This is my first tutorial on Instructables,

It is to build a mini cardboard TV, a media center mini

Materials:

- 1 carboard box

- 1 Raspberry Pi (In my case, a raspberry pi model B)

- 1 LCD with RCA video input (Recycle mine of a control)

- 1 IR receiver

- 1 Potentiometer

- A power micru usb (You can use a power bank)

Step 1: Cut the Box

Mark and trim the carton.

In my case cut a few holes, for RCA video output, for USB ports, audio output, network port, and display.

Use whatever you have at hand

I use a knife and nail clippers.

Step 2: Put Everything in the Cardboard Box

Put the raspberry pi inside the box and check that the ports are in the holes

You can use hot glue to fix the raspberry and its components

Step 3: Connect It

Connects lcd screen to raspberry:

In my case the lcd has a clutch connector, so using some cables connect + 5V and ground, from the GPIO of the raspberry, this is just to energize the screen.

To obtain a video signal, connect another cable to the RCA output.

Also connect a potentiometer to control the lcd brightness:
The first terminal is connected to + 5V
The second terminal is connected to the lcd (in my case the white cable)
The third terminal is grounded

Also add an IR receiver to use a remote control:
Connects on pin 18 of GPIO of raspberry

Reinforce connections with hot glue

Step 4: Power and Software

It's time to install our operating system

LibreELEC was the best choice for a media center

The installation is something very common:

download the image from the official page (https://libreelec.tv/), you place your SD in the computer and with some software like win32 diskimager (in case of using windows) you can record the image in SD memory

Then place the SD card in the raspberry, connect a keyboard or a mouse, and turn on the raspberry

LibreELEC natively accepts IR remote control, only some controls like the XBOX media control, I had to install lirc and map a new control to use it.

Step 5: The Result

This is the mini cardboard TV

You can connect a usb memory with some movies, videos, music, images, and you can see them in this small TV, as an attachment connect a portable speakers, so you do not have to use the headsets and you can share with whoever you want.

This small project does it in a couple of hours one night before going on vacation.

The children and me enjoy some movies and cartoons when we travel