Note from Gamelver: here's all (or most, at least) of the useful info from my handheld GC attempt.....should be of some use to somebody


Well, one mod I think you should do to it is the import mod. Lots of nice games never get released here.
http://www.gamesx.com/importmod/ngcmod.htm
The main thing I'd be worried about would be if you're going to remove the fan. I'm not sure how much ha\eat the gc produces normally.

Here are the batteries I was looking at. I would have a 4S4P circuit for 14.8V and 8.8A.

Actually, since I wanted to be able to charge my batteries quickly, I was going for the astroflight 109 li-poly charger. It can charge at a maximum rate of 8A with 9 cells, which would mean that the batteries I want would charge in around 2.5 hours. That's nice since they'd give around 4+ hours of use.

I think that's much better than nicd or nimh, I'm tired of waiting 15 hours for my batteries to charge, although I'm sure that could be changed with a better charger also.

I have decided on the final dimensions of the GCp. I've redesigned the case to have a horizantal layout; the vertical layout just seemed to uncomforatable and heavy. The dimensions are 10.5x6x1 (lengthxheightxwidth, in inches). For the controller, I'm going to cut off the buttons+c-stick part and attach wires to the 44 pin controller chip on the other side. I just found out which pins they are:
A=pin 2, B=pin 1, Z=pin 6, Y= pin 12, X=pin 14, R=pin 8.
Also there's the c-stick, which has three pins and they're on pins 40, 39, and 4. Pin 1 of the C-stick is connected to pin 34 (one of the R buttons potentiometer pins ). The R button's potentiometer's two pins are 34 and 44. Start is

Tommorow (today I've got homework ) I'll make a quick design of it in paint so that you'll know what it looks like. (basically it's going to be rectangular)

Finally some pics!!!! Here's my vacuum form table, as you can see it's a real simple design. Also there is my modified GC mb and the li-poly batteries I'm using. Also there's my workspace, which I just cleaned up and organized! (kind of) Enjoy!

Here's the vacuum form table.

Here's my workspace, complete with a tv for making the GC still works when I modify it. (or for playing games....)

Here's the GC power regulator board, modified to be smaller and wired to the GC board.

Here's the modded GC mb. as you can see it looks a little different than the one on gamesx.com or PoD. I removed all the ports to save room.

Finally here's the li-poly batteries I'm using. This is one set for 14.8 @ 2.2 Ah and I have the other one somewhere for the other14.8v @2.2 Ah.

All right here's a pinout of the power regulator voltages:

first of all here's how the power regulator board looks:


all you really have to worry about are pins 12-22. pin 13 is 3.4v, pins 16-18 are 1.9v, pin 21 is 12v, and pin 22 is 5v. also you have to make sure you have ground.
here's the pins on the GC ( that box with the lines is the heatsink....I suck at paint):


pins 2 and 13 need 3.4v, pins 6,7,16,17,18,19 need 1.9v, pin 10 needs 12v, and pins 11 and 22 need 5v. just make sure that the pins that I've grouped together, like 6, 7, 16, 17, 18, 19 are connected together. they should be, though.

and that's how you only need 5 wires to attach the gc power regulator board to the GC board!!!!!!!!!!!!! that "bit of bad news" was that a gc regulator had fried and so I ordered another one....

* oh yeah if you turn on your GC and you don't get any sound, try getting the 12v not from the pin on the GC power regulator, but directly from the actual GC ac adapter. I also tried that from the 14.8v li-poly battery pack and it worked fine.

the GCp is coming along great, I've got the case done and after I finish wiring the controller again (yeah, my controller got screwed up so I have to do it all over again ) I'll put the guts in. If I work all day tomorrow I might finish it, although Sunday would be more likely.......
Here's the place where I got the power boards .
As for pics, I'll probably wait until I'm done..........

