If I already own a Gameboy and a PCB, how little else do I need to buy! :D

[cturts]

Hey!

Had some great help here already! But I get a little bit confused with things.

I know people say not to break a working gameboy but I think my heart is actually pretty set on me being able to play my own original gameboy, I think that's what's cool about it
I'm going to buy this PCB - https://www.zeroboy.eu/zeroboy-pcb-2-0/

And would absolutely love if anyone could help me with what else I would need to buy/do
If I open up my gameboy and drill the extra holes for the X & Y then wire up a screen, then after that I start to get lost haha.

Can anyone tell me what the green and blue parts on the left hand side are at all?

I'm imagining that I'd be able to use my own volume wheel and power switch, not that that saves any money really.

Using this I can just plug my battery in, but which bit of this is the charging port? It looks as though it's the green piece on the left, but also looks like the piece in the very middle of the image could be a micro usb?

Thank you so much!!

[VeteranGamer]

Hey!

Had some great help here already! But I get a little bit confused with things.

I know people say not to break a working gameboy but I think my heart is actually pretty set on me being able to play my own original gameboy, I think that's what's cool about it
I'm going to buy this PCB - https://www.zeroboy.eu/zeroboy-pcb-2-0/

And would absolutely love if anyone could help me with what else I would need to buy/do
If I open up my gameboy and drill the extra holes for the X & Y then wire up a screen, then after that I start to get lost haha.

Can anyone tell me what the green and blue parts on the left hand side are at all?

I'm imagining that I'd be able to use my own volume wheel and power switch, not that that saves any money really.

Using this I can just plug my battery in, but which bit of this is the charging port? It looks as though it's the green piece on the left, but also looks like the piece in the very middle of the image could be a micro usb?

Thank you so much!!

for the price the board doesnt seem that bad....

but personally (IMHO) i think its poorly designed.....
it does have some needed features, but the execution isnt that great.....

the most obvious being the actual size of the board....



because they've tried to make it easier for themself to place the traces to the micro controller, they've extended the boards height unnecessarily which means what ever type of screen you want to use the board will hang over it
(not good design and waste of vital space and could also cause a fitment issue)
this could have been rectified if the micro controller was place more centrally

compare it to Helder common ground pcb or AIO (and you'll see what i mean)




theres also no USB hub
and you have to get your own sound source (like an amp)

only advantage is that a headphone socket is already wired and you have a power strip

it would be easier to just use a common ground pcb


IMHO

.

[cturts]

Literally the most helpful forum ever haha, thankyou!

I was looking at the common pcb but thought it may have been too simple! as no one seems to have any video tutorials using one, always seems to be one of Helder or Kite's - would totally use one of those but of course I'm trying to cut wait time haha..

Do you know of anywhere that has a tutorial on how to use that common ground one.

If I was to use the Pi Zero W which has bluetooth and Wifi build in, would I need a USB Hub?

I think to start with I may even just make it without putting a speaker/headphone in, just so I can make sure I can get a screen, battery and buttons working together.

Thanks!

[cobramike]

Literally the most helpful forum ever haha, thankyou!

I was looking at the common pcb but thought it may have been too simple! as no one seems to have any video tutorials using one, always seems to be one of Helder or Kite's - would totally use one of those but of course I'm trying to cut wait time haha..

Do you know of anywhere that has a tutorial on how to use that common ground one.

If I was to use the Pi Zero W which has bluetooth and Wifi build in, would I need a USB Hub?

I think to start with I may even just make it without putting a speaker/headphone in, just so I can make sure I can get a screen, battery and buttons working together.

Thanks!

There are some people here that made some nice pics on how to connect. Mabey you need to use search button more. And what you saying about helpfull forum ever. True on that part. The best out there. And if you cannot find it here use google.

[rodocop]

Literally the most helpful forum ever haha, thankyou!

