The eN64p STATUS: Finalizing case. Total cost: $134

[Mario]

Why not just go with the PTH08080 everyone uses? It's the most documented and has been found to be the most reliable.

[robm]

Uhm, yep, that's the piece that was DOA.

I have no doubt it's a good piece, either I received the ultra-rare DOA unit that never happens, or I somehow killed it in the process.

In either case, while I'm waiting on a replacement for that, I'll be on the hunt for a regulator.

Digikey has a few that provide up to 5a in the standard 3-lead TSOP package, but I'm not sure how feasible it'll be to use them. In my scenario, I've got plenty of room, but for everyone else... well, it's bigger than the pth08000 package just by itself, never mind the external capacitor and resistor required.

[XCVG]

Digikey has a few that provide up to 5a in the standard 3-lead TSOP package, but I'm not sure how feasible it'll be to use them. In my scenario, I've got plenty of room, but for everyone else... well, it's bigger than the pth08000 package just by itself, never mind the external capacitor and resistor required.

I'm pretty sure TSOP-3 is WAY smaller than a pth08000. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[robm]

Unless you're thinking about the ultra-small packages found in SMT pieces, I
don't know about WAY smaller. In retrospect, in overall package size, the TSOP-3
isn't really all that much bigger than the TI unit anyway.

However... I did find out what I was doing wrong with the TI unit, something about
using the proper resistor or something ridiculous like that.

Ah well, I'll mark that down as my stupid mistake of this month.

The case is coming along fairly well, all things considered. I'm working on an updated
photoshopped pic of my progress thus far (I need to repair my camera, I think it has
officially bit the dust,) and hopefully SOON I can finally fiberglass the stupid thing.

Turns out the button layout is going to work out awesomely.

[robm]

Hmm, slightly spammy post, but I think the trolling bot is N64freak, looking for instances of lazerdoodle or lazer doodle.

Let's see if he/it posts.

[robm]

Ok, the fiberglass has dried. The button placement worked out a whole lot better than I had thought, so I'm pretty happy with it. A penny to the first person who guesses what I used for material to lay the fiberglass over.



Here's one with me holding it, to give you all an idea of proportion:



I'm planning on using tact switches for the d-pad, C buttons, and the A and B buttons. I like clicky.

It looks rough right now, for good reason - but don't worry, bondo and primer soon to follow, along with the installation of the d-pad and the screen assembly (woot!)

[bacteria]

A penny to the first person who guesses what I used for material to lay the fiberglass over.

Technically, the "lay the fiberglass over" can be interpreted two ways, so my answer is therefore "electrical tape".

Interesting case design.

[robm]

A penny to Bacteria!

It's not going to be the prettiest case in the world, but it will at least work.

My next big hurdle is getting tact switches rigged up to work with the required buttons. We'll see what happens this week.

[dragonhead]

A penny to Bacteria!

It's not going to be the prettiest case in the world, but it will at least work.

My next big hurdle is getting tact switches rigged up to work with the required buttons. We'll see what happens this week.

sanding and bondo works wonders for final case finish.

[robm]

Yep, it'll look "ok" when it's done - I have high hopes.

I managed to kill the protection circuit in my battery like an idjit, so now I've got to locate a replacement and figure out what I did wrong to begin with. Hopefully nothing major, otherwise I also have a toast motherboard. No worries on that score though, I've got a replacement.

I have two new free regulator samples coming from TI, so hopefully here soon I can get the hardware together by the end of next week.

[gamecube6]

I Like the case. Keep it up

[robm]

Thank you

Ok, got two new regulators in the mail. Here's the PTH08080:



Ok, so I admit, this particular post was just to show off my new camera.

I had one closer, but it was just a tad bit more blurry than this shot.

Now... hopefully I can verify the hardware works this weekend.

[robm]

Here's one more image post before I lay down the last two layers of fiberglass resin:



A little bit more hi-def than the previous pictures

Hardware is still a problem while I find a protection circuit for this battery so I can charge it back up. Will keep posted.

[jjhammerstein]

Oh, I thought of a good name:

N6a4dable

har harhar

[robm]

LOL

That would satisfy my dry sense of humor. And by dry I mean nonexistent.

While I'm here, as an update, I'm still working on the case - it's slowly but surely coming around. The buttons on the right side, particularly the A and B button area, is giving me fits. But soon! Soon the case will be done.

I'm also still locating a good source for the CPC (charging protection circuit.)