since I'm in the putting up pictures mood I think I'll put up another one . here's the back plate (once again, enjoy ):

the reason the controller board isn't in the case yet is because I haven't had time to cut the hole in the back plate yet for it....also, I plan on making a cover for the disc drive, although this will hinder the GCp's use as a hypnotizer and a pizza cutter ....also, I'll clean up the back when I'm completely finished
and that thing which my burnt and scarred fingers are covering is the fan.....it has to protrude a bit because the case isn't big enough to have the whole thing inside....since it's partly outside I don't have to cut any holes on the side to allow air in, though .

after many requests for pics of the insides of the GCp, I've finally decided to post some up ...enjoy:
(oh, and be ready for a small surprise )

pic of the insides:


one of the battery packs and it's space in the case (rhyme!) :


back of the controller:


close up of the L button module..thing :


surprise !!!:


the NEW GCp (almost rebuilt...before my LEDs fried ):

I have an idea for a power supply/charging system for any portable. It is an "upgraded" version of the circuit Ben has for the CNC SNESp in his book. Instead of only being able to charge the batteries while the unit is off, why not make it so you can charge them when you are using the AC adapter? All you need is a DPDT momentary pushbutton switch and any jack from RadioShack (I like this type because in the case of a portable PSOne, you can use the original power cord in an unaltered form.)

30 minutes later...

This is a schematic of the circuit:



You will need the above items, and:
a DPDT switch (doesn't matter as long as it's DPDT)
some wire
a charge plug (as described in the book for the CNC SNESp)
hot glue
drill/ 1/8" bit
X-acto knife
soldering iron/solder
spare piece of 1/8" thick stuff (doesn't matter as long as it's sturdy)
patience

1. Using the drill, put a hole into the power jack (not all the way through, just into it). Also be careful not to destroy the outside (ground) contact as you will be using it. (fire up the glue gun and soldering iron too)

2. Slice off the corners of the button on your momentary DPDT switch until it fits in the hole. Bevel the top at a 45 degree angle.

3. Solder a wire from the positive terminal of the batteries to one of the center poles of the DPDT momentary switch, a wire from the pole adjacent to it (the other center pole) to the battery wire's side NC pole and a wire from there to a center pole on the DPDT power switch. Solder a wire from the NO pole (the same side that has a wire going to its NC pole. Then, solder a wire from the other NO pole to the tip of the DC AUX jack. FInally, solder a wire from the negative battery side to the other center pole on the power switch. Use the schematic to help you through this.

4. Ok, time to finish soldering! Solder a wire from the positive side of the charge jack to a side pole on the positive side of the power jack. Solder a wire from the negative side of the charge jack to any negative wire nearby (preferrably the one going to the power switch, there is a mistake in the schematic too, the wire should go to the negative going into the switch, not the other pole). Solder one wire from the terminal on the positive side and the pole on the negative side. These are the wires that power your portable. You should have 5 poles connected on each switch.

5. Glue the DC AUX jack onto the sturdy stuff with the hole on the side (not the top or bottom). Take the adapter that is going to power the device and stick the plug into the power connector. Then, insert the pushbutton switch so it turns on. Hold them in place on your sturdy piece of stuff and remove the plug. If the switch pops back when you remove the plug, you're in good shape. Hot glue it in place exactly where it is.

Check all your connections with the schematic. I will eventually make a diagram for wiring the switch, but until then, get someone who knows how to read schematics well and try your best. Definitely check twice because you could fry the portable or blow up the batteries if it's wired wrong.

Edit: Wiring Diagram!

bringing this up to the top ...perhaps I'll make a sticky out of this....hmmm...better if I reorganize the info, I guess

Edit: took me a while, but I've finally readded these posts as quotes in the original thread

err.. this thread confused me for a moment until I realized it's just split posts moved from the other topic

lol...did you think you had posted it somehow and forgotten it ?

Best GCp ever. I watched the video, it sounded like you were in the bathroom taking a pee.

lol, is the video back up?