As a child, I remember being fascinated by the miniaturization of electronics. It felt like the cutting edge, and everyone wanted a Walkman or a GameBoy. Even Casio’s calculator watches seemed advanced. But there was one tiny gadget that I always craved: a miniature TV.
In the 80s, portable televisions were expensive, and I wasn’t allowed to have one. I envied my friend who had one, as he could watch TV under his covers every night with an extendable aerial poking out. When I discovered the TinyTV 2, a retro mini television, I knew I had to have one.
The TinyTV 2 costs $60 and comes in two models: a translucent version that shows the inner workings, or a brown retro version reminiscent of old wooden TVs. Both have spindly legs, working rotary knobs for volume and channels, and a power button on top. The 1.14-inch IPS screen has a resolution of 216 x 135 pixels and can display 65,000 colors. It also has a front-facing speaker and a tiny working infrared remote control.
Despite its retro aesthetic, the TinyTV 2 is powered by a Raspberry Pi RP2040 processor and has 8 GB of storage. The 150-mAh battery can last for a couple of hours, but you can also plug in a USB-C cable for extended use. The best feature of the TinyTV 2 is the ability to convert and add your own videos to create new channels. The maker, Tiny Circuits, offers a free video converter app for Windows and MacOS that is easy to use.
While a 1-inch screen is not ideal for watching movies, it is possible. The TinyTV 2 can hold around ten hours of video, and you can load whatever content you want onto it. I loaded mine with home movies and my daughter’s favorite films, and she loves it. The TinyTV 2 even has a tiny static effect and slight delay when changing channels, just like old TVs.
I also have a TinyTV 2 on my desk, which makes a great ornament. Sometimes, I turn it on for background noise, as I grew up in a house where the TV was always on. It also helps me ignore my tinnitus. While the sound quality from the tiny speaker is limited, it is still enjoyable to watch cartoons or old black-and-white classics. However, some content may sound distorted, and the volume cannot get very loud.
The remote control is also tiny, but not to scale (otherwise, it would be unusable). It has four buttons for volume and channel control. One minor disappointment is that videos always start from the beginning when changing channels, rather than remembering the last played position.
In conclusion, the TinyTV 2 is a fun and nostalgic gadget that brings back memories of the miniaturization craze in the 80s. It may not be the most practical device, but it is a unique and entertaining addition to any desk or collection.
