Worklog First Wii Portable (unnamed so far)

Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
Just cut the port off from the bottom
That's what I'm planning to do but I'm not sure It'll work. Are there any traces or important components in this area?

upload_2019-7-20_21-29-45.png

upload_2019-7-20_21-30-32.png


*Inside the blue lines*

The bit on my dremel is really wide so my cuts arent as clean and I'm afraid of destoying my board. I'll buy the bits before I start trimming just to be on the safe side :)
 

Attachments

Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
Here it is! My first-ever trimmed Wii!
C07C4DC2-11CD-4482-AC32-EB9A32A4C529.jpeg


Plus accessories:

EFBF50AF-371C-4171-B09E-D36D1B930CF3.jpeg


Still a long way to go but finally some results. I really wanna test this thing once I fix the Bluetooth again. The only problem is that I don’t understand where to connect the wires from my custom regulators to the board. Do I just connect them to any pin, via or component leg of choice within the highlighted area?

Oh shit almost forgot. Here’s the back:

image.jpg
 

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
Yes, you can connect your voltage to any of the spots indicated in the guide. The voltage points are all internally connected inside the Wii, so you only need to run one connection from each reg to the Wii.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
Yes, you can connect your voltage to any of the spots indicated in the guide. The voltage points are all internally connected inside the Wii, so you only need to run one connection from each reg to the Wii.
Ahh that’s what I thought. In that case I might hopefully be able to get everything hooked up pretty soon. More pics on their way
 

Stitches

2 and a Half Dollarydoos
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
3,773
Likes
2,981
Location
Banana Bender Land, Australia
Portables
6
Here it is! My first-ever trimmed Wii!
View attachment 9053

Plus accessories:

View attachment 9054

Still a long way to go but finally some results. I really wanna test this thing once I fix the Bluetooth again. The only problem is that I don’t understand where to connect the wires from my custom regulators to the board. Do I just connect them to any pin, via or component leg of choice within the highlighted area?

Oh shit almost forgot. Here’s the back:

View attachment 9056
That's a fucking good first trim, I'm impressed my dude!
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
Been waiting for my superglue to dry all day. Meanwhile I’ve been hard at work on a case for my portable. As I was doing that many ideas popped up in my head, for example a dock.

I’ve figured most of it out but I was meaning to ask you guys if you know if any of the unused pins on the AV port can be used for USB. I was thinking of shoving a GC adapter in my dock and since my portable has an AV port It would work great if I only needed 1 connector between the portable and the dock.

Also, just started to hook up custom regs, first test soon! (I actually haven’t tested the wii yet) But I’m a bit confused regarding ground. I’m no electrician but I’ve studied a bit of electronics but I never learned anything about working with multiple different voltages at the same time. I’ve seen in other worklogs how people simply wire up power to the different lines on the wii and then just pull one cable from the ground plate and connect it to all the ground pads on their regs and then to their batteries. I was thinking that this makes sense as long as no additional resistance occurs on the ground line. However since for my first portable I decided to get myself a PMS from the store I’m not sure if bridging these pads is a good idea. I might be way of course so feel free to butcher my shitty question if you feel inclined to do so.

Edit: Btw, do you guys use any special tools or compounds when soldering directly to cells? I've been reading online about there being some compound needed to break through the oxide layer to form a good connection.

Edit #2: Oh shit I just forgot! I didn't set up the VGA patches before trimming! Is it still doable after trimming?
 
Last edited:

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
I'd always reccomend using the PMS board just because it's so good. They should be back in the store this week as Gman just finished assembling another batch. In regards to your ground question for regs like PTHs, you're good to just daisy chain all the ground connections on the regs together. Resistance through the wire doesn't make any sort of impact in scenarios like this, so long as your wires aren't stupidly long.

As for using the extra pins on the AV port, if you completely desolder the port from the Wii motherboard, you can use any of the pins that you want, except for ground. I don't think there are technically any "unused" pins, but there aren't any sort of internal resistors attached to the port, so every extra pin could hypothetically still be used. That sounds like a pretty neat idea for a breakout box, you'd just need to be careful that nobody potentially plugs in a cable that could connect things that shouldn't be connected...

When soldering to battery cells, you don't need any special equipment so long as your careful. It's best to rough up the contacts with sandpaper, and then quickly solder to the cells on a high heat setting. I generally use around 300C. This works fine for me on 18650s.

And no, it's not too late to set up VGA patches. Did you ever set your Wii to 480p in the Wii system menu before trimming? If not, you can still do that, it just takes a bit more effort on a trimmed Wii. From there, you can follow the rest of the steps exactly the same without any issues.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
I'd always reccomend using the PMS board just because it's so good. They should be back in the store this week as Gman just finished assembling another batch. In regards to your ground question for regs like PTHs, you're good to just daisy chain all the ground connections on the regs together. Resistance through the wire doesn't make any sort of impact in scenarios like this, so long as your wires aren't stupidly long.

As for using the extra pins on the AV port, if you completely desolder the port from the Wii motherboard, you can use any of the pins that you want, except for ground. I don't think there are technically any "unused" pins, but there aren't any sort of internal resistors attached to the port, so every extra pin could hypothetically still be used. That sounds like a pretty neat idea for a breakout box, you'd just need to be careful that nobody potentially plugs in a cable that could connect things that shouldn't be connected...

