Game Boy PC

Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 4:32am #1

I've started getting the parts ready for my Game Boy PC if anyone's interested in seeing how I get on.
As I've said before this will be a Linux PC built into a Game Boy DMG-01 using the new Raspberry Pi board. It'll be used to run XBMC and various emulators.

http://www.retrovia.ie/showthread.php/8491-Game-Boy-PC-%28Raspberry-Pi%29

The case is ready(as is a possible mini screen that doesn't use the HDMI port and will be wired onto the board):

Edit:
Here's a 3D model to get an idea as to what I want to do.
The board will probably have to sit higher in the Game Boy than it is in the animation if I want to keep the battery compartment intact.
I haven't fully decided yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPPku_xbMZQ

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pdbhp · 29-01-2012 12:03pm

Nice idea Steve, gonna be great even though you're killing a Gameboy.

What program did you use to make the animation? was it Sketch up?

Pyongyang · 29-01-2012 12:15pm

Nice project but blimey mate, that music! Sounds like a skin flick! :rolleyes:

Myrddin · 29-01-2012 1:46pm

pdbhp wrote: »

even though you're killing a Gameboy

Automatic entry onto Pdbhp's Wanted Dead Or Alive list

Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 2:37pm

The music is some of that audio replacement tunes from YouTube. Bloody buggy as hell and takes hours to be removed :0( there was no audio on the vid so I tried out some on Youtube and cant remove it now.

Anyway, don't worry guys the game boy was already a faulty one and I got it free from a seller on eBay as he sent me a replacement and said keep the faulty one. I've still got all the guts stored away safe as it was just a faulty screen.

I did this particular animation in sketchup pro.

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Dale Parish · 29-01-2012 3:42pm

I take it that pinout near the top is for a screen?

Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 4:02pm

Dale Parish wrote: »

I take it that pinout near the top is for a screen?

They're actually GPIO connectors. There are some DSI connections just above SD Card connector that can drive a display.

The GPIO connections can be used for whatever you need, hence the name(General Purpose Input Output). So you could hook up some sensors or whatever you like to them.

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Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 4:37pm

Some high resolution pictures of the board.
There may be some small design differences from this image and the actual final board.

Click the pics for high res versions.

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Myrddin · 29-01-2012 4:43pm

I hope your planning to run a Gameboy emulator on it

Spacedog · 29-01-2012 4:52pm

I wonder if it would be possible to preserve the buttons/screen functionality using a controller board.

you can look up the eeepc mods for details on breaking out the connectors to ports on the external case using jumper wires.

Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 5:03pm

EnterNow wrote: »

I hope your planning to run a Gameboy emulator on it

But of course

weeder · 29-01-2012 10:14pm

when are you expecting to be able to get your hands on those boards?

Steve X2 · 29-01-2012 10:21pm

weeder wrote: »

when are you expecting to be able to get your hands on those boards?

A week or two is the current estimate from the guys making them.
Only 10,000 in the first batch so they will sell out fast I'd say.

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CathalDublin · 01-02-2012 10:15pm

Deadly, will be keeping an eye on this

The Last Bandit · 02-02-2012 10:26am

Looking forward to seeing this progress

Steve X2 · 02-02-2012 5:18pm

Hopefully they release the board soon and I can get to work on it.

I just got a new 7" screen today that runs at 800 x 480 to go in my second mod(something larger than a Game Boy, maybe a NES or something along those lines).

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Doge · 02-02-2012 11:15pm

Steve SI wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPPku_xbMZQ

Ah well...

That's enough porn for me for tonight....

Steve X2 · 02-02-2012 11:35pm

waveform wrote: »

Ah well...

That's enough porn for me for tonight....

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Doge · 04-02-2012 1:04am

http://www.raspberrypi.org/forum/general-discussion/perfect-case-for-everyone-born-in-the-80s/page-2

ToastyTwo wrote:

MakerBot…? Now you've made me jealous…

Oh....if he only knew the half of it!

Steve X2 · 04-02-2012 2:32am

waveform wrote: »

http://www.raspberrypi.org/forum/general-discussion/perfect-case-for-everyone-born-in-the-80s/page-2

Oh....if he only knew the half of it!

Steve X2 · 07-02-2012 5:19am

I managed to get a version of MAME compiled and running on an accurate RaspPi virtual machine(connected via localhost vnc to a Qemu machine running arm debian emulating the correct arm architecture running in a virtualbox machine on my pc).

A pain to get it to work but I'm getting there. The version of mame I've got working is the very old 0.35 Beta 3 which was released in feb 1999. So its not great and running very slowly with all the loop holes I have to jump through to get it to work.

Anyway, it can be done and once I have my hands on the real hardware I can hopefully get a more modern and more stable version working and have a look at getting other emulators running.

I mean I cant have a Game Boy computer that doesn't run a Game Boy emulator :rolleyes:

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Steve X2 · 20-02-2012 9:02pm

Right, the Raspberry Pi should be with us next week according to the website

Here's a revised video of the 3D model I'm using to plan everything(old model was 1.3mm to short in length and 1.3mm to wide for some reason). Also, music is better in the one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq3SMVh_CEo

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K.O.Kiki · 21-02-2012 12:23pm

Question: how are you going to make the buttons/dpad work?

