Gamecube hardware questions

[Tchay]

Instead of polluting my worklog with off-topic speculations, I figured I would post my recent findings and questions in a new topic:

1. The DD works properly with the metal casing around the laser; however, when removed, the laser is unable to read gamecube games as far as I know....why? I suppose its possible I damaged the laser after viciously removing the metal casing.

2.The motherboard is sensitive to any traces being removed. After simply removing mem-card-slot B (just the plastic casing without removing the metal strands attached to the pegs) the gamecube displayed an error message which im sure many of you are familiar with. Whenever any of the pegs on the inside (towards the gamecube) touch one another, the gamecube shorts out and turns off. As for the pegs on the outside (away from the GC) they dont seem to have any affect....How do these pegs need to be connected to get rid of the GC error message???

3. Is the DD sensitive to wieight on the laser???
because sometimes it would read a disc for a longer amount of time depending on how I tilted the DD...

4. For the DD, can the distance between the laser and the lense be reduced and still have the DD read GC games properly???

More questions to come, you can be sure of that

[kasar]

1. The DD works properly with the metal casing around the laser; however, when removed, the laser is unable to read gamecube games as far as I know....why?

probably, the metal part gives the laser a required weight wich is needed.
to fix this, you probably can use a small and heavy material to replace the old metal part.

check also the metal part dont act also as a conductor between two contacts or pins, and if it does, replace it with small wire.

2.The motherboard is sensitive to any traces being removed. After simply removing mem-card-slot B (just the plastic casing without removing the metal strands attached to the pegs) the gamecube displayed an error message which im sure many of you are familiar with. Whenever any of the pegs on the inside (towards the gamecube) touch one another, the gamecube shorts out and turns off. As for the pegs on the outside (away from the GC) they dont seem to have any affect....How do these pegs need to be connected to get rid of the GC error message???

Since I dont removed yet any memcard port of my gamecube, I cant help u with this.

btw, check for any posible bridged conections or shortcut, and make sure the DD "is connected", if the DD is not connected you will get an error.

3. Is the DD sensitive to wieight on the laser???
because sometimes it would read a disc for a longer amount of time depending on how I tilted the DD...

probably it will need a exact weight for more precisal moving along the rail. try using a small part of any small and heavy material, and try get the same metal part weight by ussing less space amount

4. For the DD, can the distance between the laser and the lense be reduced and still have the DD read GC games properly???

yes, it can be done, and it also decrease the chance of DRE, so doing it is very recomended, not only for portables, here you have a spanish tutorial.
it is on spanish srry, but the pics can give you some ideas
http://pic7.piczo.com/3poskate/?g=30533387&cr=7&pc=tr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope this helped a litte.

GL with your portable

[Tchay]

Thank you very much Kasar, quite helpful!

As for my last question, I took a look at the link you gave me and perhaps I didnt properly explain what I was trying to do. There is a laser on the orange, flexible circuit board that shoots the red light through to the actual lense, both are part of the disc reader. What I am asking is whether the little black shaft that the red light goes through to the laser can be reduced? As in removing the metal casing, and then cutting part of the plastic shaft:

Birds eye view of the "shaft" (i dont know what else to call it )


Here you can see how it sticks out, causing GC portables to be bigger


So the question stands: Can I trim the plastic down (reducing the amount it sticks out) and still have the laser work properly to read games????

[XCVG]

AFAIK you can't trim that down, because the lens had a fixed focal length. So you're going to have to find another way.

[kasar]

As for my last question, I took a look at the link you gave me and perhaps I didnt properly explain what I was trying to do. There is a laser on the orange, flexible circuit board that shoots the red light through to the actual lense, both are part of the disc reader. What I am asking is whether the little black shaft that the red light goes through to the laser can be reduced? As in removing the metal casing, and then cutting part of the plastic shaft:

oops, srry for the missunderstanding before

then, I think I also agree with xcvg, the laser is a really sensitive part, even hacking/modifing most part of the DD, there are also parts wich cant be slimed, my advice is try remove all plastic/metal posible and other stuff without lose DD estability,tecknott's GCP design is very nice cause he cut the mobo to allow the laser move along the same level without touching any other parts, getting a really slim design. slim and place the parts as close as posible still being the best ideas for portablilizing, btw be carefull with shortcuts,electrical noise/interferences and overheating.

[Tchay]

Thanks for the advice Kasar!

I have ripped off all unnecessary ports but the dang sound is gone!!!! I did clean up all the pegs so theres no shorts (as far as I kno). I am ganna search around the forum to see if theres something I'm forgetting. Note that I also got rid of mem card B slot.

[kasar]

no sound?

I supose you have a dol-001 and you did the reallocation mod for the regulator board by 5 wires.

you may shorted something and the 12v line of the regulatorboard and is not working anymore, check the 12v line with a multimeter and check if it is working, if not, try use the 5v line to feed the 12v line (just for testing sound) btw the 5v line is not enough to power the DD, so you will need to find another power source for the 12v line if it is not avalible anymore

[Tchay]

thx for the tips with the voltage, BUT i havent even relocated the powerboard yet. All I did was remove the unnecessary ports and then I tested it and the sound wont work...

[kasar]

mmm, kinda weird, I removed all ports on mine except analog and memcards output and it worked fine, you probably shorted something, even you not did the regulator board reallocation mod, check for the 12v line, check also the mobo for any missing small component, them are very delicated, so you may removed one of them accidentally.

how did you removed the ports? "brute force" like my guide? hehe, or a clean desoldering?

[Tchay]

Whats a safe way to clean the board??? And ill prolly check the 12v line when i get a multimeter. I used the brute force method ugh, i have ONE MORE practic mobo (rev A) before its go time, so i need to stop screwing up on the easiest parts of this project.

I ripped out the slot next to the video/audio slot....if thts the analogue slot then yes I did indeed rip that out and since you didnt rip yours out then tht could be part of the problem...

[kasar]

I ripped out the slot next to the video/audio slot....if thts the analogue slot then yes I did indeed rip that out and since you didnt rip yours out then tht could be part of the problem...

I also removed the analog port also after get done other ports, I just didnt it at start due , I tested with few normal TVs before solder directly to the portable one.

if you used brute force, try clean the pins like the pic of my guide, you just need to use a solder and remove broken pins to prevent shortcuts

[Tchay]

Thx Kasar, I'll clean up the pins and see if that works