1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

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mark memory
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1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by mark memory » Thu May 04, 2017 10:07 am

Hello. New to the boards here and first time I've taken any kind of electronic project like this on. Any and all help/suggestions are welcome.

Started looking through all the builds and decided to give it a go.

Parts list:
DMG case, KeDei HDMI screen, tactile buttons, powerboost 1000c, button pcb from Kitsch-Bent, power strip from Helder (not sure how to mention people...), button wells and screen bracket from wermy, and a screen protector from Dominator. The remaining items are your regular fair that are in every build.

Got a large order from Amazon and started the modding.
CaseShow
Case.jpg
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ScreenShow
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Had to remove a few things from the screen for it to fit.
First ModShow
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Not a great photo, but had to trim the edges of the PCB off to fit in the case (bye bye touch screen!)
Edge trimShow
Edge trim.jpg
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Still works!
TestShow
Test.jpg
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Soldered up the PCB next. Plan is to use a GPIO setup.
Button PCBShow
Button pcb.jpg
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Buttons in!Show
Buttons.jpg
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I later swapped out the red/yellow buttons. They came from a Chinese SNES controller and were too sloppy... as you will find out at some point in this build, I am very particular of my neat-ness and plan to make the best looking wire runs possible.

Put the screen back in at this point. I pulled out the testing pin at the top of the screen and soldered in a new wire lead instead.
Screen fitShow
Screen fit.jpg
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Added the screen bracket from wermy in there. The screen is too tall though, had to modify the bracket (wermy don't look!!)
BracketShow
Bracket.jpg
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And that is the current progress...

Few thing I have questions about. I got a nice temp controlled Weller iron, however am having trouble keeping the tip clean and it wont hold solder on it. I have the sponge that I clean it with after every pass. Do I need to get one of those brass scour pad deals?

Going to attempt to put up my wiring guide. What does everyone use to draw them? Just MS Paint?

Thanks for looking. Any input is welcome!
Last edited by mark memory on Fri May 05, 2017 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

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VeteranGamer
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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by VeteranGamer » Thu May 04, 2017 10:21 am

really liking it so far....

great work....

how does the screen look from the front?

and what effect have you noticed in the quality of the resolution from hdmi to gpio

as you've mounted the screen upside down could you not still try to use the hdmi port...


looking forward to the updates, good luck

mark memory
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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by mark memory » Thu May 04, 2017 10:47 am

VeteranGamer wrote:
Thu May 04, 2017 10:21 am
really liking it so far....

great work....

how does the screen look from the front?

and what effect have you noticed in the quality of the resolution from hdmi to gpio

as you've mounted the screen upside down could you not still try to use the hdmi port...


looking forward to the updates, good luck
Hey thanks!

I have not pulled off the screen protector yet. Was going to wait til I was done cutting on everything... lol. I will keep you updated on the quality. I'll also have to grab a couple pics from the front with the screen in there.

I plan on using the HDMI port for connecting the screen to the Pi, I am using the GPIO for buttons. I found some odd-ball Chinese camera ribbon cable adapter.

The screen fits nicely after some trimming. The picture is slightly shifted to the one side as the border around the screen and the components do that. I plan on trying to play with the config to move it over.

Upside down was no problem. You can rotate the display. Add

Code: Select all

display_rotate=2
to the config.txt and it spins 180*. Each # that you put after "rotate=" spins it 90*. Now the port is at the bottom where I want it.

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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by McGyver » Thu May 04, 2017 11:22 am

Is the display data able to be transferred over GPIO? That`s unknown for me. I expected the GPIO`s are just on this display board for touch-pad data and display power. Possibly in addition some display settings could be transferred via GPIO. Maybe I am wrong. Would be nice to have the PI HDMI port free for additional external usage.
Last edited by McGyver on Thu May 04, 2017 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

mark memory
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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by mark memory » Thu May 04, 2017 11:31 am

McGyver wrote:
Thu May 04, 2017 11:22 am
Is the display data able to be transferred over GPIO? That`s unknown for me. I expected the GPIO`s are just just on this display board for touch-pad data and display power. Possibly in addition some display settings could be transferred via GPIO. Maybe im am wrong. Would be nice to have the PI HDMI port free for additional external usage.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to confuse. I will be using the HDMI port on the screen for the display.

My button PCB will be attached to the GPIO pins.

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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by McGyver » Thu May 04, 2017 11:44 am

Don`t say sorry: I am on your position: used the same screen and I saw no other ways as using the plain HDMI port for display data connection. See my pictures here: http://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 813#p29820

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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by BuToNz » Thu May 04, 2017 12:19 pm

I don't see you pictures :(

mark memory
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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by mark memory » Thu May 04, 2017 12:31 pm

McGyver wrote:
Thu May 04, 2017 11:44 am
Don`t say sorry: I am on your position: used the same screen and I saw no other ways as using the plain HDMI port for display data connection. See my pictures here: http://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 813#p29820
Ah ha. I found this cable... its a flat ribbon cable. HDMI to mini HDMI (at a right angle).
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-15cm-HDMI-t ... Sw9NdXu0pj

and this adapter will hopefully get rid of the 90* bend...
https://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/0.h ... 2794897414

My idea came from the Amazon comments where I saw this photo...
SpoilerShow
812vwPJxWOL._SL1600_.jpg
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BuToNz wrote:
Thu May 04, 2017 12:19 pm
I don't see you pictures :(
Oh no! I hit preview a couple times and they came through. They are hosted on Google. Anyone else having trouble seeing the photos?

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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by BuToNz » Thu May 04, 2017 1:00 pm

You should use one of these instead:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-Mini-HD ... SwwbdWQzRr

Much cheaper and the plastic can be removed...
IMG_20170504_195707.jpg
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mark memory
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Re: 1st GBZ build- HDMI Screen

Post by mark memory » Thu May 04, 2017 1:10 pm

BuToNz wrote:
Thu May 04, 2017 1:00 pm
You should use one of these instead:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-Mini-HD ... SwwbdWQzRr

Much cheaper and the plastic can be removed...

Thank you! I'll order one of these also. I'll have to see if the US ebay has one.

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