Bacteria's project - PSone portable: IntoPlay finished: PICS

[bacteria]

I had thought before about putting the PSone into my Multi-system project, which wouldn't be too difficult, however I thought it would be more fun to make a dedicated, and small PSone portable.

I know the usual mod here is to put the controls onto the PSone casing and strap some batteries to the back, and either make a custom flip-up CD tray which is actually the PSone screen (like Ben did) or to just keep the original PSone screen in its original casing to flip up.

I want to put two joysticks in the system as well as the buttons and d-pad; so need slightly more width than the PSone case needs (I don't want to put the joysticks in place of the reset or on/off button as someone did), also I want to use mylar speakers as I don't think the PSone speakers are much cop. I also don't want to have the batteries external to the system but internal, and removable, using my half-height Canon 911 Li-ion camcorder batteries.

The system will be thicker than my other systems, but is unavoidable as the CD drive is 21mm thick in itself.

I estimate the following thickness (in order of items assembled):

* PSone screen and board 11mm (screen slightly recessed inside perspex, like on my Mini project, included)
* protective piece of 10thou PVC to stop shorting - 1/2mm
* PSone console board 6mm
* protective piece of 10thou PVC to stop shorting - 1/2mm
* CD device 21mm
* extra clearance for batteries and perspex under CD drive 7mm
* clearance 2mm
* perspex base 2mm

total: 50mm (so will probably end up more like 52mm when done!)

The height of the unmodded PSone console with PSone screen attached is 47mm and 31mm if no PSone screen attached. Length is 155mm and with a memory card included, 185mm thick. Width is 191mm.

My system will be: 52mm thick, 224mm wide and 144mm high. Therefore, my system will be 7mm thicker than a PSone with an official PSone screen attachment, 33mm wider but about 41mm less long (taking into account the memory card, 11mm without as comparison). I intend to make the finger grips on the back of the console slimmer than 52mm, more like about 30-40mm; not sure yet, until rest of casing is made that is.

Thought I would document this guide as I am going along in this forum, link anyone who visits my website to this topic who want to see my PSone modding; then when the project is done, summerise the work on my site (like I did for the N64). This keeps in spirit of this forum and gives me a worklog back here again (hopefully it will get stickied in due course!).

Projects on this forum these days tend to be "kept quiet" or don't end up being finished, so yet another reason to start this step-by-step guide - my contribution to getting this site back on track with project work!

This project will no doubt take several weeks to complete and end up at 30 pages plus! Please feel free to contribute suggestions or comments or improvements as I am progressing, as you see fit.

I will take my time with this project, some days no work, other days lots, depending on time available.


So, here starts my step-by-step guide:

PSone in its glory (no PSone screen attachment); and memory card.



Reverse side - also remove the hidden screw under the label (I had to find it!)..



Opened up, showing the CD drive.



CD drive removed (two plugs holding it in place).



Lift off the shielding and remove the mobo:



Here, you can see the height of my batteries; only a bit thicker than the CD drive; it makes sense therefore to use them. When the back is popped open to insert a CD game, there will also be access to the batteries, so they can be replaced for recharge as required. I could secure the cells in place and put in an external charger port; may consider that, however at this stage, prefer to keep them removable.



My work area, so far, usual mess of bits!



Ok, this diagram looks crap and like a kiddie drawing on acid; but it is actually accurate and represents all the components:

Top layer > bottom:
PSone screen (green rectangle)
PSone screen mobo (orange outline).
PSone console mobo (black rectangle)
Batteries - 2 x 7.4v Li-ions, 4 amps total (brown rectangles next to each other)
CD drive, rotated so it fits (brown shape)
CD (blue circles) - central in system, on back.
outer blue shape - outer casing edges. Interesting shape? The green circles are 40mm mylar speakers.

The joysticks will be at either side of the case at the top, left in middle recess will be the d-pad and on the right middle recess will be the four action buttons. The system will also have the four shoulder buttons and select and start buttons, of course.



Lots of work, looking forward to the challenge!

There are quite a few really good games on the PSone system, so thought I would make this system to do it justice!

[HBN]

Looks hot. Good luck.

[bacteria]

Thanks. What isn't apparent from my diagram is that the mid section on the right side is big enough to take the 4 action buttons - on a controller this part takes about 40mm, so I have allowed 46mm from the edge of the PSone screen to take this; and therefore on the other side too, to by symmetrical (for the d-pad).

As always with diagrams, you can work things out quite exactly, however details are not always incorporated as some things stay in your head!

What is important, is that I have worked out what goes where and worked out the shape and size of the system. This means I can crack on and make the perspex front and start assembly.

I thought the edges were more interesting, I did my last system as an oval as people thought my previous one was a bit rectangular, this one I thought I would make a more interesting shape. The front will be largely flat, as it has to be for various reasons, although I might recess parts on the front at bit to make it look interesting. The back will be stepped so as to look more interesting. No big surprise, will paint in black, maybe also grey too in places, texture finish (hides lots of ills!).

As mentioned, this project will take a lot of work to complete and will take some time to do. No rush, after all!

It would have been nice to use slimmer CD drives and have the game insert vertically, however as it turns out I can use the extra height of the CD unit to house about 70% of the batteries, so only need to add a bit more height, as mentioned before, to cover the rest. I will have to be careful to ensure the CD when spinning doesn't catch on anything!

[Gordon1]

looks interesting..... YAY finally a system where I know more than bacteria!

[bacteria]

looks interesting..... YAY finally a system where I know more than bacteria!

Good, please post tips you refer to for this system, in case I find them useful.