Steve X2 · 21-02-2012 6:33pm

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Question: how are you going to make the buttons/dpad work?

That's undecided as of yet. I might wire them up to a very small mini keyboard(which would be stripped down to the bare essentials) and use the dpad as cursor keys and the rest of the buttons as maybe Escape, Enter, etc etc.

Or I might not use them as buttons at all. It all depends on how the whole thing turns out.

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Doge · 21-02-2012 7:01pm

Question:

Are you pissed off that you cannot buy 2 during the first batch?

Myrddin · 21-02-2012 7:07pm

waveform wrote: »

Question:

Are you pissed off that you cannot buy 2 during the first batch?

I doubt it, if anything, he bought the whole batch

Steve X2 · 21-02-2012 7:11pm

waveform wrote: »

Question:

Are you pissed off that you cannot buy 2 during the first batch?

Maybe, although my brother, mother, neighbour and my girlfriends workplace might get an interest in Raspberry Pi boards if I really want more than one

I'll probably stick to the one board though, as they'll have more in march and I probably wont have any time to spend on the mod before then anyway.

I'm heading away for a few weeks shortly and hope I dont miss it when they go on sale. It'd really piss me off to be on a plane for 11 hours and for them to go on sale then.
They'll sell out very fast.

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CiDeRmAn · 21-02-2012 7:47pm

I'm wondering, is there any chance, if the first gen of the Gameboy PC works out, would you be willing to build some for A&R regulars?
I would be very interested in a GB-PC capable of running some emulators right off the bat.
All I'd be looking to do would be to load my legally owned Public Domain roms on it, of course!
I'm guessing that one would be limited to the 8-bit systems as there aren't enough buttons for later consoles....

I wonder if it would work in a PSP? No, too slim

A Lynx on the other hand....

Myrddin · 21-02-2012 7:50pm

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I wonder if it would work in a PSP? No, too slim
A Lynx on the other hand....

A PSP with the UMD drive stripped out might house one...& at least then you'd have the extra buttons & a 16:9 screen

CiDeRmAn · 21-02-2012 7:58pm

The possibilities!
Only thing is, running the screen and buttons, you'd have to get driver software for the controls in there, it sounds like a considerable job.
Would be most cool though!

Myrddin · 21-02-2012 8:04pm

I can see Sir Heck doing some quality mods with this raspberry thing

Steve X2 · 21-02-2012 8:36pm

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

The possibilities!
Only thing is, running the screen and buttons, you'd have to get driver software for the controls in there, it sounds like a considerable job.
Would be most cool though!

Running the internal screen will be fine as long as I get the right one for the DSI connector. An external screen is sorted via HDMI and the controls will be ok as they will just be a standard keyboard. Joypads are also supported of course in the OS.

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Doge · 21-02-2012 9:39pm

Steve SI wrote: »

Maybe, although my brother, mother, neighbour and my girlfriends workplace might get an interest in Raspberry Pi boards if I really want more than one

I knew you'd say that.

**** it I might order 2 for myself and Palmela.
I won't be buying any for her five sisters though.

Steve SI wrote: »

I'm heading away for a few weeks shortly and hope I dont miss it when they go on sale. It'd really piss me off to be on a plane for 11 hours and for them to go on sale then.
They'll sell out very fast.

Nothing could possibly amuse me more if that actually happened!

BTW, is this you in the video Steve?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh1jB4hVJRg

(Jesus,it even has a similar intro to your latest vid LOL!)

Steve X2 · 21-02-2012 10:28pm

After much staring in the mirror and analysing if I live a sad, lonely and lady free life as the guy in the video probably does I can confirm that it is in fact not me.

But if I must be honest I do have more than one PS3

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Doge · 21-02-2012 11:57pm

I have a sad, lonely, lady free life AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PS3 FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUU!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

Myrddin · 22-02-2012 9:08am

Steve SI wrote: »

But if I must be honest I do have more than one PS3 .

As Cidey will state, multiple PS3's are a requirement unfortunately

CiDeRmAn · 22-02-2012 9:22am

Thanks for revisiting my pain.
I am now making a slaps list for the next Beers, you have been warned!

I still haven't felt the need to replace the PS3 either!

Myrddin · 22-02-2012 9:53am

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

I still haven't felt the need to replace the PS3 either!

I've a working one, & still don't feel the need to play it. It's a soul-less boring, piece of crap.

Professey Chin · 22-02-2012 4:24pm

....Ive been looking for something new to electrocute myself with for a while........
/looks closlier

Steve X2 · 24-02-2012 2:21am

Hmm, its becoming clear that the DSI connectors might not be usable for a while when the Raspberry Pi is released as they might not have drivers for them yet.
This means no small screen can be attached to them. So the RasPiBoy will just be an PC initially than needs to be connect to a screen(via HDMI) as well as a keyb/mouse.

