Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Moderator:Moderators
Greetings all.
This is my first project, though it's not (technically) a 'portable'.
I know this type of mod is unusual for this site... but the idea here is to have a system that is sturdy enough to survive a 4 year old and can also function as an emergency TV/Radio during bad weather, etc.
My goal here is to combine a NES (original) system I pulled out of a non-functioning Sharp 19SC111/19SV111 TV, with a PSOne screen (if I can find one), a digital converter box, an AM/FM radio, and a set of lithium-ion batteries to power it when the power goes off... and put all of this into an old Sears AC/DC Color TV (a small 5" CRT TV from 1984 that was 'portable' and could run off of 120VAC or 12VDC) (pictures below).
I would also like to create a Flash card system to store all of my games onboard... but that's a future addition.
The old TV
TV Side View (note the panel with all the switches/potentiometers)
TV Rear View - Antenna will be used for AM/FM and DTV reception - external antenna connector panel will be modified for AV out
Remaining side view
Bottom view
Bottom view - close up of label
Bottom removed - begin deconstruction
Bottom cover panel
Lifting board carefully to exposed wires to be disconnected
More wires removed
Yet more wires
Almost done with first circuit board
Success!
Beginning removal of CRT
Removal of CRT complete - Beginning removal of power board
Removed power circuitry/adaptation board - Removing user interface (power button, channel changer, volume control circuitry (save for re-addition)
All parts removed (except speaker, which will not be removed)
NES board
Upper right is the channel changer/volume control/etc user interface module.
Just below it is the button/potentiometer panel mentioned earlier.
Other miscellaneous parts possible usable in the mod.
Analog to Digital broadcast TV converter box
Inside of converter box - notice the separate power board - very nice.
Next 3 images are pictures of my collection of tools and materials for this mod
This project will likely take me awhile to complete... so stay tuned.
- Jason
This is my first project, though it's not (technically) a 'portable'.
I know this type of mod is unusual for this site... but the idea here is to have a system that is sturdy enough to survive a 4 year old and can also function as an emergency TV/Radio during bad weather, etc.
My goal here is to combine a NES (original) system I pulled out of a non-functioning Sharp 19SC111/19SV111 TV, with a PSOne screen (if I can find one), a digital converter box, an AM/FM radio, and a set of lithium-ion batteries to power it when the power goes off... and put all of this into an old Sears AC/DC Color TV (a small 5" CRT TV from 1984 that was 'portable' and could run off of 120VAC or 12VDC) (pictures below).
I would also like to create a Flash card system to store all of my games onboard... but that's a future addition.
The old TV
TV Side View (note the panel with all the switches/potentiometers)
TV Rear View - Antenna will be used for AM/FM and DTV reception - external antenna connector panel will be modified for AV out
Remaining side view
Bottom view
Bottom view - close up of label
Bottom removed - begin deconstruction
Bottom cover panel
Lifting board carefully to exposed wires to be disconnected
More wires removed
Yet more wires
Almost done with first circuit board
Success!
Beginning removal of CRT
Removal of CRT complete - Beginning removal of power board
Removed power circuitry/adaptation board - Removing user interface (power button, channel changer, volume control circuitry (save for re-addition)
All parts removed (except speaker, which will not be removed)
NES board
Upper right is the channel changer/volume control/etc user interface module.
Just below it is the button/potentiometer panel mentioned earlier.
Other miscellaneous parts possible usable in the mod.
Analog to Digital broadcast TV converter box
Inside of converter box - notice the separate power board - very nice.
Next 3 images are pictures of my collection of tools and materials for this mod
This project will likely take me awhile to complete... so stay tuned.
- Jason
Last edited by Jason on Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
I'd forgotten just how huge a picture a 7MP camera actually takes.
I've scaled the images down to 800x600 and reuploaded them. the images should be much smaller now.
- Jason
I've scaled the images down to 800x600 and reuploaded them. the images should be much smaller now.
- Jason
- snowpenguin
- Posts:1306
- Joined:Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:10 pm
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
I don't care how fast your interner is, size your gigantic pictures down.
- eagle5953
- Moderator
- Posts:1892
- Joined:Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:06 pm
- 360 GamerTag:eagle5953
- Steam ID:eagle5953
- Contact:
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Not if you intend to use actual NES hardware.Jason wrote:I would also like to create a Flash card system to store all of my games onboard... but that's a future addition.
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Is the reduced size of 800x600 sufficiently small now?snowpenguin wrote:I don't care how fast your interner is, size your gigantic pictures down.
I know, at least, one mod already exists using Atmel 49F type flash chips (2 games, 1 card) using the mapper chips.eagle5953 wrote:Not if you intend to use actual NES hardware.
Surely this could be expanded on?
-Jason
- eagle5953
- Moderator
- Posts:1892
- Joined:Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:06 pm
- 360 GamerTag:eagle5953
- Steam ID:eagle5953
- Contact:
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Even if it's possible, it'd probably be much more expensive than you'd want to go on it.
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
This is the gadget I was talking about:
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/nes ... art_en.php
He can fit two games already. I really don't see anything preventing you from adding more than 2 games per cartridge, and flash chips are generally cheap.
You could, theoretically, even use a PIC chip to act as an interface between the cartridge slot and the games. Really shouldn't be all that hard, but this is kind of irrelevant at this point anyway.
I have to build the bloody system first
-Jason
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/nes ... art_en.php
He can fit two games already. I really don't see anything preventing you from adding more than 2 games per cartridge, and flash chips are generally cheap.
You could, theoretically, even use a PIC chip to act as an interface between the cartridge slot and the games. Really shouldn't be all that hard, but this is kind of irrelevant at this point anyway.
I have to build the bloody system first
-Jason
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Cant you use a power pack?
