Discussion Ideas, questions, etc, Post em here!

jefflongo

Broke BitBuilt
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Dec 15, 2016
Messages
1,017
Likes
1,361
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
Portables
3
Hey, just joined and I want to make a "laptop" style portable out of an old famicom I got for cheap, I'm kind of confused just how you connect screens to consoles? I see a lot in the guides about getting composite outs from consoles, but how do you actually connect those to raw screens? Do you need driver boards?
Yes you need a driver board for the display. Also the driver board has to actually support composite video. Then you just solder a wire from the composite video pin on the console to the composite video in on the driver board. Then connect a gnd wire between both for the return path. You'll also need a means to power the screen. Many screens run on 12v, but can be operated on lower voltages such as 5v (check the guide section for more info on this).
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
41
Likes
58
Portables
3
Hey all! I just joined this forum and it seems very information dense so far and I really appreciate that. My goal is to make a portable that can play GameCube games and I see that a Wii is a very plausible way of doing this! I have attempted to make a GameCube portable in the past and that was a lot of fun! although unsuccessful. I have made a successful raspberry pi handheld and that turned out pretty good I think. Regardless, I have prior experience in soldering and electronics but I keep seeing that people use custom regulators when doing the OMGWTF trim and I was wondering as to why not to use a step-down regulator from online? such as this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GJ0SC2...olid=1KUHS9P9WPW0U&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Will it work as a replacement regulator when going through with this? I have a power supply to tune them. Thanks in advance!
 
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
160
Likes
68
Location
Kentucky
Portables
Wii Laptop V2.0, GameCube SPITE
Hey all! I just joined this forum and it seems very information dense so far and I really appreciate that. My goal is to make a portable that can play GameCube games and I see that a Wii is a very plausible way of doing this! I have attempted to make a GameCube portable in the past and that was a lot of fun! although unsuccessful. I have made a successful raspberry pi handheld and that turned out pretty good I think. Regardless, I have prior experience in soldering and electronics but I keep seeing that people use custom regulators when doing the OMGWTF trim and I was wondering as to why not to use a step-down regulator from online? such as this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GJ0SC2...olid=1KUHS9P9WPW0U&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Will it work as a replacement regulator when going through with this? I have a power supply to tune them. Thanks in advance!
Welcome to the forum! I'm working on a GameCube portable right now, good stuff.

That step-down regulator looks like it should work. I'm not sure how the size compares to the custom regs most use here, but assuming size isn't an issue I don't see why they wouldn't work. Only pro I guess to making your own is they don't have to be adjusted/programmed to get the right voltage, they are hard wired to regulate the voltage to the desired amount, so it may be a bit more reliable because it's a master of one trade so to speak instead of a jack of trades (er, voltages...), but that's just speculation. Some of the other guys here can probably illuminate more on that, I haven't had to mess with custom regs yet.
 

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,122
Likes
2,698
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
Hey all! I just joined this forum and it seems very information dense so far and I really appreciate that. My goal is to make a portable that can play GameCube games and I see that a Wii is a very plausible way of doing this! I have attempted to make a GameCube portable in the past and that was a lot of fun! although unsuccessful. I have made a successful raspberry pi handheld and that turned out pretty good I think. Regardless, I have prior experience in soldering and electronics but I keep seeing that people use custom regulators when doing the OMGWTF trim and I was wondering as to why not to use a step-down regulator from online? such as this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GJ0SC2...olid=1KUHS9P9WPW0U&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Will it work as a replacement regulator when going through with this? I have a power supply to tune them. Thanks in advance!
Welcome to the forum! I'm working on a GameCube portable right now, good stuff.

That step-down regulator looks like it should work. I'm not sure how the size compares to the custom regs most use here, but assuming size isn't an issue I don't see why they wouldn't work. Only pro I guess to making your own is they don't have to be adjusted/programmed to get the right voltage, they are hard wired to regulate the voltage to the desired amount, so it may be a bit more reliable because it's a master of one trade so to speak instead of a jack of trades (er, voltages...), but that's just speculation. Some of the other guys here can probably illuminate more on that, I haven't had to mess with custom regs yet.
Actually those regulators are a terrible idea. We reccomends the PTHs because they are the cheapest, easy to regulators that actually work. Those ones are notorious for just about everything: being DoA, melting down, overblown specs, extreme heat, etc. A portable is an investment, and cheaping out on regs is a great way to ruin the whole product.

So long story short, they rarely work, and if they do at first then they don't last long.

