My First Portable: GCPod [5/6/13]

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Introduction:
Hi everybody I'm SNEAKxxATTACK long time lurker, first time portablizer.
My name comes from Sokka from Avatar yelling "Sneak Attack!" during a training session with Aang, the reason for the all caps.

Update 4/6/13
Got a name "GCPod" thanks Bac

UPDATE: 3/13/13
I soldered on the audio, but for some reason, it is really quiet. FIXED
using this setup with trim and wheel pot
made - by - bacteria . com forum/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=1799
I've turned the pot, rewired direct.

The speakers were blown or something. Luckily I bought more than 1, 4.

UPDATE: 3/12/2013 later that day . . . pics of very rough estimate of where I will shove my dremel into.









INITIAL POST: 3/11/13
Starting with a GCP pretty ambitious, maybe stupid. But I'm going for it.
Case: Polycase AG-85
System: I believe it's a REV A

I got a WKF and hoping the GC is an IPL 1.1, I can use swiss if it's 1.0 though (right?)
-ABS cement currently dissolving
-switches I need for controller and WKF
-breakout board for the WKF
-parts for a zenl0c custom regulator
-audio amps and controller
-4.3" ebay screen might end up getting 3.5" depending on the fit
-I'm planning to use 14.8V batteries, but haven't decided
-Controller specs: official buttons and sticks, GameStop board, flightpad shoulder button for sliding pot with Xbox 360 trigger

Waiting for everything to come in the mail.

First thing I'm doing is to wire up the custom regulator after the TI sample arrives.

QUESTION, is there a preferred direction at which the motherboard should face?
ie. What side should the heatsink point? How okay is it for the heatsink to be 100% exposed sticking out?
This info will help with my casework.

QUESTION, Would somebody please point out what wire to use with what?
ie. controller, wkf, power/regulators, video, audio, & memory card
I have 18, 20, 22, 28, 30 AWG
I assume 18 is for high amperage lines. what would these include?

Thanks y'all

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

[UPDATE: 3/13/13]

Update 3/13/13 - 2
Wired up screen and sound, for now, I'm avoiding volume control and just keeping an audio power switch

 

[superben51]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [UPDATE: 3/13/13]

Looking pretty sweet. You might want to use 18 AWG wire for the beefy power conections like 1.9v and 3.4v. For the 5v line and everthing else, I use 22-28 AWG.

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [UPDATE: 3/14/13]

UPDATE: 3/14/13

happy π (Pi) day everyone.

Made custom regulators

1.9V


5V


3.43V, is that 3.3V fine? it has the most difference than the others.



Checklist:
Power Regulation (made, need wiring)
Audio (Check)
Video (Check)
Controller
Memory card Slot A
WKF
Motherboard battery
Battery
Battery Indicator
Casework
Optional, External port for multiplayer and Slot B
Clean work desk (ongoing)

Video, Testing it

 

[superben51]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [UPDATE: 3/14/13]

Clean work desk (ongoing)

Just give up now like the rest of us

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [Pi Day Update: 3/14/13]

Better idea, get a second desk, spread the mess

Update 3/15/13
All seriousness, project put on hold for a week unless I find time in between studying for finals, work, and waiting for new breakout board.


Won't need new breakout board if someone can help me with a pinout/sample wiring for hailrazer's adapter for zif1.8 to 50pin micro ide so I can use the 32pin ffc with the wkf.

It's a confusing adapter, some pins seem to connect to more than 1 pin on the ffc.
so any help to enlighten me on this would be appreciated. thanks

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [St. Patrick's Day Update: 3/17/1

St. Patrick's Day Update 3/17/13
Got a new fan/heatsink. like zenloc's

Top side with fan



Sanded side. took 2 hours to sand it down.


thanks zeldaxpro

Questions: Is it possible to use the 3.43 (where mine outputs 3.3V) regulator instead of the Bios battery?
and is that 3.3V fine for what it is meant to be powering?

 

[superben51]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [St. Patrick's Day Update: 3/17/1

Questions: Is it possible to use the 3.43 (where mine outputs 3.3V) regulator instead of the Bios battery?
and is that 3.3V fine for what it is meant to be powering?

The Bios battery pretty much needs to be connected, it saves all the system settings when the cube loses power. So, it'd work until you shut the cube down.

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [St. Patrick's Day Update: 3/17/1

That makes sense. Idea thrown out.

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/18/13]

1. Is there a preferred direction at which the motherboard should face?
   ie. What side should the heatsink point? How okay is it for the heatsink to be 100% exposed sticking out?
   This info will help with my casework.
   
2. Would you help me with a pinout/sample wiring for hailrazer's adapter for zif1.8 to 50pin micro ide so I can use the 32pin ffc with the wkf. It's a confusing adapter, some pins seem to connect to more than 1 pin on the FFC
   
3. how do you keep what ever you abs cement, mounted while it is drying?

Answered question 1 & 3

Doesn't matter orientation of motherboard or heatsink. Just make sure the heatsink is not in contact against anything or you'll get a short. You need a fan to remove the air, having the heatsink exposed will not give enough cooling without a fan.

You can use dots of hot glue or other adhesive to secure the parts together then add the ABS to one half of the area, let dry, and then do other half.

