sudomod

After a lot of digging through different forums I found a way to get my screen size to match the original game boy screen cutout/protector. Under "sudo nano /boot/config.txt" there is a line called "#overscan_scale=1". This must be uncommented after you make any overscan changes for emulation station to show a change in aspect ratio. However after it is uncommented any changes made to overscan numbers will not work. I had to go back and add the comment back to "overscan_scale=1", edit my overscan numbers, save it, reboot, then go back and uncomment again.
It was very difficult to find any info on how to do this so I wanted to share this with everyone so any amateurs like myself will have reference if they're trying to make a similar set up. I am using a rpi zero w with a 2.8 pitft gpio LCD #1601 running a pigrrl zero img. As close to stock look as I can get. Games seem to be running very smooth. No lag yet like a lot of other people have had using gpio screens. I think I've concluded that the lag might be because of the larger 3.5 inch screens that everyone seems to want to use. I'm not 100% on that but it's what it seems to be. If you're looking to build a stock looking gameboy zero, this might be the way to go. I was able to overscan just the right amount to where you'll have no borders and it will fit nicely under the stock gameboy screen protector. Plus being able to use the pitft screen gives you better resolution compared to the composite screens, as I'm sure most everybody on this forum knows. I had to make slight modifications to the pitft pcb board to get it to fit inside (filing one side of the pcb down) and removed the headers and went with male and female jumper cables in case I need to swap out the screen or pi at any point.
Sorry for the novel I just wrote but I just want it to be easily accesible for the next guy. If anybody has questions feel free to ask. I have pictures for gpio connection layout etc.

Please post pictures of the GPIO connection layout. I have this same screen and would love to see an example!

Sorry it's hard to see because I reinforced the connections with hot glue but I have pin location pics specific to our hardware, granted you're using the pi zero. I just lined up the pi gpios to the gpios of the pitft according to the square 3.3 v gpio. You can see the mods I made to the pitft. I shaved down the left side of the pcb to pit in the case perfectly. I also notched the bottom on both sides in order to keep the original screw posts. I removed the top screw posts and will probably just use one of the 3D printed pieces being sold or make my own, not sure yet.

I also shaved down the DMG indicator light housing slightly because 1.) I will try to wire in a red led later for a more stock look, and 2.) a slight shave off keeps a stock looking distance between the screen and the screen protector. It's not much, maybe an 1/8 inch but I don't want the screen to be pressed flush with the case. I thought about it for a bit but it just ends up looking off.

Here are the overscan settings I am using. Now it's a matter of customizing the aspect ratio of each emulator so they fit perfect on the screen. I came across a thread that described how to do that. It looked pretty easy from what I remember.

Thanks for the info! It's nice to be able to use the original screen protector.

It's a shame you can't get a bunch of red pixels under the battery indicator to make it look lit

moosepr wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:18 pm

It's a shame you can't get a bunch of red pixels under the battery indicator to make it look lit

That would be cool!

Ah okay, I thought you were using the PiTFT Plus. Thanks anyway!

rodocop wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:16 pm

Thanks for the info! It's nice to be able to use the original screen protector.

No problem. I'm glad I can help.