Hailrazer's Gamecube Portable - The NCube

[Hobbes]

Why must I always hear about completed benheck projects on other sites first?

Because you don't check the news section? Or was that a rhetorical question?

[thewizdawg]

Can you tell me more about the batteries you used? Where did you purchase them? What charger did you use? Did you use a protection circuit? Thanks!

[hailrazer]

Batteries - 4 of them :
http://www.batteryspace.com/highpowerpo ... arate.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Charger :
http://www.batteryspace.com/smartcharge ... aplug.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Protection circuit :
http://www.batteryspace.com/pcbfor148vl ... ocket.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Spoleyo-X-Mods]

R you going to end up selling this and how much because I'd buy this beauty in a minute

[Sun-Wukong]

I like everything except the face buttons. It seems like it would make Melee feel like Brawl using the classic controller, and nobody wants that... Still, Very nice portable. It seems like it would be very comfortable to hold, and it has a good battery life.

I don't quite understand. It's the exact same # of buttons. and the Gamecube buttons are ugly, odd shaped, and different sizes.

Of all the different systems controller buttons only the Gamecube ever used a different arrangement and I personally never liked it.

Well, to each his own I guess, but it seems like I'm the only one who understands the GameCube's button arrangement. In most games the A button (or Cross button in the case of the Playstation) does the main action. Jumping in Mario (and just about any other platformer), contextual actions in Zelda, shooting in Metroid Prime, and the primary attack in Smash Bros. That's why the GameCube controller makes it the biggest and puts it in the center. Then other actions that you might have to do a lot, but not quite as often, are mapped to the X or Y button (Like jumping in Smash Bros. or shooting the missile/turning into the morph ball in Metroid Prime) which conveniently wrap around the A button.

[hailrazer]

Guess I just never have a problem when the 4 buttons are just millimeters from each other. Haven't found a game yet where it is the least bit difficult.

Also I think I have a disc cover figured out.

Just trying to decide if I paint it or leave it clear.

And also trying to figure out how to mount it where it is secure yet easily removable.

[argelfraster]

It seems like the C - stick is in the way of the A - B - X - Y buttons.

[hailrazer]

It seems like the C - stick is in the way of the A - B - X - Y buttons.

A lot of people have said that. But I have played for over 20 hours and never even accidentally touched the c stick. I think it's because in the video I have to hold it kind of weird because of the way I shot the video over my shoulder. So my arms and hands are tilted to the left to keep my head/shoulder out of the camera. So my hands are twisted a bit which gives the impression my right hand is hitting the c-stick which it isn't.

Anyway.....yea, there's no problem

[hailrazer]

How I made the Left and Right Triggers :


Parts needed :
Dreamcast Quantam Fighter Pad Controller ($7 on Amazon.com)
Gamestop Gamecube Controller (or almost any other third party Gamecube controller)
Triggers from a spare controller. The Xbox, Dreamcast, Saturn and several others have the right kind.

Here is the Gamestop Controller I am using in my GCP :



Notice the triggers and how they work. As you pull the trigger it slides a sliding potentiometer. Then when you pull the trigger all the way it comes in contact with another button that registers another button pressed. Kind of hard to remake that huh? We'll see





Here is the Quantam Fighter Pad we will be stealing the triggers from:





And here are the triggers will be using :





First thing you do is pull off the old plastic trigger ends from the triggers we took out of the Quantam Fighter Pad. Now take the triggers you stole from a Xbox or Dreamcast controller. Drill a small hole in the end of the triggers. Using hot glue or epoxy fill the trigger with the adhesive of your choice and slide the Quantam Fighter Pad trigger stem into the hole you drilled. Make sure the trigger is facing in the direction you are going to want it facing when you put it in your portable. Allow trigger to set until glue/epoxy hardens. :



Now you can take the Quantam trigger apart. One screw holds it together and then it just splits apart. When you have it apart you will need to cut the plastic so the new potentiometer from the GameStop controller has more travel. In the pic below you wiil cut the parts in red off leaving the parts in blue. You can use a razor blade or a file. This will allow the trigger to slide out a bit more.



