Insane NDS-to-GBA Project

[Klappstuhl]

One more thing: Why not just use it as a DS, too? The DS is a REALLY nice system, tons of sweet games, and all manner of homebrew and emulators if you get a flashcart ($10). You can also use them to play backup copies of your games.

I'm somebody who's got a huge issue with the whole play-at-two-screens-at-once-thing and feel like I am at an age where I just can't adapt to these new inventions anymore.

Here is what you should do:

Buy DS with busted BOTTOM SCREEN; Much easier to replace then the top one.

Buy a replacement bottom screen on dealextreme.com (Great site) for $9.

Total cost would probably be about $50-60, and you could also get a new case and flashcart for another $20, leaving you with a totally pimped, brand new looking DS Lite foe about $75.

Well, that would sound great if it weren't for the fact that I live in Europe, and the shipping costs bring everthing to a total of over ~120€ right now.

You should just do a crazy case mod to a normal DS, make the 2nd screen fold out only when you need it.

Quite a great idea, but I don't plan on doing that.

[Mario]

That;s what I don't like about this place sometimes. Nobody is concerned with giving information, they just want to try and convince you not to follow through with a project.

[vskid]

That;s what I don't like about this place sometimes. Nobody is concerned with giving information, they just want to try and convince you not to follow through with a project.

They're not trying to stop him, just go a more difficult, expensive, and awesome path, when all he needs is a plain, easy solution.
There is a guide on Acidmods that tells you how to make it work without the top screen.

[palmertech]

That;s what I don't like about this place sometimes. Nobody is concerned with giving information, they just want to try and convince you not to follow through with a project.

I will admit to just being difficult on this one, but most of the time, there is a reason for this.

The reason is, these forums get a LOT of new people that insist on doing something, when there is actually a much easier way. An example would be the people that say "I want to use a gamegear screen for my N64p!". We may tell them they should use a different screen, but they "Only want to do it this way". Or people who say stuff like "I have never coded, and I want to learn to make games. On the N64, becuz is ma favorite system!11!".

And good luck, if you need help doing any internal work, I am pretty experianced with DS internals, so just ask.

And one more try to get you to fix a ds: Dealextreme has FREE shipping worldwide! It is under $10 WITH shipping for a replacement screen, and here is a DS on the European eBay site that is finished, and there are deals like that very often: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nintendo-DS-Lite- ... 240%3A1318
Only £35!
You can get a new case for $10-20 (7-14 pounds) including shipping on dealextreme, not all that much.

That listing would also be good for the one screen mod. I guess it really comes down to if 10 pounds is worth have a "dual-screen" DS.

let me know if you need help with this project either way, and good luck!

[ShockSlayer]

I've actually done this. I just never posted it up. It might be easier if you use a GBASP, and an original ds, I doubt the GBA would fit in A NDSL bottom half.

SS

[dimefan90]

i am totally FOR this mod, have seen it done before except they placed the ds inside a dvd case



my photoshop mockups...

[Kyo]

the black one reminds me of a gp2x

[Mario]

Or people who say stuff like "I have never coded, and I want to learn to make games. On the N64, becuz is ma favorite system!11!".

Oh no you didn't!

If there was a way to slap you over the internet, I would totally be doing it right now!

[palmertech]

Or people who say stuff like "I have never coded, and I want to learn to make games. On the N64, becuz is ma favorite system!11!".

Oh no you didn't!

If there was a way to slap you over the internet, I would totally be doing it right now!

I just thought of one more minor raodblock to this project: GBA games do not fill the whole screen, you end up with a 2.7" real screen area.

In which case, modding a GBA sp really would be the better option.

[Klappstuhl]

That;s what I don't like about this place sometimes. Nobody is concerned with giving information, they just want to try and convince you not to follow through with a project.

Well, I asked them for help, not the other way around. They are not obligated to, but they do respond more kindly than expected and have helped me on most of my problems so far. Now all that's left for me to do is to find a cheap DS over eBay.

There is a guide on Acidmods that tells you how to make it work without the top screen.

So all I need to do is to solder a bridge between the two of those connections, ok. Thanks!

Let me know if you need help with this project either way, and good luck!

Thank you, once I get a DS and don't know how to continue I'll PM you.

I've actually done this. I just never posted it up. It might be easier if you use a GBASP, and an original ds, I doubt the GBA would fit in A NDSL bottom half.

SS

You have? is it any similiar to the steps that have popped up so far? Have you bridged the two pins with a LED inbetween?

Besides, I am (ab)using a DS as a GBA, not building a GBA into a DS, guess I got you confused there.

I just thought of one more minor roadblock to this project: GBA games do not fill the whole screen, you end up with a 2.7" real screen area.

In which case, modding a GBA sp really would be the better option.

It doesn't fill the whole screen? There's no option on changing this? Ok, that is quite a roadblock...

[palmertech]

No option to change it, GBA is less pixels, it just fills as much as it can. I will take a pic later, or someone else can if they feel like it.

[Klappstuhl]

That would be great, thanks!

[XCVG]

I still think it is insane and absurd to cripple a DS, but good luck anyway!

You may want to put a screen protector on, because the SS (Single Screen) will no longer have the protective clamshell.

[Klappstuhl]

Well, I did give up to actually do this mod after I came across this:



It's called the Dingoo A320, costs around 80 bucks, but does a lot more than an NDS.
Ok, it doesn't have a touchscreen, but that's what I didn't want in the first place anyway.

It can play NES, SNES, GBA, Genesis, Neo Geo MVS and Capcom's CPS1 & 2.

Guess someone in China thought the same thing as I did, but actually built one!

[wallydawg]

The Dingoo is AWESOME. Some of the built in emulators are kinda sketchy (megadrive/genesis mainly, & snes button issues/mario kart doesnt work), but that does not matter since Linux was released for it a couple of days ago.

http://dingoo-scene.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dingux.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dingoo-digital.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;