Worklog The Slimboii - Passively Cooled Wii Portable

Stitches

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And good shielding is just grounding both ends of the video cables' shields right? Anything extra I should do, like make sure its not close to power regulators or something?
Correct and correct. Keep video lines away from power lines, regs, and fans (not that you'll have to worry about that one).
 

BocuD

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What was your experience? My solution will be in open air though, the entire back (and sides) of the case will be aluminum, and everything that could get hot like the Wii and power regulators and display controller will have good thermal contact with it. I'm really not testing anything, just designing it as well as I possibly can. If it does get too hot a little fan shouldn't be too hard to add.
Yeah if the entire back is a heatsink that should help. Are you adding fins along the back as well to “stimulate” convection?
My experience was with a small fan/heatsink combo. I had a test setup with everything in open air and the heatsink thing on the wii and it was all fine. But inside the actual case airflow wasnt amazing to say the least and everything was packed together extremely closely. That in combination with the airflow thing is probably why it failed in the end.
 

Ekterm

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Yeah if the entire back is a heatsink that should help. Are you adding fins along the back as well to “stimulate” convection?
My experience was with a small fan/heatsink combo. I had a test setup with everything in open air and the heatsink thing on the wii and it was all fine. But inside the actual case airflow wasnt amazing to say the least and everything was packed together extremely closely. That in combination with the airflow thing is probably why it failed in the end.
I was planning small fins, more like vertical grooves. No heatpipes either this first time around.
 

Ekterm

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I've got a good layout now and drew in some power and data lines, but I'm concerned about how the bluetooth data crosses like all of the main wii power wires, is that going to be a problem? And since I think I have all the parts now (except for the c-stick), tell me if I'm missing anything big.
slimboii-powerndata.jpg
 

Stitches

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I've got a good layout now and drew in some power and data lines, but I'm concerned about how the bluetooth data crosses like all of the main wii power wires, is that going to be a problem? And since I think I have all the parts now (except for the c-stick), tell me if I'm missing anything big.
View attachment 9356
It'd be better to stick the BT module onto the Wii mobo closer to where it's wired in.
 

Ekterm

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It'd be better to stick the BT module onto the Wii mobo closer to where it's wired in.
Can I stick it behind the screen and still have good connection to wiimotes?
 

StonedEdge

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Can I stick it behind the screen and still have good connection to wiimotes?
The placement of the module itself doesn’t really matter. The IR leds should be visible so that the remote can see. Most people cut some holes in their cases and place them equal distances apart on the top or bottom near the screen.
 

Ekterm

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The placement of the module itself doesn’t really matter. The IR leds should be visible so that the remote can see. Most people cut some holes in their cases and place them equal distances apart on the top or bottom near the screen.
So you're tellin me putting the bluetooth right behind the middle of the screen like this won't kill the signal like ten feet away? Would it help if I soldered a wire to the antenna to run closer to the front? The screen is big enough I'm imagining some group playing with Wiimotes would be possible. Not planning on internal IRs either.
IMG_20190822_104745.jpg
 
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BocuD

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So you're telling me putting the bluetooth right behind the middle of the screen like this won't kill the signal like ten feet away? Would it help if I soldered a wire to the antenna to run closer to the front? The screen is big enough I'm imagining some group playing with Wiimotes would be possible. Not planning on internal IRs either.
View attachment 9359
Well its not going to help with interference, but I don't think it'll be a problem. Heh i've had wiimotes on a stock Wii work through concrete ceilings.. So yeah its probably fine.
 

Stitches

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So you're tellin me putting the bluetooth right behind the middle of the screen like this won't kill the signal like ten feet away? Would it help if I soldered a wire to the antenna to run closer to the front? The screen is big enough I'm imagining some group playing with Wiimotes would be possible. Not planning on internal IRs either.
View attachment 9359
BT has pretty good signal penetration in small devices. My BT module is directly behind the screen and near the regs in my Liinx and it works fine.
 

Ekterm

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Looks like Wii have an update!
(don't worry the rest is cringe-free)

Finally got the aluminum part of the case milled for free at college, so those memes are attached. Little chonkier than I was expecting, but this is as thin as a portable can get with 18650 cells. There are little bits of extra space, and I think I can add two gamecube controller ports on the front under the buttons on each side. The plan for that red shoulder button is to cut it in half and use at as the z buttons, we'll see how that goes...

Next I'll round the corners and make small fins in the back, drill screw holes, and the shoulder buttons are too tight so I'll file those spaces out. Then its building time!!! **MUCH EXCITE**

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IMG_20200510_150227.jpg IMG_20200510_150242.jpg
 
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Stitches

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Them pointy corners are gonna hurt. Might want to round those off.
 
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