Raspberry Pi Pico Enables Real-Time Video Streaming on Nintendo Game Boy Color

Just a few days back, YouTuber ChromaLock took to his channel to share an intriguing build log of his newest tech adventure. This time around, he introduced a fascinating twist on the classic Game Boy Color, enhancing its capabilities to stream video via the original link cable, with the help of a Raspberry Pi Pico and some custom software finely tuned for the job.

In essence, the simpler the video, the better the FPS achieved. Surprisingly, the makeshift setup offered a surprisingly clear and smooth experience when compared to the traditional Game Boy Camera accessory. However, the best results come through in monochrome due to the color palette limit of four shades, which poses a challenge for displaying color on the Game Boy Color’s modest 160 by 144-pixel screen.

The project culminates with a nifty tool called CGBLinkVideo, which ChromaLock has generously shared on GitHub. It’s designed to work alongside the Raspberry Pi Pico, Game Boy Color, and link cable, and it relies on other open-source technologies. The tool compresses video to 1 Megabyte per second, but given the Link Cable’s limit of 64 Kilobytes per second, what the Game Boy Color finally receives is severely compressed. This means you might expect to see the occasional dropped or split frames, though the system does manage to function, all things considered.

The comprehensive video by ChromaLock doesn’t just show the end result—it delves into the intricate process of developing this tool within the boundaries of the Game Boy Color’s hardware constraints. When in grayscale or monochrome, the video playback can hit an impressive 60 FPS. However, switch to color, and you’re looking at a drop to around 12 FPS.

Curiously, ChromaLock also dipped his toes into streaming some video games. Trying to stream even original Game Boy titles offered an experience far inferior to running those games directly. Modern 3D titles, such as Doom Eternal, appeared far too detailed for the Game Boy Color’s outdated, low-resolution screen to handle legibly.

This whole endeavor seems to have been sparked by the ambition to uniquely showcase the renowned Touhou Project music video “Bad Apple.” Known for being in monochrome, this particular video managed to run smoothly at 60 FPS on a Game Boy Color, though not without some noticeable dithering, all thanks to the method used for streaming.

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