Worklog PiiStationU Portable

[MRKane]

So I was taking stock of the carnage on my workbench after the last PS2 portable when I started thinking about a project I'd been tinkering with, which was a Raspberry Pi portable inside a Wii U. See I'd collected most of the stuff to do it, I had the screen, and the external phone charger I planned to use to run it. Thing is my spare Pi died, so that's out.

But something has been bugging me: Amongst all of this PS2 work could I fit one inside the Wii U and power it with the 5V pack? A quick trim later and things are looking hopeful, plus using the Hailrazer mod I managed to kick it and the screen over on the power pack.

The screen is a 6.5" HDMI screen that as fate has it, also works with the PS2 HDMI adapter, add to this that I've got a PS2mini board that didn't get used with the last one...

About the only thing I'm not sure of is how to cool this puppy! As a note the board has had a "slightly heavy handed trim" which makes it fit pretty well all around. It was also weird with different connections for the front ports, and lower temperature solder used all around, and that heat transfer pad still has the protective tape on the top of it...guess that's why I got it cheap! Oh, and "cheap" will be another feature of this one too!

 

[ahrlad]

I'm working on something like this too! There's a great worklog at sudomod about a guy who did a Wii u RPI, with pinouts for the original Wii u buttons and stuff. I'm using the same screen, trying to figure out a solution for audio and controller at the moment.

 

[MRKane]

Hey I used ideas from that also! I ended up going with the 6.5" screen and the VS-TY50-V2 Driver Board after speaking with the retailer and they assured me it'd work with the PS2 HDMI output (because I always hedge my bets as I knew it'd work with the Pi), and as it turns out it works very well and the picture will bathe your eyeballs in sharp RGB goodness, or delightful sharpness on the Pi. Would you be interested in making this thread a combined work-log as my gut tells me that a Wii U PS2 is going to be the best thing I could ever hope to create given my limited capacity and budget!

One of the things I hit earlier was that the breakout boards just wouldn't work for me on the left hand controller, and were hit and miss on the right. I even tried transplanting the connections off of the Wii PCB with no success. Giving up with that I used 3" wide copper tape to lay down and cut out paths for the buttons on the controller and for one side at least it seems to be working as expected.

I've hit a stumbling block with my power solution as it'd seem my idea about driving it from a USB powerbank is either intermittent or blew up the powerbank (erm...ok it wasn't technically part of this project...) so I've been thinking about mounting 4 to 6 18650 batteries externally using a holder and some sort of custom cover. Audio wise I've got some left over amps and pots from other projects so was hoping to create something there and will try re-using the speakers that came with my broken Wii U gamepad.

I did also wire up the HDMI adapter just tonight and it turned out to be a simple operation using pins 1, 2, 3, 4,9, 10, 11, 12. I'm happy with the results there albeit nothing to brag about

 

[MRKane]

Well this is the layout plan.

The audio amp board takes up more than its fair share of internal space, but it's a left over and I'd say I can trim the main PCB back a little there. The things to note is that there are a couple of caps that'll have to be moved to more "space suitable" locations, including some on the HDMI board (that I don't want to mess with so will try to find another way first).

Not included in this photo is the miniPS2 board by RDC which I'll try to tuck in the lower right corner, with power components in the lower left. There'll be a little space to save by removing the PS2 port from the HDMI card but that's something I'd do before final assembly. Please note that this isn't the same board as above, it's one that arrived dead so got practiced on.

And it's snug, but it fits, with just enough space to have cooling over the places where it's needed.

As for mounting everything: I've a few small sheets of mica salvaged from a microwave which should provide adequate insulation between layers, and I'd say the rest will be hot glue

 

[Stitches]

Don't forget cooling!

 

[GingerOfOz]

Don't forget cooling!

ith just enough space to have cooling over the places where it's needed.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[MRKane]

Pertaining to cooling: I'm open to suggestions.

I've got a handful of little 5V fans left over from a custom N64 job, which are really tiny (about 25x20x15mm but I'm sure there's a better way than just a fan and a chopped up heatsync.

 

[MRKane]

I'm loving this whole "now is my holiday" thing - I can actually spend it destroying things!

So theory being theory it fits! There have been a myriad of little cuts and trims inside the case to get to this point, and relocated caps etc. one problem at a time Mark Watney style and all in the knowledge that I'll never get another Wii U gamepad for $20 again so don't f*ck up.

Lord knows I've spent so long thinking about it. The screen isn't in the picture below, but the driver sits on top of the main board with the flex cable folded over.

So there are a couple of sacrifices to the system that I'll not be able to stuff under the bonnet - one of the things I opted to drop was the switching headphone jack (mainly because I don't have enough cable) but I might look at putting a "full volume" one in and control volume on the headphones.

I've still got no idea where I'm putting the USB port, but still have to wait a week for the batteries to show up, so can muck around and get the controllers wired up and figure out what I'm doing over that time. Also I've no idea where I'm putting the power jack or anything else like that. Still no idea about cooling either, and am still totally open to suggestions!

