First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Show off your completed Game Boy Zero, or post your build logs here!
Post Reply
3kidsinaustin
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:21 pm
Been thanked: 7 times

First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Post by 3kidsinaustin » Sat Feb 23, 2019 5:29 pm

Hey gang! With the help of this forum, I completed my first GBZ build - about two months from ordering components to completion. Nothing fancy with this build as it is planned to be a gift to my daughter for her 8th birthday. A couple of pointers I wanted to put together for other newbies following along.

1) Arduino vs. Teensy - I had no problems using an Arduino Pro Micro in the build. Lotusalex2000 put together a great post in 2017 on the software changes to recognize the PCB controls as well as integrating the low battery shutdown. I made a few changes to the GPIO used, but otherwise the same. viewtopic.php?t=3537 is the link to his post. The only additional work required to use an Arduino over the Teensy is soldering some wires directly to some SMD components so you do not need a cable plugged in. I found an image on this site that I can't seem to locate again, but some digging will find it. Essentially, you can follow the traces from the micro-USB jack on the Arduino to each component then solder a jumper wire to it. If I can find the image, I'll make sure to link to it.

2) One thing I spent A LOT of time working through was a safe way to turn the Raspberry Pi off. Camble has a terrific bolt-in solution for the Adafruit Powerboost, but is sold out of the generic power supply option. So I did some digging and found a great video here of a guy 916bitbench) putting a Pi into a game gear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTmN9hY8rpo&t=536s (at around 4:30 he goes into great detail on the circuit). It uses a NOR gate and a Pololu switch, plus a resistor and capacitor. [EDIT: Here is the link to the post detailing the shutdown switch - viewtopic.php?f=44&t=7453] HINT: It works great but is a bit large. You'll see it in the pictures.

3) If using a USB hub - get a Targus. I tried several different varieties from eBay and AliExpress. All had the same issue - could pick up one device such as the Arduino (gamepad) and the wifi dongle, but not the USB audio card. No matter the port combination I tried, none would recognize both the Arduino and the USB audio card at the same time. The Targus did it right away, end stop.

Everything else is pretty standard. I used a bracket from Justin (sixteenbit) that worked GREAT! My Targus USB hub had to be modified to allow all the components on the front half of the shell to sit tight enough to not interfere with the rear half components. Got tight in the end.

Some pics of the final result. All the pics seem rotated, hope nobody has a neck injury looking at them!
Attachments
2019-02-23 10.59.09.jpg
2019-02-23 10.59.09.jpg (3.43 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.59.06.jpg
Safe shutdown switch
2019-02-23 10.59.06.jpg (3.08 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.57.19.jpg
2019-02-23 10.57.19.jpg (3.33 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.57.08.jpg
2019-02-23 10.57.08.jpg (2.83 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.57.00.jpg
2019-02-23 10.57.00.jpg (3.61 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.56.46.jpg
2019-02-23 10.56.46.jpg (3.35 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.56.23.jpg
Modified Targus hub
2019-02-23 10.56.23.jpg (3.69 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.55.29.jpg
2019-02-23 10.55.29.jpg (3.5 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.50.28.jpg
2019-02-23 10.50.28.jpg (2.77 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-23 10.49.02.jpg
2019-02-23 10.49.02.jpg (3.04 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
2019-02-22 12.32.55.jpg
2019-02-22 12.32.55.jpg (4.26 MiB) Viewed 3638 times
Last edited by 3kidsinaustin on Sun Feb 24, 2019 3:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.
First Build Done! viewtopic.php?f=43&t=7444


User avatar
papajsantos
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:35 am
Has thanked: 21 times
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Post by papajsantos » Sun Feb 24, 2019 7:51 am

whoa! super cool custom shutdown switch, I wanna build one.
Builds:
JankyBoy V1 - worklog
Freeplay CM3 w/ Dual Thumbsticks and L2/R2 - showcase
Infinity Sword (Kite's Circuit Sword Lite x Thanos's Infinity Gauntlet) - coming soon
-------------------------------
"Romans, they go the house?!"

User avatar
infinitLoop
Posts: 536
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2018 11:46 am
Location: Portland, OR
Has thanked: 222 times
Been thanked: 199 times
Contact:

Re: First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Post by infinitLoop » Sun Feb 24, 2019 10:40 am

yeah, that shutdown solution with the gate is really interesting. i was trying to come up with something similar for the shutdown myself, and ended up just using a momentary button with a capacitor and resistor straight to a gpio pin. It doesn't work for the power-up, but it does allow for the push-for-3(ish)-seconds to engage a shutdown script that's watching for the input, to avoid accidentally engaging it

3kidsinaustin
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:21 pm
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Post by 3kidsinaustin » Sun Feb 24, 2019 1:20 pm

It works pretty slick. A momentary switch can also work to shutdown, but I could just picture the little kid sliding the main switch to off as a default action, so I wanted to do something that incorporated that switch. I just need to sit down and put together a decent writeup that describes the circuit, etc.
First Build Done! viewtopic.php?f=43&t=7444

3kidsinaustin
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:21 pm
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: First Build - Using Custom Shutdown Switch, Arduino, Generic Power Supply

Post by 3kidsinaustin » Sun Feb 24, 2019 3:17 pm

Here is a link to the writeup I just finished on the shutdown switch. I've also changed the original post to include this:
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=7453
First Build Done! viewtopic.php?f=43&t=7444

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest