SgtApple's Simple Gamecube Portable!

[SgtAppleXx]

Sup everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, (or any forum actually) so here goes.
I wanted to design a Gamecube portable that didn't require doing any of the crazy stuff that awesome modders such as Ashen, ShockSlayer, Tchay, and others do, (I don't have a long experience with electronics because i am 14, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?)
The idea was to have a almost untrimmed motherboard (I simply just trimmed the grounding from the sides ) and the original disk drive, i'm not trying to make is as small as possible, i just want something that looks clean and functions.
I don't have any decent pictures at the moment, but i will take some as soon as i can.
The screen i am using is a 4.3inch LCD car backup monitor that i bought on amazon for fairly cheap.
i have also wired up the regulator board using a method that i found on a website that i can't remember, and then i bridged the 5 volt and 12 volt lines.
The audio amp is a 2 dollar one from eBay, i then bought two speakers from a electronics store and it sounds pretty dang good
If any of this sounds a bit noobish, its because that's exactly what i am, a noob.
I have worked on other electronics projects before, but this is the first time that i have tryed to make a portable, so i'm not the best.
Pics and more updates soon.

 

[Gamerlolwind]

Sup everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, (or any forum actually) so here goes.
I wanted to design a Gamecube portable that didn't require doing any of the crazy stuff that awesome modders such as Ashen, ShockSlayer, Tchay, and others do, (I don't have a long experience with electronics because i am 14, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?)
The idea was to have a almost untrimmed motherboard (I simply just trimmed the grounding from the sides ) and the original disk drive, i'm not trying to make is as small as possible, i just want something that looks clean and functions.
I don't have any decent pictures at the moment, but i will take some as soon as i can.
The screen i am using is a 4.3inch LCD car backup monitor that i bought on amazon for fairly cheap.
i have also wired up the regulator board using a method that i found on a website that i can't remember, and then i bridged the 5 volt and 12 volt lines.
The audio amp is a 2 dollar one from eBay, i then bought two speakers from a electronics store and it sounds pretty dang good
If any of this sounds a bit noobish, its because that's exactly what i am, a noob.
I have worked on other electronics projects before, but this is the first time that i have tryed to make a portable, so i'm not the best.
Pics and more updates soon.

Welcome to the modretro forums, StappleXX
Good to have you here.
The china type screens (3.5/4.3 etc LCD screens) are the best choice for GameCube screen
I'm using a 3.5 or a 4.3 LCD that I got from eBay for cheap price and free shipping.

But they don't have an audio amp to them, but that's easily fixed
And no, it's not noob ish, everyone making a GCp (first time or thrid even) often use this methods

Disk drive is cool, but kinda limits games to region console only (no non-region games playable, unless you use SD media loader disk or freeloader to play pal or NTSC-j games.

Anyways, enjoy your wonderful stay here and hope to see your progress of your simple GCp soon
And good luck finishing it

 

[MoRZiLLo]

Welcome SgtAppleXx

 

[SgtAppleXx]

UPDATES:

Started working on the case more, got a picture of the case after i gave it a quick coat of primer after i cut the holes out for everything, pics will be at the end.
I also started on the controller, relocating the analog sticks along with the d-pad.
Still waiting for the screen to be delivered and i haven't yet decided if i'm going to use batteries or not, i probably won't as this portable isn't very small so it's not likely that i'm going to be away from a wall socket.
i am also considering making a cover for the disk drive, i know it isn't dangerous but i don't really like the disk drive being exposed, oh well, i'm probably just being paranoid.

Now, pics...


The controller, it hasn't been wired to the board yet, but oh well.

And the case, i have sanded it down and it is completely smooth now, so don't tell me that it looks rough in this pic... 'cause i know it does.

That's it for now, stay tuned for more updates.

 

[MoRZiLLo]

Good Work!!!! This case is pretty!!! What colour did you think to put on?