 

[Stitches]

I'm loving this whole "now is my holiday" thing - I can actually spend it destroying things!

So theory being theory it fits! There have been a myriad of little cuts and trims inside the case to get to this point, and relocated caps etc. one problem at a time Mark Watney style and all in the knowledge that I'll never get another Wii U gamepad for $20 again so don't f*ck up.

Lord knows I've spent so long thinking about it. The screen isn't in the picture below, but the driver sits on top of the main board with the flex cable folded over.

So there are a couple of sacrifices to the system that I'll not be able to stuff under the bonnet - one of the things I opted to drop was the switching headphone jack (mainly because I don't have enough cable) but I might look at putting a "full volume" one in and control volume on the headphones.

I've still got no idea where I'm putting the USB port, but still have to wait a week for the batteries to show up, so can muck around and get the controllers wired up and figure out what I'm doing over that time. Also I've no idea where I'm putting the power jack or anything else like that. Still no idea about cooling either, and am still totally open to suggestions!

I like these IBM sink+fan combos. Stands about 7-8mm tall, runs on 5v or 3.3v, easily trimmed down to length with a demmel or grinder, acceptably quiet. Only downside is a plus shaped protrusion on the bottom that needs grinding down to sit flush.

 

[MRKane]

That is a fantastic solution! I'll see about sourcing one closer to home as it'll take a month to arrive over here
Does that unit come with the heatsync on it already? That'd be perfect!

 

[Stitches]

That is a fantastic solution! I'll see about sourcing one closer to home as it'll take a month to arrive over here
Does that unit come with the heatsync on it already? That'd be perfect!

It's a preassembled self contained sink and fan. It's hollow inside save for the fins, so the fan pulls air in and blows it out the long end. I've tried to find them in/near Aus, but that was the best I could find.

 

[MRKane]

Measuring the unit I think I'll have just enough room to squeeze it in there. What are it's rough dimensions? I'll design the interior with the intention of putting it in.

This really means a lot to me as it was truly the last thing I'd not managed to figure out! Now...I'd predict I'll get it in February lol

 

[Stitches]

Measuring the unit I think I'll have just enough room to squeeze it in there. What are it's rough dimensions? I'll design the interior with the intention of putting it in.

This really means a lot to me as it was truly the last thing I'd not managed to figure out! Now...I'd predict I'll get it in February lol

My current one is already trimmed and has been for over a year, but DarkWing says the original dimensions (sans the stupid plus thing on the bottom) are about W50 x L106 x D8mm. The fan itself is about 40mm in diameter. I have mine trimmed down to ~70mm long and it's enough to cool a 4 layer Wii, I imagine the PS2 is close to that.

 

[MRKane]

That information is perfect! I'd have to trim it down to at least 90 to get it to fit around all the caps etc on the board. With trimming it does one simply cut the end off so that it vents out the end (assuming it doesn't in the first place?).

Still I'm a little ahead of myself here as I'm still wiring up the control aspects which is involving a lot of very fine wire, and heaps of double checking as I don't have room to screwup here. I'll post a photo of the birds-nest soup I've got going on later

 

[Stitches]

That information is perfect! I'd have to trim it down to at least 90 to get it to fit around all the caps etc on the board. With trimming it does one simply cut the end off so that it vents out the end (assuming it doesn't in the first place?).

Still I'm a little ahead of myself here as I'm still wiring up the control aspects which is involving a lot of very fine wire, and heaps of double checking as I don't have room to screwup here. I'll post a photo of the birds-nest soup I've got going on later

Yeah you just cut off the opposite end to the fan. It blows out there, so you can chop it no issue.

 

[Enrique]

Yeah you just cut off the opposite end to the fan. It blows out there, so you can chop it no issue.

I was wondering if you could show a pic of the whole process that you have done till now (and by that I mean the inside and all the boards that have been soldered up till now)
I would love to make something like this in the future, since my time is being occupied with other things, but keep going man waiting for your next update I know that this will look awesome

 

[MRKane]

I'll try to get something up in the next few days. I was busy wiring up the controller when I injured my hands in a fall. Really it's just starting to look like a mess inside at this stage

 

[MRKane]

So my audio amp died, for no other reason than apparently it decided to. I am very open to suggestions on which one to get instead!

 

[Stitches]

So my audio amp died, for no other reason than apparently it decided to. I am very open to suggestions on which one to get instead!

I like these little dudes with digital volume control https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/172640201842 . They're small, efficient, pretty loud, and have easy through holes to wire everything to. You just have to bridge +5v and SDN to make it turn on. Only downside is, China.

 

[MRKane]

I would really like a solution with a dial or wheel for volume control so that I don't have to cut holes into the case or find a location to mount it as I'm quickly running out of room for that due to having mounted everything around the case already. Is there anything in that respect that'd work? The last one was a PAM 8406 (or similar) and looking at it the chip is properly popped.