Not the end of the world I guess.

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Doge · 24-02-2012 12:30pm

The Raspberry Pi will be like a fine wine, it will get exponentially better with time.

Plenty of other work will need to be done code wise, besides driver development.

The only thing I'm not looking forward to is all the bitching from ignorant, idiotic users on their forum, who are expecting it to be exactly like a commercial PC.

"This sux, i can't run windowz. I want a refund.... UR company is false advertising" etc....

Steve X2 · 29-02-2012 8:42am

Well the Raspberry Pi went on sale this morning and both sites selling it crashed and burned. But after an hour or two I managed to order one

Now, have to wait until they arrive from China to the UK and then get shipped to me here in Ireland. Should be here around the 12th of March according to my order.

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Dale Parish · 29-02-2012 8:45am

Should have built them in the UK tbh. They send way too much stuff abroad to be made nowadays.
Should be fairly epic to see the finished gameboy result though

Steve X2 · 29-02-2012 8:50am

Dale Parish wrote: »

Should have built them in the UK tbh. They send way too much stuff abroad to be made nowadays.
Should be fairly epic to see the finished gameboy result though

I'd say you'd be talking around £100 plus if it was made in the UK if not more.
They just couldn't get the discounts they wanted and manufacturing is an art form over in China. No strikes, hard workers, top class facilities and of course the contentious issue of cheap labour(which is never as simple as most people seem to think).

As for the RaspiBoy, hopefully they get more stock of the boards soon in case I feck it up completely

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Doge · 29-02-2012 8:47pm

Steve SI wrote: »

manufacturing is an art form over in China. No strikes, hard workers, top class facilities and of course the contentious issue of cheap labour(which is never as simple as most people seem to think).

Thats one way of looking at it I suppose.

The way I see it, is that there's a huge reason there's no strikes and the people are worked to death.

And it's certainly not a society I would like to live in.

But that debate is for another thread.

Don't want to be filling it with negativity!

Must...

conjure..

up..

a...

smile...

Steve X2 · 01-03-2012 12:26am

Cheers to the comments section of Gizmodo US and UK for crashing my website for a little while earlier

25973 active users in the space of 60mins at around 3.30pm today.
I didn't even notice until i was checking the logs a few mins ago.
And I was giving out about the 2 partner sites for the rasp pi earlier

A bit mad that 3 or 4 comments(one by me) on those sites can lead to such an amount of traffic.

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Steve X2 · 02-03-2012 5:40pm

Here's my next case mod for the Rasp Pi. I'm going extra retro with this one and using a circa 1946 Kodak Six-20 Brownie C camera.
It's still in the design stage right now but I have everything I need(except a Raspberry Pi )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67VaqNDmuEE

Some pics of the actual camera:
Click for much larger versions(very large).

More here on the project page:
http://www.retrovia.ie/showthread.php/9839-Kodak-Six-20-Brownie-C-%28Raspberry-Pi-case-mod%29

http://bit.ly/BrowniePi

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Doge · 06-03-2012 3:06pm

Steve! How are you feeling today my good buddy, oul pal!

Oh and btw, you didn't happen to get that em.........*cough*
3d printer of yours yet?

*cough*

http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/raspberry-pi-gets-a-case-you-can-download-and-3d-print-2012035/

I must say your posts are looking mighty well lately!

Steve X2 · 06-03-2012 3:28pm

No 3D printer yet but it has been ordered. Takes a bit of time to get them as I think they're made to order. I'm looking forward to it, and not just for the rasp pi.

What I'm really after now is a 3D scanner as my home made ones haven't worked out accurate enough(i posted a few vids of the results somewhere on the forum here a while back). It's been fun trying different approaches to it but i just want a box I put something into and it spits out a 3d image file to my PC.

I thought there would be a few scanners knocking around but I've not found one yet.

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a5y · 23-03-2012 9:36pm

Steve SI wrote: »

No 3D printer yet but it has been ordered. Takes a bit of time to get them as I think they're made to order. I'm looking forward to it, and not just for the rasp pi.

What I'm really after now is a 3D scanner as my home made ones haven't worked out accurate enough(i posted a few vids of the results somewhere on the forum here a while back). It's been fun trying different approaches to it but i just want a box I put something into and it spits out a 3d image file to my PC.

I thought there would be a few scanners knocking around but I've not found one yet.

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When you say "haven't worked out accurate enough" is the problem that the tolerances it outputs aren't high enough for making, say, snap together parts?

Doge · 27-03-2012 2:13pm

Steve SI wrote: »

A pain to get it to work but I'm getting there. The version of mame I've got working is the very old 0.35 Beta 3 which was released in feb 1999. So its not great and running very slowly with all the loop holes I have to jump through to get it to work.

Just saw this on hackaday,
a user managed to get Mame 0.106 (a 2006 release) running on the Virtual Box image for the Raspberry Pi:

http://hackaday.com/2012/03/22/the-first-raspberry-pi-build-is-a-mame-machine/

Moar progress!

Game Boy PC

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