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/22/13]

Update 3/22/13

Wiring the Custom Regulator


It got warm, and the voltages check out.

Question: How is gameplay with 3DS slider on GCP? what is the most comfortable cap to use, for you (link?) how do you mount said cap onto the 3ds slider? I know some aren't of the same size for the insert.

 

[thecasperrojas]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/22/13]

for me the 3ds works fine but nothing like the real analog and fro the caps i used gameboy advance caps there smaller then the 3ds pin and can be cut for a perfact fit thats what i did on my gcp but thats my personal opinion and for links ebay.com for both 3ds and gba caps

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/24/13]

for me the 3ds works fine but nothing like the real analog and fro the caps i used gameboy advance caps there smaller then the 3ds pin and can be cut for a perfact fit thats what i did on my gcp but thats my personal opinion and for links ebay.com for both 3ds and gba caps

Thanks for the input, but I can't figure out what you mean by GBA caps, the GBA didn't have a joystick.

Minor update 3/24/13
I'm doing the casework now. After which, I will decide if I need to trim the motherboard. I've used the 3ds sliders from the n64 portable I bought from gman and the 3ds itself. It's not the best. Thought it is okay. I will weigh those options after finishing the casework, which I'm creating to fit the original controller stick pots.

I'll post pics of the case when I finish. Maybe in a couple weeks. Includes drying of abs cement.

 

[thecasperrojas]

Re: case

When i say gba i mean the sp series also the dpad of the gba sp had and expantion that was sold sepredly that made the d pad into a small analog stick and it also came with the game of mario kart

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: case

When i say gba i mean the sp series also the dpad of the gba sp had and expantion that was sold sepredly that made the d pad into a small analog stick and it also came with the game of mario kart

interesting, never seen that. good to know. thanks

small search, this?
http://www.babar-tech.com/productdetail ... ductID=806

Update 3/26/13
biffed up the case (rather not show it, it's terrible), decided to order the polycase AG-85, in case I want to use it still. And the ZN-40 and the ZN-45.

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/27/13]

3/27/13

Question: I see all this jabber about bondo, filler, etc.
Make a quick search. Bondo is just a brand, with many products. Which one do I get?

Probably the "best" way is to use abs cement first to secure everything. The reason being is that the abs cement will actually melt the plastics together. Put it on sparingly and leave it "low".
Then use a flexible filler to cover the abs cement. I use bumper filler used on cars because it can flex unlike jbweld without cracking.
Then after sanding smooth, use bondo filler to fill the "pinholes" and tiny low spots.

Would somebody please care to link me to examples of what items to get from hailrazer's described scenario?

thanks guys

Edit: answered

mbb /forum/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=74&p=86#p86

Spot putty bondo filler :
http://www.walmart.com/ip/US-Chemical-P ... z/19666236

Abs cement:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_22380-138-30999 ... facetInfo=

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/30/13]

Update 3/30/13
Making some progress on the case, like I said, I want to show it off when it's done.
While it's in my head I was thinking of names. Because I'm stealing parts from this certain controller,
the name "Quantum Cube" came to mind

Made the triggers


Question: Do I necessarily need to use the GameStop controller (or any GC controller with the same type of sliding pot) mentioned below to use those triggers?

MBB /forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=32

Or can I use the official GC controller board?

The only reason I want to use the official GC controller is the fact that there are guides for cutting it up. And some very detailed pinouts for it.

Question: how do you guys deal (drilling/ cutting holes) with the lid and wiikey fusion switches on the case?

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [3/30/13]

UPDATE: 3/13/13
I soldered on the audio, but for some reason, it is really quiet. FIXED
using this setup with trim and wheel pot
made - by - bacteria . com forum/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=1799
I've turned the pot, rewired direct.

I found this perusing for wheel pots at radioshack

. . .

Place it with the pins pointing down and the 5-pin edge facing toward you. From left to right, the pins are:
1) Common (GND for audio use)
2) R1 Wiper (Out 1 for audio)
3) R2 Wiper (Out 2 for audio)
4) R2 End (In 2 for audio)
5) R1 End (In 1 for audio)

this may help solve my problem once and for all on audio.

EDIT: This has been posted

http://www.made - by - bacteria . com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=227&t=1840

 

[SNEAKxxATTACK]

Re: My First Portable: GCP [4/5/13]

Update 4/5/13

Front


Back


Frankencased some parts, still need to make holes for power switch, audio, the 2 WKF switches and SD card slot
as you can see, there's a lot of sanding in my near future.


Update 3/30/13
Making some progress on the case, like I said, I want to show it off when it's done.
While it's in my head I was thinking of names. Because I'm stealing parts from this certain controller,
the name "Quantum Cube" came to mind

Made the triggers


Question: Do I necessarily need to use the GameStop controller (or any GC controller with the same type of sliding pot) mentioned below to use those triggers?

MBB /forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=32

Or can I use the official GC controller board?

The only reason I want to use the official GC controller is the fact that there are guides for cutting it up. And some very detailed pinouts for it.

Question: how do you guys deal (drilling/ cutting holes) with the lid and wiikey fusion switches on the case?

 

[public-pervert]

Re: My First Portable: GCPod [4/6/13]

I love that case design! If you do a nice paint job, it'll be an awesome portable!