GBA SP to GBA case

[xacto]

Hi sudomodders,

Little quick question here:

I have an old GBA SP (the little one that folds), and I would like to transfer it all to a GBA case (the one that is let say "landscape")
The form factor is far better in this version.

Is this idea possible or am I dreaming ?

I think I have seen someone do it but I can't be sure if it was this exactly and can't find it again. I searched quite a lot to find answers but no luck.

I'm an advanced user, I'm OK with soldering, modifying stuff.. but I'm no electronics expert. Can't figure out by myself what it takes to do this. I assume I'll have to cut the PCB and reroute all connections ? add some board or modify something !?


If someone tells me it can be done, I'll find what I need and do it.


Thanks

[moosepr]

not something i have done, but a quick google session found this

http://imgur.com/gallery/5jbCb

[abrugsch]

the backlit AGS-101 screen to a AGB-001 case is a very common mod (check out /r/gameboy where every other post is someone who's done it) but as for the rest of the guts? I guess it's doable but for the amount of pain involved I'd just do a screen swap there are screens on aliexpress (just search gameboy advance backlit) and you just need an adapter cable and some very light modding to fit it in.
see this guide:
https://gist.github.com/grantland/8c112548b44aa87dced2

[xacto]

First, thanks for you replies.

I found about these screen swap.
The thing is, I want to transfer all the GBA SP in a third party GBA empty shell. I don't have the other GBA. Only the SP. I know this would be a BIIIG PAIN to do. Just wanted to know if it was at all possile or if I was doing search for nothing.

Thanks anyways.

[abrugsch]

you'd have to split the main PCB right down the middle. it would honestly be easier to design your own PCB from scratch than to do what you're suggesting, but feel free to have a stab.
here are the 2 pcb's side by side. if you think you can split the control pcb and get the CPU PCB to fit as well then by all means have a go, but I think you'd be better off finding a cheap used AGB-001 and transferring the screen to that.

[xacto]

That's what I tought. Maybe a bit too hard for my hacking level.
I'll think about what I'll do.. if I ever make it!
Maybe just build a "piadvance" and leave the SP like it is.

Thank you for your advise.

[Dmg-101]

It is definitely possible. With enough time and patients anything is. I put the guts of an ags 101 into a dmg and into a gbc. It requires a lot of desoldering. Basically every component and attaching buttons and the components back into the shell where they work.

[Mewcancraft]

it would honestly be easier to design your own PCB from scratch than to do what you're suggesting, but feel free to have a stab.

How would one design one's own PCB from scratch, if I may ask?

[abrugsch]

How would one design one's own PCB from scratch, if I may ask?

well that's a whole forum and tutorial site in its own right but basically the process outline is:

• Design electronic schematic (either on paper or by experimenting with components and breadboard)

• capture electronic schematic in a electronic CAD package (called an EDA) freely available ones are EagleCAD, KiCad, EasyEDA, Upverter and Design Spark Electronics.

boost_sch.PNG (13.17 KiB) Viewed 13456 times

• lay out components in the PCB editor of the EDA package and design the board outline

• Send the PCB design files to a PCB manufacturer

• wait for them to arrive

If you want to learn more about the process, look up electronic design tutorials (or even just tutorials for the packages I mentioned above,) but really it's too much scope for a post reply here