I posted in the Handheld Hacking forum, figure I'd bring it here. I'm a total noob at this stuff, my questions are:
How can I set up my GBO with GBC components inside so that I can use 4 batteries without frying it? I know you need to wire series/parallel but how is this done with regular batteries? and what wires do I need?
How can I make the buttons from the GBC board fit in the button holes on the GBO housing?
I want to still use the power switch on top of the GBO housing, not the right sided switch the GBC has, how can this be done once the GBC is inside the GBO case?
OK, need some advice GBC in a GBO
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Dr. KillGood
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Ben Cebhrem
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1) Yes, you can use four batteries. You'd need to run them two in one series, the other two in another series, and then run them in parallel (somebody correct me if I'm wrong of course). AWG 26 wire, stranded would be ideal, but that's just me.
2)If the buttons don't line up, you have a few options-
2a) Mod the gameboy original case so that the buttons will line up. A bit of a pain, and time intensive, but it works.
2b) Get small pieces of PCB, and use tact switches attached to them as your new buttons. You'll have to wire them to the GBC. Harder, but preserves the look of the Original.
2c) Nothing else that I know of, but ya never know- that's all I could think of.
3)You'll need to cut the original switch off (still attached to the PCB), and wire it onto the GBC's power switch. There isn't much else you could do really, other than mod the case to accept the GBC's own switch (which would require modifying the Original case, if it lines up).
2)If the buttons don't line up, you have a few options-
2a) Mod the gameboy original case so that the buttons will line up. A bit of a pain, and time intensive, but it works.
2b) Get small pieces of PCB, and use tact switches attached to them as your new buttons. You'll have to wire them to the GBC. Harder, but preserves the look of the Original.
2c) Nothing else that I know of, but ya never know- that's all I could think of.
3)You'll need to cut the original switch off (still attached to the PCB), and wire it onto the GBC's power switch. There isn't much else you could do really, other than mod the case to accept the GBC's own switch (which would require modifying the Original case, if it lines up).
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Ben Cebhrem
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As far as wire goes, you can use the same kind for power switches as you use for the batteries. If you want, you can use thinner wire on the control buttons even. This could help save room even, when .1mm makes all the difference. 
The downside of wire thinner than AWG 26, is that tends to be troublesome when stripping, and fragile when handling (at least until it's enclosed). Experience and caution though, can alleviate those concerns.
If you're asking about removing buttons from the GBO or GBC, and then rewiring them on a new piece of PCB, I'd have to say no, that wouldn't work. The 'buttons' are actually rubber, with a conductive material in the middle; the PCB contains two traces, and when you press the button down, this conductive material bridges the gap. It isn't really a one piece solution that was done on the GBO I know, rather a two piece tomake an electrical connection. I'd suspect the GBC is the same way as well. For a visual, crack open a TV or DVD remote; nearly all of them use this idea.
As for using the original GBO board, and wiring the buttons from the GBC onto the GBO board, (the 'easy' idea I had that involved little case modding) it should work- there may be clearance issues though.
The downside of wire thinner than AWG 26, is that tends to be troublesome when stripping, and fragile when handling (at least until it's enclosed). Experience and caution though, can alleviate those concerns.If you're asking about removing buttons from the GBO or GBC, and then rewiring them on a new piece of PCB, I'd have to say no, that wouldn't work. The 'buttons' are actually rubber, with a conductive material in the middle; the PCB contains two traces, and when you press the button down, this conductive material bridges the gap. It isn't really a one piece solution that was done on the GBO I know, rather a two piece tomake an electrical connection. I'd suspect the GBC is the same way as well. For a visual, crack open a TV or DVD remote; nearly all of them use this idea.
As for using the original GBO board, and wiring the buttons from the GBC onto the GBO board, (the 'easy' idea I had that involved little case modding) it should work- there may be clearance issues though.
This is a bad idea. If you insert batteries that are not equally discharged. (Ie random you hapen to have lying around) the ones that are more charged will recharge the less charged, which can cause leaking of battery acid. This is the reason you rarely or never see parallel connections of batteries in commercial products.CFC Fodder wrote:1) Yes, you can use four batteries. You'd need to run them two in one series, the other two in another series, and then run them in parallel (somebody correct me if I'm wrong of course). AWG 26 wire, stranded would be ideal, but that's just me.
Edit: Adding resistors is a bad idea too:
1) Resistors will have a different voltage dropout depending on how much current the GBC is using. In other words, you're not guaranteed that you're regulating from 6 V o 3 V at all times.
2) The resistor will/might overheat. You have a 3 V voltage dropout that you want to get rid of. And the excess power will have to burned in the resistor. This is a waste of energy. In fact it has no benefit over just using two batteries.
The solution would be to use a DC-DC power converter, which steps down the voltage in a more intelligent way. Or you could possibly hack the one that's already there on the GBC MoBo.