LPs Kite SAIO Build - COMPLETE

Show off your completed Game Boy Zero, or post your build logs here!
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Lphillimore
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Sat Jun 17, 2017 10:16 am

Ok so got back on the build today, this time mounting and testing the Pi and hoping that my soldering delivered!

Seemed to go quite well but as Kite says, you never can tell until you test!
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First test however...no joy! Assumed my ground wasn't right or possibly one of my SD pads.

Re-assessed each hole on the SAIO, re-heated and added a tad more solder and let it flow down, re-tested...all good!

Ended up with a little too much on the groud pin so will remove that in time.
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Before on left / After on right.
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Next steps will be to solder on the LED's and work towards soldering the remainder of the GPIOs.

More to come!

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Lphillimore
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:08 am

So I've now successfully test booted and confirmed that the screen and USB devices are good.

Had to resolder a few GPIOs as the screen had a nice blue tinge to my image at first.

Regarding my soldering i decided to take a risk and not add to the thin tinning already on the GPIO pads on the SAIO. My logic being rather not enough than too much and Kite does recommend not overdoing the solder blobs.

Thought i would regret it when I saw quite how much solder needed to flow through!

Had a few stubborn holes along the way so my fix was to swap to the fine soldering iron tip and crank the temperature to 310c, hold the tip directly above the solder blob on GPIO and push it into the hole once melted.

Risky yes but I'd practised on a test board as the fine tip end doesn't get as hot and at 310c it still took a few seconds to melt the solder then it was a really quick in and out, solder flowed in lovely. I dont necessarily recommend this but i was comfortable and confident doing it.

You'll also note I've added 3 of the LEDs. Haven't added the yellow 3 pinned one yet as the outer legs are wider and cant slot inside the pin mounts any further so the LED sits 1mm too far out. I'll drill the LED case holes next which the yellow one can then sit slightly inside.

Here's a pic of latest:
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:04 am

A little bit more progress.
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Day's Gorilla glass screen arrived today, too. The quality is excellent.

Used some original tactile buttons and snipped the ends then rounded with a file. Will see how these look later on and decide if they are upto scratch! If not will look for something better.

Have drilled the LED holes and test fitted them. Have also added the yellow 3-pin LED which slots in nicely.

Wasn't too keen on the USB charge port out in the guide so wondered if I could drill holes then merge into one wide compact hole and file / emboss for a clean look. Was concerned that the USB charger cable wouldn't reach far enough inside but it's bang on. Board itself is slightly on a bend so needs slightly pushing down to line up the port. One option is to glue the corner down (not keen) or widen the hole. Undecided.

Finally, I've fitted the screen and marked and filed the screen areas ready for gluing the screw wells. I guess im concerned they won't hold or that Hoolyhoos 3D screen mount might be a better idea. This will add more cost and time to the build so not 100%. Will have a think!
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by kite » Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:55 pm

Wow that USB power jack hole is NEAT! Awesome job on that I'm really jealous it almost looks factory! :) For the screw posts if you sand down the post and the back of screen, and make sure to apply lots of heat and really 'work' the glue into it, it will be very strong. If you just lot a blob of glue 'drop' onto the surface, it will just peel off.. in my pictures you can see how 'messy' I did it, but this was just to get a large surface area and it really holds! You could also use super glue in the same way, and re-enforce with with hot glue.. Hoolyhoos screen bracket is amazing though!
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dryja123
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by dryja123 » Sat Jun 24, 2017 2:38 pm

Love the spice orange case, you've inspired me to use that color for my kite build. What color buttons are you using?

Edit: reading through and you said the color is red. It looks orange on my phone :D

Still really clean and good looking!

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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Sun Jun 25, 2017 9:37 pm

kite wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:55 pm
Wow that USB power jack hole is NEAT! Awesome job on that I'm really jealous it almost looks factory! :) For the screw posts if you sand down the post and the back of screen, and make sure to apply lots of heat and really 'work' the glue into it, it will be very strong. If you just lot a blob of glue 'drop' onto the surface, it will just peel off.. in my pictures you can see how 'messy' I did it, but this was just to get a large surface area and it really holds! You could also use super glue in the same way, and re-enforce with with hot glue.. Hoolyhoos screen bracket is amazing though!
Thanks, Kite. 8-) Yeah I wasn't sure how it would turn out but pretty happy with it. Essentially some pilot holes, merged, then embossed using an oversize step up drip bit to add the rounded effect then some scalpel work to tidy.

