Fierce64 Worklog DONE

[FierceDeity]

Re: Worklog for my 2nd n64p, the Fierce64

Double post, whatever, I have an update.

So, I got Chipquik and decided to try a ramswap before RCPing, so I did. But too bad I only have one 36 ram chip.
Pic:

Yeah I know the chip is crooked, but it works so I could care less. Once I get more ram, I'll put it in. Also, I just want to say that Chipquik is amazing, and thanks to Toast and Bud for convincing me to do a ramswap.

Also, I got my 3.5 inch screen today, but the back light doesn't work . Before I even opened it, I connected the power line to 7.4 volts, plugged it in, but only got faint picture. It's defiantly a backlighting problem. I turned the brightness and contrast up, but it didn't do anything. If anyone knows a way to fix it, please tell me. Heres the link to the screen http://cgi.ebay.com/TFT-LCD-Car-Scr...Accessories&hash=item25603eb33f#ht_3414wt_905

 

[mymixed]

Re: Worklog for my 2nd n64p, the Fierce64

Looks great! Awesome job. As for the screen, my friend bought 3 of those and one broke and the other two came broken. I haven't had any problems myself, I think there awesome. But this is the third broken one I've seen.

- mymixed

 

[FierceDeity]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

More updates:
Tonight I attached all the wires to the RCP, CPU, and the PIF. I still haven't soldered the other ends to the cart slot, I'll probably do that tomorrow. I still need to attach the audio, ground and voltage.
Pic:

I put the cart slot in where it normally goes, put a game in, and it boots fine; so there are no bridges. I'm just going to edit this post when I have the cart slot wired up.

Also, I know this worklog is kind of boring since I haven't done any case work, but I will start the case soon.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

I don't think that you can boot an n64 game when the board is cut like that, without actually wiring the cart slot to the RCP... am I wrong? Aren't there too many traces that have been cut?

 

[mymixed]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

What do you mean zenturi? It looks all right to me. soldering by the way. Also, it's not boring at all. What revision is you mobo?

- mymixed

 

[SonyQrio]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

SonyQrio (mymixed's friend says

My first screen worked fine, I did not break it. If I were to pull it out now, I could get it to work with a little effort. I just have to wiggle the ribbon cable just right (which I cannot do when the screen is closed up in the case, thats why I can't use it.) Secondly, the next two screens I bought don't display anything from my N64, but they work fine on other AV devices....

So yeah... if you get it working, let me know!

 

[bud]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Zet....I think you're losing your touch. Of course you can. In fact I see a tad more he can trim off.

 

[FierceDeity]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

The board boots fine when I have the cart slot in. Bud is right, I could trim more, but eventually, I'm going to cut it completly off, so I don't need to trim it all the way now. Toast's mobo for the Toasty64 is the most you can trim without RCP wiring.

Also, I'm using a Rev 4 mobo

 

[Basement_Modder]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Rev4 is my favorite, but Rev3 is the most common one I've had.

 

[FierceDeity]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Read the entire post before commenting, the beginning might be a little bit misleading

I have no idea what is wrong with this. I soldered all the wires to the cart slot, but the board doesn't boot with that slot, but I can still plug it in the normal slot on the board and it works fine.
Pic:

I know it looks weird, but the slot on the board works.

Also, for some reason, if I don't have a cartridge in, or I have a cartridge in the slot that is RCP wired, I get this:

Instead of just a black screen like I used to get. Also, those lines are yellow, not white, my phone camera doesn't like TVs.

Also, I am 99.9% sure that each wire is wired right, because I made this:

for my multimeter, so I can touch the pins on the cart slot from the top, and each corresponding pin on both slots have no resistance between them.
EDIT: I know thats hard to understand, but basically, I mean that its wired right.

Here is the Pic of my wires on the RCP:

As you can see, the wires are all short, except for the ones going to the CPU and PIF, which are a little bit longer.

If anyone has any ideas please help.

 

[bud]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Try shortening you wires as much as possible.

 

[FierceDeity]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Believe me, those wires are litteraly 1 inch on the RCP, I can't make them shorter. But yeah, thats what I would do if they were long.

Edit: I'm using 30 AWG solid-wire ribbon cable that I pulled apart into separate wires. If that sounds like bad wire then tell me, but I'm pretty sure its good.

Edit2:

YAY RPC WORKS NOW!!

So I did a bunch of tests, and as it turns out, 3.3 volts wasn't connected to both sides of the board. But, it was connected when the cartridge was put in normally, like on a normal cart slot on the board, the 3.3 volts goes through the cartridge and gives both sides of the n64 board 3.3 volts. But, when I have a cartridge in the slot that I RCP wired, the cart slot was only connected to one side of the board, so the other side didn't get power. I know that might be a little bit hard to understand since I'm bad at explaining it, but all that matters it that it works.

 

[ToastBucket]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Just read back on the part about the PSP nub thing. That one you linked is pretty much the same as the PSP nub. You have a few options for nubs. PSP, the one you linked, wait for Pandora nubs to be sold as spare parts (which will happen very soon and they are very good nubs), or wait for 3DS nubs to be sold as spare parts. You could also give the retrocon controller's analog a go, as it's tiny and a very good analog.

 

[zeturi]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Great job on the RCP wiring. That's the most difficult part.

Yeah, I am losing my touch, Bud. I don't really do much portablizing anymore, and I rarely touch the n64 besides.

 

[bud]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

portabilizing<become firefighter

 

[ToastBucket]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

YEAH PIE

 

[FierceDeity]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Finally starting my case

I vac formed my case today, cut it out, and sanded the to two halves.

Pic:

Size comparison:

Thickness(will probably change):

I'm pretty happy with it, it turned out pretty good IMO. If I can, I'm going to make it thinner, but this should be the thickest it will be. I'm going to start adding the buttons and the screen hole pretty soon. About the nub stick, I bought the Genius MaxFire Pandora Pro(the one I linked to earlier), and the nub from it is really nice, much better than the Psp nub. I also ordered batteries, parts for my audio amp, and speakers.

 

[bud]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

Thats almost exactly the same size of a SL-68p.

http://www.polycase.com/item/sl-68p.html

 

[zeturi]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

That does look like it came out well, bro. Great job!

 

[ToastBucket]

Re: Fierce64 Worklog

You liked the maxfire nub? I hated it :/ it felt just like the psp nub imo. I guess I just prefer concave nubs over convex.