Has anyone put membrane buttons in a GBA SP?

tysonDS · Post by **tysonDS** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:33 pm

Hi guys,

Has anyone tried putting membrane style buttons in a GBA SP?

My only real complaint with SP's is that they have clicky tactile buttons (yuck) and the controls are a bit close together.

I have a spare GBA original mother board here that is dead, I wonder if I can dremel out the D-pad and the A&B of the pcb, and fit them inside the SP.

If I can't get it to work, it only takes 15 minutes to wire a SNES controller in there (SNES controls are the best!) - but then the SP is not really compact anymore.

Valium · Post by **Valium** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:54 pm

No one has really tried that, that I know of anyway. It wouldn't be too hard of a job, but chances are it'd make it too thick and not able to fold up anymore.

tysonDS · Post by **tysonDS** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:57 pm

Valium wrote:No one has really tried that, that I know of anyway. It wouldn't be too hard of a job, but chances are it'd make it too thick and not able to fold up anymore.

Actually, I think you're right. I think the last SP I opened up, the main square pcb was practically touching the top of the plastic housing..

Although, if there is a 1.5 to 2mm gap I reckon I could get away with it.

tysonDS · Post by **tysonDS** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:14 pm

Please excuse the crappy pic (gif).

Maybe I could come up with some funky way to permanently mount an SP to a SNES controller (rigid) and still keep it somewhat portable.

Actually, I like this idea better:

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:32 pm

tysonDS wrote:

I've mentioned that before, using a GBA as the "wings". The GBA and SP are almost perfectly matched, the closed thickness of the SP is the same as the thickness of the GBA, etc.

tysonDS · Post by **tysonDS** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:24 pm

Yeah, a GBA original could work.

The only problem with cutting anything and then joining them is that you would need like a rigid plate of steel either externally or internally bridging all 3 parts.

My favourite handheld console *ever* is the Advance, so I just want to find the most comfortable design.

I've started noticing, as cool as the GBA original is, because the D-pad is so small your thumb starts to hurt in intensive games.

Recently I dremelled my GB DMG, and easily swapped the rubber and buttons from a SNES controller. It played Tetris VERY comfortably! It was very fluid.

Until I broke the screen trying to backlight it...