Did a bit of test work on some old kit though around the gluing technique you advise and agree your method holds well. Had a chat with Hoolyhoo though and took the plunge and ordered one of his brackets......so build is on hold until that arrives. I guess for that overall finish I was lured by the bracket. This one will be mine once built and not for sale so hopefully it looks somewhere near as nice as either of your builds. :D

Time will tell!

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Lphillimore
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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Sun Jun 25, 2017 9:40 pm

dryja123 wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2017 2:38 pm
Love the spice orange case, you've inspired me to use that color for my kite build. What color buttons are you using?

Edit: reading through and you said the color is red. It looks orange on my phone :D

Still really clean and good looking!
It is indeed Red, perhaps too much light was shining through when I snapped some photos. That said, you can get a clear Orange one and I've just ordered one for a future build.

For buttons I'm going with all black. I like that look!

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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:27 pm

More progress this weekend and more pics to follow.

Decided on where I wanted my L and R butttons as below:
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Happy with the original tactile buttons slightly cut down and rounded.

Also went to work on another solution for the power switch. Dont like the idea of cutting a hole in the back to lower the profile. Found my original stockpile of power switches from my first GBZ builds and noted they were small. Looks like they will do the job!
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Had a few weird power issues in that board kept rebooting. Turns out this switch was duff so have replaced with another.

No further issues and Safe Shutdown now working a charm!

Only other issue ive have which I'm still undecided on is the volume pot. Once on boot i noted the USB breakout wasn't lit up...then i smelled something electrical... turned everything off. Found it was the volume pot! Nothing visible of note.... reconnected all wires and rebooted fine. All working. Sound working....volume pot...not so much. Only quietens right before fully off else it's just loud. Seems like it's fried. Thinking of desoldering it and replacing with one of my many spares.

Only concern is safely removing it and why it died in first place.

More to follow.

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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Mon Jul 03, 2017 10:57 am

Have left the volume pot as is for now. If it annoys me too much down the line I'll look to remove it or perhaps ask Kite of he'll sell one of the breakout boards separately.

For now, more progress.

Using another of my trusty SII batteries for this build now as my Dextech one is a long way off Australia with the difficulties he's had with shipment.

By removing the thin piece of plastic casing at the bottom allows for a perfect fit. Marked up and drilled out a nice oblong for the battery connector (Samsung S5) pins to poke through and glued into place. Will look to add a custom sticker for the battery perhaps.
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Also glued in my L and R buttons and installed the Gorilla glass screen from Day and proceeded to test. All good!
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Forgot to mention that while my bracket from HoolyHoo is still in transit i got one of printed locally to let me continue. Ill add the brass inserts when it arrives. Great design this print I must say!

While this build is now largely done, I have a few things I want to fix up:

1) Gaps around USB port. While this is precise and tidy i dont like the gap underneath.

2) Perfect the charge port hole.

3) Glue the LED wells

4) Add any extra kapton tape

5) Better manage the cables inside

6) Reintroduce the metal backplate if possible and add a custom labelled Cartridge...

7) Anything else i can think off!

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Re: LPs Kite SAIO Build

Post by Lphillimore » Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:18 pm

Have now added the original GBZ backplate in and used Kapton tape to prevent any shorts.

Decided to use sugru to carefully mould and fill the usb port gap and also abandoned my charge port hole as this was slightly out of alignment once the case was closed. Used Sugru again for this which is currently drying. Looks really good I think, pictures to follow.

Have also decided to use the larger L and R tactile buttons but needed to order more so currently leaving the smaller ones in place. Easy to swap out down the line.

In terms of cable management, i didn't want to glue anything so simply used some tape and the position of the wires works perfectly. As I have a clear case ive also blacked out the rounded corner along with interal screen edge so it looks better once closed.
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Need to prep a cartridge for the back, too. Will replace the sticker on an old clear cart but leave the chip inside. Add some weight to the GBZ as it seems so light!

Only other thing will be the usb cap. Have ordered some rubber caps but will also copy HoolyHoo in amending the original cap and see what looks best.

Oh and i need to add a new boot screen 😎

More pics to follow.

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