GameCube Advance portable - work log

[Adr990]

Hello ModRetro,

I had a spare Gamecube and every now and then you read about a cool portable or other a mod.

So I found this forum after a quick Google, and followed some tutorials/diagrams.
And so I decided to make my own, so far everything goes well.

So got this case:

And it's gonna be named the GameCube Advance. (Original, huh )

First cut with my dremel:

It fits, but I'm gonna cut off a bit more later.

Installed a memory card in Slot A:

I'm gonna install a bigger one, and a switch to switch between memory card external slot and the internal memory card

For Slot B I'm gonna use it as SD Gecko. Which will be used with the new Swiss FW by Emu_kidid for the WiiKey Fusion.
I'm also planning to put a Gameboy Player in there, we have emulators too, but it's just kinda fun to insert a small GBA cart in such a big GBA case. hehe

I've ordered a 4.3" screen from Ebay, it works fine, I draw the 12v from the Gamecube power at the moment, but you can also run it from 7.4v I believe.

I also got some speakers from a external powered (5v) ipod speaker thing.

The 5v also comes from the Gamecube now.

I just ran into one problem, though..

I soldered the wires for the AV like this on the Gamecube:

But the Video and Audio don't work directly wired from the Gamecube.
And I do use about only around 20 cm of wire, which is the same cable used in a AV cable from Nintendo, so that should work, and it's even way shorter too.

At least, that's what I think.

The power works fine though:

As when I test Video and Screen with a Nintendo AV cable via the plug from the Gamecube it self, instead of using the directly wired connection. It works fine running from the Gamecube's power.
Same goes for the Audio, though I can hear noise coming from the speakers when I turn on the volume even a little already, but it's like "burrrrrrrr".
As soon as there is no audio, like right after a intro of a game, the audio doesn't "burrrr" anymore until the next music is supposed to come up.

I thought about wiring the AV to the caps on the Gamecube motherboard directly, but I seem to have way different revision motherboard than on the tutorials.
So I do not dare to solder onto those caps, as I don't have a Multimeter at the moment.

It's a PAL Gamecube, a "DOL-CPU(P)-01":

So maybe someone could tell me to which caps I'd have to wire for video and audio?
I will get a Multimeter anytime soon though, but you know it would be really helpful for now. hehe


Oh, almost forgot the specs list so far:
- 3DS Slider pads on a original Gamecube controller.
- The Battery Indicator from daftmike's tutorial.
- 4.3" Ebay screen
- Stereo speakers.
- WiiKey Fusion with Emu_kidid's firmware.
- Slot A internal memory card 128MB with a small switch to be able to use a external memory card.
- Slot B SD card

Thanks for all help in advance! I hope this AV problem will be the only problem that I will run into.

Adr990

 

[superben51]

Looking very sweet man keep it up. as for your video/audio problems I've heard a lot of people say that the bottom of the AV port won't work so just find any of the alt points and try there.

 

[lyberty5]

for some reason, on none of my PAL , has wiring directly from the ports to the tv worked...
However following the traces coming from it and soldering does work

nice case, keep going

EDIT : Also, i noticed you have relocated your memory card with solid core wire, correct me if i'm wrong.
I know it's easy to use and works well but don't, i used to solder with that, but you can't bend them at your will, they'll end up breaking or taking a lot of space, use stranded, like ide wire for instance.. just a tip.

 

[Adr990]

Thanks guys!

I just took off the AV Port, and I think I've traced the caps that provides video and the audio. But as for the video cap I'm not sure.

Edit: *The trace that goes from the small cap to the big cap goes underneath the board, and it also touches the AMP chip..
So than it must be the big blue one I suppose? It might never really went back to the big blue cap, but I saw a connection stopping underneath it.. heh
I really must get a Multimeter some time, haha.

I don't have a real camera, it's just a 5MP HTC. But I think the pics are decent enough. (Except maybe for that last one)

The Audio traces are going to as expected the two little caps, the same as on the NTSC Gamecubes.

---

And I never used solid core wire before I believe. I always use stranded wire, the wire I used for the Memory card actually even came from the Gamecube controller wire. Free wire, hehe.

Or I'm wrong, but as far as I know, it isn't solid core wire.

---

I'm gonna try and wire it up like this after dinner:
Big blue cap: Video
Two small caps: R/L Audio

And be prepared for a silly question:
It shouldn't matter where I wire the grounding right?
As long as one side of the ground wire is on the Gamecube, and the other is on the screen/amp.

Adr990

 

[superben51]

And be prepared for a silly question:
It shouldn't matter where I wire the grounding right?
As long as one side of the ground wire is on the Gamecube, and the other is on the screen/amp.

Yes that sounds right to me.

 

[nuke]

Be sure to wire to the output end of the cap.

 

[Joeyjoe9876]

he's using a pal board.

 

[nuke]