GBA + JuiceBox = Yum?

ronderwear · Post by **ronderwear** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:06 am

Hi all! Me new!

I got an original GBA a few years ago, came with tetris... used it twice...
I though of buying a flashcart, for homebrew (ofcourse) but the GBA's lightless screen is unusable anyway so I forgot about it.

I also recieved a Mattel JuiceBox a while ago, and it's completely* useless.
*I use it for battery storage

BUT, it does have a backlit LCD that has the same reselution as a GBA (240x160) The screen is 68x49 mm and 5mm thick including the backlight. The actual viewing area is 58x39mm. (Dont have the GBA on me so i cant compare).

Now for the options:

Full swap: The juicebox has a ribbon with 22 wires. The GBA has (fill in the blank) wires. Doesnt mean anything but who knows. Possible?

Backlight only: Remove GBA screen, peel off (?) back reflective layer without damaging the polerizer, add backlight. Risky?

Thoughts? Links? Donations?

BTW, I'm a 3rd year EE student, so I have no practical knowlage at all.

Aguiluz · Post by **Aguiluz** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:45 pm

You can try doing a swap.

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:43 pm

I would post a lengthy explanation, but there are lots of answers if you search.

So, in short: NO!

thehackerinside · Post by **thehackerinside** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:57 pm

palmertech wrote:I would post a lengthy explanation, but there are lots of answers if you search.

So, in short: NO!

There we go!

Post by **Gamelver** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 4:13 pm

You have to frontlight the GBA screen. There is no other way

!

Bibin · Post by **Bibin** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:04 pm

This is beyond impossible. Sorry.

ronderwear · Post by **ronderwear** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:13 am

Bibin wrote: This is beyond impossible. Sorry.

Hmmm.... so it seems, that the majority agree.
Bummer

I can see now through the GBA case the screen has more than 22 leads... so obviously, swap no good.

I search through the forums, here and elsewhere and couldn't find a diy alternative to the legendary afterburner.

Did I miss anything? Am I doomed to play emulators on my nokia?

nitro2k01 · Post by **nitro2k01** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:32 am

Buy a GBA SP?

Mario · Post by **Mario** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:39 pm

There was an article in Make Magazine about adding a frontlight to your GBA... maybe I can scan the pages and send them to you.

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:01 pm

I have that issue... The guy is a lier. No room, no light distribution, and NO pics of the final product!

Check out my thread on frontlighting a gba, it will help.

ronderwear · Post by **ronderwear** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:05 pm

Yeah, I saw that article. Seemed like bs to me...

So basicaly, what I need to do is to find some way to fabricate that special screen that the afterburner used... micro-grooves and all...

I did see this: http://www.lightwedge.com/
It is clear that its basically a plexiglass wedge.

Bibin · Post by **Bibin** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:18 pm

I have one; it's totally smooth with no grooves but works perfectly.

palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:18 pm

No, it has grooves. Teeny, tiny, micro-etching grooves, not easily replicated.

ronderwear · Post by **ronderwear** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:26 pm

palmertech wrote:No, it has grooves. Teeny, tiny, micro-etching grooves, not easily replicated.

I think binbin was talking about the LightWedge. It cant have external grooves because your greasy fingers would mess them up completely. Maybe somthing with its internal structure.

Or maybe just the wedge shape. I'll try to hack something together and update. Wish me luck!