Noob with portacast lust....

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:13 pm

Hi peeps!!!

I'm yet another dreamcast obsessive and I've only really looked into this today.... I think I've spent a good 4 hrs on the forum looking at what people have done and what they plan to do...

I have an idea to make a giant DC pad with a screen in the middle so will be looking to closely follow the hand grips and shap of the controller. I have a rough idea of how I'm going to do it... need to look into vacuum plasticy type things more but I'm guessing that's going to be the best way...

What I would like is for it to be primarily portable but also to be able to plug it in and use it like a console too... I've seen people putting the av out on their portables but I've not really seen how it's done... is there a more indepth electronicy thing somewhere i've missed?

I understand rough priciples of how this is all done... i.e. need the monitor to accept analogue signal etc but there's other bits i've not looked into yet... like i understand i need some kind of batteries to run it but have no idea how to wire them in so they charge... I'm sure i'll find things somewhere...

Another thing i was wondering.... with all of these portables about would any uk based builders have the empty dreamcast case / dreamcast controllers they are looking to offload? I'd be happy to take them off your hands as I'm going to need them to get my vaccum mould made!

I have reasonable soldering experiance, as i build guitar pedals... although I don't really know about electronics, just can follow instructions!! lol!

Thanks for all the inspiration!!

hackmodford · Post by **hackmodford** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 2:51 pm

Sounds like you have enough of an idea...

As to batteries (and portables in general) I really suggest buying Ben's book. You'll learn oodles of stuff in there

(and no I'm not payed to say that...)

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:50 pm

ben has a book? I'm assuming you mean ben heck... will have to look into it....

I have plenty of ideas on the finished product but not about the how to on the finer points....

The way I'm seeing it, it's like connecting up the console with the controllers, console, aerial and tv in a box but with solder and not the proper connections...

i.e. pull apart a game pad... connect wires where they would have originally connected on the motherboard rather than through a connector....

I'm planning on trying the vacuum forming thing, although I don't really know how to get the right sort of trim around the monitor.... how tightly does the plastic form around the mould? and how do you attach the two halves together?

need to get another dreamcast to butcher / pull apart and start looking at things properly... also need to use the case as part of the new design... ;0

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:11 pm

eek.... just had a look on amazon and I have to say I'm not paying over £100 for a book... I'm sure it's uber informative but I really can't justify paying that much... at all... apparently new versions of the book are priced at over £300!!!

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:14 pm

also what is the led mod?? are the psone screens not back lit or not lit enough?

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:28 pm

Shugs81 wrote:also what is the led mod?? are the psone screens not back lit or not lit enough?

It is a mod for the Psone screen where you replace the cfl backlight with Led's for better efficiency. Basically so you can run the portable longer on the same batteries.

I never do because I have yet to see a Led mod that looks anywhere near as good as the original backlight.

But to each their own

hackmodford · Post by **hackmodford** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:42 pm

The one I do with life of brians Suggested parts looks better imho. Ill have to show you pics.

The book should be $30 or less. In not good with euros but that doesn't sound right...

Sent from my Alltel HTC Hero using Tapatalk

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:47 pm

It's almost as bad on us Amazon!! If anyone knows of a digital version I'd be interested in reading it....

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:03 pm

The only one that I ever saw that was close was daftmike's mod with the Led strips. But even he admits that it's no as bright as the original. And for me even the original Psone screen is not quite bright enough in some N64 games like Goldeneye and Zelda. So any reduction in brightness is a definite no no in my book.

And ANY Led mod where you have to jump the cap doing the "brightness mod" just looks like complete and utter washed out crap. So thats a no no also.

I did an Led mod with 6 Led's once that looked pretty close but I don't remember what Led's I used and it really wasn't worth the time or effort to add a few minutes of battery life.

hackmodford · Post by **hackmodford** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 12:02 pm

Seriously my led mod looks eqivelant. I'll get pics in my dreamcast worklog in my sig...

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Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 12:40 pm

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-Rear-View-Kit ... 1e5fe21809

would this be ok for a screen?

or can I use a DS screen? just cause i can get one from amazon uk for 6 quid... wouldn't use it for this but I was thinking about doing a portable nes.... amongst others!

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 2:27 pm

Yes on the eBay link, no on the DS screen.

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 5:46 pm

cool... it all seems to be coming together!!!

what about these batteries?

http://www.eclipsehobbies.co.uk/product.asp?id=11000019

as I havn't got the screen yet ( will have to wait till after xmas now...

) i can't confirm 100% power needs.. unless someone has already got one who knows?

The reason I thought about these batteries is cause it's just in one unit and i don't hugely trust myself to solder batteries together...

I have had a cunning idea about the layout of the portacast but i know I've got a few things to try first... as in i need to learn how to do the vacuum molding!!!

I'm getting all psyched up for this... might ask the mrs to get me another dreamcast for xmas!!! muahahahahahahaah.....

Would anyone be willing to show me the moulds they've been using so I can see the comparison betweek mould and finished product? if you want it keeping a secret you can PM me...

I've been watching bacteria's guide on how to make a portable n64... majorly informative.... and I like the way he build a adaptor to plug in stuff to run it like a console over the tv!! just need to work it all out for the portacast!!!

apparently that is what it's going to be called.... bonus!!

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 5:55 pm

That battery will work just buy the 7.4v pak not the 11.1v pak.

Shugs81 · Post by **Shugs81** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 6:11 pm

what about these ones?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/7-4V-5500Mah-35c- ... 43a36adc80
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2S-7-4V-5500Mah-4 ... 230bec9445

I'm really struggling to find info about batteries... all i know is that these are much cheaper.... what does it mean with 35c and 40c???

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