Game Boy PC (Raspberry Pi)

[RetromanIE]

Looks like that mini joypad I got will fit well into the controls area of the GB. And I should be able to re-use the original GB Dpad and buttons, which I'm happy about.




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[8bit Diva]

any plans to sell these on once you have everything setup?

[RetromanIE]

any plans to sell these on once you have everything setup?

Not really Diva, its more a labour of love(and pain)

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[RetromanIE]

Ok, I broke ground(so to speak) on the Game Boy mod the other day.

After much planning I've decided to remove the battery compartment and utilise that space to fit the Pi and have the USB and NIC connections facing out the bottom of the case. The plan now is to try and get extenders for the remaining connections and feed them up to the top of the case and have them all there, leaving the sides free for other things that I might like to have(extend the GPIO pins to a side port maybe).

The case closes over perfectly by the way.

It's a bit rough at the moment and needs some fine sanding but the basic plan is there. I'll be using Sugru to cushion certain parts as well as to cover up any mistakes in the cutting towards the end of the mod. When I'm done I might just get another Game Boy and redo the whole thing as I'll have learned from my mistakes and can hopefully do it perfectly then, maybe.

[wozza365]

Looks awesome, just put in an order for my Pi

[camer0n]

I was hoping to do something very similar to what you have done. It will look awesome when it is completed.

I have been looking for a decent screen that will work without drivers, but that seems much harder than it should be.

Good luck!

[RetromanIE]

I was hoping to do something very similar to what you have done. It will look awesome when it is completed.

I have been looking for a decent screen that will work without drivers, but that seems much harder than it should be.

Good luck!

I know what you mean about the screen. It's just so hard (as in impossible) to find a small one that will fit inside the Game Boy that has drivers(and the correct connector or adapter).

I've ordered a 3.5" LCD that has a composite/RCA video connector on it that I'll try and cram it into the Game Boy and see if I can make it fit. It's the type of screen they use in car reversing camera/lcd kits.
It should be here this week or early next week and I'll try it out then and post some pics/vids here if it works(or doesn't).

The LCD (obviously I'll be removing the screen and electronics from that plastic case):

[camer0n]

That's going to be a tight fit. Are you going to be leaving the RPi as stock?

Do you have some plans for powering by batteries? Can you fit a mobile phone battery or two inside a game cartridge, or is that where the USB hub will fit?


Edit:
Just found some screens that would fit better, but will almost definitely need drivers, etc.
2.8" LCD
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-8-Inch-...item19cec42de6
2.8" LCD with Touch Module
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=221037723753

[RetromanIE]

That's going to be a tight fit. Are you going to be leaving the RPi as stock?

Do you have some plans for powering by batteries? Can you fit a mobile phone battery or two inside a game cartridge, or is that where the USB hub will fit?


Edit:
Just found some screens that would fit better, but will almost definitely need drivers, etc.
2.8" LCD
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-8-Inch-...item19cec42de6
2.8" LCD with Touch Module
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=221037723753

It'll be tight alright. Not sure if it will work but worth a try. As for batteries, I should be able to fit a nokia one in no problem.
I have lots of screens like those ones and they are easy to get, but again it's the drivers that are the issue, not screen availability.

[RetromanIE]

Ok, I managed to get all the electronics (except the screen as I've not cut a hole for it yet as It's not the final screen I'll be using) more or less inside the Game Boy. It's a bit of a ugly setup at the moment with the case held closed with a cable tie and the internals held in place with white tac but it's still not finalised so no point in doing anything permanent just yet.

Click for much larger images:




Pixel shot:



Boot Vid(best in 1080p Fullscreen):



Still lots to do but getting there, bit by bit

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