Print This Ultra-Compact Media Controller for Easy Volume Changes No Matter How Small The Desk

KEY, the pseudonymous maker behind Keep Everything Yours, has released everything you need to build a 3D-printable media playback and volume controller that'll squeeze anywhere on your desk — no matter how small a gap you've got free: the Might Mini Media Controller.

"The Mighty Mini Media Controller is a compact rotary encoder knob with push-button functionality that sits right on your desk, ready to adjust your system volume or toggle play/pause at a moment's notice," KEY explains of the compact gadget. "Designed to be as small as it is functional — barely larger than a quarter — this little controller punches well above its weight. The satisfying scalloped knob gives you a sure grip for smooth, precise volume adjustments, while a simple press triggers media play/pause controls. No software, no fuss — just plug in and go."

The heart of the build is an off-brand Raspberry Pi Pico clone known as the RP2040-Zero, which uses the same RP2040 microcontroller but swaps the breadboard-friendly gumstick format for a more compact layout with castellated general-purpose input/output (GPIO) headers along three sides — and a more modern USB Type-C port in place of the Raspberry Pi Pico's older micro-USB. It's this board that controls the overall footprint of the project, taking up a slightly more room on your desk than a US quarter.

Above the microcontroller board is a rotary encoder, with its knob hidden inside a larger knurled knob printed, as is the body of the device, from PLA. A CircuitPython program, based on Adafruit's Human Interface Device (HID) library, turns the RP2040 microcontroller into a simple keyboard, sending movement from the rotary encoder as volume up and down commands and a push on the knob as play/pause. The whole thing is absolutely tiny, making it easy to slot anywhere on even the most cluttered of desks.

More information is available on Keep Everything Yours, with source code available on GitLab under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 license; 3D print files are available on Maker World under the Standard Digital File License.