Bacteria project: N64³: --abandoned--

[bacteria]

Decided to make this a full WIP to end either with success of failure! Not had a failed project yet, this probably will be the first!!


I am wanting to make an N64 portable really, really small - in fact, the actual size of a PSone screen itself. The controls will be in precise positions on the sides and back as there will be nowhere to hold the system on the front at all. This I see as the ultimate challenge for an N64 portable.

I call the project N64³ (as in N64 cubed (ie to the power of 3), to refer to the approximate size of the system when made), as it will have to be quite thick; about 60mm thick including the game cart. I might well make the system into an actual cube for the fun of it.

To do that I need to make some major cutting to the PSone screen mobo and to the N64 mobo itself; cutting and rewiring.

My question is this - expecially in regards to the N64 board: I notice that some capacitors are connected directly to the grounding on the board; does this mean that in such areas you can't slice up the board as it could affect the resistance or whatever and even if you do a great re-wiring job, you won't get the board to work as the resistance or whatever will be different by introducing wiring? I hope this isn't the case, but thought I would ask now rather than later. The work on this project will be very time consuming and it would be nice to know I have a chance to pull it off!

I am still working on my Turbo Grafx project, no reason I can't work on two projects at the same time after all!

On the N64 board, you can chop off the connections to the cart slot and rewire it all, that's fine (!); however I also need to make the board about 1cm narrower after the grounding strips are removed; that means making a major slice through the board and some very fine soldering work.

This will be ambitious as a project and there is a high chance of failure; but worth it. I have three spare N64 boards to experiment on if I need to.

[64M320N3]

I didn't notice that problem on the NTSC board.
Sorry, i'm not a PAL boy.
You should be able to cut it off anyway and rewire it (after all, ground is ground.)
Hoped that helped at all.

[asdfjkl;]

sifuf's barely had his out for 3 months Sounds like an interesting project, but I don't really think that you can do it how will you even hold it without your big hands getting in the way of the screen?

[bacteria]

sifuf's barely had his out for 3 months Sounds like an interesting project, but I don't really think that you can do it how will you even hold it without your big hands getting in the way of the screen?

You know what? I don't think I will manage to pull it off either, but I will give it a jolly good try! Given my limited knowledge of electronics I will be relying on my steady soldering skills.

I have held a mock-up to see how it will hold, it will be fine, but the button positions will be awkward - a PSP joystick for left thumb, A and B buttons for right thumb, system held in place by both palm sides; C buttons, Z button and shoulder buttons will be underside, in places fingers rest. The system, if works, will have 4amps, memory card and rumble (alternating feature).

64M320N3 - Sure, ground is ground, however there are a number of small capacitors connecting to different parts of the ground - i'm not talking about the grounding areas on the sides of the board but between chips and components. If they have an impact on relocating, I will have a problem before I even start this work!

I will document this project fully, until, as I expect, I give up after failures - however, if I succeed, I will have a system smaller then Sifuf made and a system that won't be made smaller as you can't make a system using a PSone screen smaller than the actual screen itself. I like challenges, rather than "same again"; as mentioned, I expect to fail but will work hard to make it work.

Progress on this project will be slow due to the workload involved.

[64M320N3]

You lost me there...
Pick, er something?
If they are in the middle of the board why do you need to cut them off in the first place.
Ok, here's what I think you mean:
There are a bunch of capacitors all really close to each other and somehow they are all linked together, which then in turn leads to ground, but you want to remove that part of the board.
Is that right?
If so, you can find the leads where the thing originally came from, and then link it all to a different ground.

[bacteria]

If they are in the middle of the board why do you need to cut them off in the first place.

Some parts of the board need more rewiring than others, so makes sense to cut the board into two pieces in a place where there is less to do. Cutting the board into two pieces is the only way to make the board extra small.

This will still mean soldering to tiny pin connections on chips though, which is where there is a large room for failure - one slip with the soldering iron and that could be it.

[64M320N3]

Was I right in my interpretation though?
I think I understand a little more now.
(BTW, for components that small, you'll need a pencil iron with a really small head, I was to cheap to get another head so I sanded mine down a lot to make it come to a point. That way, you can make connections while not screwing up others. YAY )
Oh, and do what Sifuf did BEFORE you cut the thing in half. Otherwise soldering the cart slot to the mobo will be even more of a pain... and it takes a lot of patience to begin with.

[XCVG]

Make sure you have a good soldering iron, not a 10 pound cheapy.

Good luck!

[bacteria]

I plan to start by slicing small strips of the board and rewiring both sides as needed, then cutting another small strip, etc; then if I get into problems I will know where. Eventually, I should just end up with the top inch of the board which seems like it contains all the contacts to the cart pins, rewire all those connections, test, then cut that block off too. Wiring will be a nightmare, I know.

This is the best strategy, all be it slow.

I will work on the N64 board first, then the PSone screen second.

Yes, I think your interpretation was right.

XCVG - Oh, I have a cheapie iron - when one gets damaged I replace it. "£10 cheapie" - pah! Ones I use are about £4 from e-bay! they are pencil pointed, and I can do fine soldering work with them, I have steady hands; I don't use a "handy hands" either (I have one, don't use it).

[64M320N3]

"handy hands"

You mean Helping Hands? Or is it different in the UK?
Also, as long as the head is nice, it doesn't really matter how expensive the soldering iron is, as long as it doesn't catch fire or anything.

[bacteria]

Yes, "Helping Hands"

Iron is only 30W I use!

[64M320N3]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO!
You should use around a 15 watt iron on the chips, or else you'll definitely screw it up.
With a 15 watt, you will have to be slightly more patient, but it's really good for really small electronics.
(Sorry, I thought I'd just warn you before you wreck the first board.)

[thewise1]

You can go up to around 45 watts before you ruin the board. 50 is pushing it though, but since he's only at 30 he's fine.

[themadhacker]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO!
You should use around a 15 watt iron on the chips, or else you'll definitely screw it up.
With a 15 watt, you will have to be slightly more patient, but it's really good for really small electronics.
(Sorry, I thought I'd just warn you before you wreck the first board.)

and this is comming from the person who has done no projects.

Come on. I think bacteria knows what he is doing. He has made many projects, so I don't see why his irons would suddenly ruin this one project.


Oh, and Bacteria. PSP analog? That's not that bad of an idea. Those things are really small. I always liked the psp joystick, despite what most other people have said.

[asdfjkl;]

Actually, I haven't ever met a person who doesn't like the psp joystick. I have no idea what people are talking about when they say the psp analog stick sucks.