Blue Boy Zero using GPIO Assist

[infinitLoop]

Behold, the Blue Boy

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Been trying to wrap this one up for weeks. Hardware seems to be good now that I have the assist board in there, but I'm still working out some kinks in the software. Camble's safe shutdown script and retrogame do not want to play well together at all, and there's no obvious reason. It's basically working, but the battery monitoring needs adjustments - the minty script shows the icon, but doesn't seem to register the correct level, and I'm skeptical the low-battery trigger is working on the safe shutdown currently... but I'm pretty sure I can work it through it's kinks eventually. I'm also trying to get this all running (efficiently) in retropie 4.4 which is its own batch of headaches.

The GPIO Assist from Pocketadventures.com is the biggest draw here - the rest is pretty standard gbz stuff, i think. The assist board is really great at keeping things organized and brings the chance of screwing up connection spots down a lot (assuming you don't mess up soldering it to the pi itself). Also - these buttons are my absolute favorite for playing games, so far.

Parts ListShow

Pi Zero W
GPIO Assist
Retromodding NES buttons
handheld legend case
.5mm border glass screen protector (from hh legend maybe?
GearBest composite screen
Camble's Safe Shutdown
AdaFruit Powerboost 1000c
USB audio dongle
Tinkerboy USB Hub
5000mah battery (which, i'm skeptical about)
4ohm 3w speaker
pam8403 amp
3d printed parts
odds and ends

eventually swapped out the speaker in this pic for a 4ohm one, and the battery for a different one

inside shot - with gpioassistShow

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inside shot - with screen board, covered in tapeShow

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side - vol wheel and usbShow

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side - barrel jack and sd cardShow

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bottom - audio jackShow

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also - the other really neat thing on this one, which is hard to tell from the pictures - I printed the cartridge in semi-transparent plastic, and so when its on, the powerboost blue led basically causes the whole cart to glow blue. Charging/charged leds glow-through as well, nearer to the power jack.

rear - power onShow

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rear - power on - chargingShow

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[MrErickson]

Nice and clean, I may have to check that GPIO as it out

[infinitLoop]

Nice and clean, I may have to check that GPIO as it out

its even cleaner i think if you use the pwm audio instead of the usb one like i did, which i might try with the next one i use that on. and his version of the button board routes those wires i have on top, for you - even cleaner this was a semi-rework by the time i got that assist, which is why i didn't opt for that on here - i already had the buttons, sound, and usb wired up (and some of the power stuff).

[MrErickson]

Nice and clean, I may have to check that GPIO as it out

its even cleaner i think if you use the pwm audio instead of the usb one like i did, which i might try with the next one i use that on. and his version of the button board routes those wires i have on top, for you - even cleaner this was a semi-rework by the time i got that assist, which is why i didn't opt for that on here - i already had the buttons, sound, and usb wired up (and some of the power stuff).

I've been looking at a build that doesnt use an AiO just as a fun/learning project.

[infinitLoop]

I've been looking at a build that doesnt use an AiO just as a fun/learning project.

i think what makes these parts really nice is that it's kind of a middle ground between an aio, and trying to pull together all after-market parts. this is still more of the latter, but it gives you easy, labelled places to put them, so you're less likely to screw up. there is a more "aio" version too that integrates some of the more annoying bits to do yourself like audio and usb, but it's still got a fair bit of piecing together to do.

i feel like these make it more of a "kit" and just generally make it more fun to build (assuming you don't screw up mounting the board to the pi like i did my first try )

[snoek09]

Are those shoulder buttons on thingiverse?

[infinitLoop]

Are those shoulder buttons on thingiverse?

no, i made the model and haven't uploaded it there.

i still want to adjust the stl a bit (split l/r into different models, and maybe make a version that you can snap gameboy buttons into) and then i was going to post it into the sharing forum. maybe thingiverse too, but i haven't done that yet.

i did share this version on my other gb post here though: viewtopic.php?t=7602