[WIP] Wii U Gamepad build

[jimathy666]

Starting note: I'll properly format and link things when I get home from work.

I accidentally stumbled on banokazooie's Wii U pad build whilst planning a handheld for streaming games. I realise a lot of people are doing this, but it's the perfect premade case for a project like this.

I don't have the funds for this project yet, but I am definitely going to build it and definitely going to finish it.

I guess I'll use this thread as a build log, and a place I can learn and improve ideas and skills.

The whole thing has me facinated and I can't wait to start it.

Let's start with that I have so far.

We'll start with the inner workings:
I'll have a micro USB coming from the bottom, next to a female hdmi port for external use(more on that later)
The Micro USB board with battery protection is wired directly into a Adafruit Powerboost 1000C.
The Powerboost will have a lipo battery connected to its set port.
Then the Powerboost will output to an Internal HDMI screen.
The battery indicators will be wired to the power posts charging lights.

I need help with the audio setup as that baffles me currently.

The button setup will be exactly the same as Banjokazooies, all being well.
Analog sticks to custom adapters with buttons all connected to a teensy.

Now, here's the territory I'm stuck in. With limited to no funds it's hard to plan for this part.

I want to incorporate a HDMI Switch that will hopefully be controlled via the 'TV control' button on the pad, and it will switch between the internal screen and the external output.
The parts I need more help with here are..in my head I want to be able to control wether the tv is on or off when the switch is set to...let's call it the '1st position'. This then allows the screen to be on only when there is input enabled.
Then when in '2nd position' the screen it's off and it lowers the battery usage and maybe allows it to charge.

This is mainly because I've read the Powerboost outputs a limited amount to both the battery and the internals, thus now allowing to charge..just slowing the discharge of the battery. I'm hoping that in turning the screen off, this allows the battery to actually begin to charge properly

This will be made along side custom dock that will have a hdmi and micro USB sticking upright, which will connect the downward facing equivalent in the bottom of the pad.

Suggestions and opinions are welcome. And don't forget to ELI5. I' s never ventured this far into pi and electronics territory.

[wermy]

Welcome! Can't wait to see your progress.

Moving this to the other projects show-off corner, btw.

[jimathy666]

Oh I was sure I did lol. Either way thank you

[correia5022]

Hope to ear more from this project. Seems cool.
As for your "problem", i havent seen any build with that hdmi switch1~2, but if i find one article or build i'll post here.

[jimathy666]

Hope to ear more from this project. Seems cool.
As for your "problem", i havent seen any build with that hdmi switch1~2, but if i find one article or build i'll post here.

This is the weird thing, to me it sounds like it makes loads of sense for a handheld pi, but I can't find anything on it.

[jimathy666]

Few questions for anyone who sees this, I want to copy banjo's workings for the audio setup, allowing it to switch between headphone and speakers.

First of all, how is it wired up!? His wiring diagram just confuses me, it's so vague.

But, is it possible to use the sound directly from a hdmi port/cable. So that when I use the hdmi switch that it in essense, disables it? Or can his setup only work via his workings.

Or can someone suggest another way or getting it to working

This is me venting ideas. Would I be able to use..let me show this in a way that makes sense.

PI - HDMI - HDMI SWITCHER

SWITCH Port 1 - HMDI Male to Female
SWITCH Port 2 - HDMI - HDMI to Audio Output - Potentiometer - Jack - Amplifier - Speakers

EDIT: something like this to split the hdmi and audio? http://www.lelong.com.my/hdmi-to-hdmi-a ... Sale-P.htm

So in a sense miniking banjos setup, but drawing the audio from hdmi instead of pi?

I don't know if any of this would work. Just hoping someone else does lol

[Willywilliams]

You could probably wire a button, possibly the 'tv' button to write a config change to use a particular HDMI output. I might suggest using the display board from the official 7in display as the DSI connector works with the 6.5in screen he used (I can confirm this, as I fried the original board and had the 7in board on hand....).

[Willywilliams]

As far as the audio goes, its pretty simple. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3b4H ... ksta0RFaHc

And since I don't get how the internet works, here's a link that probably won't work... Its a picture of my pie. The blue line is audio, going from the dac to an amp, which will change and I can confirm/deny the audio switch is automatic. The red line is the 'usb' cable from the usb port to the dac. The yellow lines are the speaker outputs. There should be another line, but I forgot to make it and that's going from the pi 5v/ground to the amp.

I skipped the pot and the headphone jack since I didn't think I'd want them, which I came to regret and need to tear the wires out and redo it. Anyways, that will go dac, to pot (plenty of guides on how to wire those), to headphone jack mounted for outside access, to amp, to speakers matching up left/right channels, power, and ground along the way.

Side-note, you can't see it because it's flipped up over the back, but the two jumpers (yellow/blue) coming from the pi will be going to the 7in screen driver board to power it. Otherwise its a little blue fpc cable that goes from the display port to the driver, as I mentioned in my last post.

If you need more explanation or pictures I can try to provide them.

[jimathy666]

I like the idea of the using the 7inch display dsi cable.

And that might work for the multiple output option I'm aiming for. So if I use a Pi 3, a USB Soundcard(to a pot, then jack, then amp then speakers) and a 7inch board with the 6.5 inch screen plugged into it, thats all the internal Audio/Video sorted. Then I have some kind of config from the wired up TV Control button so switch it all.

Sorry to repeat, it was my way of making sense in my own head lol

This might actually be ALOT better for my build. If the 7 inch board works, it will reduce the need for HDMI Switch, HDMI to HDMI + Audio, and all the different custom HDMI cables...all I will need is one Male HDMI to Female HDMI. Which will save alot of space I was worrying about, so I might actually be able to opt for the Pi 3 instead And then to figure out how to make use of the TV Control button.

Thank you for the insight


Edit: On a side note, anyone know where I can find a Official Pi 7 Inch board without the screen? It's painful to buy 2 screens and then shove one in a box for months

[Willywilliams]

Edit: On a side note, anyone know where I can find a Official Pi 7 Inch board without the screen? It's painful to buy 2 screens and then shove one in a box for months

That's the unfortunate part, I can't seem to find them anywhere. You might want to contact the manufacturer.

By the way, the 7in display does touch too! So if you can find a digitizer that plugs into the display you'd be golden for touch responses.