Micro SD card

 

16 GB is more than sufficient. 8 GB will work also. These are generally available, and you may already have one, but you can get one (or more) at Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K835MNR

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Software Image

 

Click here and download the SD card image to your computer. Then "flash" the image to your SD card using a program such as Balena Etcher or the Raspberry Pi Imager (For this method, choose the "custom OS" option, then select the image file that you downloaded).

 

Knobs

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Rotary Encoder Code Switch Digital Potentiometer with Push Button. These cost about $12 for 10 knobs. You only need 3, and you can find similar ones in smaller batches. Just make sure they have 5 pins and 2 mechanical mounting points. Available at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BFJ4F5C

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Display

The time machine uses a 128 x 160 pixel display. There are many similar/equivalent displays which work with the same driver, but have different pinouts. If you are using the Time Machine Printed Circuit Board, then make sure to get this one, which has 8 pins as shown.

1.8” SPI TFT LCD Display Module 3.3V 5.5V 128×160 SPI TFT LCD Serial Port Display Module ST7735 51/AVR/STM32/ARM 8/16 bit. Cost: about $6.

The screens are also available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BFV69DZ) for $15/screen. It's expensive, but sometimes it's the only thing in stock.

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Buttons

 

There are two different button sizes on the Time Machine. You will need 4 of the 6mm buttons, and 2 of the 12mm buttons.

There are several varieties of each, but these are some typical examples:

 

12 mm (you need 2 per Time Machine)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CG7VTGD or https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CG6HVY9

 

6 mm (you need 4 per Time Machine)

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VSNN9S2 (package of 120 pieces!) or https://www.amazon.com/Momentary-Tactile-Button-Switch-black/dp/B0796Q3PRB (pack of 100 pieces! -- also taller buttons, which you may prefer).

 

A variety pack (included various lengths of both 6mm and 12mm buttons)

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I recently bought a variety pack of both 6 and 12 mm buttons of various lengths (https://www.amazon.com/Hilitchi-250-Pcs-Tactile-Momentary-Assortment/dp/B0722LBKV7), which is surely overkill, but will give you a lot of flexibility.

 

Screws, nuts, standoffs

 

The screw size for the raspberry pi and the accessories is M 2.5

This set of nylon screws, nuts, and standoffs is what I use.

 

LED and Resistor (for v2.1 boards)

The v2.1 boards include a power indicator LED. I use a 10 kOhm 1/4W resistor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HDGX5LM) and a 3mm red LED (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GE5N9WK).

The power indicator LED and resistor are completely optional. The Time Machine will function perfectly fine with our without them. If you do not want the LED (say, you are installing the device in a bedroom, and don't want the light) you may simply leave these parts off.

Note: the resistor goes on the back of the board, where it will not interfere with the case, and the LED's short pin goes through the square hole.

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You will also need:

 

• A micro USB power cable for a Raspberry Pi 3, or a USB C power cable for a Raspberry Pi 4. This plugs into the Raspberry Pi. I think nearly everyone must have one of these at home, but if not they are available here or here.

• A cable to plug the Time Machine into your stereo. The Raspberry Pi 3A+ has a 3.5 mm (1/8") headphone jack. You could listen to it on headphones, but you can already do that on your phone. I use a cable like this to connect the Time Machine to my stereo. Or you could use an RCA adapter to give the Time Machine an RCA port. The Raspberry Pi can also send digital audio through the HDMI output, instead of using the 3.5 mm headphone jack. For this, you will need either a micro HDMI cable (for Raspberry Pi 4) or an ordinary HDMI cable (for Raspberry Pi 3A+)  NOTE: To use the HDMI audio, you must plug in the HDMI cable while the Time Machine is powered down, or reboot after plugging it in. When the Time Machine is powered up with HDMI connected, the Time Machine will send the audio to the HDMI.