Now you can desolder the potentiometer from the Gamestop controller. Snip off the 4 corner grounding prongs they will be in the way. And now insert it in the trigger where the old potentiometer was making sure the slider is in the proper orientation. I made sure the slider was all the way out when I desoldered it and then placed it in the new trigger with it all the way out towards the spring so I knew it was facing the right direction.

Now we need to make a button switch to be activated when the trigger is pulled all the way in.
For this we will be using a standard 5mm two leg tact switch.



You will need to file off the 4 corners of the tact switch to round it off to fit in the new triggers we are making.

After you have rounded it off then put it in the trigger. You will want the silver part of the tact switch to be right above the silver part on the end of the potentiometer.



Now using a small amount of hot glue make sure that tact switch stays there.

Now put the trigger back together and you are done. You should be able to get the two halves back together with the legs of the tact switch sticking out, but you might need to make a tiny slot for the legs with a file or a solder iron.

And here is your final product :



Now you can put it in your portable and wire it up. Then you just cut two small slots in the bottom of the portable and epoxy the triggers in like I did on my Dreamtrooper :





It sounds complicated but it really isn't and it doesn't take to long. So give it a try

[hailrazer]

How I extended the Gamecube Optical Drive Cables :

First you will need to buy 4 parts from http://www.digikey.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; :
1. WM10055-ND - 6" 12 pin 1.0mm ffc cable
2. WM10218-ND - 6" 10 pin .5mm ffc cable
3. WM7679CT-ND - 12 pin ffc Zif connector
4. OR740CT-ND - 20 pin ffc Zif connector

Total cost will be around $22 shipped with first class mail.



The way this works is by extending the ffc's (Flat Flexible Cables). These will be the two we are extending. The one on the left is a 20 pin .5mm ffc in a slide lock zif socket. The one on the right is a 12 pin 1.0mm ffc in a no lock socket. :



Open the little brown clamp on the zif connector from Digikey. They are pull out slide lock connectors. Be carefull you do want to pull it out to far and break it.



Put the cable you want to extend, and the cable that you bought, face to face so that the silver contacts are touching. Make sure that they are aligned together perfectly, edge to edge , equal length:

Put both cables in the zif and clamp the zif clamp back down. (It may be a little
hard to get them both in there but you can do it. Make sure they are perfectly aligned.)



Plug the newly extended cable into the zif on the circuit board. Mind the orientation of the cable (pins); it should be the same as the original cable. On the 20 pin slide in the ffc and then lock the zif socket tab. On the 12 pin just slide in the ffc snugly.



Now notice how much room you have to move the optical drive around :



Now after once again checking to make sure the ffc's are aligned properly, plug the unit back in and test it. If the ffc's aren't aligned you of course will have problems like the optical drive not starting the game or the Gamecube not starting up. Simply turn off the Gamecube and then realign the ffc's and insert them in the zif sockets again. Mine worked the first time because the way the sockets and ffc's are designed it's nearly impossible to get them in NOT aligned properly. There's just not enough room.

Once you make sure everything is working properly, hot glue the ffc's and zif socket extensions you made to keep them from pulling loose or shorting out. I also electrical tape mine after hot gluing them for added security.

Well that is all, hope this helps all GameCube Portable makers in the future

[andrewdorsey]

Did you use the gamecube's original heatsink and fan?

[airz]

super sick.

[hailrazer]

Did you use the gamecube's original heatsink and fan?

Yes I did.

[hailrazer]

I am trying to build a cover . Here is what I have come up with so far :











Pros:
Works perfect.
Sturdy enough to set it down on, bump it , hit it, etc
The clear look is cool for watching the disc spin
Can't hit the laser or get it dirty.
Can set it in lap to play

Cons:
Not the most beautiful thing I've done.
Adds to the bulk of the system.


So I am really undecided on it.

Intelligent opinions ?

[limpport]

Maybe bondo in some tabs for the cd lid tabs to click into? I think painting the sides, but not the top, would look good too. What is holding it on right now? I can't tell if it is foam tape or velcro...