Worklog NGCP by Nikoil - Finished

[Nikoil]

NGCP​

Many year ago when i was in school every week i watched Xplay tv show. Xplay make review on top best gamecube game. When it was i has only dandy. Then I think it best console in world. I very much wanted to get her for Christmas but..... And now after 10 year when i find this forum and learned about GC mod chip and how many peoples make portable console I decided to make a pocket version of the NGCPocket.

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I'll start with pictures. The cube should be a small and the first thing that comes to mind - likea elephant))

When I started I was nothing: cube, gamepad, memcard, display, buttons, triggers, mod mod chip etc. Almost all parts ordered from different countries, in my country gc - rarity.
Today I received my console and already break it. Dimensions motherboard 11,9x12,6Sm (Pic 2,3) I ordered a small 3.5-inch display, controller, tact switches and another parts. Having dealt with the power supply. It is possible to remove the 12v supply line, and replace them on the five volts. We save 1 wire and plenty of space. The power board will be beyond the console.

Disassembled joystick (pic 7-8) and controller board (pic 9). I will be use 3ds stick. Plastic case, controller board - no more needed.

Started working with the motherboard. No schemes and datasheet - too bad! Pcb has 4 layers and thickness - 2mm. Need make power line map and delete many components . Photos 10-11 Handy X-rays.)

On (pic.13) remapping supply lines, transparent overlay for making the necessary circuits (pic.14). (Pic.15) pinout picture. Pic.16 is a cutting board line. The last photo of my motherboard after partial cutting. There were problems with the board after cutting, 5v line was in short circuit , and all because I was too lazy and not accurate

In AutoCAD I started modeling accessories and components. Attach a photo 3ds joystick (Pic 19), memory card, display, motherboard - 90% of the components.

Few details: joysticks cpu, many buttons, wasp key cpu

(pic30) main board prototype - v1

Continued. Expected thickness between the motherboard and prototype board - 3mm)

all together v3

And v24 model

 

[Nikoil]

Reverse engineering

Gamepad

Wasp Fusion

3.5" TFT LCD

 

[Nikoil]

Components

Wasp Fusion

I connect modchip - working good!

Now does not work)

3.5" TFT LCD

I buy 3.5 inch display. I was surprised by his quality. For him test i connect xbox 360 and run gta 5 for 3.5 inch its beautiful. Small pcb on T118 chip, he can work on 480i has av input, svideo input, tv input and another cool hiden opportunity for future upgrades. Lcd - i shocked, so bright so juicy. My camera cant make real color this lcd - hi so bright and camera can't focus on him. Quality better then crt tv on this monitor i can read text! For lcd need 12v but if unsolder step down controller BM1410 (pic.41) and his parts we can use it with 5v. Electrolytic capacitor i change to tantalum capacitor. Quartz and inductor replaced, now he smd type (pic.42)

Memory Card

Memcard. I buy 2pc on Ebay. From Japan,) original, was) like new!

Another parts

Z-button (pic.47), capacitors, transistor for triggers trick on pic.49 (soon!), new small quartz for tv module.

New small battery for bios, buttons for A B X Y on pic.52 (for button trick soon), joystick and potentiometer for amp.

Av output, speakers, microsd card slot for wasp and SD Gecko, smd buttons for button trick will be use on d-pad, start button and A B X Y.

Nokia camera button for trigger, many smd 0402, usb and all together.

Smd buttons idea pic.63-66

And trigger trick with nokia 2 click camera button for trigger + scheme

 

[Nikoil]

Main PCB

I make this scheme 2 weeks and when i finished i very want pcb factory quality and i get it + ~3 weeks

In process

Scheme on 3d model

Photo view

My babe

Pcb after cutting

Dc supply board

Trigger and sound board

Wasp fusion, memcard and sd gecko board

Dimensions check

Final cutting GCP board with panel together

After >200 components

Tft lcd, gamepad, wasp, sd\memcard board working fine. But I'm not happy And i forgot put in this pcb amp )

3ds triggers without mounting. Only 4 wires. Its no good. I have new cool idea. Will be in new pcb ver.

v2 memory card/sd gecko/wasp wires pcb

The portable gamecube assembly on pic.93 . All bugs fixed. Added front buttons panel and back speaker panel - this drawing need for quality cutting. I will be make it on cnc.

Disassembled analogue stick. Total was 3 pcs plastic parts. I use only 2. Only one click and part installed! Without glue, screw or another dubious ways. This much better then was see 88-91pic

Main pcb - assembly process. Need select buttons for the cross button. Its will be when i get my front button panel.

