My Gamecube Portable Build Log - Gearomatic

[gearomatic]

Ok guys, another build log.

12-05-31 - First Entry.

Materials gathered so far:
Regulator Chips + Caps + Resistors
WiiKey Fusion (Tested on a Wii)
GameCube Controller (Plan on picking up 1-2 more just in case)
Appropriate GameCube cables (for testing purposes, will probably not make it into the final build, going to see how it goes.)
2X Bic Pens
14.8V - 6450mAH 96WH laptop battery (comprised of 4 groups of 3 cells. Each group of three is 3.7V. Probably going to make a belt pack type scenario @7.4V)


In the mail:
4X GameCubes for parts
3.5" LCD monitor
Arrived


To purchase/re-purpose:
Battery smart charger and protection circuits
Case material
Paint
Epoxy or equivalent



The design:
I really dig the idea of splitting the controller in half and having them be "wings". I know it has been done before, but it seems like the most natural idea to me. It also could allow me to not have to deal with creating my own screw posts and such, and will keep any cutting to a minimal (in stead of cutting out each button/stick's hole.)

Seeing as this is my first attempt at a portable of any kind, I am not expecting a lightning fast build

So far I have wired up a 1.8V regulator. Whoooooo, fast start.....
First time I reversed all the pins (wired 5 to 1, 4 to 2, 3 was correct and so on) Lovely picture of my first incorrect regulator: http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=lpogtgmmoynl0co
(Oddly it outputs 5V on the dot when presented with a 9V source)

Second time through I mixed up pin 1 and 2.

And third time, I finished it correctly and tested it.
Doesn't look as nice anymore….
Pics here:
http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=4npytnfkie5d5ff

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=m5q51zbj477wib9

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=43kcw1ki4s3dzd6

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=pc66ddos29a56zt

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=98c4kcrpro4d8vd

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=9gen4i4a7eqhei9


Tomorrow will be the other two regulators I want to build, and maybe disassembly of a GameCube if they get here.

Updates to follow as I go. (And maybe time-lapse!! I love time-lapse!!!

 

[bentomo]

That looks dangerously close to shorting out.

 

[Ashen]

Yea man, you may want to rethink that whole setup. IDE wire is not good for main power on the GC either. Get some thicker flax.

 

[bud]

What they said.

Also, it may help to practice soldering some more. Those joints look disturbed/cold which means they'll break really easily, or just not provide a reliable connection.

 

[gearomatic]

alright, cool.

I will probably spend some time cleaning it up tonight.

Didn't even think twice about IDE. Most of the stuff I fool with is low V low A. But yeah. I have better I can use.

 

[bud]

22-16 gauge is pretty good for power wiring.

 

[Ashen]

Maybe take a look at how I usually wire mine:

Blue is ground and Red is supply voltage in those pics, the yellow white and green wires are outputs. Not saying you have to do it that exact way. but there are better ways to wire these regulators than to the connector pins that come with them.

 

[gearomatic]

Dang, that even looks pleasing.

Thanks for the input guys!!

 

[bentomo]

Also the second capacitor is optional but I recommend it, it's a decoupling capacitor and makes for a smoother voltage.

 

[gearomatic]

Thanks for all of your input guys.

Please keep it coming! I Appreciate it so much!


************************************************************************************************************


UPDATE 01 - 12-05-01 04:05

Today i got my 4 GameCubes in the mail.

2 Were perfect working models.

1 Intermittently gets a disc read error

1 Always gets a disc read error.

So i dissembled one tonight, as well as Revisiting the soldering of my 1.8V regulator, and soldering up my 3.3V

Used some nice 16(also 18) gauge CPU wires. Niiice and Beefy.

After i took all the pics (links below) I realized that having the wires come off at 90 degree angles from the boards was a stupid waste of space,
so i went back and changed it. also clipped off some of the extra leads that were sticking about.
No pics of the change, but you get the idea from the pics.