When soldering to battery cells, you don't need any special equipment so long as your careful. It's best to rough up the contacts with sandpaper, and then quickly solder to the cells on a high heat setting. I generally use around 300C. This works fine for me on 18650s.

And no, it's not too late to set up VGA patches. Did you ever set your Wii to 480p in the Wii system menu before trimming? If not, you can still do that, it just takes a bit more effort on a trimmed Wii. From there, you can follow the rest of the steps exactly the same without any issues.
Thanks a lot Ginger for the clarification! I actually decided to get myself some battery holders since I don't have a very wide soldering tip yet and the holders were like 1.5 bucks or something. This also lets me swap them with ease down the line assuming I don't have another portable that I'm using ;)

I think there might've been a misunderstanding regarding the PMS. I'll show you what I mean:

Soldering.jpg


Is this how it's all supposed to be wired up? Sorry for being so finicky but I'm waiting for my battery holders so might as well ask.
 

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
Looks pretty good, you will need to connect 3.3v to the main board as well as the Bluetooth module, and you only need to run one ground wire to the Wii, as long as it's 22 gauge.
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2016
Messages
404
Likes
861
@Davve_DP

Bluetooth 3.3v line in your diagram looks incorrect as you would be shorting it to ground. Double check your diagram, it should match the pinout of the trim guide for the bluetooth here:

 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
So after being away for 2 days I finally finished wiring everything up. While doing this I realised that I need to work on my soldering. Not that the results are terrible, but I’m struggling to tin my iron for some reason. Not sure if Weller’s ET-tips work differently but together with some flux and a generous amount of solder my iron always looks the same. No shiny silver surface. Anyway, I just wanted to ask you guys if I’m all clear to connect the battery and power-on.
819A42D6-ADA0-4B67-8D59-9168FEAC12C0.jpeg

(The gray wire has a composite connector at the end)
 
Last edited:

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
Be sure to also ground the composite connector, your TV won't be able to read the signal properly without having a common ground between it and the Wii.

If you haven't already, be sure to check with a multimeter between any of the voltages and ground.

Also remember that you'll need a button to turn on the PMS board.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
Be sure to also ground the composite connector, your TV won't be able to read the signal properly without having a common ground between it and the Wii.
And how does one go about doing this? Do I just connect a wire from where I attached the cable to the board to ground?
 

Stitches

2 and a Half Dollarydoos
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
3,773
Likes
2,981
Location
Banana Bender Land, Australia
Portables
6
And how does one go about doing this? Do I just connect a wire from where I attached the cable to the board to ground?
Yeah, you just solder a wire going from a ground point on the Wii to the shielding of the composite cable.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
So first test was, as kinda expected, a discouraging failure. Absolutely no signal. After I flicked my power switch I thought I was good but then I burnt my hand on something and I saw smoke coming from somewhere. I instantly panicked and disconnected the battery and it stopped. Could it be a voltage spike or something? I was carrying the thing out of the room where I have a CRT and this happened while I was watching my step so I have no idea where the heat and the smoke came from. I saw afterwards that the button to the PMS had a wire disconnected so that could’ve been it. I’m honestly not sure what might be the issue. The problem with me not testing the board prior to trimming is that I don’t know where I went wrong. The only things I can think of that might be wrong are these:

- Using 24 AWG wire for GND lines (I accidentally ordered the wrong wire but disregarded the advice I’d heard. Was thinking that I wasn’t drawing that much without a screen, controllers etc)

- A short somewhere because of dust, corrosion, flux residues.

- My battery maybe not being charged yet since it arrived in the mail

- My wiring


Also, I know the thing turned on because the CPU and GPU heated up.

8E9AF8AA-21C6-4E35-B6DD-DCF2CE217BD0.jpeg


(I’ll edit this post and add my resistance values for the different power lines later)
 
Last edited:

Gman

RTFDS
Staff member
.
.
.
.
.
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
1,434
Likes
2,871
The wire that broke off appears to be ground, so if it touched the switch next to it where the battery positive is, that certainly would not be good. Use a multimeter to measure the voltages on the regulators.
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
39
Likes
11
So I've been busy with other things lately, mainly the new addition to our family (a puppy). But I finally came back with some motivation to troubleshoot this thing. After all I still have plenty of wiis to go through :)

The wire that broke off appears to be ground, so if it touched the switch next to it where the battery positive is, that certainly would not be good. Use a multimeter to measure the voltages on the regulators.
So I checked my voltages and they all seem fine. The PMS is doing a fantastic job. Also, the 3,3v pin on the U10 is receiving 3.3v I din't have any overheating or anything on my second test so I reckon the solder joint on the button was weak and it melted, causing smoke and heat (pain). Not really sure what to do next though. I saw some corrosion on the NAND and surrounding resistors which I assume is bad (cleaned that up before the second test though), but apart from that my board looks fine. Could it just be my composite cable. I feel like I've done everything in @GingerOfOz 's troubleshooting guide besides reviewing my trim. Perhaps there was a short somewhere and now some component on my board is dead :(. I'm thinking of trying a different cable and if that doesn't work I'll probably start-over.
 
Top