GoKawiilHobbyist builds pocket-size mechanical TV with 4,096 by 20 pixel resolution
A maker documented building the Scanwheel, a small electromechanical television using a spinning 3D-printed drum instead of a traditional Nipkow disk, achieving an unusual 4,096-by-20-pixel widescreen resolution. The device is driven by a Raspberry Pi Pico controlling a motor driver board and LEDs mounted so the drum's perforations sweep past them to trace scan lines, recreating the persistence-of-vision effect pioneered by John Logie Baird in the 1920s.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The project shows how century-old electromechanical television principles are still being reinvented by hobbyists using modern tools like 3D printing and microcontrollers. It also connects to broader experimentation in volumetric and unconventional display technology outside mainstream screen manufacturing.
- The Scanwheel is a pocket-size electromechanical TV with 4,096-by-20-pixel resolution.
- It replaces the classic Nipkow disk with a 3D-printed spinning drum controlled by a Raspberry Pi Pico.
- The build revives 1920s-era mechanical television concepts pioneered by John Logie Baird.
Raspberry Pi Pico W microcontroller board — The Scanwheel's spinning drum and LED array are orchestrated by a Raspberry Pi Pico, and it's the same tiny, cheap board you can drop into your own build. Its programmable I/O and dual cores make it a favorite for precisely timed projects like driving motors and flashing LEDs in sync. Grab one and start hacking your own mechanical display.
See Raspberry Pi Pico W microcontroller board on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: spectrum.ieee.org — James Brown, 2026-08-27
Published there as: “Make a Portable Wide-screen Mechanical TV”
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