Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

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Nixon
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Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by Nixon » Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:20 am

Got bored on waiting for Nintendo to release a proper Gameboy Classic so started building my own using a Pi Zero and one of the cheap 1.44 inch SPI TFT screens. Next step is to relearn Eagle and design a circuit board for the controls and SP33's PWM audio circuit
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VeteranGamer
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by VeteranGamer » Wed Feb 14, 2018 3:52 am

Nixon wrote:
Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:20 am
Got bored on waiting for Nintendo to release a proper Gameboy Classic so started building my own using a Pi Zero and one of the cheap 1.44 inch SPI TFT screens. Next step is to relearn Eagle and design a circuit board for the controls and SP33's PWM audio circuit

DV6AnaSW0AE1On7.jpg
really interesting build.....
look good so far.....

hope the re-learning Eagle goes well, would love to see what you come up with.....


where did you get the STL for the shell/case
(did you design it yourself, or just reduce the size of the file already available)

and just some ignorant observations (these are most probably covered).....
how are you going to deal with Buttons and the DPad, are you printing those or using Buttons from exiting Handhelds (like a GBC or GBP)




NB: i also feel this is in the wrong section, should be in the Game Boy Zero Show-off Corner


.


Nixon
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by Nixon » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:00 am

For the case, I imported a photo of a Gameboy into Adobe Illustrator and basically traced it out then scaled it to the size of the TFT screen. Imported the design into Autodesk Fusion 360 and modeled it myself.

Planning to 3D print all the buttons, as I wanted them to be the same scaled dimensions as the rest of the case. Got access to 9 3D printers in the Fablab I run so figured I might as well use them.

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abrugsch
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by abrugsch » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:38 am

Nixon wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:00 am
in the Fablab I run so figured I might as well use them.
:shock:
nice job! which one if i may ask?

Nixon
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by Nixon » Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:15 am

abrugsch wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:38 am
Nixon wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:00 am
in the Fablab I run so figured I might as well use them.
:shock:
nice job! which one if i may ask?
I'm the technician for Fablab Liverpool. Using this project to finally teach myself Linux and PCB design as we usually specialize in digital fabrication with the 3D printers and laser cutters.

It's a bit rough, but that should be the controller PCB, just need to check if the switches are correct as they're the first custom component I've made. If it's all good then I'll have to work out how to route it out on our CNC mill.
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abrugsch
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by abrugsch » Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:42 pm

Nice. My wife is from that way, i might have to drop in and say hi when I'm up at easter.
I'm heavily involved in the Southampton Makerspace and we haven't got as many printers we do have a laser cutter and a being built CNC mill

Are those omron smd microswitches?

snoek09
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by snoek09 » Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:08 pm

For the PCB design, did you consider using KiCad instead of Eagle?

Nixon
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by Nixon » Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:58 am

snoek09 wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:08 pm
For the PCB design, did you consider using KiCad instead of Eagle?
We get all the Autodesk software free through work so started using Eagle rather than KiCad. Eagle also allows me to easily import the PCBs with components in place into Fusion 360 with makes it dead easy to design the case to fit around the controller PCB.

And Abrugsh, designing the PCB around C&K KSR series SMT Sumbiniature tact switches https://www.mouser.com/ds/2/60/ksr-1141284.pdf

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abrugsch
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Re: Pi Zero powered Gameboy Classic

Post by abrugsch » Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:06 am

ahh cool. careful with those activation forces. I did some side by side comparisons with lower AF tacts and the "standard" (as in what the generic bags of 6mm tacts come as) 160gf usually feels too strong. I had some 100gf and 60gf and 100 felt just right while 60 wasn't tactile enough...

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