In a surprising display of technical prowess, hardware hacker Aaron Christophel has successfully ported the iconic game DOOM to run on an Anker Prime Charging Station. This unexpected feat highlights the powerful, often underutilized, hardware found in everyday consumer electronics, turning a charging device into a playable gaming platform.
Key Takeaways
- DOOM has been made playable on the Anker Prime Charging Station.
- The device features a 150 MHz Synwit SWM341RET7 ARM-based MCU, 16 MB of flash, and 8 MB of RAM.
- A 200×480 pixel color display is utilized for the game.
- Control is managed via a single rotary encoder on the charging station.
- The hack was achieved with minimal hardware modification, primarily using a debugging header.
An Unexpected Gaming Platform
The Anker Prime Charging Station, known for its robust power delivery capabilities, harbors surprisingly capable internal hardware. Christophel discovered that the device is equipped with a Synwit SWM341RET7 ARM-based MCU clocked at 150 MHz, complemented by 16 MB of external flash memory and 8 MB of external RAM. These components, along with a 200×480 pixel color display, proved sufficient to run the classic first-person shooter.
Ingenious Control Scheme
Navigating the demonic landscapes of DOOM on the Anker Prime Charging Station is accomplished through its sole physical control: a clicky rotary encoder. This single input is ingeniously mapped to control movement (forward, backward, left, right) through various combinations of pushing and rotating, while pressing the encoder acts as the fire button and interaction key. While the control scheme is described as somewhat awkward, it is remarkably functional for the hardware limitations.
Technical Details and Future Potential
The porting process involved minimal hardware modification, with Christophel utilizing a debugging header to load the DOOM software onto the Synwit SoC. The game runs smoothly, with Christophel even scaling down the resolution slightly to achieve better performance. Notably, the device lacks audio output, meaning players can only hear the satisfying clicks of the encoder. The presence of Bluetooth on the charging station also opens up possibilities for future enhancements, such as external controller support for a more refined gaming experience.
Via Tom’s Hardware
