Gordon's Build thread

[Gordon1]

ok well since this entire thing got erased I'll just post the pics I had on here for my, or someone else's reference. I will also be copying all of this into a word document just in case.

early Ideas for construction:

Front:


back:



Other electronics work:

Heat Sinks:


Original:


CPU/ GPU:


Memory:


Common household items:


Jumper pack movement:


Main board:


Another angle:


Note: Heat sinks are now secured with super glue, aka not going to move.

SO, since all that other "appalling" stuff is gone, can we start being nice to each other Bacteria?

[Gordon1]

Ok, I have been busy for the past 3 months. But, I am finally getting around to building this thing. Today I ordered my batteries,
charger,
and my protection circuit. I need to still buy a fan (I will do that tonight) and hopefully a couple of n64 controllers.

I said screw it with that n64 board, the stupid jumper pack kept not working. So it is just going to stick up out of the case right beside my cart slot (like bacteria's). Oh well, I'm not that concerned about the thickness of that thing.

I put my 6 LEDs in my screen, yes that is right 6. My last screen was so awful I had to make this one good.
I just cut the one LED really short and soldered it onto the other LED's leads.

The TI card still needs proper wiring and to be incorporated into the space I have allowed.

It is already looking like this sucker is going to be a tight squeeze. Oh well.

More updates to come soon!

[gannon]

Not sure if it'll work after you resolder the jumper pack (not many/any have done it successfully). Mostly I see what looks like a short in the pins you soldered to already.

[marshallh]

I would use some 30 gauge wire-wrapping wire for the jumper pak. Even then, it's a real PITA. Good luck!

Showing some good progress. I hope that's not hot glue on the heatsinks

[Gordon1]

Marshall: nope, it is super glue.

gannon: I'm using a different board, I bought 3 for $35 so I have quite a few.

EDIT: bought some fans

[Gordon1]

Small update and funny story.

So, I walk into cash converters (a pawn shop) and start snooping. I find 3 n64 controllers on a rack and they are $15 EACH! Obviously there is no chance in hell an I paying them $30 for 2 controllers. So I walk over to the systems and what do I find? A console with 2 controllers for $25! And then there was one there with 1 controller for $25 as well. Anyway I just though that would be a funny story.

So, the update is that I bought some controllers and fans (yesterday).

[Supernova]

keep it up mate looks good so far (to me).

[Valium]

Hope to see more progress soon! Should look very good when it's finished.

Ew NiCd batteries.

[bacteria]

When I tried to wire the expansion pack on an N64 mobo and the system failed to boot, and all the wires seemed fine, I ditched the board and used another N64 board and gave up with relocating the expansion pack; I just made it as small as I could instead. If you have a game cart horizontally to the system, as I did (and most people here do), then you need to have space for it to be mounted anyway, so there isn't much point trying to relocate the expansion pack as it can co-habitate with the relocated game cart.

If you want a really thin fan, try one from an old PC graphics card.

Try car boot sales (or yard sales), almost every time I go (I attend 3 a week), there are N64's for £4 ($8 ) and you can get controllers from £1-£3 ($2-$6) each. I am sure you can get them cheaply in your country by similar means??

[Gordon1]

UPDATE TIME

Well, you may have been thinking I have done nothing, but I have done plenty. I was just to lazy to post an update.

I have all of the controller crap bondoed, super glued, spot puttied, and kind of primed with paint. The 6 led's in my screen look 100 times better than that piece of crap that is in my ps1p. I relocated the jumper pak, it was pretty easy with some 30 gauge enamel wire. I copied bacteria in counter sinking the mother board into the case. OK, picture time....


this shows the front of the unit, there is no d-pad (cause I have never used it)


Back of unit showing the car slot, the ps1 buttons for L & R and my beautiful Z button. It is so pleasant to hold. ALSO thats right folks, it going to be bright glossy ORANGE


top of unit showing the volume up/down brightness up/down and the FULL SIZE controller port. Also an indication of overall thickness.


BUSY BUSY BUSY, there is so much stuff rammed in there, but it all fits nicely.

split, indicates what components go where.


If you look close, you can see all the cartridge pins right there. this means that I have to wire the cart solidly in place... means harder work and a greater risk of melting some case.


Counter sinking was a real pain. eventually I had to take a piece of paper and lay it on a soft but firm surface and place the motherboard on it and push down on it to make dents where components are. I then colored them with a sharpie and dremeled and drilled them out. It took about 1hr

Top view without the cover to indicate whats going on in there.

[ShockSlayer]

So thats what all those dremel cuts were for! Wow, that n64 must be really flat up against the case!

SS

[Ben Cebhrem]

I'm curious how you got the original heatsink stand things off, if you don't mind sharing.

[Gordon1]

I'm curious how you got the original heatsink stand things off, if you don't mind sharing.

Just a de soldering iron, and when that does not work I just bust out the big pliers. they just hook up to ground so it does not really matter if you rip up the holes on the board.

[eurddrue]

I'm curious how you got the original heatsink stand things off, if you don't mind sharing.

Just a de soldering iron, and when that does not work I just bust out the big pliers. they just hook up to ground so it does not really matter if you rip up the holes on the board.

Thank you for sharing, but a vise grip will not rip up any holes. well not for me...