Genesis 3 Portable Worklog - Progress starts on page 5.

[zeturi]

I actually started this worklog on Benheck, but it got stopped when I cut my motherboard and messed something up. Anyway, I received zero help there, only an offer for my borked motherboard. But I got some help here, and I like these forums a bit better, so I'm going to switch my worklog over here instead.

So... progress so far --

My motherboard started at 12x12cm, and I managed to cut it down to 10.3x11.3cm. I flattened all my capacitors, and am in the middle of relocating my cart slot. (Messed up the one it had when I desoldered it.
I bought a battery and charger at radioshack for 47 cents (clearance). I have a hip gear lcd, but I need one that will work well with 6v or less (and has an audio amp). I'm rebuilding the controller with tacts.
I'm unsure about my case. I know I don't want a polycase, so I'm either vac-forming or making one out of wood. Probably the wood route.

That's about it. I'll post some pics now:

I'm ordering a game genie right now to tear the cartidge slot out of, so in the meanwhile I'm going to finished my controls.

 

[XCVG]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Nice work so far. If are good at soldering you can trim it down more and wire the cartslot RCP-style, but it's probably not necessary.

I'm unsure about my case. I know I don't want a polycase, so I'm either vac-forming or making one out of wood. Probably the wood route.

Polycases are good and cheap but uncreative and look unprofessional. I would REALLY recommend the vacuform route. You can get any shape you want and if done right it will look great. Wood CAN look good but it requires skill, and it's usually pretty thick.

 

[snowpenguin]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Polycase can be made to look great, and very professional, remember Neildo_64's ZN-40 s4p and LOB's Nintendo SuperBoy?

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I considered wiring it to the rcp, but I don't trust my soldering quite yet.

And I'm definitely considering the vac-forming route, 'cause I've got an oven in my room.

 

[hailrazer]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Polycases are good and cheap but uncreative and look unprofessional. I would REALLY recommend the vacuform route. You can get any shape you want and if done right it will look great. Wood CAN look good but it requires skill, and it's usually pretty thick.

Hmmm weird cause I completely feel the opposite is true.

Most vacuum cases don't look good to me because the two halves of the cases never match and they are very difficult to hold together (hot glue doesn't count). And "most" of the time they look to me like cheap plastic toys.

That being said I have seen some awesome vacumformed cases and also some awesomePolycase cases. I have also seen terrible versions of each of those.

Wait a minute where was I going with this.

Oh yea your skill level in vacuum forming or bondo work will decide how good the case looks I guess. LOL

By the way , nice job so far zeturi.

 

[Mario]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

There are WAAAY too many Polycase portables. It's old. Somebody needs to find a new case from them that would work well for portables.

 

[snowpenguin]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

SS tried usign the JB-whatever but it looks uncomfortable. The AG series looks great.I remember seeing an Xbox loking thing there as well that I figured someone might make a Xboxp once a XOAC came out.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I'm glad you guys are watching my progress. Sadly, had problems all with reinstalling linux on my pc today, just finished getting the browser going. I'll try to get that controller working soon.

 

[βeta]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

can i buy that

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Hey, you guys made me my pumpkin smiley, so I'll make a portable to bring you ad revenuez.

 

[XCVG]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I'm making a portable, but nobody cares. Nobody submits reviews anymore. And despite a contest, I'm the only regular contributor to the wiki.

But still, I want to see this portable.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Hey, I was silently watching your work log all along. I even posted in it just now.

Probably, your one of the few people that has a lot of knowledge on these consoles, and isn't too lazy to share with the less enlightened. I was looking at some possible sections I thought I'd like to share in, only to find you'd already gone in-depth on the subject. :thumb:

Also, wondering, how do you guys go about measuring how to cut out button holes? I'm considering making my case out of plexiglass, maybe.

 

[XCVG]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Hey, I was silently watching your work log all along. I even posted in it just now.

Thanks a lot. I know people are reading, but I'm one of those people who loves feedback, even negative feedback. Without feedback I usually don't get things done.