Tomorrow will be:
Getting hot glue as a precaution for my regulators (just over the solder joints)
5V regulator
Removing unnecessary ports off the MotherBoard
Perhaps shaving down the board a bit
AND/OR
testing the GameCube with the regulators and batteries



Pics of the revisited 1.8V Regulator:

All Pics: http://www.mediafire.com/?665suwcmk7u3k

New Pics:

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=bix5umaq6fun5kh

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=xee1jr6wps0d0d4

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=pk3spx8bc1m2vvd

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=jwla7417cp6cxaj

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=1zfcxz6h3joic2m

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=wrnacit5wdpdd34

Pics of 3.3V Regulator:

http://www.mediafire.com/?3mu1zb31yxmg1

Misc workspace and GameCube Tear-down Pics:

http://www.mediafire.com/?qfn0t9ro13o67

 

[gearomatic]

Double post, but I have another update

************************************************************************************************


UPDATE 02 - 12-05-02 05:58


Put in about 7 hours today, as I didn't have school

Re-re-visited the regulators. They are in there final state except for cord legnths, which i will wait for the case creation to see

http://www.mediafire.com/i/?i8l2vf7k3dff4tg


Attempted to solder IDE to the FFC for the Wiikey. Thats what took up 90% of my time. I went through and tested each path individually and all was fine. I guess when I applied hotglue, 2 paths touched, so I had it perfect exept for that. It was too delicate to go back and remove all the glue and try to fix it. So I will go with the breakoutboard path. But hey, i tried. Perhaps if there is a next time.......


Also stripped the board of some of the ports. But not all yet.

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=x6vlo3f3ia8wu73

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=7ytqmxcot58mbcy



Tomorrow will be seeing how the board likes the regulators, then perhaps some trimming....

 

[gearomatic]

Another Update
**************************************************************************************************************************

UPDATE 03 - 12-050-4 12:27


Grabbed a different cube than I had been working on and cut it down today.

Its a Rev-C cube, but I went for it anyway. Trying to actual make it smaller, rather than pushing a whole board into my final project.
We will see whats going to happen. If I ruined this board I will just go back to my other one and do the "medium cut".

There are a few parts of the cuts that I am a little worried about, but when I marked the board, I left a good amount of room. so I should be ok...
Kind of hurried myself through the trim as I could smell the board through the breathing filter. hence the semi squiggly cuts.
I roughly sanded the edges with my dremmel, but I plan on going back later and make it better looking.

Going to add power and see if i can get video next.

http://www.mediafire.com/imageview.php?quickkey=4pt93moshpm7cmq


Expecting the worse with this cut, but hoping for a good result.

 

[SonyQrio]

Those regulators look like a disaster waiting to happen. You touch that just wrong, and it will kill your gamecube IF it isn't already fried. That cut makes my eyes bleed. I'm not trying to put you down in any way, but you should really practice some more before you attempt a GCp. I'd suggest getting a better soldering iron and Dremel, and practicing with each of them - more if you already have them. Get your soldering down to an art, tackle those regs once again, and cut a whole new board. It WILL make your life SO much easier later on.

Also, the goal of soldering is to have as little exposed wire as possible. Cut down the insulation until you have barely any wire coming out, and solder it without touching the insulation. Makes an Ashen flawless joint. (Yes, Ashen, your name is now cannon as an adjective.)

 

[superben51]

Or to cut the board grab a pair a tin/avation snips.

 

[gearomatic]

Yeah...
I actually scrapped those and redid them all...


They all output the proper voltage, but I cant get the uncut board to power up.
Using the same batteries, and the original regulator it powers up fine....

Thats mainly what I am trying to figure out right now.

 

[SonyQrio]

THICK, and I THICK!!!! wire. We're talking about 26 gauge here.

 

[superben51]

I use 18 gauge.

 

[bud]

The higher the number, the smaller the wire. 26 gauge is weak.

 

[thecasperrojas]

i need help with my analogs can someone here help ?

 

[gearomatic]

I'm using 16 Gauge. Should be more than capable.
(infact, it works fine with the original regulator, so it must be my regulators.)

Just running it off the original regulator for now.

Wiring up the wiikey, but having a few issues.

Have a dol-cpu-30 board so it shouldn't be compatibility.

All wires are under 3 inches, except for the switches.


Going to triple check the wiring then shorten the switches.

The Gamecube likes to freeze when the lid switch is closed, so that is where I will start looking.