cartridge slot

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:34 pm

Is there a difference between using the cartridge slot on the top of the control deck and the expansion on the bottom of the control deck? The cart won't fit in the bottom slot but i'm fairly sure it would with the casing taken off. This is for a portable by the way, so i'm not going to need the casing anyways?

So, will it fit, will it work, and what will the differences be?

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 6:53 pm

it won't work, it's too loose to hold the cart in and stuff and it just won't work. if you did get it to fit, the cart would be in backwards anyway

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:25 pm

ok, and one more question

how much amperage would this use:

nintendo 64
game
normal jumper pack (not expansion pack)
256k memory card

and if I put the cart the facing the other way into the extension slot would the game load if I was able to keep the cart in the slot?

thanks for all your help.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:40 pm

how many amps depends on how you get 3.3v and what game you're playing. then you got the LED mod vs. no LED mod and the volume.
you can't use the extension slot.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:55 pm

ok, thanks for clearing up the exstension slot for me.

about the amps, assuming that you mean LED mod as in replacing the lights in an LCD, and i'm using a PSOne screen.

i'd probably be playing golden eye most of the time

how would i test the amperage myself, or can you make a rough estimate for me?

and then have the volume on max on the psone screen and the screen at medium brightness.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:58 pm

actually i've never tested amperage myself (quit laughing at me!) but if you tell me these things i could give you an estimate:
1)dc-dc or linear regulator for 3.3v?
2)LEd mod or no?

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:19 pm

im not sure about how i'm going to get the power to it yet, but im going to have the led mod, what are the differences between the two power? ill check back tommorow.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:29 pm

switching regulator/dcdc convertors are more efficient than linear regulators.
so if you use dc-dc, it'll probably draw about 1A. if you use a ninear regulator, it'll probably draw around 1.5A. those are pretty rough estimates but you get the idea

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:19 am

OK, so i'll make sure to get about 1500ma to 2000ma so I can do other things like overclock the N64.

Two more things. What pins do I connect on the N64 mobo to the PSOne screen PCB?

and what kind of battery do you reccomend to run it on to get 2000 ma?

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:22 am

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a293/ ... circut.jpg
http://daguuy.esmartguy.com/how-2-2.htm i really gotta finish that guide sometime...
don't overclock a portable, it makes too much heat and probably draws to much power. what you could do if you want to save a little power is underclock it though

MM007 · Post by **MM007** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:50 pm

Underclocking the N64 s a big no-no unless you are sure you can:

A: get uniform lag to make a true "slo-mo" or

B: have a switch to set it back to normal speed (DO NOT SWITCH WHILE N64 IS RUNNING! Or any digital device for that matter!)

Besides, the processor may use a little less power, as well as the digital circuitry on the affected bus, but everything else will still draw full power. It might not work as well as you think.

Normally, the main advantages to underclocking are occasional compatability with other motherboard in PCS (Not a concern for the N64) or increased stability of the processor and affected components.

Also, in relation to point A, this means something. From what I understand, the game does not speed up uniformly during an overclock, but lag is reduced. This means that the system may actively try to keep running the game on a specific clock independant of the CPU, though the Processor has more cycles to complete calculations more accurately in the same amount of time.

If this is the case, even if the CPU is underclocked, it may try to run the game at full speed, which may actually make the CPU LESS stable, and the games speed may not be constant depending on the load of the underclocked CPU at any given moment.

There are many variables to consider with underclocking or overclocking, not just if the hardware can handle it.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:01 pm

some games work fine with it because they don't need the full power of the CPU but some (FPSs in particular) slow down.

usbcd36 · Post by **usbcd36** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:20 pm

More accurate estimates of power:

N64 with DC/DC (7.2v input): ~750mA
N64 with Regulator: ~1400mA

PSone screen with cathode tube: ~1000mA
PSone screen with 3 LED mod: ~300mA
PSone screen with 6 LED mod (pioneered by yours truly): 499mA

Controller: ~50mA - ~100mA

However, these estimates will tell you nothing compared to actually time testing the portable.

blackbox_dev · Post by **blackbox_dev** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:56 pm

i was actually going to over clock it by 2.0x, and then add two twelve volt cooling fans and heatsinks on the chips. how much would this add? tell me if it isn't a good idea, but tell me how much more power it would take nonethless.

and by the way, the chip is already overclocked by 1.5x by standard. when people say underclock it is actually going at the speed the chip was intended for

http://www.gamesx.com/misctech/n64oc.htm