Question Calling all noobs (noob question thread)
- Thread starter Shank
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It's recommended so that you make sure everything works before you trim.
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Short answer no.
Long answer no.
If it doesn't have a drive board that accepts a video signal your console is capable of putting out, you cannot use it.
Hey there bitbuilt community, I am a noob! I have never built a portable, however I've seen them around a lot. I have read a ton of articles, worklogs, guides, ebay product pages, forums, and instructables pages, and I would really like to construct my own. I have a fair amount of knowledge with electronics hardware, and a lot of knowledge of working with software, and I think I'm about ready to construct my own. Before I jump into it I thought I would run my general plan by the experts of the craft and get some feedback. So here's what I know;
building a Wii is the best route to go, as I'd like to play Gamecube games as well as Wii games.
building a portable involves these steps,
disassembling the Wii down to the motherboard,
trimming the motherboard so the system only contains the crucial pieces needed to boot and run games, as described in this lovely article: https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/the-definitive-wii-trimming-guide.198/#post-1492 ,
relocating the pieces of the broken motherboard and reconnecting the pieces via wires so it can actually function once again, yet is far more compact,
giving it an internal, rechargable, and protected power supply,
connecting the video outputs to a small screen,
connecting the audio outputs to a speaker,
putting tact buttons into the case of the portable, and connecting them to the system,
allowing the Wii to draw it's data from an SD card, which contains the games and allocated storage space for game saves,
and ensuring that the system stays cool with a fan and installing an exhaust,
digitally model a case that fits the build, print, and assemble.
Am I generally on the right track? Am I missing steps? Please let me know, I want to do as much reading as possible so I can make sure I'm not wasting time or money.
I'm considering purchasing these materials because of their price, functionality, and shipping speed:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Bicycle-Bike...949439?hash=item4b079800ff:g:tjIAAOSw5cNYPRxO
(these batteries or simply some protected 18650 batteries to use)
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Lot-1800-200...hash=item58ea929269:m:mvRhD_k3-20gcbNyxASvarA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Portabl...083297c&pid=100033&rk=5&rkt=8&sd=381892596329
I also intend on purchasing some old, used Gamecube controllers from a pawn shop, and designing and 3D printing my own case (I have 3D design skill, and access to a 3D printer)
If these are poor choices, let me know!
My reference material and resources are as follows:
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/masternates-first-wii-portable.1386/
https://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/how-to-make-a-wii-laptop-part-1/
https://www.engadget.com/2007/01/31/how-to-make-a-wii-laptop-part-2/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Portable-Game-System/
http://www.instructables.com/id/My-protection-circuit/
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:wii_multi_av_pinout
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/the-definitive-wii-trimming-guide.198/#post-1492
If these are bad references, also let me know, if you have better references, also let me know!
Inspiration:
Thank you very much for your assistance in advance, I'm very excited to start off on this project, and I'll be sure to document it in a worklog.
building a Wii is the best route to go, as I'd like to play Gamecube games as well as Wii games.
building a portable involves these steps,
disassembling the Wii down to the motherboard,
trimming the motherboard so the system only contains the crucial pieces needed to boot and run games, as described in this lovely article: https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/the-definitive-wii-trimming-guide.198/#post-1492 ,
relocating the pieces of the broken motherboard and reconnecting the pieces via wires so it can actually function once again, yet is far more compact,
giving it an internal, rechargable, and protected power supply,
connecting the video outputs to a small screen,
connecting the audio outputs to a speaker,
putting tact buttons into the case of the portable, and connecting them to the system,
allowing the Wii to draw it's data from an SD card, which contains the games and allocated storage space for game saves,
and ensuring that the system stays cool with a fan and installing an exhaust,
digitally model a case that fits the build, print, and assemble.
Am I generally on the right track? Am I missing steps? Please let me know, I want to do as much reading as possible so I can make sure I'm not wasting time or money.
I'm considering purchasing these materials because of their price, functionality, and shipping speed:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Bicycle-Bike...949439?hash=item4b079800ff:g:tjIAAOSw5cNYPRxO
(these batteries or simply some protected 18650 batteries to use)
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Lot-1800-200...hash=item58ea929269:m:mvRhD_k3-20gcbNyxASvarA
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Portabl...083297c&pid=100033&rk=5&rkt=8&sd=381892596329
I also intend on purchasing some old, used Gamecube controllers from a pawn shop, and designing and 3D printing my own case (I have 3D design skill, and access to a 3D printer)
If these are poor choices, let me know!
