Building project (on the cheap) need advice! including shopping cart advice

Beginners
#1

ok, so i need some solid advice. I am building a portable (either hand held or lap resting) arcade machine on the fly, and i have already identified a few products that i want to get it done with. the rest, i have absolutely no idea how im gonna get it done.

Conditions:

  1. Please, no soldering suggestions. due to my disability, my hands are unable to solder, nor do i know anyone within 100km of me that CAN solder affordably.
  2. please keep it simple… or in short: K.I.S.S. I’m an absolute noob, and I’m just looking to do this on the fly for just me.

Parts already chosen:

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B - https://www.littlebirdelectronics.com.au/raspberry-pi-3~38194
IPAC-2 Controller board - https://www.ultimarc.com/ipac1.html
Pelican 1120 Hard Case - https://www.videoguys.com.au/Shop/p/157/pelican-1120-case-pe1120b.html

The rest i have absolute no idea on what to do… i’m maybe looking at 2 fans. maybe looking at a LiPo or USB Powered Battery pack… DEFINITIVELY speakers…

Any help would be of amazing assistance… Thank you!

#2

remember. it has to be on the low budget, this isnt a commercial build or a pretty build. its just something to build so i can go to a coffee shop and just…play games… or, just go outside and show off my cheap build… yes, show off a cheap build.

#3

Bump. Sorry that i had to do this, but it is of urgency… at least to me.

#4

I had a board like the ipac and it just plugs in as a keyboard on my desktop. I think this should just work out of the box on a raspberry pi (so no soldering there, just a usb cable).

My newbie advice is put aside the case and the battery and fans and just get the following working:

  • raspberry pi
  • display ‘hat’ board or whatever you are thinking of for a display
    connect them via a wall power pack, computer keyboard and get some display working.

Then load a game or two.

Then get the ipac and get the keyboard interface working connect in buttons (you should be able to get jumper cables for this rather than needing soldering). Test games.

Then after you have the working system spread out on your desk, look and see if you can squeeze it into the case and worry about batteries etc. Once it is going you will be able to work out how much power it needs and spec a battery for it etc.