I was looking at the common pcb but thought it may have been too simple! as no one seems to have any video tutorials using one, always seems to be one of Helder or Kite's - would totally use one of those but of course I'm trying to cut wait time haha..

Do you know of anywhere that has a tutorial on how to use that common ground one.

If I was to use the Pi Zero W which has bluetooth and Wifi build in, would I need a USB Hub?

I think to start with I may even just make it without putting a speaker/headphone in, just so I can make sure I can get a screen, battery and buttons working together.

Thanks!

i've posted some info in your other post as well. As for guides. If you are using a common ground basic PCB like seen above follow wermy's original guides (parts 1-6, his aftermarket parts guide will also be helpful 1-2, watch all of them). But replace his modified gameboy PCB with a common ground PCB. Otherwise everything is pretty much the same and relevant.

A few things may be different, like do not cut the screen surround completely, leave a few mm for a screen cover, and i would use the gearbest screen I suggested in the other post. and i would skip the teensy, and just wire the pcb to the pi zeros gpios, following the guide i posted in your other thread. I also usually skip the hub, and use the zero W's only usb port to extend it out to one full size usb. As for audio, i would at least put an amp and a speaker. I generally do not use headhpones, and you can add volume control hotkeys in game so you do not really need a volume wheel

Lots of people have done build like this, and for myself, wermy's guides were always my go to, even if my parts were not identical.

I am literally starting a very basic build myself with a common ground PCB.

my 7th build so far, just startingShow

[cturts]

I'm totally just absolutely stalking your posts from your signature after having gone back to say an enormous thankyou! haha! I honestly thought that the common ground was too basic, as it doesn't even have an R1 and L1 but of course I'd just connect to that from the pi and the ground to the board..I think? ha

That Gearbest screen that you mentioned is literally the only thing keeping me thinking this is possible so honestly a huge thankyou

EDIT -

The more I read your post the better it gets!
ha
So -
PCB, screen and amplifier to the pi, then just do a bit more watching for Wermy's guide on battery stuff, thank you again and apologies if there's any crossover in what I'm saying with talking to you on both posts

[rodocop]

I'm totally just absolutely stalking your posts from your signature after having gone back to say an enormous thankyou! haha! I honestly thought that the common ground was too basic, as it doesn't even have an R1 and L1 but of course I'd just connect to that from the pi and the ground to the board..I think? ha

That Gearbest screen that you mentioned is literally the only thing keeping me thinking this is possible so honestly a huge thankyou

EDIT -

The more I read your post the better it gets!
ha
So -
PCB, screen and amplifier to the pi, then just do a bit more watching for Wermy's guide on battery stuff, thank you again and apologies if there's any crossover in what I'm saying with talking to you on both posts

that's fine if there is crossover, i'll pay attention to both, also check out the Discord server for help, I am active there, and so are a lot of others!

[cturts]

use the zero W's only usb port to extend it out to one full size usb.

Hey, love the sound of this, as I was considering making a cut in the side of the gameboy, do you have any diagrams that I can use to wire up the usb? I have an OTG USB cable

SpoilerShow

Is it something I could do using this? willing to cut it up of course would possibly be easier than having only the micro usb showing and having to make sure I carry the cable around all the time

Thanks again!

[rodocop]

use the zero W's only usb port to extend it out to one full size usb.

Hey, love the sound of this, as I was considering making a cut in the side of the gameboy, do you have any diagrams that I can use to wire up the usb? I have an OTG USB cable

SpoilerShow

Is it something I could do using this? willing to cut it up of course would possibly be easier than having only the micro usb showing and having to make sure I carry the cable around all the time

Thanks again!

You could use that. Trim the plastic and plug it in and have the large usb portion placed in the ext port. If it's too big to fit you can solder it directly to the pi. It you strip the wires you will see a green white black and red. Black and red are 5v and gnd and green and white are d- and d+. Those goes to pp23 and pp22 on the pi (the two round good pads below the usb port)

[yusuf1983]

how's going whit the zeroboy build? i have the same board here