And main pcb - FINISHED

 

[Ikeprodigy]

Looks pretty awesome, I'm not gonna lie!

 

[ShockSlayer]

10/10, can't wait to see this legendary beast completed.

 

[Luke]

Oh man!
I thought you had abandoned this project. So glad to see that you're still working at it and can't wait to see the final result!

 

[Aurelio]

Finally! Welcome to the forum! Can't wait to see this done

 

[Shank]

Pretty freakin amazing for a GameCube portable. This is going to be amazing

 

[JayCantPlay]

Jesus Christ this is next level. This is simply brilliant!

 

[pipbug]

This is breath-taking. Unlike most GameCube portables, this probably wouldn't get mistaken for a bomb at an airport. 11/10

 

[bascocarmelo]

Man. This inspires me to go back and finish mine. This is just on a whole another level right here. This is more than portablizing. This is love.

 

[Nikoil]

Thanks )

 

[Nikoil]

Power board

When I started doing the project I wanted to take out the power board from the console and just extend the wires. This did not work because of the long wire, the console was not turn on. There were large voltage losses. When I tried to calibrate the power supply, i burned it))). In the photo, the first version of the board with usb 12v dc in, video output, volume control and z buttons.

After this fail, I realized that the only correct solution would be to integrate the power board into the console. The ratio of the sizes dc pcb and my GC seen in this photo

Since I had to urgently looking for a replacement dc, I bought a pal gc because ntsc in my country not available.
The power supply was 4-layered. This is a very difficult task.

I had to make a 4-layer power supply of smaller dimensions, and then turn it into a two-layer board. And I did it. See animation.

The power supply did not work right away. There were many problems. When he began to work stably I was not satisfied because there was no free space for speaker.

I removed a lot of spare parts from the unit.
After removing few components i can make board ~ 25% smaller. Now there is where to put the speakers. On dc borad i intagrated a mini Usb 12v in, L \ R analog and digital + Z buttons.

Spares for this board i buy on Ebay. Seller send me from Japan 3x power board. Now left ~2 month. No parcel yet. I think it was stolen((( I had to buy several not original parts and mosfet.

And internal power board - FINISHED

 

[Nikoil]

Сooling system

The radiator and the power unit i make at the same time.
Cut and polished..... too long time. It was difficult but incomparably easy compared to designing a power supply.

On board with fan duct.

I think it's very beautiful

But I can do better

And I will do it better

I bought a new fan. Pressure is less by 10% but he has metal housing, lower voltage, smaller dimensions and work quieter than the previous. I made heatsink much thinner. Need polish it

And cooling system - FINISHED

 

[pipbug]

This is probably going to be the best GCP ever made, especially in the workmanship dept.

 

[Nikoil]

Pcb assembly - testing and debugging

Temporary video


Beta - test 1





Beta - test 2





Beta - test 3

Alfa - test 4 / finished

 

[Nikoil]

Case mod

The case will be made of abs plastic. 3D project in the photo its top internal button panel only.

I wanted made case on cnс but when i asked about technical conditions and price I decided to change my mind because for such a simple product require a lot of money and use a large diameter drill. Making at home qualiti plastic product using a simple tool - this is a serious task.

I'm using a new way of making the case. This is a layered application of sheet plastic with subsequent gluing. With a similar way of making, I did not come across and do it for the first time.

I did not design the exterior because it will take a very long time.

Now the pieces of plastic began to resemble a game console

It's look like a robocop parts

I don't like it

I decided to start on a new case

Pic. - 150, 151 the quantity of layers will be smaller.

Front view

Pic. - 154, 155 the front panel consists of two plastic layers

The cube smiles at me

Now i make most difficult panel for speaker

will be like a mini subwoofer

Rounded holes for power board parts and speaker holes done

Pic. - 164 the manufacture of the side panels of the console

need make a side stiffeners

need strengthen the longitudinal lower part of the console pic. 168

Pic. 169-170 after cutting off excess plastic

Making analogue stick holes panels

Checking dimension

Making basic back panel

Inside rear panel

First adhesive layers

Making trigger button panel and first step in design

the penultimate primer layer

I chose white matte paint and gray paint for buttons.

And case - FINISHED

 

[BocuD]

This is simply amazing. Too bad you are too late to enter the contest, you would probably win in every category. However now we still have a chance to win, since your portable is just to good to top off. Good luck, cant wait to see the result.

 

[Edward Babbage]

Holy guacamole on a stick! This is a legendary build. The king of kings when it comes to portabalizing. Inspiring and awesome.

Edit: had to fix some autocorrect errors.