My First NES Portable... Circa 2002

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vomitsaw
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My First NES Portable... Circa 2002

Post by vomitsaw » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:35 pm

Approximately SIX YEARS late, but what the heck...
Figured I'd make a quick post about my initial attempt at a portable NES from 2002. Called it the "FATBOY". Keep in mind, this is before NOACs like the Superjoy and Yobo were easy to get your hands on without selling a few body parts on the black market. I used the ORIGINAL NES board and an unusually thick LCD module that sucked a full 12V, neither of which made my job any easier. Threw in a couple extra features like A/V in/out, which has actually come in pretty handy on several occasions since. Hard to tell from the photos, but it's about 2" thick! Yikes, I know.

For the record, I later intended to create a version 2 that used half the power and was about half that size with a better screen, but that was about the same time that Ben rolled out his first NES portable, and after seeing the quality of his workmanship, I scrapped it and moved on. Fun little bit of history there. ...DAMN YOU, BEN! :D

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Used Lexan for the casing and tacked most of it together using machine screws and epoxy for some reason. Can't remember why. That stuff looks like dried boogers.
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Kyo
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Post by Kyo » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:48 pm

I like the clear case. I love clear cases. it's pretty!

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Life of Brian
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Post by Life of Brian » Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:54 pm

Awesome! Why haven't you posted this before!?

It may be thick, but it has a really cool retro electronics look to it. That is exactly how a clear case should look - with a lot of interesting stuff inside to look at! I love it.
dragonhead wrote:sweet. ive spent a third of my life on benheck!
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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:10 pm

I was noticing this project on your site the other day. I too enjoy the clear case.

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Post by Tibia » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:28 pm

I think it looks pretty good! It's as compact as you could make it with what you were using, and the case is really well-made. I like the machine screws mounted to the perf board. That's a great idea.
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vomitsaw
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Post by vomitsaw » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:36 pm

Kyo wrote:I like the clear case. I love clear cases. it's pretty!
Thanks! I prefer them too, when it comes to modded stuff. Why not show off your work, eh?
Life of Brian wrote:Awesome! Why haven't you posted this before!?

It may be thick, but it has a really cool retro electronics look to it. That is exactly how a clear case should look - with a lot of interesting stuff inside to look at! I love it.
Thanks man! Honestly, I hadn't posted it here before because... well, it's really old and my workmanship and general knowledge about this stuff has improved leaps and bounds since then, so I guess I was a little embarrassed by it. But what the hell why not, right? I've at least gotta have SOMETHING to show for the nearly NINE MONTHS I spent working on it. (Sickeningly true, but nothing compared to what I've got coming up).
WhatULive4 wrote:I was noticing this project on your site the other day. I too enjoy the clear case.
Heheh, thanks! I really didn't think it would get this much attention here being that it's all old and such, but thanks! Always good to know someone's actually visiting that durn site. Good to know that domain registration fee was worth it.
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Post by vomitsaw » Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:42 pm

Tibia wrote:I think it looks pretty good! It's as compact as you could make it with what you were using, and the case is really well-made. I like the machine screws mounted to the perf board. That's a great idea.
Many thanks! It really is difficult trying to make a portable system with the original board. I hacked off as much as I could and it was still huge. The LCD module didn't help either. I notice a lot of people are using those PSOne LCD screens now, which are much thinner. The screen I was using accounted for over an entire inch of the thickness, which is pretty much devastating when you're trying to make something hand-held.
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Neildo_64
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Post by Neildo_64 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:00 pm

Honestly that is one of the most badass portables I've seen. With being able to see the guts and the overall "cleanliness" of it, it just looks amazing. That is very nice work.
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Post by Bubbles » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:27 pm

Truly awesome, if and when I ever mod something I hope it turns out anywhere near as cool looking as this.

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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:34 pm

Heheh, thanks! I really didn't think it would get this much attention here being that it's all old and such, but thanks! Always good to know someone's actually visiting that durn site. Good to know that domain registration fee was worth it.
Yea, I've been researching every NES portable I can find. I've been scheming in my head, grabbing bits and pieces from different portables to incorporate into my first project. I'd like to incorporate av/out and possibly a clear case for my project. Thanks for the idea! :D

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Life of Brian
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Post by Life of Brian » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:22 pm

This summer I'm going to be playing around with vacuum forming PETG plastic, which is clear. I'm really hoping I can make a super cool clear case like this, but nice and curvy as well.
dragonhead wrote:sweet. ive spent a third of my life on benheck!
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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:30 pm

Life of Brian wrote:This summer I'm going to be playing around with vacuum forming PETG plastic, which is clear. I'm really hoping I can make a super cool clear case like this, but nice and curvy as well.
Like the VW bus youtube link you posted a while back?

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Life of Brian
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Post by Life of Brian » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:34 pm

Yes. Wouldn't that be cool? I have some .080 thick PETG that I ordered a few weeks ago, but haven't had time to play around with it. I need to make a nice mold first.

I can't wait to see what you have planned, vomitsaw. By the way, those multicontrol switches you sent me are fantastic. Thanks once again. I'm still trying to come up with a knob to put on top of them that feels comfortable to me. Any suggestions?
dragonhead wrote:sweet. ive spent a third of my life on benheck!
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Post by vomitsaw » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:52 pm

Life of Brian wrote:I can't wait to see what you have planned, vomitsaw. By the way, those multicontrol switches you sent me are fantastic. Thanks once again. I'm still trying to come up with a knob to put on top of them that feels comfortable to me. Any suggestions?
Heheh, I'm building one of those types of accursed systems that Ben doesn't care for. ...A combo system. It ended up taking a LOT longer than I thought it would, but it's finally almost done. Just need to finish mounting the buttons to the case and slap some side pieces on it.

And no prob about the switches! I'm sure you'll put them to good use. As for knobs... Hmm. I used some of these little acrylic domes I got from Tap Plastics. ("Cabochons", I think they're called. These things: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=139&) You can carefully drill a small pit into the flat end big enough for the stick to fit in, and attach it with some clear epoxy. Works pretty well. I'm sure they have ready-made knobs that'll fit the shafts somewhere, but I haven't really looked into it yet.
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WhatULive4
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Post by WhatULive4 » Mon Mar 31, 2008 9:59 pm

vomitsaw wrote:
Life of Brian wrote:I can't wait to see what you have planned, vomitsaw. By the way, those multicontrol switches you sent me are fantastic. Thanks once again. I'm still trying to come up with a knob to put on top of them that feels comfortable to me. Any suggestions?
Heheh, I'm building one of those types of accursed systems that Ben doesn't care for. ...A combo system. It ended up taking a LOT longer than I thought it would, but it's finally almost done. Just need to finish mounting the buttons to the case and slap some side pieces on it.

And no prob about the switches! I'm sure you'll put them to good use. As for knobs... Hmm. I used some of these little acrylic domes I got from Tap Plastics. ("Cabochons", I think they're called. These things: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=139&) You can carefully drill a small pit into the flat end big enough for the stick to fit in, and attach it with some clear epoxy. Works pretty well. I'm sure they have ready-made knobs that'll fit the shafts somewhere, but I haven't really looked into it yet.
Any teaser pics/details??

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