Project 1 - Combitron *WARNING - 56k users - large pictures*

[Jason]

Greetings all.

This is my first project, though it's not (technically) a 'portable'.

I know this type of mod is unusual for this site... but the idea here is to have a system that is sturdy enough to survive a 4 year old and can also function as an emergency TV/Radio during bad weather, etc.

My goal here is to combine a NES (original) system I pulled out of a non-functioning Sharp 19SC111/19SV111 TV, with a PSOne screen (if I can find one), a digital converter box, an AM/FM radio, and a set of lithium-ion batteries to power it when the power goes off... and put all of this into an old Sears AC/DC Color TV (a small 5" CRT TV from 1984 that was 'portable' and could run off of 120VAC or 12VDC) (pictures below).

I would also like to create a Flash card system to store all of my games onboard... but that's a future addition.

The old TV


TV Side View (note the panel with all the switches/potentiometers)


TV Rear View - Antenna will be used for AM/FM and DTV reception - external antenna connector panel will be modified for AV out


Remaining side view


Bottom view


Bottom view - close up of label


Bottom removed - begin deconstruction


Bottom cover panel


Lifting board carefully to exposed wires to be disconnected


More wires removed


Yet more wires


Almost done with first circuit board


Success!


Beginning removal of CRT


Removal of CRT complete - Beginning removal of power board


Removed power circuitry/adaptation board - Removing user interface (power button, channel changer, volume control circuitry (save for re-addition)


All parts removed (except speaker, which will not be removed)


NES board


Upper right is the channel changer/volume control/etc user interface module.
Just below it is the button/potentiometer panel mentioned earlier.
Other miscellaneous parts possible usable in the mod.


Analog to Digital broadcast TV converter box


Inside of converter box - notice the separate power board - very nice.


Next 3 images are pictures of my collection of tools and materials for this mod




This project will likely take me awhile to complete... so stay tuned.


- Jason

[Jason]

I'd forgotten just how huge a picture a 7MP camera actually takes.

I've scaled the images down to 800x600 and reuploaded them. the images should be much smaller now.

- Jason

[snowpenguin]

I don't care how fast your interner is, size your gigantic pictures down.

[eagle5953]

I would also like to create a Flash card system to store all of my games onboard... but that's a future addition.

Not if you intend to use actual NES hardware.

[Jason]

I don't care how fast your interner is, size your gigantic pictures down.

Is the reduced size of 800x600 sufficiently small now?

Not if you intend to use actual NES hardware.

I know, at least, one mod already exists using Atmel 49F type flash chips (2 games, 1 card) using the mapper chips.

Surely this could be expanded on?

-Jason

[eagle5953]

Even if it's possible, it'd probably be much more expensive than you'd want to go on it.

[Jason]

This is the gadget I was talking about:
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/nes ... art_en.php

He can fit two games already. I really don't see anything preventing you from adding more than 2 games per cartridge, and flash chips are generally cheap.

You could, theoretically, even use a PIC chip to act as an interface between the cartridge slot and the games. Really shouldn't be all that hard, but this is kind of irrelevant at this point anyway.

I have to build the bloody system first

-Jason

[yoshilime]

Cant you use a power pack?

[snowpenguin]

They are still FAR too large, and most of them seem the same as before. 640X480 should be better, or just do thumbnails and if I want to see the gigantic one I can.

[Jason]

Cant you use a power pack?

What do you mean by 'power pack'?

They are still FAR too large, and most of them seem the same as before. 640X480 should be better,

Try deleting your internet cache.
640x480 would be rather small... you'd lose a ton of detail.

or just do thumbnails and if I want to see the gigantic one I can.

These are images hosted on my personal site. Is the 'thumbnail' function a feature of the forums... or something I have to do on my site?

-Jason

[rikitheshadow]

Personally i don't think its odd for this site. I would personally think it would be respecting a classic, because most older gen systems where designed for CRTs in mind.

[snowpenguin]

Your site. I'm fine now, now they're all 800X600. 56k stay away though. I know imageshack has a thumbnail feature.

Anyway, I wouldn't keep it all on the carpet like that, static.



"OH NOEZ, the world's coming to an end! Time to go get the emergency TV and play some NES!" lol.

[Jason]

Personally i don't think its odd for this site. I would personally think it would be respecting a classic, because most older gen systems where designed for CRTs in mind.

Yeah... It's a pity I cannot use the actual CRT... but it just takes up too much space.

Ah well.

"Your site."

Ah. No dice.

"I'm fine now, now they're all 800X600. 56k stay away though. I know imageshack has a thumbnail feature."

Yeah... I'm just picky about where I put my pictures.

"Anyway, I wouldn't keep it all on the carpet like that, static."

Normally I'd agree... and wouldn't put these things on carpet... but this one isn't a problem.

It's some kind of plastic blend that will not accumulate static (I've tried... I miss being able to shock people at will ).

Just for the reference... I'm a computer repair technician.
If anyone knows the damage static can cause... it's me.


"OH NOEZ, the world's coming to an end! Time to go get the emergency TV and play some NES!" lol.

ROFL. Nah... the NES would run the batteries down too fast.

-Jason

[Jason]

More pictures:

The first 5 images are of the set of speakers I added to the case.
These speakers look good and match the theme of the case.
The speakers were pulls from a dead LCD monitor.
I'm also leaving in the original speaker to act as the bass speaker.






Drilled out the old lugs for a 300ohm antenna. Will use holes for RCA and Coax connectors.


Removed the old circuit board from the user interface


Reinstalled user interface in case


Power supply for NES and PSOne screen (I hope).
Power supply was a pull from an Efficient Networks DSL modem.
Yellow wire is +12v, Black wires are GND, Red wires are +5v, and the Blue wire is -10v (not sure what I can use this for).




Experiments in board placements.



-Jason

[Jason]

Have run into a couple of (minor) issues.

1.) The NES system does not seem to be the standard board. This raises two problems:

a.)There was no RF module, but I have isolated the Audio and Composite signals. I suspect I shall have to
amplify the composite signal in some manner.
b.)The power cord appears to be on a header... but it's not immediately identifiable (which header). It's also
not on the same location as the normal board... making identification an issue.

and

2.) The DTV Converter box I chose does not have a standard power supply. Luckily all the rails are marked, but the non standard voltages are an issue.
It's an 8 pin header with 3 GNDs, 2 2.4VA rails, 1 3.2VA rail, 1 5.4VA rail and 1 "SMART" pin (I suspect a digital logic signal here (possibly encrypted). I shall have to run my multimeter on it... the 'VA' marking worries me... as it could mean Volts AC.

I was hoping to be able to use the power supply I pulled from the DSL modem (pictured in an earlier post) for all the components including for battery charging.

I will post links to hi-res pics of the troublesome power supply soon.

-Jason