Bacteria's N64/GBA combined portable - Nintendo 64 Advance

THON · Post by **THON** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:38 pm

Looks like it's turning out REALLY well; I'm happy for you! I think when this gets finished I'll be able to say its the best portably N64 I've ever seen!

Yeah, the gameboy problem shouldn't be a... problem. I didn't even notice the screen alignment until you pointed it out.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:45 pm

THON - Thanks for your kind comments, I appreciate them.

Yes, the GBA thing is not an issue at all, I played on it for many hours on my last project (salvaged for this one).

Issue I have at the moment is with the new M3 flashcard I just got. My last one was a bit fussy with the SD card I used, some didn't work, found one that did. The new one doesn't like my SanDisk mini SD cards (I have 2), sometimes the menu comes up but refused to load a game, the other times it tells me the card is not formatted, even though it is and works fine in my PC. Obviously it doesn't like SanDisk cards.

It's never easy, is it?! I have two choices now, one is to spend more money and get a different branded mini SD card and hope it works; or my chosen option of trying an extension. I have an adaptor for a mini SD card to go into a normal sized SD card, so I know the connections they use (the mini SD card has more contacts than a normal SD card). I have an SD slot from an old MP3 player which is dead, so I plan to solder wires from the back of the slot of the M3 flashcard (mini SD card holder) and wire it remotely to the empty SD card slot.

Assuming this works (will it?? - anyone tried this before?), I can use a standard SD card, and have it mounted in a convenient place on my case, rather than having to make a case around it.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 2:32 pm

I don't really fancy opening up the M3 flashcard if I can; don't want to tempt fate (assuming it works fine of course, which I can't be totally sure yet).

I did some research into making a mini SD card compatible with a normal SD card, and came up with the following extracts. It seems there is a commercial product, designed for phones, so proves the theory is fine:

Below is a pic of the items on my desk for this at the moment:

On top is an old SD to USB card reader I have spare, so I removed the SD carrier slot (lifted and snapped it off). Left is a mini SD card (untampered with), next to it is the metal plate from the SD adapter (for the mini SD card to go into if using it in a normal SD slot), in the middle I separated another mini SD card (2 parts); on the lower right is the SD adapter (minus its metal plate), in the removed SD carrier slot (as above).

Why? The M3 Flashcard is mini SD card; I need to remotely make it take normal SD cards, and while I am at it, I want to make the SD cart slot relocated to a far better place on the case.

I intend to make a false (blank) mini SD card (with microchip removed, just keep the contact strips), solder wires to them (very thin, very flat) and then wire the other end to the SD cart slot.

If this doesn't work, I will have to probably buy a different brand of mini SD card and hope it is compatable... If I can make it work with a normal SD card, excellent!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:22 am

My mini SD M3 flashcard I received IS defective, which is a pain I have to send it back, hopefully I will get it replaced ok. I spent hours trying to work around it - or to be more exact, most of today.

I did however research into making a mini SD work in an SD slot. I found sites with the pinouts and compared their notes, and came to the following illustration:

It seems to work fine, in that I was getting exactly the same issues using an SD card as with the mini SD card!

I thought "great, two dead M3 cards, this sucks!". I then realised something, when I was testing the M3 card (previous one) I got slightly different occurences - for example, in one GBA (I have 2 unmodded ones and a DS) I might get a "not formatted" message, in another GBA I would get a blank screen, in the other I might get a menu with garbled graphics on the folders in the menus. This got me thinking. I got the old SD M3 Flashcard I had (dead I thought), and one of my 5 SD cards worked, in that it got to the menu instead of just a blank screen. I then copied across the update firmware program onto this SD card, and it managed to update the old M3 Flashcard and get it to boot again; I could then play games properly on this SD card, and one other! I guess my old card "went asleep" for a while, perhaps when I tried the cart relocation a while back - anyway, it works now. The only downsides of this older card are: 1) it is a bit longer (which will have a slight issue with the case, all be it minor) and the SD card comes out of the side and not the front. Never mind, it works, so it makes today's toil fruitful.

