Worklog Not the "Game Giir"

splain

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Hi all, I want a portable Wii, and it's finally time to make one. It’s going to go painfully slow, just like all my other projects. I’ve been casually collecting the stuff I need, and reading y’all’s worklogs for a long time now, and I need to get started before too much of this stuff is obsolete, and 2017 calls and wants its portable back. Especially since it’ll take me a year to make it. Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions!

My original plan was to use a Game Gear shell, with buttons from a GC controller. And probably a small 4:3 screen that will keep it looking like a Game Gear, with the original convex plastic lens. Time to frankencase.

I picked up a controller for free+shipping, because it wasn't working right and the cord was already cannibalized. Perfect for GC+!

I went ahead and gutted a broken Game Gear and cut up the controller. I ordered the parts for a GC+ and made one. I installed PortablizeMii, and relocated the U10 and bluetooth module. Starts right up! I haven't trimmed yet and I'm terrified.

I put together my PTH regs (see? 2017's greatest portable!) and I have a stash of other stuff like charge protection circuit, smart charger, amp, etc.

In trying to think of something silly to name it, I considered things like "Get into Giir," "Giir Shift," "Top Giir," etc. But whenever I type it out, it looks too much like "Girl." But the main reason I don't want to use "Giir" in the name is because there's NO ROOM FOR THE BUTTONS. So I might not even end up using a Game Gear shell, unless I want to use smaller buttons. I wanted the final product to look a lot like a Game Gear. Without that trapezoid lens, it won't look like one at all. Really grinds my giirs. Keep the GC-style buttons on a different case? Use smaller buttons? Decisions.

Anyway, I'll keep a worklog here so you all can feel better about your own portables.

 

splain

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Alright! The holidays were bananas and there's a tiny human in my house that doesn't go to bed until late, but I've been managing to spend at least a little time on my portable every day, so it's moving slowly toward completion. So slow. After going back and forth about what to do about buttons, I've settled on still using GC buttons, just... rotated and shuffled about since they don't fit as high as I wanted. No biggie. I used to scoff at people who 3D printed their cases, because they often look so... 3D printed. But now that I'm in the thick of frankencasing this disaster, I totally get it. If I ever get around to making my dream N64p, it just might be printed. And I inherited someone's leftover printer after Christmas!

The Game Gear has two battery doors on the back, and I'm planning to use one for hiding all the controls and switches that I don't plan on using during gameplay, such as a switch for IR leds, sync button, screen controls, USB port & flash drive... and I think that's it. I call it the Control Room. Here's my first print:


UMNpydO.jpg



I have an idea for the other battery door, but I won't say it out loud yet because it's kind of a dumb idea. In thinking of something creative to do with the cartridge, I think maybe use it as a power button? Push down on the cart to turn it on/off, either a toggle switch or a PMS.

I haven't made any progress on the Wii itself, since one of my PTH regs looks to be bad. I haven't made up my mind about using PMS, but I don't want to buy another PTH until I know for sure.

Some of the things I need to sort out:
- Decide to use a PMS already
- Does a 480p VGA 3.5 inch screen exist?
- What should be on the label of the cartridge?
 
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The regs get pretty big so a PMS would save in space

Pretty sure the screen with the part number PD035VX2 accepts vga & is 3.5", saved it in a Google docs file atleast, prolly read it on discord so an expert might have to help out here, but I think it's the right one
 

splain

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Pretty sure the screen with the part number PD035VX2 accepts vga & is 3.5", saved it in a Google docs file atleast, prolly read it on discord so an expert might have to help out here, but I think it's the right one
Ooh! I wasn't sure if such a screen existed, since so many Chinese screens are listed as 480p but aren't really. This one at least has a datasheet saying it is. Thanks!
 

splain

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Don't necrobump ancient threads!

It's time to finish up this portable. The pandemic messed a lot of stuff up, and a lot of my stuff is even more outdated, but I still want to finish this. What have I done in the past 2 years?? I'm a good way through frankencasing the shell. I'll be putting the power button and volume buttons on the top, just like I'm used to on the Switch. Since I'm using the Game Gear's Start button on the face of the Wii, I'm using the GameCube start button for the power button. I have a lot of filling, sanding, and priming still to do, but I can see the portable within. It's been weird putting the shoulder button wells onto the GG shell, but I think it's going to work. I uhhh, still need to put a Z button on there somewhere. That air vent piece is from the bottom of an N64.

I trimmed the Wii mobo. I got one of those pricey 480p VGA 3.5 inch displays, and I couldn't remember if I had enabled VGA when I installed BBLoader forever ago. Turns out... nope! But I get a video signal through composite. So now it's time to hook up my homemade GC+ and see if it works, then wire up USB and install RVLoader.

Hot gluing stuff to a board has been very helpful.

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Shank

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