Bacteria's project - PSone portable: IntoPlay finished: PICS

deviouskoopa · Post by **deviouskoopa** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 11:41 pm

bacteria wrote:I updated the pic a few hours ago with this extra blue line on the left side as I had had to do this extra connection. The blue lines on the top and diagonals are ground, the single lines are the tact switch connections. Desoldering the components lost the connections, hence the wiring.

Okay, that's what I thought... thanks for clarification.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:21 am

Finished wiring the controller up to the external connections. 16 wires I had to solder to the ribbon cable, which is only 17mm wide. Had to check after doing each wire that I didn't make it touch its neighbour.

Wires sticking out are the ones for the rumble motor(s) and L2 and R2 buttons.

Protected it all with electrical tape.

Connected up the tact switches for the volume and contrast buttons. The ground is the black wire, one wire to serve all.

Bit of a jiggle, but got the screen in and down enough to get the ribbon in properly.

As you see, it is flat to the top of the system, if anything, a millimeter lower - that means, 20mm high, given that the case is 21mm tall.

Still more wiring to do; but mostly done.

I have checked everything is ok, seems to be, won't know if it works or fries until power on

Probably won't do much more on it today, all that took quite a lot of concentration. May do more later, if not, more certainly tomorrow.

Spent about 5 hours on this today, off to get lunch soon and then play some more Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii ! (fantastic game)!

Just noticed - page 30 already! I still have work on the PSone console board to do yet! Guess that means another 6 or so pages to go....

khaag · Post by **khaag** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:51 am

I've just decided that you need to start using IDE Ribbon cable. Things will be SO much neater.

Looking good, as per usual, though.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:55 am

I like colored wire better. Though there is color ribbon cable. holding them together with electrical tape also works

khaag · Post by **khaag** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:15 am

I got this huge box full of coloured ribbon cable from the university where my dad teaches. There's like 4-500 feet of wire in there. Definitely one of the sweetest things I've ever pulled out of a dumpster.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:17 am

Nah, using ribbon cable would be too easy! Better to use wire that although thin, is still too thick for the job (that's why I had to solder some wires the other way around on the ribbon). Insane and more of a challenge!

Seriously though, had some bad experience with IDE cable before, wires kept breaking inside and caused me a lot of head scratching to realise why things weren't working, so since then, I don't tend to use the stuff. I have three types of wires I use - 3amp wire for voltage, general (0.5amp) wire and other coloured wires from old controllers (free) for general connections.

Got another ribbon to wire to soon - the one from the CD mechanism to the PSone console board (ribbon on the CD mechanism isn't long enough for my needs). Hurrah!

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:12 am

bacteria wrote: Seriously though, had some bad experience with IDE cable before, wires kept breaking inside and caused me a lot of head scratching to realise why things weren't working, so since then, I don't tend to use the stuff. I have three types of wires I use - 3amp wire for voltage, general (0.5amp) wire and other coloured wires from old controllers (free) for general connections.

Ug agreed. I got sick of IDE wire. No matter how much you twist you always seem to that that little hair that shorts a connection. Solid core 28AWG only please. Unless its a power line or video line then I use solid core 22AWG.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:34 am

rekarp, first twist, apply solder and then solder it to a connection.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:38 am

Kyo wrote:rekarp, first twist, apply solder and then solder it to a connection.

Do sometimes it splits after it comes out.

Edit// Also sometimes you have to solder on SMD chips....bad idea for stranded wire.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:58 am

Weighed both halves of the system to get an idea of the weight of the complete system - it will end up between about 830-860g, including the six batteries (three sets in parallel). That's not bad!

Tomorrow I will be working on the console board, I need to remove components, rewire parts; test. I plan on using a spare CD mechanism from another PSone to check all works fine during the process.

Once done, and a couple of minor bits on the case backing to do, it will just be a case of final wiring, turning system on (hoping it works and I haven't made a short somewhere

), seeing what doesn't work and needs changing (typically on my other projects, at least one of the buttons doesn't work or put a couple the wrong way around or have a short on the groundings, or whatever); then all done!

The end is in sight!!

BTW - some of the wires I have used are stranded wire, as the wire is very flexible - I make sure there are no stray wires and tin the wire, check again - no issues.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:47 am

Going to use this switch for the CD mechanism. When the console is at an angle or facing upwards, the switch will be on, completing the circuit for the CD drive, when upside down, the switch will be off, cutting off the CD drive, allowing for a new CD to be inserted. This is to replace the switch in the PSone which cuts out when the CD door is opened.

Palmertech sent me some of these a few months ago as part of a trade. This is potentially a very good use for them.

I presume there is a small ball bearing inside them, which moves inside to make/break a contact. Motion sensors basically.

Easy to mount them inside the case backing itself, they are only 12mm long. Only one is needed for the job.

Going to do a few more hours work on my project today, depending on progress will depend on how many updates I do.

