Slimming down the cart size, essentially the portable too

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 4:13 pm

Some of the cartridge internals are bigger than others. That is the reason the NES carts were made bigger than Famicom carts. Originally, Nintendo thought that the Famicom cartridge size would be sufficient but it became evident by the time the NES was being made that they should be a little bigger to provide for expansion and features. Though that's also more important on the NES because it isn't top-loading (can't put in something that's too small anyway).
Here are some ideas I have had when reading this:
- It's a shame you aren't using Famicom cartridges. They're simply tons smaller to begin with.
- Depending on the width of your portable, the height of the cartridge can be dealt with. You wouldn't want an NES cartridge sticking out from the top, but it's possible to make it stick up from the bottom of the back, which, if your portable is designed wide enough, won't affect play very much.

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 4:41 pm

How about putting a dowel on the end, so you can get it in and out of the console. It'd look like a plastic and wood T.

G-force · Post by **G-force** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 4:53 pm

soundwave wrote:How about putting a dowel on the end, so you can get it in and out of the console. It'd look like a plastic and wood T.

That's a pretty good idea. You could screw/unscrew the rod from the cart depending on what you want to use it for.

bazz · Post by **bazz** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 5:47 am

SgtBowhack wrote:Here are some ideas I have had when reading this:
- It's a shame you aren't using Famicom cartridges. They're simply tons smaller to begin with.
- Depending on the width of your portable, the height of the cartridge can be dealt with. You wouldn't want an NES cartridge sticking out from the top, but it's possible to make it stick up from the bottom of the back, which, if your portable is designed wide enough, won't affect play very much.

Well to start off with, I have not even begun an NES portable, and I would not buy my games all over again just for smaller size when I can do what other people in here are already saying. I know you can make a portable that fits the NES's catridge needs, but if the cart was smaller then the portable is smaller. Don't put it to shame because I have not evn begun a thing yet. This was just an idea.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 5:32 pm

I didn't put down your idea at all! I'm just pointing out a fact that Famicom cartridges are the same thing but smaller. I wish you nothing but the best in doing this. I'm mainly pointing out that:
- Like the Famicom cartridges, you will need to adjust the size of the case for certain games that have larger sizes.
- Even with smaller cartridges, having the cartridges connect nearer to the bottom is probably the way to go, because the back of the case will keep it from flopping around, and if you have plans involving using an NES-style 72-pin adapter, which is U-shaped, it'd be better to connect them near the bottom because... well, that's how it'd end up anyway, and then the cartridges would be going in straight up as opposed to falling off the back during intense play, etc. etc. There have been multiple mass-produced NES portables, and few have dealt very well with the size of Famicom cartridges, much less NES, so it's something to deal with.

bazz · Post by **bazz** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 10:49 pm

Heh sorry, guess I got a little sensitive ^^. I appreciate your info, and I did not get any sleep that day

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 7:11 am

It's OK, I just didn't want any misunderstandings

Get some rest before you actually start building the portable though!

bazz · Post by **bazz** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:31 pm

hehe, you I better, I stayed up till 5 AM finishing a CART-IO for my gameboy (http://pc1-archbo.bot.unibas.ch/~lukas/ ... artIO.html).

Wekk everything is wired up and I am testing it. Not working!!! I'm trying continuity tests everywhere but everything seems to be right >_<. I hate when this **** happens.

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:34 pm

Hey, that things pretty cool, hope you get it working.

bazz · Post by **bazz** » Sun May 01, 2005 12:05 am

Thanks Soundwave, I've been updating pictures (since it's also for a school project) to http://usera.imagecave.com/bazz/GBDev/

Those 3 pics at the top are how it is this very moment. I've done a lot since that previous post of mine but I still can't get it to read my cart or its SRAM. It's very frustrating because everything seems to check out fine.