PSU for the N64. Wow.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 2:00 pm

Has anyone ever taken a look inside the PSU for the N64? I can't seem to get the circuit board out of the case to look at the components, but I can see the solder side and SMDs. Why is that thing so complicated looking?

I've been thinking a bit about making an N64 portable, mostly because it's actually the only system I have to spare. I've already taken the controller ports off it for something else (which I gave up on) and I got it for real cheap on eBay with no controllers, cords, PSU or even a Jumper Pak. But anyway, two things.

1. Can anyone tell me how to get that board out without breaking the unit? Am I missing a screw or something? I only found two screws. The two on the outside to get it open.

2. Do I need any of that? Are all of the parts in the PSU basically just for AC-DC conversion and dual voltage regulating? (I'd imagine that'd take quite a few parts.) Can I just put 12V and 3.3V into it? There's nothing in that unit I still need, right?

Thanks.

Rain

Post by **Sparkfist** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:00 pm

1. No your not missing a screw. I took mine apart and after cutting the edges (as their glued together) I ripped the half aparte and found that they used double sided foam tape to secure the top to the board IC (I think it was the transformer). Seems Nintendo doesnt want people to get into it.

2. From it Triton and I (when I get around to it) are using the 7805 regularors and the 3 Ohm resistors to get a 3.3v output. As for the input powers the 12v line can take as little as 7.2v (which it better) and the 3.3v line can take 3-3.6 but 3.3v is best.

Hope this helps.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 3:10 pm

Okay then. That's good, I was afraid there might be something in the PSU that I needed other than 3.3V and 12V outputs. Kinda like the color pot in an Atari 2600s power section. Know what I mean? Well, thanks then. It does help.

Rain

Post by **Triton** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:17 pm

to open mine i used a combo of 2.5lb sledge hammer, flathead screwdrive tinsnips and brute force lol

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:17 pm

Triton wrote:to open mine i used a combo of 2.5lb sledge hammer, flathead screwdrive tinsnips and brute force lol

I don't like breaking stuff open myself. That's the ONLY reason I got a gamebit for my N64.

Okay so, I've created a simple power supply schematic that runs off of 10, 1.2V, 2000 mAh, NiMH batteries. (For my portable.) I've attached it. It can't be THIS simple... can it? I know 2 amps arenâ€™t enough according to the N64 PSU rating, (12v @ .8 amp and 3.3v @ 2.7 amps) but I'm going by this: http://www.classicgaming.com/nestable/p64.shtml. That says it's being generous and that the N64 actually only consumes 12v @ .1 amp and 3.3v and ~1.5 amps.

So, I used a 1.5 amp LM317 v-reg to get 3.3 volts, and the 12V should be okay coming straight from the batteries. Take away 1.5 amps away for the 3.3V, and you're left with .5 amp of 12V power. Take away .1 amp from that for the N64's 12V power, and I'll be left with .4 amp. That should leave me enough for a PSOne screen, and a small audio amp.

Can anyone analyze my schematic and what I've just said and tell me if anything is incorrect? Such as "No, that's not enough for a PSOne, left alone an audio amp." or "The n64 actually consumes more than that." or "Since the v-reg is stepping the 12V down to 3.3V, it won't actually take 1.5mAh." or "Hey dumb@$$, your schematic doesn't even make any since!"

Stuff like that.

Thank you.

Rain

Edit: Huh. Guess you can't upload pics in this forum. I have to figure out how to get this up...

Edit 2: I need a server.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:39 pm

Alright, here we go: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/electric_ ... pg&.src=ph I had to use Yahoo's way-too-user-friendly photo sharing thing. Figure I might as well use that 250MB for something.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:41 am

*^Points up at post^* Hey, what do you guys think of my schematic? I haven't heard from anyone.........is it THAT bad?

*o* · Post by ***o*** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 3:05 am

are those AA batteries??? i dint know they were 1.2v

dkap01 · Post by **dkap01** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 3:43 am

AA bateries are 1.5 but rechargeable's are 1.2

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:02 am

^^^What he said.^^^

*o* · Post by ***o*** » Wed Apr 20, 2005 3:53 pm

now i have to buy 2 more