CC64 - N64 Portable

[Basement_Modder]

For a first-timer, this is excellent work. Keep it up.

Everything looks highly professional except maaaaaaybe the speaker holes, but if you only want it to play it, who even cares? God I miss modding sometimes...

 

[Josh Moddz]

@ Basement_Modder Thank you! I agree about the speaker holes. Next time I will take a different approach.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Had to revisit the case.
After mounting the cartridge slot on the motherboard, I realized it stuck out of the case quite a bit.
I added some plastic to the case to cover the exposed cartridge slot and to help guide the game cartridge into the slot.

I then ABS cemented the spacers for the motherboard into the case.

After some paint and clear coat work, the case is now ready for the components to be mounted into place.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Got the LCD wired up. Next step is to get the audio working.

 

[Spiicyice]

Looks good, but why did you mount the cartridge slot so high? You could have mounted it much lower, so you wouldn't have to make that support thing on the case.

 

[Josh Moddz]

@ spiicyice Great question. This case is too thin to fit the cartridge slot when it's mounted lower on the board. When I tried it, it was pushing up against the LCD board. By mounting it higher, I was able to overlap the cartridge slot on the motherboard to make everything fit.

After doing some research, I realized that Hailrazer got his cartridge slot to fit lower by extruding the PSOne screen out more than I did. As you can see, mine sits a bit more flush with the rest of the case.

So rather than going back and adding width, I decided to add a bit of height.

 

[Spiicyice]

I see, that makes sense. It's a good thing you checked to see if it would fit!

 

[Josh Moddz]

Anyone have an idea as to why the LCD and backlight seemed to work without connecting the 5V sense in? I didn't connect the 7805 to pin 12 on socket 1 as shown in the picture and you can see that the LCD and backlight still works.

Is the 5V sense in connection necessary for this mod?

 

[vskid3]

The extra 5v input isn't required, some screens work without it, some don't.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Got the buttons mounted on the top case using plastic, tact switches, spacers, and hot glue.

I found this foam for cameras on eBay. It's only a couple millimeters thick, has adhesive backing, and works perfectly as an LCD cushion.

 

[Josh Moddz]

I ordered a new PSOne screen after blowing the board on my old one and it just came in!
I decided to remove the anti-glare from the salvaged LCD.

Here is the original LCD with anti-glare.

This is the LCD with the anti-glare removed.

I'm still trying to decide which one I'll use for this project, but I'm leaning towards no anti-glare.
It's very hard to tell in the photos and video, but the colors pop a bit more without the anti-glare.
Although, the anti-glare gives the screen a softer look and may work well with a portable since it will travel around.
Hmm... Decisions, decisions...

Anti-Glare

No Anti-Glare

 

[Josh Moddz]

Added copper heat sinks to the motherboard.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Got the speakers and headphone jack working today.

Because the headphone jack will be glued to the case, I needed a way for it to be detachable so you can remove components for repairs without desoldering.
The solution was to use a 4 pin JST connector to connect the headphone jack at one end, and the PSOne screen at the other.

Here is a video showing that the audio is working.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Got the fan connected.

I'm using a 5V fan, so I just tapped off the 7805 on the N64 motherboard.

Now It's time to get the controller working.

 

[Josh Moddz]

My Hori Mini Pad bit the dust today. I was working on getting the controller hooked up and I must have shorted the board because it is no longer working.

Kind of makes you want to cry as they are not cheap. But life goes on.

I went into my closet and pulled out a Super Pad 64 I had lying around and decided to go with that.

I got the trigger buttons mounted and all the wiring is hooked up and ready to be connected to the controller board.

My next step is to replace the stock analog stick with a GameCube analog stick.

 

[Spiicyice]

I don't see why you can't use that analog stick, as they both use pots.

 

[Josh Moddz]

In short, I just prefer the GameCube analog stick to others.

 

[XCVG]

That's a Superpad Plus, correct? The stick is HUGE.

 

[Josh Moddz]

@ XCVG The one I'm using is just a regular Super Pad 64, but they both have giant analog sticks. The GameCube analog stick is much nicer.

I got the GameCube analog stick mounted in place.

All that's left is to connect all the buttons and to secure everything in the case.

 

[Josh Moddz]

Successfully connected the analog stick and all of the buttons to the controller board.

I also changed the red power LED on the motherboard to a green one.

Tested it out with some Goldeneye and everything works great!

Now it's just a matter of securing everything where it needs to go in the case.