My reference material and resources are as follows:
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/masternates-first-wii-portable.1386/
https://www.engadget.com/2007/01/23/how-to-make-a-wii-laptop-part-1/
https://www.engadget.com/2007/01/31/how-to-make-a-wii-laptop-part-2/
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-Portable-Game-System/
http://www.instructables.com/id/My-protection-circuit/
http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:wii_multi_av_pinout
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/the-definitive-wii-trimming-guide.198/#post-1492
If these are bad references, also let me know, if you have better references, also let me know!
Inspiration:
Thank you very much for your assistance in advance, I'm very excited to start off on this project, and I'll be sure to document it in a worklog.
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You are definitely on the right track. Just a couple of suggestions though, the first being to use USB rather than SD in your portable. Wii games HAVE to be run off of USB, and with PortablizeMii the SD card is only needed for setup! USB is super easy to wire up as well.
That battery pack would probably work, seeing as those appear to be official Panasonic batteries. Whatever you do, make sure to have a protection circuit and use batteries from official companies, but I'm sure you already know that.
For a controller, I HIGHLY RECCOMEND the GC+! It is an amazing component that does all sorts of awesome things, and is super easy to use. It will continue to become greater and greater with more updates. Check out the store for more info, as well as the BitBuilt Products section of the guide hub.
Good luck with this! I'm glad to see lots of research with your thoughts!
EDIT: Also be sure to check out some other worklogs in the 2017 contest section! There's a nice variety of noob worklogs and experienced worklogs, and you can learn a TON from both kinds.
That battery pack would probably work, seeing as those appear to be official Panasonic batteries. Whatever you do, make sure to have a protection circuit and use batteries from official companies, but I'm sure you already know that.
For a controller, I HIGHLY RECCOMEND the GC+! It is an amazing component that does all sorts of awesome things, and is super easy to use. It will continue to become greater and greater with more updates. Check out the store for more info, as well as the BitBuilt Products section of the guide hub.
Good luck with this! I'm glad to see lots of research with your thoughts!
EDIT: Also be sure to check out some other worklogs in the 2017 contest section! There's a nice variety of noob worklogs and experienced worklogs, and you can learn a TON from both kinds.
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Wow you've done your research
that's one of the most important parts in building a good portable. I do have a couple things to add though:That screen looks like a 7" composite only lcd. It's important to check the resolution of the screen, as well as what types of video it can accept. That screen only takes composite and is 480x234, which is going to look absolutely awful at that size. I got that screen a while back and it looks like if you put on somebody else's glasses then looked at the screen. I haven't looked much into 7" screens, but there are probably a couple that take component and there are definitely ones with higher resolutions.
As for the blue Chinese batteries you linked, stay away from those.
For the Panasonic ones, those are good cells, but make sure there is a protection pcb inside. The cells are individually protected, but you need an actual pcb in there that connects to both. Idk what kind of battery setup you're going for, but if your screen is a 7", you'll probably have room for more than two cells as well.
If you just want the gc controllers so you can get the buttons and design around them, I say go for it
however if you plan to solder to the pcb, I'd recommend using the gc+ instead. It's less complicated and more versatile.Don't forget to install PortablizeMii on your wii before trimming it, and double check all of your lines before trimming. Also it's a good idea to tape over the center so metal sawdust doesn't get under the cpu/gpu.
You'll need an audio amplifier to go in between the wii and the speakers. Gman's BOM contains some commonly used materials and is definitely worth going over.
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/portablizing-bom.367/
Anyways, it looks like you've done your homework
good work.
If you're going with a 7 inch screen, you'd be way better off using an L7009 like this one here
The L7009 is 800x480 pixels, so it can display games at full res (and widescreen if you enable it). It also accepts ypbpr (component video) natively, so you get progressive scan quality without any FPGA trouble.
Thank you both so much! I really wasn't expecting feedback this quickly! Those are some fantastic notes for me to have and I'll definitely use those tips.
I've seen a lot of builds utilizing the gc+, and it seems to be pretty simple to use. The only reason I was hesitant to try it was the fact that I live in Canada. That means that a simple $12.50 purchase turns into a $33 purchase after shipping, currency conversion, and tax.
I didn't even think about the audio amplifier, although I was hoping to use headphones primarily (I commute on the train and this would be an AMAZING way to pass time).
