3.3v? 12v?

IBUS · Post by **IBUS** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:40 pm

ok...I need to know some stuff. how many volts/amps does the n64 use by itself? what is all this stuff about 12v and 3.3 conversions and what not? and one more question...on the power-in on the n64 console...
_____
/ O O O \
l_O_O_O_l which nputs are positive, which are negative, and how many volts does each get?

S q u e e ! · Post by **S q u e e !** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:47 pm

1) Well, IIRC, the N64 uses 3.3 and 12v @ 3.5A
2) Those are the voltages the N64 runs on. You need regulators to get those voltages from standard batteries.
3) I'm not quite sure, but I'll edit this post and tell you in a second or two.

**EDIT**

Well, I believe that the power supply diagram is looking at the pins on the power supply facing you (does that make any sense?). Here is my 2 minute Paint representation. (one of the other members will fix anything I mess up):

**EDIT 2**

Ok, so just flip my diagram around and solder the battery terminals accordingly.

Post by **gannon** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:47 pm

The power pinout should be on the power supply if you have one.

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:53 pm

1) it takes 3.3v at (from what i've heard) 0.7A - 1.3A. 12 goes to a 7805 regulator that takes (from what i've heard) 100ma - 300ma.
2)what S q u e e ! said but the 12v line can take anywhere from 7.2v-35v.
3)
_____
/ O O O \
l_O_O_O_l

3.3 | 3.3 | ground
---------------------
12 |ground|ground

you can also find this by searching or looking at the labels on the bottom of the N64 mobo

IBUS · Post by **IBUS** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:36 pm

ok...so if the back of the console is facing you, is it
ground 3.3 3.3
ground ground 12

or

3.3 3.3 ground
12 ground ground?

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:42 pm

the second one. also there are labels on the bottom of the N64 that tell you which pin is what voltage

joevennix · Post by **joevennix** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:44 pm

If you're facing the back of the PCB (the side without the cartridge connector), then it's

Ground 3.3 3.3
Ground Ground 12

daguuy · Post by **daguuy** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 8:48 pm

to clear things up, here's a pic of what i'm talking about (labels aren't clear in the pic but now you know what ot look for).

IBUS · Post by **IBUS** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:55 pm

ok thanks guys...i think.

IBUS · Post by **IBUS** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 7:30 pm

ok so i figured out what oyu mean by pins. what numbers are what voltage?

6 5 4
3 2 1

Post by **Gamelver** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:06 pm

look, as daguuy said, once you open up the N64, the voltages are labeled right on the pcb traces to the pins...just follow the text (like..."3.3V") to the pin and solder there. or, just check the AC adapter, as gannon said.

if you can't figure it out from there, then it may be hard to build the full portable, without us guiding you through every step (and you not searching for info).

sorry if I'm coming across as a jerk right now...I just had a two hour visit to the dentist, and it pretty much sucked completely

. fillings and whatnot....

IBUS · Post by **IBUS** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:35 pm

sorry, i have no clue what voltages go to what, seeing as on the inside two lines are labeled as "12v" but you guys say there is only one. AND, i don't have an adaptor.

superdeformed · Post by **superdeformed** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:21 am

IBUS wrote:sorry, i have no clue what voltages go to what, seeing as on the inside two lines are labeled as "12v" but you guys say there is only one. AND, i don't have an adaptor.

The line labeled as 12V closest to the edge of the board (the one that goes to the input pins from the adapter plug) is, of course, the input line. The second 12V line (with an arrow pointing in the opposite direction) is after the main power switch.

The design engineers over at Nintendo did a very good job labeling the board, so I suggest you take the time to go through and read what does what on all of the inputs. Admittedly, making a basic portable requires very little electronics knowledge, but you still need to be able to follow traces to their sources (with a multimeter or some other form of short-detection meter), and following something as big as the power lines should be easy to do by eye.

You also have to understand that a lot of the questions being asked have already been asked before, and pretty much all of the information needed to make a portable N64 is available in the sticky at the top of this forum. This isn't something that you should just jump into; you need to have patience and do your research, otherwise you'll probably end up wasting a lot of money.