The system looks quite straightforward; my biggest issue will be trying to keep the system from being too thick and fitting everything in ok.

I may relocate the memory card in case I need to swap it out in the future, rather than hard wiring it in.

[sonic4freedom]

hey Bacteria it's me Sonic4anarchy (chris) good luck with your new project! i will be watching this one!!

[grossaffe]

Avatar is TOO big, Sonic.

[sonic4freedom]

i'll work on a smaller one

[bacteria]

Hi (Chris) sonic4freedom! (for everyone else's benefit, he has been e-mailing me quite a bit lately via my website for help on an N64 portable project). Nice you could join us!

[sonic4freedom]

Yeah his site is linked to his sig. i joined and for everyone who want's good clean instructions on material and methods on building portables, should join his site. i mean it it REALLY HELPS, by the way,bacteria, thanks for being patient and responding to my mails. bacteria is a good guy to e-mail. beleive me he responds QUICKLY. so dont hesitate to ask him. and please join his site.

[bacteria]

Thanks for the plug, sonic4freedom and for your kind words!

On the project, I might travel along a slightly different path. Popped into a car boot sale today, bought an original PlatStation console, controller and two games I wanted for £5 (about $9), so basically the console and controller were £3 in real terms as I normally pay £1 for a game.

Why? well for the following reasons:

* The CD tray is better built than in the PSone - you sometimes need to press the CD tray a few times on the PSone before it opens. The mechanism on the PS1 is better built.

* The PS1 case is bigger than the PSone, and for that matter bigger than my cramped design; however there is plenty of space for all the control buttons, joysticks and d-pad quite happily.



* The PS1 case is 45mm thick, so about the thickness I was going to have anyway (see first post); only as a frankencase, it saves me having to make a custom case from scratch.

* Faster build time as using a frankencase saves a considerable amount of hours making a case.

* PS1 case holds quite nicely in your hands (I can always reduce the thickness a bit).

* There is a larger gap between the CD drive and the support it sits on, about 24mm, so means there is enough space for my Li-ions (20mm high + holder = 22mm) without having to construct holders for the CD tray.



* The CD tray exterior is bigger than on the PSone, in fact, it is big enough to fit the PSone screen board and surround - ideal!



This does of course mean a different look to the project; the CD opening will be at the front with the screen lifting up with the tray itself, although the weight of the PSone screen and mobo is too heavy for the CD tray to lift automatically; that is fine, easy enough to lift; although I will see, once the PS1 is opened, if there is a way to make the spring/whatever is used stronger so it has the strength to lift the tray with the screen assembly on top.

If I want to make the sides (holding areas) slimmer, I can do that quite easily.

The system will use its original screws so I can get inside in the future if I need to.

Using the PSone guts in the PS1 case, the original PS1 guts will be used for bits / spares. Not only are the PSone guts smaller but also far easier to mod than the PS1's - the PS1 guts are therefore superseded.

The batteries will probably need to be wired in to the system as it will now be inconvenient to change the cells when needing recharge. Not a real issue after all, it does mean everything will be strong.

I will probably have to mount in two sets of shoulder buttons as the positions will be different depending on if using the joysticks or 4 buttons / d-pad at the time.

I will keep the power on/off button and CD eject button as they are, no reason not to; don't know if I will need the reset button though, will think on that one.

Using an original casing means people can't say it isn't "esthetically pleasing" when done, as after all, people are familiar with the PS1 looks.

I will just need to make some minor changes to the PS1 case (eg shoulder buttons areas) and fill in the controller, memory slot, power in jack with filler; may keep the multi-adapter in place so the system can play on a TV, if I choose to keep that function in place.

Time to open the baby up and see if my instincts are right (if not, back to original plan!) I need to clear more space on my desk first, so I have space to have a PSone, PS1, PSone screen, controller and other components all opened up and ready to work on!

Out of interest, has anyone in the past on this forum used a PS1 case to incorporate PSone console guts, controller (including joysticks), PSone screen and batteries? I know a couple of people here have put the controls on a PSone screen (with/without joysticks) but used the PSone screen attached to the back of the unit as Sony intended; also batteries stuck to the back of the case. Anyone used a PS1 case for this mod and made everything integrated, or is mine the first??

[hailrazer]

Hey bacteria, have you or anyone else opened one of those Lithium batteries and seen what they look like on the inside to see if they can be shrunk down or maybe if they have several cells they can be laid flatter ?

Just wondering and good luck on your project

[bacteria]

Interesting thoughts about the Li-ions, I don't want to open them up to see what they are made of, anyone done it and know if the internals can be flattened a bit, and if it is safe to do so?


I do have a dilemma; I have two choices; not clear-cut:

Do my original design (as per diagram), unusual edges, however the sides will be straight, and not quite sure best method to secure the backing in place but easy to pop open, CD changed at back of unit.

or

Using a PS1 case, rectangular, bigger, front loading, etc. Can't make the width slimmer as the CD lid is large (ideal for the PSone housing) and there is just enough clearance for the controller buttons (c. 40mm), space for the joysticks, etc and speakers on top of the front of the case. Downside is the PSone screen looks a bit small on the system, compared to looking bigger on my original design; however upside is the PS1 case looks the right size for the job and has a nice retro look.

Not sure if which route to try in preference. If to go for the "retro" look or my design. Favouring the retro look at the moment, but in two minds. Both systems have their merits and negatives. The case will be textured painted in black and probably some grey anyway.

Thoughts?

[Mario]

Go with the retro look! Retro is way better.

[Valium]

Psone mobo in Ps1 case.