today, we’re showing disconnected his Sidecar instauration that uses a Raspberry Pi to relation arsenic some a moving Linux serial terminal arsenic good arsenic a modem to link the Psion to the internet.

Ryan is utilizing a Psion Series 5MX mentation of the fashionable 1990s PDA and primitively created a customized PCB known arsenic the PiRS232. This committee works arsenic a HAT for the Pi Zero that enables it to link to the PDA utilizing a DB9 serial connector. This PiRS232 committee is present housed wrong of a tiny instrumentality Ryan has dubbed the Sidecar.

This sidecar portion is wholly portable, acknowledgment to the summation of a 2200mAh LiPo artillery and a LiPo charging committee from Pimoroni. The thought present is to make not conscionable an net transportation and terminal interface for the Psion but besides to marque the portion thing that could beryllium easy moved and not tethered by a bid of wires. The task comes unneurotic successful a customized 3D-printed ammunition that Ryan created and designed from scratch.

We volition beryllium speaking to Ryan, unrecorded connected Tom's Hardware: The Pi Cast. December 6 astatine 2pm ET / 7pm GMT. 

Ryan was benignant capable to stock a implicit parts database for the task truthful we tin get a adjacent look astatine however the strategy goes together. His customized PiRS232 PCB is connected a Raspberry Pi Zero. A Pimoroni LiPo Amigo Pro is utilized arsenic good arsenic a Pimoroni LiPo SHIM. As we mentioned above, it’s made portable and is powered by a 2200mAh battery. The lawsuit plan is disposable astatine Printables for anyone who wants to download it and people for themselves astatine home.

Ryan explains successful his blog station that portion helium is utilizing a Psion 5MX arsenic the client, immoderate PPP lawsuit susceptible of supporting RTS/CTS volition enactment successful its place. He provides elaborate instructions connected however to link the Pi to the instrumentality via serial to initiate the indispensable communication. However, delight beryllium alert that determination are information concerns connecting the Psion to the net arsenic this hardware is from the 90s and nary longer supported.

If you privation to recreate this Raspberry Pi project oregon conscionable get a person look astatine however it goes together, cheque retired the archetypal blog post and beryllium definite to travel Kian Ryan for much chill projects and aboriginal creations.