Contribute

Pulsar is open source

The firmware, the hardware designs and the 3D files are public under GPL-3.0. Build one, improve one, or fold your changes back in.

Ways to contribute

  • Firmware

    Rust on the nRF52840 — the Maple bus driver, the Bluetooth LE gamepad profile, the VMU screen and the battery gauge.

    Help needed: Bug reports against real hardware, and the rumble path, which is wired but undriven.

    Report a firmware issue

  • Hardware

    The board itself, and the perfboard layout for anyone building one by hand.

    Help needed: Notes from your own build, and part substitutions when something is hard to source.

    Share build notes

  • Enclosure and 3D

    The printed housing that closes over the board and cell, and the screws that fit it.

    Help needed: Prints on other machines and filaments, tolerance fixes, alternative shells — plus a shell that fits the rumble motor, and cleanup of the current design.

    Share print results

  • Testing and docs

    The part that needs no soldering iron: does it work on your console, your host, your OS?

    Help needed: Pairing reports from hosts we have not tried, and corrections to the build guide.

    Submit compatibility report

The repository

Firmware, board and perfboard designs and 3D files, in one place. Issues and pull requests are welcome.

View the project on GitHub → Contribution guide

Licensed under GPL-3.0.

The Discord

Build photos, questions and firmware release announcements land here first.

Join the Discord →

Community projects

Things other people have built around Dreamcast hardware and around Pulsar.

Thanks

Pulsar exists because of work and help from other people. Some of it is theirs.