Sometimes, life isn't fair, but you just have to work around it.
Excellent
Excellent
- snowpenguin
- Posts:1306
- Joined:Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:10 pm
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
They are still FAR too large, and most of them seem the same as before. 640X480 should be better, or just do thumbnails and if I want to see the gigantic one I can.
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
What do you mean by 'power pack'?yoshilime wrote:Cant you use a power pack?
Try deleting your internet cache.They are still FAR too large, and most of them seem the same as before. 640X480 should be better,
640x480 would be rather small... you'd lose a ton of detail.
These are images hosted on my personal site. Is the 'thumbnail' function a feature of the forums... or something I have to do on my site?or just do thumbnails and if I want to see the gigantic one I can.
-Jason
- rikitheshadow
- Posts:315
- Joined:Fri May 09, 2008 12:15 am
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Personally i don't think its odd for this site. I would personally think it would be respecting a classic, because most older gen systems where designed for CRTs in mind.
- snowpenguin
- Posts:1306
- Joined:Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:10 pm
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Your site. I'm fine now, now they're all 800X600. 56k stay away though. I know imageshack has a thumbnail feature.
Anyway, I wouldn't keep it all on the carpet like that, static.
"OH NOEZ, the world's coming to an end! Time to go get the emergency TV and play some NES!" lol.
Anyway, I wouldn't keep it all on the carpet like that, static.
"OH NOEZ, the world's coming to an end! Time to go get the emergency TV and play some NES!" lol.
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Yeah... It's a pity I cannot use the actual CRT... but it just takes up too much space.rikitheshadow wrote:Personally i don't think its odd for this site. I would personally think it would be respecting a classic, because most older gen systems where designed for CRTs in mind.
Ah well.
"Your site."
Ah. No dice.
"I'm fine now, now they're all 800X600. 56k stay away though. I know imageshack has a thumbnail feature."
Yeah... I'm just picky about where I put my pictures.
"Anyway, I wouldn't keep it all on the carpet like that, static."
Normally I'd agree... and wouldn't put these things on carpet... but this one isn't a problem.
It's some kind of plastic blend that will not accumulate static (I've tried... I miss being able to shock people at will ).
Just for the reference... I'm a computer repair technician.
If anyone knows the damage static can cause... it's me.
"OH NOEZ, the world's coming to an end! Time to go get the emergency TV and play some NES!" lol.
ROFL. Nah... the NES would run the batteries down too fast.
-Jason
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
More pictures:
The first 5 images are of the set of speakers I added to the case.
These speakers look good and match the theme of the case.
The speakers were pulls from a dead LCD monitor.
I'm also leaving in the original speaker to act as the bass speaker.
Drilled out the old lugs for a 300ohm antenna. Will use holes for RCA and Coax connectors.
Removed the old circuit board from the user interface
Reinstalled user interface in case
Power supply for NES and PSOne screen (I hope).
Power supply was a pull from an Efficient Networks DSL modem.
Yellow wire is +12v, Black wires are GND, Red wires are +5v, and the Blue wire is -10v (not sure what I can use this for).
Experiments in board placements.
-Jason
The first 5 images are of the set of speakers I added to the case.
These speakers look good and match the theme of the case.
The speakers were pulls from a dead LCD monitor.
I'm also leaving in the original speaker to act as the bass speaker.
Drilled out the old lugs for a 300ohm antenna. Will use holes for RCA and Coax connectors.
Removed the old circuit board from the user interface
Reinstalled user interface in case
Power supply for NES and PSOne screen (I hope).
Power supply was a pull from an Efficient Networks DSL modem.
Yellow wire is +12v, Black wires are GND, Red wires are +5v, and the Blue wire is -10v (not sure what I can use this for).
Experiments in board placements.
-Jason
Re: Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*
Have run into a couple of (minor) issues.
1.) The NES system does not seem to be the standard board. This raises two problems:
a.)There was no RF module, but I have isolated the Audio and Composite signals. I suspect I shall have to
amplify the composite signal in some manner.
b.)The power cord appears to be on a header... but it's not immediately identifiable (which header). It's also
not on the same location as the normal board... making identification an issue.
and
2.) The DTV Converter box I chose does not have a standard power supply. Luckily all the rails are marked, but the non standard voltages are an issue.
It's an 8 pin header with 3 GNDs, 2 2.4VA rails, 1 3.2VA rail, 1 5.4VA rail and 1 "SMART" pin (I suspect a digital logic signal here (possibly encrypted). I shall have to run my multimeter on it... the 'VA' marking worries me... as it could mean Volts AC.
I was hoping to be able to use the power supply I pulled from the DSL modem (pictured in an earlier post) for all the components including for battery charging.
I will post links to hi-res pics of the troublesome power supply soon.
-Jason
1.) The NES system does not seem to be the standard board. This raises two problems:
a.)There was no RF module, but I have isolated the Audio and Composite signals. I suspect I shall have to
amplify the composite signal in some manner.
b.)The power cord appears to be on a header... but it's not immediately identifiable (which header). It's also
not on the same location as the normal board... making identification an issue.
and
2.) The DTV Converter box I chose does not have a standard power supply. Luckily all the rails are marked, but the non standard voltages are an issue.
It's an 8 pin header with 3 GNDs, 2 2.4VA rails, 1 3.2VA rail, 1 5.4VA rail and 1 "SMART" pin (I suspect a digital logic signal here (possibly encrypted). I shall have to run my multimeter on it... the 'VA' marking worries me... as it could mean Volts AC.
I was hoping to be able to use the power supply I pulled from the DSL modem (pictured in an earlier post) for all the components including for battery charging.
I will post links to hi-res pics of the troublesome power supply soon.
-Jason