Probably, your one of the few people that has a lot of knowledge on these consoles, and isn't too lazy to share with the less enlightened. I was looking at some possible sections I thought I'd like to share in, only to find you'd already gone in-depth on the subject. :thumb:

Thanks, but I just stole all that information from various sites. I haven't really created anything new. Also, school has started and I have way less time to work on the wiki, which sucks. Some of the stuff is really boring to post, like variants and peripherals, but some is really fun, like the mods and modding info.

Also, wondering, how do you guys go about measuring how to cut out button holes? I'm considering making my case out of plexiglass, maybe.

I would just trace the button, drill a hole slightly too small and file or cut it out. Then again, I never measure anything and everything I build turns out horribly ugly.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

No, what I meant was how do you measure the distance of your tacts? I'm not using the original controller's contacts, just the IC.

EDIT: With a ruler. Oh, god, it only took me a moment to realize!

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Yeah, I put my hip gear with it. The color really sucks on it, though. The sky is purple, and it is really blurry.Could be because I only put 6v into the screen, regularly takes 12v. Since I was thinking of using a 3.5 inch screen anyway, I'll probably pass on using this one.

I don't really want to go over 6v, though. Anyone know if this screen has a speaker? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/s ... r.87419775 If so, I'll get it 'cause I would like to use rgb if possible. I definitely don't want to use a Psone screen though, way too big for this project.

 

[hailrazer]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I don't really want to go over 6v, though. Anyone know if this screen has a speaker? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/s ... r.87419775 If so, I'll get it 'cause I would like to use rgb if possible. I definitely don't want to use a Psone screen though, way too big for this project.

No speaker, no color/brightness/contrast adjustments either.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Ah, oh well. I had an idea for my case, but I think if I change it up a little it, I could use the 3 inch pustom. Long as I can get it somewhere between 6-7.5v, I'll be happy.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/s ... r.87419775

 

[J.D]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

Wow, nice work. I suggest you use a 6 button controller for your portable - I turn into the hulk when people don't use 6 button controllers...

 

[XCVG]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I don't really want to go over 6v, though. Anyone know if this screen has a speaker? http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/s ... r.87419775 If so, I'll get it 'cause I would like to use rgb if possible. I definitely don't want to use a Psone screen though, way too big for this project.

No speaker, no color/brightness/contrast adjustments either.

Wait, I'm pretty sure it has mono audio and at least brightness adjustment.

Ah, oh well. I had an idea for my case, but I think if I change it up a little it, I could use the 3 inch pustom. Long as I can get it somewhere between 6-7.5v, I'll be happy.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/s ... r.87419775

The Pustom is pretty good, but if you want a good, small, 3.5" screen why not an AEIComp one? Oh right, the price.

Wow, nice work. I suggest you use a 6 button controller for your portable - I turn into the hulk when people don't use 6 button controllers...

Definitely. It would be a shame to build a cool portable, but not be able to play some games fully because you only have three buttons.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Genesis 3 Portable Worklog

I'll look into the six-button controller, but as for compatability, the Genesis 3 can't play certain games anyway.

I'm not sure if I can even fit all six buttons... but I'll see what I can do. If I use a 3 inch screen instead of a 3.5, I think I could squeeze one in. Plus the 3 inch I linked to is 10-20 less than the 3.5 inch ones.

Either way, because of the size, it'll probably end up with a 3.5 inch screen or a six-button controller.

EDIT: Meh, screw it. I laid out my design on paper, and I should be able to use a 3.5 inch and a six-button controller. It won't increase the size much, and Streetfighter 2 happens to use that controller. So I want it. Since I will be using a 3.5 inch, I'm gonna use this one that Life of Brian said can run off of only 5v. http://www.forums.benheck.com/viewtopic ... 30&t=33149

I'll just have some trouble making an audio amp. It sounds like the lm386 isn't too bad, so I'll try that one out. My system will use 6v after all!