The screen I linked to was admittedly poor quality, however I am looking around for other options. I have seen some builds require a video amplifier, would a small screen like a car reverse monitor need a video amplifier? what exactly causes a screen to need a video amplifier?
I didn't realize I had to install PortablizeMii before disassembly so thank you very much for making me aware of that.
I was also not aware that I could use a USB port instead of an SD card, I've just seen an SD card used most frequently so thank you very much for that insight as well.
I'll definitely only use trusted brand-name protected batteries, those Chinese batteries I linked to have been completely forgotten.
Once again, thank you for all your feedback, it is greatly appreciated.
I've seen a lot of builds utilizing the gc+, and it seems to be pretty simple to use. The only reason I was hesitant to try it was the fact that I live in Canada. That means that a simple $12.50 purchase turns into a $33 purchase after shipping, currency conversion, and tax.
I didn't even think about the audio amplifier, although I was hoping to use headphones primarily (I commute on the train and this would be an AMAZING way to pass time).
The screen I linked to was admittedly poor quality, however I am looking around for other options. I have seen some builds require a video amplifier, would a small screen like a car reverse monitor need a video amplifier? what exactly causes a screen to need a video amplifier?
I didn't realize I had to install PortablizeMii before disassembly so thank you very much for making me aware of that.
I was also not aware that I could use a USB port instead of an SD card, I've just seen an SD card used most frequently so thank you very much for that insight as well.
I'll definitely only use trusted brand-name protected batteries, those Chinese batteries I linked to have been completely forgotten.
Once again, thank you for all your feedback, it is greatly appreciated.
Yeah, people seem to have SD cards laying around from previous projects, but USB is really best in the case of a Wii. Also we're glad to help since it's quite obvious you've put some effort in. Make sure when you're drawing up your portable to leave extra room for wires, and try and put screw posts where you can to make assembly and disassembly easier.
Is U10 relocation possible on an untrimmed Wii without custom regulators (for the purpose of verifying a proper U10 installation before trimming)?
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Yes, it is. I wish I had done it.
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Yes! Then solder a wire for reset and test that as well and put a tiny dab of epoxy on that bad boy! Then you don't have to worry about it when you do all of your trimming and sanding.
Do you have to remove anything or does the Wii work fine without U10 in it's proper place?Yes! Then solder a wire for reset and test that as well and put a tiny dab of epoxy on that bad boy! Then you don't have to worry about it when you do all of your trimming and sanding.
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If you remove the U9 you will need to short the two pins that aren't grounded where the U9 was
link270
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What other parts can we remove and resolved before trimming the Wii to test? Can we rewire the Bluetooth, usb, power, video, etc? Anything else that’s smart to do before actually trimming?
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I know for sure you can relocate the Bluetooth. @Shank is much more experienced on this though so I'll let him take it away.
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You can, but it's a poor idea. It's easy to fry a drive, and if something goes work with your drive, you won't be able to get a warranty on it. Odds are that you're going to spend around $20 on a 64gb or $40 on a 128gb, so it's up to you on whether it's worth the risk or not. Not to mention the he fact that you won't be able to easily add new games/files to your portable once it's all closed up. If you don't want a flash drive to stick out of your portable, you could put a port inside your case rather than outside, and just unscrew your back plate when you need to access it.
I'm not sure if there's a good way to transfer data through one port into another, but having an internal port would probably be your simplest solution.
What's the general opinion on Raspberry Pi screens? I've been considering using a screen like this in my Wii portable build:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/7-inch-LCD-S...id=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&mehot=ag&sd=253039777294
I did some digging online and actually found somebody who was using an HDMI Raspberry Pi screen for their portable Wii, it was encouraging, and I wanted to follow his process in my own project, but I thought I'd get the general opinion of the screen first. To me they seem very versatile and are very affordable at around $30 on average for a 7'' screen.
This is the gentleman using the screen in his own Wii portable build:
His series documenting his work is actually pretty good, I'd recommend giving it a watch if you've got time.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/7-inch-LCD-S...id=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&mehot=ag&sd=253039777294
I did some digging online and actually found somebody who was using an HDMI Raspberry Pi screen for their portable Wii, it was encouraging, and I wanted to follow his process in my own project, but I thought I'd get the general opinion of the screen first. To me they seem very versatile and are very affordable at around $30 on average for a 7'' screen.
This is the gentleman using the screen in his own Wii portable build:
His series documenting his work is actually pretty good, I'd recommend giving it a watch if you've got time.
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