Portable N64 in progress WITH pictures

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:10 pm

Well, I've been working on my 64 for quite some time, just messing around and things like that and it has been "portablized" already, except there is no internal controller or case. So basically its an N64 mobo with a TI DC-DC converter, a PSone screen, and a cooling fan running on AA's.

I had half of the controller done at one point in time, but I took it out and broke it while doing something else.

I am just posting this because I've wanted to share my N64 with everyone else, but I just haven't done much to finish it. I just keep adding little things here and there (like connectors, different wire, blah blah) I just rigged up a VERY crude cardboard case for it, just to see what it was like in an enclosure.

Pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. I am debating whether or not to vacuum form the case, CNC the case, or just hand-build the case. I don't have a vac-form table, but I could easily build one. I also have access to a CNC machine (though I'm not sure how to use it all exactly). I will probably vacuum form the case.

The only problem I seem to be having is that the audio on my PSone screen quit. I haven't figured out what is wrong with it, but I know it is something on the PCB

(not faulty wiring, no input, or bad speakers)

The PSone screen is NOT LED modded, just because I'm not sure whether or not I want to. I kinda like the way it looks now vs the LED mod. Yeah I know there isnt much difference, thats just my excuse for being broke and lazy.

Well, thank you for reading or at least clicking the topic. If anyone wants some info or pics, I could probably arrange that.

I'll keep track of my progress in this thread just because I know some people like to read things like that (or at least look at pictures

)

Oh, and by the way, I think I have a name for it. I shall call it....*dramatic drumroll*....64BPE! It shall stand for 64 Bits of Portable Enjoyment. Cheesiest, stupidest name ever! Well.. almost. I just came up with it so I would have something I could make a logo for.

UPDATE: Added pictures. Scroll down.

Turbo Tax 1.0 · Post by **Turbo Tax 1.0** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:17 pm

sounds good and good luck finishing it

i hope you'll post some pics soon though it makes a thread soooo much cooler

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:35 pm

yeah, good luck finishing it. don't procrastinate too long, that's why mine still isn't done after over a year working on it

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:03 am

Ok, I took a few pictures of it. Here ya go:

Running Donkey Kong 64

Again running Donkey Kong

Nifty power connector

My TI convertor.

Again

Another shot of everything but its not running

Screen closeup - Look! No distortion!

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:44 am

Well, they are too high voltage for the PSone screen, but the screen only looks funny for a few minutes and then calms down. (Im sure thats not good, but I'll fix it later) And yeah, I've ran it for about half an hour so far with no problems. As soon as I get a little more done, I'll see how long the batteries last. They are pretty much brand new 2500mAh energizer. I bought them about a month ago and the only thing I've used them for is this. I dont think these will be my final batteries, but if I dont get some different ones (probably li-ion) then I'll just stick with these.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:08 pm

AHA! Energizer AA batteries DO work with the N64! Still, i'm probably going to go with C cell batteries for now...

CoZ · Post by **CoZ** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:03 pm

that is really cool. Did you have any severe problems in the making or just minor ones or any at all?

Gamefreak271 · Post by **Gamefreak271** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 12:43 pm

Wow! Nice job so far! But I have one question. How did you take the n64 A/V cord and hook that up to the psone screen? Like which wires goes where... other then that its great!

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:36 pm

Well, No I havent really had any problems aside from keeping track of all the wires.

Color coding is nice! Some of mine are, but not all of them. Oh wait, I do have one problem. The audio on my screen doesnt work, so there is no audio

. I have narrowed it down to something on the screen's PCB, but I havent messed with it much, so I dont know for sure what is wrong.

And for the screen hookup, I used a hacked up N64 AV cable and soldered wires on to the PSone screen (follow the pinout in the sticky) and then wired the AV plug to the wires on the PSone screen.

Thanks for the comments guys!

MM007 · Post by **MM007** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:42 pm

Nice, clean looking setup. I like it. Don't run it without the N64's heatsink for too long though...

Neildo_64 · Post by **Neildo_64** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:57 pm

Thanks

Yeah, the heat is kind of an issue, but I have heatsinks to put on, they're just not on yet.

Warrior_Rocker · Post by **Warrior_Rocker** » Sun May 07, 2006 12:54 pm

Since that is a TI converter it probably has a high range input and also a pretty low threshold, also the 12v line on the n64 accepts power as low as 6.5 v, maybe even lower... really the only problem with power the n64 is having the cpu line drop low enough to reset the cpu or having the screen cut out, generally the screen will cut out first though, at least in my experiences.

toby dawg · Post by **toby dawg** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:20 pm

wow your lucky thats not fried.... its just sitting on fabric!..... i put my n64 in a box and it stopped working!

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:30 pm

yeah, they're wierd like that. some die if you just put them in a box or something and some live even if you throw it all over the place and put it on carpets and stuff, like my first one. i dropped it on something hard and it got banged around and when i got it to run from batteries, i accidentally played it for a half hour without the heatsink

joevennix · Post by **joevennix** » Tue May 23, 2006 7:39 pm

Oops. Wrong progress thread.