Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

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sand
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Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by sand » Sun Feb 19, 2017 8:27 am

Hi everyone! I'm new on this forum but have followed Wermy's GBZ-videos on Youtube. I have finally decided to make it a hobby project this winter. First of all: Thanks to Wermy and many other people on this forum for inspiration (and probably also help in the future, when I this things up) ;)

Current status of my build: Assembling, soldering, and impatiently awaiting the last parts.

Design guidelines from start
I have decided to go all the way and try to make my 'GamePi3' as great as possible from start, even though it has resulted in some pretty expensive shopping so far. I'm kind of a perfectionist and take great pride in a quality finish and design. My guidelines for designing this project has been:
  • Use a discarded original green shell from a Gameboy DMG.
  • Use a Raspberry Pi 3 as the heart, to improve computing power and conveniently provide Bluetooth, WiFi, HDMI(full size), stereo audio and a USB-hub.
  • Include additional two buttons on both the front and the back to accommodate several console style inputs (like seem the norm for most GBZ's on this forum).
  • Limit visible outside changes to the DMG-shell.
  • Have as much battery life as possible.
  • Safe (Low battery shutdown, safe shutdown of RPi3), and easy to use (logical function and placement of buttons).
  • Have exposed HDMI-, mini-jack audio-, and USB-ports, for connectivity - but they have to visually appealing placed.
  • Audio volume and screen brightness adjustments.
  • Look like I have a game cartridge inserted.
  • Have the largest and best looking screen I can find and incorporate.
Through many cozy hours at my home office desk, I have made a plan. Let me first list all parts that will go into it in this post, then in later posts show and tell the component arrangement and plans.

Parts list
  • Shell: From an original green GameBoy DMG. It's visibly used and weared, but I like the look and fell of it!
  • Buttons, switch, volume knob: From the original Gameboy. Dark grey.
  • Speaker: From the original Gameboy.
  • Screen and controller: 600x480 LCD TFT-panel and controller from http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182101827933 for 65$. [not received yet]
  • Computer: Raspberry Pi 3. [not received yet]
  • Storage: Probably a Sandisk 128GB micro SD card i already had lying around.
  • Battery: Adafruit 3.7V 6000mAh, balanced 3 celled LiPo, https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13856 from other reseller [not received yet].
  • Charger and booster: Adafruit PowerBoost 1000C, https://www.adafruit.com/product/2465 from other reseller [not received yet]
  • Button controller: I hope to buy one of Helders AIO boards (but Helder hasn't answered my PM yet). [Undecided]
  • Amplifier: Probably use one from a AIO-board, to save space.
  • Screen protector: One from http://www.retrofresh.uk/. [not received yet]
Smaller components and materials
  • 3 pcs. USB female connectors for exposing some of the RPi's USBs.
  • A micro USB female connector for charging power.
  • Detachable storage: A generic USB-drive and a cartridge from a non-functioning Gameboy game. (Explained later on the process)
  • Cartidge label from http://www.retrofresh.uk/. [not received yet]
  • Safe shutdown electrical components. Following Camble's guide http://sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1059 and making it myself to save space.
  • Hot glue. Found some black glue sticks, which will probably be nice for the assembling process.
  • A switching stereo mini-jack connector.
  • Wire and soldering.
  • A fuse (I do not dare to allow crazy battery currents.)
  • Various small components I have forgotten, wire, ribbon cable, glue, thermo moldable plastic for spare parts, etc..
I hope to finish this project over the next 6-10 weeks (prolonged due to shipping times of several components). Feel free to comment and give input throughout my build :D
Last edited by sand on Wed Mar 08, 2017 5:57 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by sand » Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:43 am

[Build progress update in pictures] link: http://imgur.com/a/gqe3o
This first update hopefully depicts my plans for layout of the internal components, as well as showing the alterations done to the inside of the DMG shell.

Please feel free to comment on my style of writing/documenting/anything, since I'm not that experienced in writing build logs. :)

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by muniosi » Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:59 pm

Looks lovely so far. Putting USB and HDMI in the cartridge port is a great idea, and I love the idea of a GB cartridge-shaped USB drive to cover it up!

I'm slightly concerned that you removed the battery compartment and drilled out the middle two screw posts, though, as this leaves only the top two screws to hold everything together. Are you planning on using hot glue or some other method to affix the two halves together?