Waiting for the rumble motors from pagers/mobiles to arrive in next days, then I can secure all four of them in the case. I know someone said they worked with them before and they aren't powerful, however, these motors work well enough to make a mobile phone viabrate on a table and jiggle about; so four of these motors should be fine - I don't want the case to shake, just feel a bit of a vibration is good enough; will let you know how they perform when they arrive.

EDIT - No, these motion detectors are not reliable enough for purpose, Moved them about, to simulate a heavy gaming session, and contact sometimes broke. That makes them unreliable. No great shakes, will not use them and solder directly to the contacts to keep the contact on permanently; so when changing a CD, turn system off first. No big deal.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:16 am

Ok, some more updates.

Resoldered the controller 1 port

Here is the CD switch which normally clicks off if the CD window is opened. Need to keep it permanently on.

Tried to desolder the component but it didn't want to come off without breaking

Never mind, used pliers to break it apart.

Solder to the points below on the reverse side of the board:

Soldered some 3amp wiring to the battery charger (suitable for the batteries I am using) and the other end to the male plug from the PSone screen mobo. The two outer connections are negative, the central one is positive.

Leaving it to charge - been doing so for 2 hours, batteries remain cold, with is good. Best to test the batteries charge safely and properly at this stage as I can't see what is going on when the case is closed!

Next, the on/off button:

Desolder, remove and wire to these connections:

Screwed in the on/off switch I prepared quite a while back, two screws.

Top yellow circle is one of the rubber pads from the CD mechanism, wedged under the on/off button; the other two places, yellow circles in pic, are plastic beads hot glued in place to keep the CD mechanism in place and secured to the case.

Next job, desolder the power plug, so we can wire directly to it.

Here is the state of my desk at the moment! As you see, console base on recharge, top half on other side of desk, printed diagrams I made earlier for wiring controller, controller wiring, etc. Hard to keep it tidy!

More to do, but not a great deal.

Can't easily test things as I go along, so decided to make the bold move of getting everything done, completely, then turning system on for the first time and hoping all works. Not always the best policy, but in theory, all should be fine. (gulp).

HBN · Post by **HBN** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:13 am

bacteria wrote:Here is the state of my desk at the moment! As you see, console base on recharge, top half on other side of desk, printed diagrams I made earlier for wiring controller, controller wiring, etc. Hard to keep it tidy!

Dude, I envy you (And everybody like you). You have a WORK DESK. I have a floor with a couple sheets of case-making plastic (Styrene, actually) down to do my work on. Which means a very sore neck when I'm done for the day, and a slightly stiff one in the morning after.

That bit aside, it's looking really good and I wish you luck with you plan of finishing it, THEN testing it. Risky move. As long as you double/triple check all your connections before that first power-up, you should be fine.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:33 am

I envy him because his workdesk is like 3 times as big as mine. I got a regular (old) desk from my father, which is right behind me (and thus my computer desk). I still need more space. At least I don't have to do anything but turn around to get to work

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:02 am

HBN and Kyo - My project room is a converted double bedroom we don't use (we have a 4 bed house), so it is my own hobby room. Going to improve it with more desk space and storage after finishing this project. At the moment, I have three work areas in a U shape - one is for my computer monitor and bits (about 5 feet long), one the middle section in the pic (about 9 feet long) and the other also in the pic for soldering, etc (5 feet long). I will make both sections 7 feet long and have one of the sections as a boxed area for cutting plastic and boards which make lots of rubbish on the floor normally. Will post pics when done...

Yes, risky to just "go for it" - decided, as I have to hack up the PSone console board, I will check it first on composite signals on a spare screen. If all is ok, it will help to hone down a problem. Best policy, as I have removed and relocated a fair bit off the board and its components.

The batteries recharged fine, up to 8.3v which is the maximum these 7.4v Li-ions go. Batteries stayed completely cool during the process so I don't have to worry about anything getting hot in there.

Probably down to last 10 hours of project work left on this now.

Here is a pic of the PSone console mobo on top of the system. As you see, needs a little trimming. The PSone console board appears to be two layer, so can take off enough (as planned).

Here is the board on top. Just below the lip of the top of the case, need to move a couple of the wires first. Yes, that tight!

Given that the console base contents will be just under the top of the case base and the other section was about 1mm to clear, it means the two halves will not touch - I will put in a sheet of 10thou PVC between the two halves, to ensure no short occurs.

Good news is that, as tight as it is, my calculations at the start of the project were bang on.

That's it for the day. Wife is home, and anyway, I have had enough! Still need to check the PSone console board to check all the grounds are intact, move some of the wires in the casing backing, remove the two cable plugs on the board for the CD mechanism and wire directly to them, wire to the memory card port, check it works fine (I can wire everything up in the case section itself, then run wires to an external PSone screen to test - if all is ok I just then need to replace the wiring to the top case half. After all, the case base has the batteries, console board, memory port; all it needs is a controller and screen wired in for testing.