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

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:59 am

timmeh87 - I use Firefox and Adblock and a program to make my computer invisible (to stop further ads getting through and to help prevent keyloggers). I don't get adverts or popups on my system, that isn't the issue with Imageshack - a lot of the time the pages load slowly or only partially, increasingly recently they don't load at all and Firefox moans saying it can't find the server. That is why I changed to PhotoBucket, and I must say, it is far better to use and much faster. Imageshack still has over 300 pics of this project (via links), PhotoBucket have my latest ones.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:18 am

timmeh87 wrote:
Kyo wrote:Yet another victim of the evildoings of imageshack, as I see! Now if the host of my imagehost wouldn't suck so damn much (I'm moving it soon), I would totally say goodbye to imageshack, it's slowness, it's page-not-load-ness, and it's popups myself!
I like imageshack, it works great for me.... get firefox . (or if you have it... get adblock)

I have firefox, but a good website shouldn't be requiring any browser or addon to work properly. and if you have to get an entire new program AND a plugin for that program to get a half decently functioning site, then that's just not worth it. Besides the fact that it is increadibly slow, and won't load at all occasianally (often, recently)

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:23 am

Had a couple of hours today, so back onto project!

Shaped pieces for other side (with joystick), had to make a gap between as the joystick protrudes by about 3mm out of the case. Joined a thin piece behind, to help join the two pieces together. I also needed to make a hole for the joystick connections as they are raised by about 1mm.

Cut another piece of the mounting board wood material to lay and join the two pieces of wood together, hole again because the other joystick connections protruded a bit.

Another piece on top, to make sure the joystick has free movement, no point it sticking when holding the rear of the case!

Height obtained, and clearance, so put a piece of mounting board on top.

Side view below. Looks a bit raised, but is still quite comfortable to hold. If I need to, I can always trim a bit off later.

Turned system over, held it as I would playing a game, found the best place for the "Z" button (highlighted in pic).

My intentions now are to make a couple of struts under this construction (and on the other side) to maintain rigidity. This piece also needs some Polyfiller to make it look smooth and streamlined (and cover the hole on the right I made in error). I also will reinforce the underside of this piece for extra strength; of yes, and incorporate a "Z" button!

I will have more project time next week.

I won't say this again, but I really love Photobucket!!

Gordon1 · Post by **Gordon1** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:58 pm

Well, all I can say is WOW.

one question, and I am sure its in 1 of the 28 pages it says, but what are you doing for main system batteries?

Keep up the good work!

Twisted Warthog · Post by **Twisted Warthog** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 10:47 pm

Read all 28 pages and the answer you seek shall be revealed.

Good luck buddy.

benol · Post by **benol** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:10 pm

WOW! That Z button is FAR in! When you said you had big hands, you weren't kidding!

schmellyfart · Post by **schmellyfart** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 2:22 am

You know what they say... Big hands, big portables

BTW bacteria this portable of yours is amazing

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 3:41 am

I'm pretty sure that's not what they say...

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 4:57 am

Gordon1 - Thanks! Not using batteries for four reasons: 1) weight - difference between being ok and being heavy 2) cost of said batteries and charger 3) no idea how long they last during playtime, so can die before getting to a point on an N64 game where you can save progress 4) I didn't have a working TI card at the time, now I do, but am reluctant to use it incase it isn't reliable (are the TI cards reliable under load?); too much work to destroy if not! My thoughts are, after making this system, to make another N64 system, bare-bone system, and leave it running with the TI card to see what happens, if ok, I might migrate it to the other system.

Twisted Warthog -

benol - I thought of using my wedding ring finger for the "Z" button, this is the position my finger rests near.

schmellyfart -

Kyo - the translation of the meaning is the same!!

So Many Kinds of Bagels · Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:46 pm

This thing is looking badass.

I feel like there's always more for you to do though, lol. I mean, if you want it nearly perfect, there pretty much is always something else to do.

Anyway, lookin' great.

schmellyfart · Post by **schmellyfart** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:08 am

@kyo: It was a joke

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:35 am

I know, I was just playing along

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:11 am

Me too!

I will have the morning tomorrow for the project, I intend to see if I have any way to redesign this raised area and make it better/smoother/flatter/shaped/look nicer. I also want to see if there is any way I can trim down the joystick height by a bit without damaging it; a couple of millimeters less height would help. See you tomorrow!!

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 4:42 am

I shaved the edges of the plastic and metal at the rear of the joystick so it doesn't protrude quite so much, reduced by about 1mm.

Cut a new piece out and started again:

Cut out mounting board, three layers thick, to give rear of joystick freedom to move properly and one layer on the two small areas (the joystick connections)

Mounting board on top

Smoothed the areas with Polyfiller

Screwed it onto console

Side view - much lower and smaller footprint than before. I can hold console fine, middle finger is centre on the raised area, no other fingers on it or touch it, so I am happy with this. Comfortable.

"Z" button will go here, feels fine there. Only issue is that I will have to put this tact switch over the top of the speaker surround, just a bit more work, but not an issue. I will have to do this tomorrow, out of time again today.

I managed to get a few grains of dust under the PSone screen, blew them away with compressed air - saved me having to pry the screen from the case to remove the dust, then get it back on case!

I can easily lift the system without worrying too much about the innards coming out now, the four tiny strips of sticky foam pads on the PSone screen hold firmly and everything else is kept in place, nice. This means the rest of the case is more of a position therefore of making the system look nice, rather than the main component in stopping everything falling out.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:12 am

I'm always having a hard time to imagine what cases look like painted when they're like... that. Bondo'd sanded, polyfiller'd...

In other words, I'm looking forward to the paint job!