I had completely damaged one of the mini SD cards totally as I hacked it apart to make a dummy mini SD, so I used its SD converter carrier and wired my spare SD card slot to make an extension. I tested it in my PC via the USB port and it worked perfectly (proved the concept works); I then tried it in the GBA and it didn't recognise the card; perhaps the signal is too weak. Never mind, I will use this SD card when I do a project with the GP2x.

To prove the SD expansion works (using an SD card, SD cart slot; a mini-SD > SD converter), here is a pic of the SD extension working on my GP2x (playing Psycho Pinball on the MegaDrive).

For some reason it won't work on the GBA flashcard even though it is fine on the PC and GP2x, I tried thicker wires, same result on the GBA.

Never mind, at least I have my GBA games working again!! It goes to prove though that the M3 Flashcard, as good as it is, is very picky with SD cards.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:28 am

This M3 Flashcard is a pain, I have tried my SD extender with my IDE cables, thicker electrical wires, and now ribbon cable. All work in my GP2x and PC but NOT on the GBA. I keep getting the "card not formatted" message, when I remove the extender and pop in the SD card directly, it works great. Arrgh!!

Ok, time to put this to bed. The backing of the case will be removable with screws anyway, this development now means that I will probably have to make a surround for the GBA cart, as the M3 Flashcard is about 5-6mm longer, so will be extending out of the rear of the case by this amount. Advantages and disadvantages to this.

Proves yet again that it is only wise to make a case (and design) once everything else is done; you can't forsee all the issues you will encounter which will impact on the case - unless you make the case so big it doesn't matter, of course!

Ok, I am going to start making the case sides now and shoulder buttons, this might take a while to finish, but I am starting work on it now.

I also have to work out where the switches will go on the top of the case. lots of work to do. Update later (hopefully).

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:31 am

Before doing the sides I needed to position the PSone screen in exactly the right space, so I can work out precisely where the hole needed for the cart slot will be.

I relocated the two contrast and two volume buttons on the PSone mobo (orange ovals in pic) to larger 12mm tact switches which will go on top of the case. I had to be careful soldering to the small 6mm existing tact switches, but this went fine. Tested system afterwards, fine.

I hot glued the PSone screen to the PSone mobo to keep it in place and then hot glued the PSone mobo in exactly the right place on the mounting board (red ovals in pic). This will give just enough space on the top of the screen for the wood strip to attach to the mounting board around the cart slot.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:43 am

I am in the process of cutting the wood for the sides and bottom of the case. I am using "D" shape pine, about 29mm high, 4mm thick. Whilst it is easy to work with, it is apparent that to get a nice finish on the front it will take a lot of TLC to make it look nice.

This thickness is about what I need, the issue will be making it look integral with the top of the case (plastic).

If I can't make the pine look nice enough, I will have to try a different material.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:41 am

First piece is in place, having been trimmed to size and the edges angled for the next piece.

Kyo asked me (via PM) how I intended to secure the sides to the case - I cut out right-angled triangles from mounting board and hot glued them in place. I used a roll of tape to ensure the side wood was at right angle to the plastic!

If I need to replace the triangle by the D-pad for the D-pad to be placed properly, no problem, easy to relocate them.

I will put in more of these supports presently. The three supports as they stand are strong; but I need more in place as I need more strength.

Rear views:

Front view:

Ignore the cover art - I put a boxed N64 game behind to keep the sides flat (the thickness of an N64 game box is about the same height as my project will be). As per the pic, the hot glue on the reverse of the perspex doesn't show.

I am going to have to use some fine filler on the very tiny gaps between the wood and plastic; never mind, it shows how straight an edge I cut before with a small drill bit!!

My intentions for the sides (all of them) is to cut holes in the right places for the buttons, cart slot, etc and get the wood as good as I can in the process, but leave it unpainted. Some parts of the case may need to be thicker than others, so I will split the wood to get the right angles, and use filler as required. Once this is all done, before I mount the case front+sides in place and connect everything up, I will cut some 160 micron acetate I have (I have stacks of 160 and 240 micron A4 sheets), reverse paint them with spray paint, stick them in place; then use some fine crack polyfiller to eliminate any ridges between the acetate and the wood, and fill in any imperfections on the wood and joints (and where the wood meets the perspex); sandpaper, then carefully use some paint to paint this area. The acetate will give a similar impression in style as the front of the case.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:42 am

Bottom side done, pics below:

That's it for today, I should have some time tomorrow to continue the project.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:42 am

And just about now I truly understand what you meant when you replied me!

