Backlit Gameboy Pocket COMPLETED!

[Bibin]

REVIVED FOR EPIC IMPROVEMENT:
So much more even now. This is still using 1 LED by the way; the spots at the top are because of some black tape I forgot to remove.

Is this using the DS backlight, or an LED and some a light diffuser? If it's the latter, what are you using to defuse the light?

I used a DS lite's diffusion panel, but the LED is from a GBA SP (and the light bar). The DS backlight itself consumes WAY too much power, it is not worth it. That's why Palmer's backlit GBP only got like 5-6 hours max.

[palmertech]

it is not worth it.

I beg to differ.

Come on, lets argue about this again!

[arfink]

Why don't you post some pictures of the insides and how you did it? I know you want to get it down %100 but I'd like to be able to actually try it and give you guys some feedback.

Also, have either of you two done a li-poly battery pack mod on one of these before? It seems to me like it'd be a good idea for improving gaming time, but I haven't had any grand ideas on how to make it work yet.

Lastly, in order to be the most awesome mod you'd want to be able to make it so you can use parts without pillaging a DS or SP.

[Bibin]

There are many ways to do it without that, but we're both a bit lazy to feel that it's something we need to do any time soon

The pics of the insides are very unexciting - I already made a video in which I disassemble it anyway. It's just two wires, an LED bar, and plastic put behind the LCD.

A Li-on battery pack would be possible, quite, but it wouldn't improve gaming time that drastically, seeing as they degrade over time (Mine already gets 8+ hours).

I've since taken the parts from this and used them for my DMG backlight, but once I get a better backlight for my DMG I might put it back.

[arfink]

I didn't think either Li-ons or li-poly batteries degraded. Thanks for letting me know. The main reason I'm contemplating reworking my pocket is because I am thinking of picking up one of those new USB flash carts and doing LSDJ and it'd be nice to have a light and more than 8 hours of battery time.

[palmertech]

Bibin is just trying to justify his AAAs.

The degradation is very small, and even if you used it every single day for the 15-20 hours you could get from li-ion cells, it would only reduce it by half (Still 7-10 hours).

I am looking into those GBA SP wing grips with built in li-ion cells, they are usually 2000mah, and have a built in charging circuit. They should fit pretty easily.

[Bibin]

Well, MINE would get that much. With yours' power whoring, with 2200mAh batteries it'd be just enough to rival mine.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Could I ask please if either you ( palmertech ) or you ( Bibin ) have done a Gameboy Color ( GBC ) BACKlight mod. yet? I just bought a purple GBC cheap to hack up for this purpose (as I don't want to do such a mod. to my Atomic (clear) Purple one as the case would glow as well when the backlight is on ) and I was looking at this backlight mod. for the original GB ( DMG ) ;-

http://nonelectronics.com/tutorialsmt.php

...and I see that they take the rear polariser and reflector off and are able to backlight a screen which normally cannot be backlit. Is it possible to do much the same thing with the GBC ? If not, why not?

I am wanting to have a rather bright backlight (preferably much brighter than the frontlight of the Gameboy Advance SP AGS001 , I know as I have one and it's a very dull dissappointing light IMHO) and battery life isn't THAT important to me as I use 2900+ mAh AA cells that I can recharge in 44 mins from fully flat and I have spare ones on standby ready charged and it only takes a few seconds to change cells in the GBC LOL.

I also need the backlight to have almost NO BLUE TINT. The GBA SP AGS001's front light has a blue tint which is annoying IMHO.

Also the GBA SP AGS001's LCD looks very poor in contrast and washed out with the poor frontlight, in comparison to when I shine an ultrabright LED torch on my GBC I then have a crisp, high contrast, very colorful display, which I want to achieve on the GBC with using only a backlight alone.

Thoughts?!

Best Regards,

Alistair G.

[vskid]

Been asked several times before. The GBC can only be frontlit, backlighting it washes it out.

[Live_Steam_Mad]

Been asked several times before. The GBC can only be frontlit, backlighting it washes it out.

Sorry about repeating a question that has been asked before on these forums but I am new and found this site with a search engine and this seemed like the best topic to post in (I should have run a search first, sorry).

Why does the color dissappear? Is it because you cannot avoid accidentally removing the LCD Color Filter when you peel away the rear polariser and reflector from the GBC screen? Is there anything that can be done about this (like replacing the color filter sheet with a new one in this case)?

I am interested to know the reason.

Cheers,

Alistair G.

[vskid]

No problem, I was just letting you know you're not the first to think of it, and so far, no one has succeeded.
I'm not sure if there is a way around it. The DMG and GBP both have adjustable contrast, so when a backlight is added, the screen can be made darker to compensate. There might be a magic way to make the screen darker, but it might just be the type of screen. Palmer or Bibin could probably tell you more.

[ShockSlayer]

I could be retarded or I remember seeing some POT on the board that could adjust something. I have NO idea though.

SS

[bentendo64]

I could be retarded or I remember seeing some POT on the board that could adjust something. I have NO idea though.

SS

yeah, under the sticker by the batteries, there is a variable resistor, which you can adjust the screen contrast with. this is also present on the GBA, GBA SP, and NDS.

[wwwyzzerdd]

love the pockets, very clean, professional looking. I will eventually do this to my pocket, after I'm done fighting this DMG I'm working on

I am very sorry to revive such an old thread, but I keep coming across this thread in searches and cant find much searching google.

I put a backlight from a ds lite lcd into a DMG. I can hook it up to an external power source and it looks great. thing is, I can't seem to find a spot to power it from in the gameboy itself. the 5v sources I find on the gameboy wont power the leds. I figured since Mr. palmertech here used a ds lite backlight in his original post, then maybe he(if still active), or someone else, could give me an idea of where I can get power from?

I'm using the original ribbon of leds from the ds lite backlight, if that matters..

if someone can help me out here, that would be awesome, and I would be most appreciative

i guess i could modify the ribbon to power the leds in parallel, but that sounds annoying....