gp2x project progress

[Triton]

as some of you know i recently bought a gp2x from myersn024 for the purpous of modification, so far i have the dpad about ready to go in for testing! here are the before and after pics

before
http://www.austinbull.com/gp2x/gp2x_1.jpg

after
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8018/gp2xog5.jpg

[DK]

Very suave and i don't blame ya. The GP2X had the worst D-Pad ever made.

Can you shrink the pics tho?

[myersn024]

Looking good, man! Keep us posted, and keep the pics coming. I love seeing the work that people on this forum churn out. I'd mod stuff if I could, but I lack the patience and finesse.

[bacteria]

The space in the GP2x for a D-pad mobo is very tight, it might be a good idea to raise the D-pad area a bit by cutting a circle around the D-pad cross from the NES (it looks like a NES cross you are using) and bonding this to the GP2x case instead. Just a suggestion, but it should be easier then to put a small D-pad mobo inside the GP2x and not have directions sticking when you use the system. (I am fairly active on the GP2x forum).

Anyway, yes, the GP2x benefits from a D-pad!

Coming on nicely.

[khaag]

That's a SNES dpad though. Nice work so far!

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

Impressive, Triton! The GP2X really needs a better D-pad, and you just gave it one! Very clean case mod, as your stuff always seems to be!

[Triton]

ill resize the pics next year it still needs a bit of sanding but i dont think there will be any fitament problems as far as i can tell, we will see i guess

[DK]

Yay, small pictures

Oh and I added your project to the projects sticky

And I moaned at a mod, don't block me

[bacteria]

I mentioned about the gap inside the GP2x between the GP2x mobo and the D-pad cross for two reasons, from others who have done this mod on the GP2x forum and used a GameCube or NES controller / similar:

1) By the time you put the small controller mobo on top of the GP2x mobo and make it level above the tiny components present, and put the contact rubbers in place, the space can be cramped and therefore, when you use the D-pad in a game, can have a bias to press a direction more than others (annoying). Mind you, if you shave the height of the controller mobo right down to a sliver it might make the required difference.

2) You will probably need to shave off quite a lot of the controller contact mobo so it fits in the space and so you can get the edges of the GP2x case to close, and probably have to shave some of the contact pad rubber too. This can also affect how good a button presses of course.

One other point (bit late now I guess): Using a smaller mobo and cross (eg GBA one) would be easier to work with and reduce the size of the cross hole on the GP2x case - so when you press Right during a game, your thumb isn't over onto the screen itself.

I know the pic shows the newer GP2x F200, but principle is the same for the older GP2x:



Whilst using a proper D-pad on the GP2x is certainly beneficial, there are some games which don't play too well, like side-scrolling shoot-em-ups, where you need to move in all directions quickly and instinctively; moving to a diagonal with a D-pad is fine but not as quick or as smooth an operation as per pressing a normal direction (which is what I am referring to). If you don't like side-scrolling shoot-em-ups, you will definitely benefit from this mod and will find it worthwhile.

Personally, I find the joystick on the MKI GP2x's a pain and you definitely need to do a d-pad mod with these, however I find the stock joystick on the MKII GP2x's acceptable (different bias) so I modded my old (long dead) MKI model ages ago and haven't bothered to mod my MKII one since I got it.

Anyway, wish you every success and keep us posted with your conclusions and progress!

[Negative_Creep]

I like it, would look flush if you filled in the areas near the d-pad.. if you don't know what I mean, I mean the circle area near the d-pad.

The new GP2X has a nice d-pad

[Triton]

i might fill that in, havent decided yet lol