Very nice work, bacteria!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:08 pm

Kyo - Thanks. This is a strong way to make the joints as it gives good surface area for the hot glue to stick to and build on. If you just put a thick layer down, there will be a lot of leverage against the corner (weakest point), spreading out the surface area by using right angled triangles and gluing to the areas of contact makes for a strong bond. To prove the point, before I adhered the second piece, I had to move the first piece by about a millimeter; I had to carefully slice the hot glue off the three pieces of mounting board with a craft knife as the assembly refused to give! In my last pic (two pieces in place) I had done this alteration and re-sealed it.

Adding additional right angled triangle pieces glued in place will give even more strength to the assembly and keep the perspex firmly in place against the wood. And hot glue doesn't even harm the spray paint layers on the perspex. I love hot glue!!

Post by **CronoTriggerfan** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:24 pm

Siding it with wood? That's a first, and a good one at that! It's easy to smooth out the sides (as you have done) which makes things very seamless, not to mention the fact that it's much easier than bending aluminum.

Are you going to stain or paint the wood at all? And while on the topic, what color are you going to be painting the front plate?

CTFan

Twisted Warthog · Post by **Twisted Warthog** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:28 pm

When this portable is done its going to look like it came form a professional company, i swear.

You have some serious skills man. I can't wait to see what colours you going to paint it.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:12 am

CronoTriggerfan - Thanks for your kind comments. Yes, I chose pine wood as it is easy to work with and to shape as needed. The wood came as a shaped "D" shape, which helped. It doesn't matter after all what the case is made of as long as it is strong and fit for purpose. If you are painting the surface, it doesn't make any difference if it is made of wood, plastic, metal, etc; so why make the work difficult, I say!

There is the tiniest of gaps (about 1/6mm?) on some parts where the wood meets the plastic (not bad for hand dremelled plastic!), which I will fill before painting it, to make it seamless. I am just being a perfectionist!

Twisted Warthog - Thanks for the kind comments, as always. I am making this the best I can, I am hoping for a professional look finish. Hope you like the result!

You both asked about painting and colours, below covers it, and other aspects too:

The case front is completed and spray painted white, as per the pic. I spray painted the underside of the clear plastic so you see the colour from the front, under 2mm of clear plastic. This gives a very flat and perfectly smooth finish, being under plastic, looks nice and you don't have to worry about the paint discolouring or scratching off. I could have spray painted the front of the plastic instead, but wanted a unique and shiny look to the norm.

As to the wood, the flat surface will be covered with thin acetate/PVC, 160 thou (6 micron), 0.6mm thick; or 240 thou (10 micron), 0.1mm thick material, if I get away with it. This will be reverse spray painted as before for continuity.

The slopes and edges of the wood will be painted with normal paint and a varnish applied to seal it and stop the paint from scratching off. I have done this with furniture I have made in the house out of MDF - desks/workunits; and a long unit in the lounge supporting a 60kg television, entertainment systems and also ornaments - I am proud of this one - elegant, beautiful, well designed (it has to be otherwise the wife would have demanded its removal; trust me!) and it is very very strong due to the box and support strength I used.

I will have to leave the painting of the sides until they are completed - the bottom and left / right sides are easy, the top piece less so as it will have to have cutouts for the 4 switches (2 x 2 for the GBA/N64 selection), the power on/off switch, the 2 x contrast and 2 x volume buttons for the PSone screen, the single button for the N64 memory card (it is a 1mb card, 4 save slots of 256k each), the cart. On the tops and sides I will also have the shoulder buttons. The top piece is the tricky bit.

The top of the case is white, the sides (with the acetate) white, the wood sides - not decided yet if it will be white (matt) or cream. The reverse - not decided if silver grey or white yet. I will decide as the project develops.

Quick update: Didn't have any time today for the project, spent most of the day putting items on e-bay. I won't have time tomorrow, but expect a little time for the project on Friday - maybe a smattering on the weekend (maybe) and certainly some on Monday morning.

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:39 am

I really can't wait to see this case finished. The way your doing the wood is going to look gnarly as hell with the plexiglass.