Additional part sourcing thread

[FischOderAal]

OK, so I guess quite a few people are now looking all over the web trying to find the cheapest sources for the additional components. Especially outside of the USA Adafruit's parts might not be as easy to obtain. So why not concentrate our community effort and make a summary for everyone to use?

Here is a google spreadsheet anyone can edit. Feel free to edit and add sheets as you please. The layout is quick and dirty, feel free to suggest something better

Wermy has already given some sources for the Chinese components:

Parts list:

• Altoids tin (I don't think size varies between countries, but the ones I've been using are from the US). You can also use the blank tin that Adafruit sells, as it's an exact match in size and shape: https://www.adafruit.com/product/97
• Raspberry Pi Zero W (the older non-W version will work fine, but wifi is very nice to have for transferring roms and SSHing into it to tweak settings, since the USB port is taken up by the sound card)
• 3D-printed parts to hold everything in place (I'll have those available soon. STL files will be available at some point in the future.)
• Screen: either the 2.4" screen with custom PCB that Helder will have available soon, or a 2.2" ILI9340-based SPI TFT screen like this one:
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/252135075697 (It should look identical to this one on the back. You may be able to find cheaper sellers. There is a thread for discussing screen options here: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=2887).
• USB sound card (this one specifically because of its size and the fact that it puts out enough juice to not need a separate amp to drive a tiny speaker: http://www.ebay.com/itm/112304879364 -- again you may be able to find a cheaper seller)
• Speaker: 20mm diameter 0.5W 8Ohm (this is the one I used, but any 20mm speaker that is 3.5mm or less in thickness should work: http://www.ebay.com/itm/122331730209 )
• Charger: Either the Powerboost 500C from Adafruit (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1944) or a tiny battery charger like Adafruit's microLipo (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1904)
• Battery: 1200mAh lipo from Adafruit: https://www.adafruit.com/product/258
• DS Lite buttons and conductive pads (DSi, 3DS and n3DS will NOT work with the 3d-printed parts or the button PCB that we're working on. I will have white and black buttons available.)
• Power switch: (I used this one since it's available locally for really cheap, but any tiny switch should do: https://www.adafruit.com/product/805)
• Tactile switches: 2 for start and select - these 2 will be pre-attached to Helder's board - (2.5mm tall including the actual button, 2mm tall without, 6.2mm x 6.2mm base), and 2 for L/R (5mm tall including the actual button, 3.2mm tall without, 6.2 x 6.2mm base)
• If you want to do it all by hand in stead of using a button PCB, then some copper tape like this: https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Conductiv ... 01CH4LYZ6/

I have more or less finished my sourcing for the main components and especially the tin. My suggested sources for Germany are:
EXP-Tech: Blank mints sized tin - 2,68€ + 3,50€ Shipping
Altoids - 2,19€ + 4,99€ Shipping
Altoids at Rossman's local stores - 1,69€
EXP-Tech: Micro Lipo - 6,95€ + 3,50€ shipping
EXP-Tech: PowerBoost 500 - 14,45€ + 3,50€ shipping
The PiHut: Raspberry Pi Zero W - 9,60£ + 4,00£ shipping

Anyone got cheaper sources for Germany and good sources for the rest of Europe? I bought a tin from Rossmann and the size appears to be in line with the blank one from Adafruit.

I have yet to find a source for a similar sized battery. This one appears to be too thick.

Other sourcing posts I found:

[...]
If not, you can buy some from china on ebay or aliexpress, you just have to search for NDSL buttons or DS lite buttons.

SpoilerShow

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Replace ... 0074488b25
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2set-co ... 0eb0bc58b0

Black it's the easiest color to find, but you can find all other colors buying a full case set.

[abrugsch]

altoids are sold in certain UK supermarkets notably waitrose and morrisons for £1.25 with local random shops sometimes selling them cheaper (~£1)
also these charger boost boards could be used (and are quite tiny, especially if the USB A socket is removed) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5V-1A-1-2A-Po ... 2988112488

[FischOderAal]

Good find! Actually I was looking for something like this for quite some time now... All I could find on AliExpress were the two separate boards.

Sometimes it is hard to find the right stuff without the right keywords. On AliExpress there are also some without the USB connector soldered in.

[abrugsch]

unlike the adafruit ones you can't limit the charge rate so they are not good for smaller (than ~1000mAh) batteries

(actually I should measure the charge rate on them...)

[FischOderAal]

unlike the adafruit ones you can't limit the charge rate so they are not good for smaller (than ~1000mAh) batteries

(actually I should measure the charge rate on them...)

this appears to be the chip used:
http://www.tpwic.com/uploadfile/2013/12 ... 457334.pdf

If I read google translate correctly there is a "prog resistor" on pin 3 which can be set to 1.5 kOhm or 1.1 kOhm, setting the charging current to 700 - 800 or 950 - 1050.

[abrugsch]

this appears to be the chip used:
http://www.tpwic.com/uploadfile/2013/12 ... 457334.pdf

yeah, the charge rate will be determined by some combination of resistors and capacitors on the board. if you can figure out what to change from the datasheet, be my guest!

with the adafruit one you make a solder bridge which brings an extra set in that changes the rate between 100mA and 500mA.

the table is here:
RPROG （Ω） IBAT
10k - 130mA
5k - 245mA
2k - 560mA
1.5k - 740mA
1.1k - 1000mA

so if you can find which resistor is RPROG....

[abrugsch]

post edit wars... lol

[FischOderAal]

this appears to be the chip used:
http://www.tpwic.com/uploadfile/2013/12 ... 457334.pdf

yeah, the charge rate will be determined by some combination of resistors and capacitors on the board. if you can figure out what to change from the datasheet, be my guest!

with the adafruit one you make a solder bridge which brings an extra set in that changes the rate between 100mA and 500mA.

the table is here:
RPROG （Ω） IBAT
10k - 130mA
5k - 245mA
2k - 560mA
1.5k - 740mA
1.1k - 1000mA

so if you can find which resistor is RPROG....

Well, there are only a few resistors and one is marked 104. But that would mean 100 kOhms... The other one is next to the LEDs and is marked 122, so 1.2 kOhms which seems more like it. But it is next to the LEDs so I would think it is the current limiting resistor...

It's hard to see if the pin is connected to anything, so left floating or tied to ground. I can't find anything what happens in these cases.

I would be surprised if the scheme would look any different from what is in the datasheet though. Where is BigClive when you need him?

post edit wars... lol

[ICMF]

Barkley's mint tins are virtually identical to Altoids, and should be more readily available in Europe/Oz.

SpoilerShow

You may also be able to find similar tins at electronics stores, craft or hobby stores and party supply stores. They'll be blank, but it looks like you may be able to find solid white and solid black tins, as well as bare metal.

A quick Amazon search for 'hinged tin' also turned up this: https://goo.gl/wwz73O Looks like similar tins are used for tobacco as well, so searching 'tobacco hinged tin' turns up a ton of decorated options.

[Helder]

altoids are sold in certain UK supermarkets notably waitrose and morrisons for £1.25 with local random shops sometimes selling them cheaper (~£1)
also these charger boost boards could be used (and are quite tiny, especially if the USB A socket is removed) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5V-1A-1-2A-Po ... 2988112488

These are what I use, the only thing to watch out for is the charge amperage is a little higher than recommended for the 1200mAh battery but changing a resistor will change it to the proper amperage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/18650-Lithium-B ... SwIaFZJdop

I found a site some time ago stating which one to change and to what value, once I find it again I will post it here.

Edit: Here it is:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... controller