PCB Board Layout Question

[spud1129]

Am looking to create an XBox360 and a PS3 PCB board, and use a switch to change between the 2 consoles (thus making 1 laptop with 2 systems in it.)

My question...is this possible?

[argelfraster]

Yes its possible. Why you would do it? I don't know..

[timmeh87]

How many years are you willing to invest... Ive been trying to do this to a N64 since 2005...

[Erlex]

Wait, are you looking to make a redesigned motherboard for the 360 and PS3? Or make a PCB that will switch one or the other on? (i.e. turn one system on and switch over video and audio to a screen)

Because the latter is very possible, while I would argue option number one is not.

[spud1129]

no, what I am trying to do is the following

Take XBox360 AND PS3 and create laptop (17" screen)

Redesign the PCB Board to run either one, with an operating system (or similar) to "prompt" which one you are using. Similar to running multiple OS's on one computer...

I think that it's possible...may be a bit difficult...but entirely possible. I'm envisioning a "dual layer" PCB board, where the XBox is on top side, PS3 on bottom...

Any input? Case design is already started...will post pics when available. Am using solidworks, inventor and CAD (I'm very proficient in all 3).

Have a lot of woodworking, routing, CNC'ing experience, as I work for an aluminum company...

[snowpenguin]

Sorry, but this is not going to happen, not without many many MANY years of experience and thousands, no, tens of thousands of dollars.

The ps3 and 360 boards are more than 1 layer boards, I'm not sure on the exact number of layers but each one has several. Trying to fit each console on one layer is ludicrous. Absolutely undoable without huge amounts of space. The two boards are pretty much as small a they are going to get in their current form.

We get a lot of people here who think this kind of thing is completely possible for a first project.

I'll tell you this: Even if you had unlimited money, resources, tools, and experience, this would not be possible. You just won't be able to fit all that on such a small space.

It's feasible to try and make something like an n64 smaller like kibble is doing, but anything newer is absolutely as small as possible.

[Ampersand]

Even though snowpenguin is exaggerating, it isn't going to be easy. You'll need hardware to run your OS on, meaning you'll probably need a simple computer of sorts as well. You'll need to build its PCB and code it yourself. It will take lots of money, and a good deal of knowledge in electronics, programming, and designing.

I won't say it's impossible, just improbable. A much easier solution would be to be able to power on each separately, and have a switch between the two on for the screen's video in.

[snowpenguin]

I wasn't exaggerating, really amper.

He wants to redesign the boards with the same components it seems, like kibble is doing with the N64. And also, you really can't just put 'a simple computer' on a board with supporting components and have it run 360 and PS3 games. The hardware between the two consoles is vastly different, the 360 has 3 3.2 GHZ cores whereas technically the PS3 only has one 3.2 GHZ core. They run completely differently, it's not a simple thing to do nor a moderately complex thing to do, it'd be a FRIGGIN HARD thing to do to make them both run from one chip.

[brunoip]

do you know the meaning of PCB ?

[snowpenguin]

Who, me? Of course I do. When I was talking about a chip I was referring to ampersand's post. A PCB is a printed circuit board. I'm not a noob.

[brunoip]

I was talking to spud1129

[Erlex]

Ambersand is right about the small computer that would be needed to interface with both consoles visually. It would be more or less an overcomplicated and visually pretty way to switch which console the screen is connected to. As for re-designing the 360's and PS3's PCB (not to mention try to get it to fit on one side) would be impossible. There would be so much room for error and it just wouldn't work. Trust me, I build the electrical systems for my schools hydrogen car. Making a PCB that controls the light systems is a long tedious task figuring out the logic, drawing out the schematic, troubleshooting the schematic, finding the necessary parts, creating the PCB footprint of each part if they are unusual, and THEN I can start making the PCB in ORCAD. That is the abbreviated process. Oh and it would be physically impossible to fit both the PS3 and 360 on one board, unless it had a LOT of layers and was freaken gigantic.

[spud1129]

brunoip: Yes, unfortunately I do know what PCB stands for...I am an engineer by trade (electrical is my weakest subject for some odd reason). I design structural aluminum bridges and such for the company that I work for, in case you were wondering...BTW, sarcasm never helps anyone.