Good choice with the Wii though, you are right in assuming that it's the best option for portable GameCube games. Hope this helps!
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
41
Likes
58
Portables
3
Ahh, i see! Thank you for the feedback! I will take a look into making custom regulators and seeing if that is an adequate option but i do not see why it wouldn't. Can you recommend a place to look up making custom regulators on bitbuilt? I can't seem to find the right thread.
 

cheese

the tallest memer in town
Staff member
.
.
.
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,758
Likes
2,422
Location
Florida
Ahh, i see! Thank you for the feedback! I will take a look into making custom regulators and seeing if that is an adequate option but i do not see why it wouldn't. Can you recommend a place to look up making custom regulators on bitbuilt? I can't seem to find the right thread.
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/custom-regulators-an-explanation-and-guide.754/

The Guide Hub will help you out, we've spent some time writing and proofreading the guides in there.
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
5
Likes
0
Hi! I'm REALLY new to all this and will need some hand holding but I wanted to share my idea for the playstation 2.

my idea was to basically to turn it into a slapper, more compact console with a decently sized screen. I wanted to make it about the size of the disk tray.
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
41
Likes
58
Portables
3
a PS2 portable sounds really cool! do you mean one of the full-size disk trays found in older desktops? that should be plenty of space if that's the goal. what is a slapper? also, I think there is a ps2 section on the forums that you may wanna peruse through.
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?forums/sony.147/
I honestly don't know much about PS2's but I'm sure there are tons of people to help you over there with trimming guides 'n' such
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
5
Likes
0
I just posted here because it said to "ideas, questions, etc". but no, it's not a portable. it's honestly just a smaller version of the console with a few changes and added stuff. also, I'm bad at typing so "slapper" was an error on my part I meant to say slimmer.
 

CON64

.
Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
1
Likes
0
Hi everyone, I'm completely new to modding consoles but I'd like to get started. I currently have 2 n64s that aren't working, a NES that isn't working, and a gameboy advance sp that seems to have all parts but is in peices. I would like to fix my NES and one n64 to run like normal, however I want to turn the 2nd n64 and gba into modding projects. Does anyone have a suggestion of a project with these that a beginner could possibly do?
 

cheese

the tallest memer in town
Staff member
.
.
.
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,758
Likes
2,422
Location
Florida
A portable n64 would be a good project for a beginner, only a couple regs and minimal wiring is required to get it running
 

mimaef

.
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Messages
2
Likes
1
Hello everyone! Am I able to remove the section of the original SNES controller port that has the LED? I would like to make a custom case for it, but the only thing in my way is the board for the port is too long on one side with the LED and would stop me from going with the size I want. Looking at the board, it appears to me that the side with the LED is only for powering the LED itself and I may be able to trim it down. I looked all over with no answer other than how to switch the LED out, but I did see that some console boards could be trimmed to something smaller, so I'm hoping! I've included pictures. Thanks for the help.


Edit: Alternatively, would I be able to just nab one from the newer, SNES jr?
 

Attachments

Last edited by a moderator:

Shank

Moderator
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
1,286
Likes
2,723
Portables
6
From what I understand, that board is just traces aside from an LED and a current limiting resistor for it. You should be able to cut that part off no problem, rewire it if you want an LED, or even desolder the ports from the board and just run wires by hand from the bare ports to the console.

You should make your own thread for your SNES project. Based off what you told us on my stream, I'm sure many members here would be interested in your project
 

mimaef

.
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
Messages
2
Likes
1
From what I understand, that board is just traces aside from an LED and a current limiting resistor for it. You should be able to cut that part off no problem, rewire it if you want an LED, or even desolder the ports from the board and just run wires by hand from the bare ports to the console.

You should make your own thread for your SNES project. Based off what you told us on my stream, I'm sure many members here would be interested in your project
Thank you for the help! Electronics is a new place to dive in for me, so I'm both nervous and excited about it. I'll definitely make a thread once I have a tiny bit more to show for my project.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Messages
12
Likes
0
I have a 4 layer Wii and was wondering if there are any guides for relocating the Bluetooth module for the OMGWTF trim
 

fibbef

Wizardry V Completer
.
Joined
Nov 10, 2016
Messages
606
Likes
1,625
Believe it or not, yes. There's a small section in this guide for Bluetooth, including a couple nice diagrams.
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2019
Messages
3
Likes
2
I'm new here, and I wanted to learn how to do these kinds of things. I have some experience with these kinds of things, as I've connected up a bunch of things to the Raspberry Pi I have at my dad's, and wanted to do more than that. One of the big questions I have is what are the basic supplies for doing this? I know I'll of course need a soldering and desoldering iron, but what else would I need? One of the first projects I want to do is repair my 3DS XL, as it has an internal screen issue.
 
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
2
Likes
1
Location
California
Hello friends! I just recently found these forums through Shank Mod's youtube video for the Kill Mii lol. I've actually been wanting to try modifying some of my old electronics around and thought this would be a fun place to start :) The first project I wanna attempt is 'portabilizing' my old PS2 (SCPH-75001), albeit a daunting one for sure. I have so far, a soldering iron (idk if I'll even need to use it?), ordered a 3.5" screen (HiLetgo 3.2" IPS TFT LCD Display ILI9481 480X320) and some screwdrivers and such for getting started. I also will be trying to use this plastic first aid kit as its case (~5.5"x4.5"x1.5" i think?) which is in the picture. Nice to meet you all! :D
20190110_090248.jpg
 
Top