Projekt Pluto (Genesis Neutron) COMPLETED!

Includes but not limited to: SNES, Genesis, Sega CD, PlayStation 1, Nintendo 64, Dreamcast, Game Gear and I guess the Virtual Boy.

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Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

...and now...for more stuff!!

*Warning! Lots of pictures in this post!* :lol:

Ok, so this post begins with the case rear. The squish test revealed the thickness needed, so I proceeded to cut down the case rear to fit that size need.
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Using the excess plastic that was cut from the case rear, I shaved that down enough to be used as a lip for the case.
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Next up was the work on the cart slot itself. I found a couple of brackets that fit perfectly.
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After much shaving with a file, I managed to get a nice gap cut into the case rear that fits the game cart darn near perfectly.
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I couldn't quite fit the cart all the way back in the case rear, so I had to carve a little groove in the front, but it's not hurting anything. If anything, it makes it look that much cooler 8)
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With the cart spot made out, I could attach the lip to the case rear.
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Makes for a smexy fit ;)
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Up next, was the last electronical portion of the unit...the power switch! To continue keeping things simple, I attached my last pluggy to the switch.
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Once the switch was done, I finished the wiring, and did a full assembled test...everything fits quite nicely, and the buttons are all very nice. Unfortunately, due to the d-pad not being an offical sega d-pad...it feels a little slow for street fighter II lol. It won't be a problem for anything else tho.
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With that test out of the way, I did the next test....seeing how strong the cart connector is...I had to shave some bolts down to make it fit, but it works quite well...amazingly, the shaved bolts actually increase the strength of the cart connector. This wasn't actually intended to happen, but I'm not complaining :D
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The cart is going to be sitting fairly shallow in the case, but given the nature of the genesis cart slot, this is not a problem. This also provides the case with more inside room.
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...and now..for the paint!!

Set up on a couple of pop cans...as I've found that if I keep the case sitting on the ground when I paint it, the paint tends to make the case stick to the floor/whatever the case is sitting on. It's no fun when the case sticks...it tends to ruin the paint on the edges...
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A parting shot of it sitting around drying (had 3 coats on when this pic was taken).
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Many pics there lol.

Next update..case completion action!!
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
budnespid
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by budnespid »

I love this like fat kids love cake. :D
jdmlight
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by jdmlight »

Mmm, cake.

Anyway, you're definitely on schedule to get this done for MGC. I can't wait to see it in person!
--John (and please call me John, it's really weird to be called by my username)
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Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

And another update!!!

The paint on the case hath been finished...left to sit for a night, this is what it turned into...
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But wait, what is this that I'm doing to it!?
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Aha! Decals baby! They didn't work out quite as nicely as I had hoped, but oh well, it still looks pretty darn good 8) (looks bad in this picture for some odd reason tho...)
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Yay Street fighter II again lol.
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So it's totally working and all that good stuff. I could leave it as is and call it done, but I really want that cart slot to be operational lol. That I'm gonna save for something to do at MGC other than buying stuff :lol:
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
budnespid
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by budnespid »

Looks like sega made it. 8) Good job!
Snow_Cat
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Snow_Cat »

^ ^ ^^ I imagine that 2p Super Street Fighter 2 must be great fun on that.
^. .m^ I wonder if a multitap works.
wallydawg
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by wallydawg »

This is awesome. Maybe you should wait to do the cart slot so you will remember to bring it to the BHE room, as I never got to see either of your "pNESes" last year.
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Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

Yeah, I'm waiting on the cart slot. MGC is where it'll be done 8)
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

Ok, not much else going on, so I though I'd do a quick update...


As many of you know, I worked on this at the MGC....even Ben himself worked on my portable! (he removed the ROM chip for me 8) )
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Took a while, but I got the cart slot wired and ready....
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Unfortunately, I wired up the connections backwards, which burned out the board :(

I did have a backup radica sitting at home tho...so home I went and spent much time soldering that one...(Notice the wide open genesis cart board--NBA Jam...I have several of them, and i used that one to check my connections to make sure I was doing it right haha)
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After that was finished...SUCCESS!!! The cart mod worked!
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Once again tho, the forces of the universe decided that I'm not worthy of a portable again...the board was bad (I knew this before I did anything to the board--I just did it on this one for practice). What is the problem with this board you ask? Only the D-pad works, the rest of the buttons are unresponsive. I tried to find the problem, but the only workable component between the controller and the glop-top is a single SMD capacitor, and that works fine.

So now I need to acquire a fourth radica for this portable :wtf:

Maybe a fifth too...cause knowing the forces of the universe, they're gonna make the 4th one randomly explode in my face before they allow me to have a working portable :lol:
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Snow_Cat
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Snow_Cat »

^ · · ^ Have you tried probing the traces of the dead buttons with ground and VCC to see if you can provoke a reaction?
^- - ^ Use a 1K resistor if you are concerned about doing damage.
Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

Hm...I'll have to try that quick...see what that does...

EDIT: Tried it, still no good :(
Oh well, I'm getting another anyway lol.
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Snow_Cat
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Snow_Cat »

http://www.msarnoff.org/gen2usb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think that if I am reading this correctly the (original) Genesis wiring order is:
  1. D0 ↑/↑/.../Z
  2. D1 ↓/↓/.../Y
  3. D2 ←/low/.../X
  4. D3 →/low/.../Mode
  5. +5V
  6. D4 B/A
  7. SEL ‾/-/┘┘/-/[color]
  8. GND
  9. D5 C/Start

And the Radica's wiring order is:
  1. MENU
  2. PIO6
  3. VDD
  4. PIO2
  5. PIO3
  6. PIO4
  7. PIO5
  8. PIO0
  9. PIO1
  10. GND


Could you confirm that PIO (0,1) is UP,Down with a volt meter. I might have an idea... But it is late and I could also be going crazy from sleep deprevation.

edit:
Okay, I am awake now and believe that I was asking that you see if the pinout of the Radica can be mapped to the normal Genesis controller. What each pin is might be identified by pressing the dpad (and buttons) to see if the RMS voltage changes on a PIO# pin.
Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Metallica Man X »

Hmf...I was hoping this would be my final post for this thread for a completed portable.

Unfortunately, words cannot describe the unholy rage I am feeling right now.

SOMEHOW, I burned out the new board too. I don't know how. EVERYTHING is hooked up properly, the exact same way the previous board was hooked up (which worked minus the buttons). But nooooooooo...stupid forces of the universe (as always) have it out for me. Gawd I'm so freaken cursed....

SO, I need yet another one of those wretched things.

I'm gonna give this ONE more shot. If I can't get it work then, I'm done with this. This projekt has created far too much heartbreak for my very soul to handle.

Everything came out so good...only to experience constant breakage with every freaking board I've had.

Anger anger rage rage. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
Snow_Cat
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Re: Projekt Pluto

Post by Snow_Cat »

^ - - ^ Rowr? (offers PS/2 mouse)
Metallica Man X
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Re: Projekt Pluto (Genesis Neutron) COMPLETED!

Post by Metallica Man X »

Low and behold! She is finished!!!!

It took me countless hours of soldering and seven, that's right, SEVEN radica boards before I finally got it to work! Hooray for me!

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Aaaaah...warms my soul to finally be able to play rocket knight in the can :lol:
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The answer to 1984 is 1776!
"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato
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