Technical Docs

This section collects miscellaneous hardware and software documentation for users modifying or servicing the SquishBox.

Schematic

The full schematic is available below. Through-hole components are crossed out to indicate they are sourced separately.

PDF version: Download

This Interactive Bill of Materials allows part identification, placement lookup, and assembly cross-referencing.

Open Interactive BOM

PCB

Download manufacturing files from https://github.com/GeekFunkLabs/squishbox/tree/main/hardware/pcb/fabrication.

3D Render of SquishBox PCB with surface-mount components

P1 Header

Unused Raspberry Pi GPIO pins are broken out to header P1 for switches, LEDs, sensors, and other add-ons.

Pins 4 and 7 include built-in 1k pull-down resistors to ground, allowing LEDs to be connected directly.

P1 Pin	Pad Shape	Function
1	diamond	5V
2	diamond	3.3V
3	circle	GPIO4
4	notched	GND via 1k
5	circle	GPIO2 (I2C SDA)
6	circle	GPIO3 (I2C SCL)
7	notched	GND via 1k
8	circle	GPIO23
9	circle	GPIO24
10	circle	GPIO10
11	circle	GPIO25
12	circle	GPIO9
13	circle	GPIO11
14	square	GND

System Setup

The installer script configures a complete SquishBox system by performing the following tasks:

• Installs system-level dependencies using Debian packages

• Creates a Python virtual environment and installs SquishBox and optional Python components

• Configures boot settings for supported hardware features such as audio devices and serial MIDI bridges

• Applies user-level configuration:

  • Updates group membership and permissions

  • Enables required system services

  • Creates convenience command aliases

Command Aliases

The installer script creates several convenience aliases for working with the SquishBox environment:

• squishbox-python - Runs Python inside the SquishBox virtual environment

• squishbox-pip - Installs or updates Python packages in the SquishBox virtual environment

• squishbox-launcher - Starts the SquishBox launcher in the current shell

• squishbox-start - Starts the SquishBox background service

• squishbox-stop - Stops the SquishBox background service

• squishbox-status - Displays the status of the SquishBox background service

Updates

Most application updates can be installed directly through pip inside the SquishBox virtual environment:

squishbox-pip install -U squishbox

To also upgrade optional components and their dependencies:

squishbox-pip install -U squishbox[full]

The installer script may be run again at any time to apply system-level changes, install new dependencies, or update system configuration.