 

[Noah]

Same case as my LCube. Make it look good.
I think

 

[SgtAppleXx]

Thanks for the feedback guys

@MoRZILLo

I was thinking of painting it black, i only put a coat of white primer on it because that's all i had at the time, i only did that to see all of the low and rough spots in the case.



@Noah

I doubt it's the same case as yours, i'm just using a generic project box from a local electronics store.
And i'll try my best to make it look good

 

[watsug]

Looks good!

The controller, it hasn't been wired to the board yet, but oh well.

You dont need two wires for each connection on the d-pad as they share ground. So one ground wire and four for the directions.

 

[SgtAppleXx]

@WatsoG.

Thanks for the tip! I was wondering if they shared a common ground, but I couldn't find any diagrams, do you know which ones are ground and which arent? Thanks in advance!

 

[MoRZiLLo]

It's the point near "DOWN" this little orifice between RIGHT and the DOWN pad. Rasp a little the surface and put a blob of soldering iron.

You can put a fat wire here and glue this part and if you use a cut D-pad for your portable, make the same at the other D-pad cutted. Rasp in the same point and connect them!

 

[SgtAppleXx]

MOAR UPDATES :

Got my screen in

Works great, can be powered straight of the Gamecubes power cord, and i tested it with my xbox 360, only because my Gamecube is being worked on.
Anyway, pics;

 

[Gamerlolwind]

Nice
The screen is a major + for any portable project.
Glad you got the screen you wanted for your portable
This made my day and awesome screen

It's an 4.3 LCD widescreen 16:9?

Mine's a 3.5 LCD 4.3

Can't wait to see more awesome progress on this portable

 

[SgtAppleXx]

Nice
The screen is a major + for any portable project.
Glad you got the screen you wanted for your portable
This made my day and awesome screen

It's an 4.3 LCD widescreen 16:9?

Mine's a 3.5 LCD 4.3

Can't wait to see more awesome progress on this portable

Thanks man!

It can display both 4 and 16:9.
I would have used a 3.5 Inch LCD, but my case had enough space for a 4.3 Inch LCD, so i thought "Why not?"

 

[SgtAppleXx]

MOAR UPDATES :

Woah two updates in one day.
Woah.

Only pics now though (And yes, that is science homework behind the pictures) ;


Out of the case.

Tactile switches rewired.

Tact switches.

Shoulder buttons

 

[superben51]

Tact switches.

Tact Segaes

 

[SgtAppleXx]

Tact switches.

Tact Sega

You monster.

 

[Gamerlolwind]

Wait a minute. The screen is exactly like mine,
We both have same 4.3 screens
Cool, huh?

It's easier to disassemble etc than a 3.5 which has hot glue in the case.
Also nice reallocations on the screen switches

 

[gman]

It's easier to disassemble etc than a 3.5 which has hot glue in the case.
Also nice reallocations on the screen switches

I think you buy different 3.5 inch screens. It has never taken me more than i min to disassemble a 3.5 inch screen. I have never seen hotglue in them either.

 

[SgtAppleXx]

Well i haven't updated in a while, with good reason too.
I haven't given up, I've just been ill for a week or so, and all I've done is puke up and sleep for the past few days. (Excluding yesterday)

But yesterday i managed to get some things done, i don't have pictures so ill just list them, hopefully pics coming tomorrow.

- I finished the case, its not as good as i wanted it to be, but it works and that's all that matters at the moment.

-I think i fried a controller, i'm sure my wiring is right, i checked on multiple forums and websites for the wiring diagrams, and everything seems right.
I guess ill just buy another and go from there.

-Got a lot of parts mounted into the case also. (Screen, speakers, tact switches, and lots more.Only thing left to mount an wire up is the controller.)

That's about it for this time, hopefully i can get more done over the next few days as i seem to be feeling alot better

 

[SgtAppleXx]

Progress. i maed sum.

Pic of everything that i have so far, it works except for the controller.

Case looks bad, but could have been worse.

Side boob.

DD.

"It's awesome, it can fly. WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM"

EDIT - Anyone have any good ideas for names?