In any case, everything looks gorgeous. I am excited to see the final product!
I've just finished my milk.

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by jellybelly » Mon Feb 20, 2017 12:39 am

I think the size of your battery is a bit optimistic I'm struggling to fit anything in my pi3 build.

With a pi3 I would also fit a fan to try to circulate some are around as things will get a bit warm in there

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by sand » Mon Feb 20, 2017 5:24 am

muniosi wrote:I'm slightly concerned that you removed the battery compartment and drilled out the middle two screw posts, though, as this leaves only the top two screws to hold everything together. Are you planning on using hot glue or some other method to affix the two halves together?
That turned out to my concern as well last night. But I hope I have come up with a suitable solution for closing up whit screw:
  • The two screws at the top, only the internal screw-post is going to be altered.
  • The left(seen from front) of the middle screws will come back in. I shouldn't have cut that one off, but I will make it pretty again! This can be done because I plan to cut of a rather large chunk(10mm of the right-facing side) of the RPi-PCB and move it 10mm to the right
  • Two screws in the bottom of the battery compartment, between the battery and the bottom. I really hope there is room for this!
  • Maybe even drill a hole through the PCB where the right screw was pålaced originally. It seems that the PCB has no important traces in that area... Do any one know about this?
Image
New plan for internal arrangement of components in the back shell, to make room for more screws. The RPi PCB seems tolerant to cutting of the large area underneath the USB and Ethernet ports. Maybe I can even drill a hole for a screw going through the PCB?
Nice thing about this extra work is that the HDMI can be centered quite perfectly and results in better room for the two USB's (now on either side of the HDMI). Yay!


jellybelly wrote:I think the size of your battery is a bit optimistic I'm struggling to fit anything in my pi3 build.
I look forward to receiving the battery and try to fit it in. It is hard to wrap my head around how much space there will be left - batteries are always seems slightly out of shape and dimensions.
jellybelly wrote:With a pi3 I would also fit a fan to try to circulate some are around as things will get a bit warm in there
It will only produce more heat than a Pi0 when it is doing more work, so for the most emulations this will not be any issue I think. Off course when I force it to do more than a Pi0 could, then it will get hotter. I do not plan to put in any fans. I have no room and I do not want any noise source in there! And I don't think it will be necessary. :)

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by abrugsch » Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:06 am

sand wrote:Safe shutdown electrical components. Following Camble's guide http://sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=1059 and making it myself to save space.
just checking but you do know that @Camble has deprecated his guide because the circuit didn't in fact work all that well in all circumstances? the board he sells pre-made doesn't use the same type of components as in the guide, and actually his pre-made ones are pretty freakin' small!

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by sand » Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:48 am

abrugsch wrote:just checking but you do know that @Camble has deprecated his guide because the circuit didn't in fact work all that well in all circumstances? the board he sells pre-made doesn't use the same type of components as in the guide, and actually his pre-made ones are pretty freakin' small!

Thank you, for the notification! I saw his circuit sale thread just last night. However they are not up for sale atm, they are quite expensive, doesn't support my salvaged original DMG switch(according to his description), and in general not to my liking.
So I will give the circuit a go myself. ;)

Do you know of any other than Camble who has tried making a circuit for this?

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by abrugsch » Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:11 am

sand wrote:...doesn't support my salvaged original DMG switch(according to his description...
really? Oh I hope that isn't the case. I have one and it has the holes for the DMG switch and I was intending to use mine in it. I just assumed it did as I'd read it does, but it looks like it was the banggood version where he's explicitly said the original switch works. :|

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by sand » Thu Feb 23, 2017 2:03 am

So... I ended up buying a Safe shutdown board anyway. And I'm trying to get my hands on a Helder AIOV2.2A board. The cost is running up - but I enjoy the project! :D

At the moment my little project is on hold untill I receive a better soldering station (2. hand used Weller WTCP 50) i found online for 50$. Anyone know if that price is okay, or know if it any good? :S

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Re: Sand's GamePi3 [DMG-shell, RPi 3, 600x480 LCD, 6000mAh]

Post by abrugsch » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:39 am

looks like a decent price. those wellers are great bits of kit. the only thing with that one is it's not adjustable, but it won't cause you any problems unless you try to solder something with really heavy components (shielding, thick copper traces, ground planes etc...) but even then should cope well. will probably outlast you! ;)

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