GBA light mod/alternative to Afterburner??

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Sun Sep 18, 2005 11:25 pm

Hi everybody

I've been lurking around this site for quite some time and finally decided to join the forum.

I just bought my first GBA (old style) and I'm wanting to add a frontlight to it.. I did a forum search for this and found quite a few threads mentioning a GBA LED mod but no sign that anybody had actually done it.. that or people just saying buy an Afterburner.. but of course that isnt an option since they are no longer produced and if you find one on Ebay its $50+ and for that I could buy a used SP

So what do you guys think I should do?

A.) Find a broken SP and remove the frontlight and put it in my GBA.. anybody know if frontlight is removable or integrated into the LCD?

B.) Install tiny white LEDS inside the GBA around the screen..(if they'll fit and I can defuse the light properly.. surface mount LEDS maybe??)

C.) Same as above but use cold cathode light or something other than LEDS with more even light distribution...

D.) Hunt down some prismatic, monoreflective material or whatever it is that the AB is made from and make my own...(not likely I know)

BTW.. does anybody have any first hand experience with the Afterburner? I heard it used to type of fiber optical material that directed the light into the screen.. and looks like Hanotech stole the idea for the GP32 http://www.hahotech.com/english/en_flu.htm and nintendo probably did for the SP..

I know this is probably more trouble than its worth but I like to mod things so that's part of the fun.. as everybody here can probably relate to that

Conn · Post by **Conn** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 12:39 am

I was thinking of doing that. If you ever complete this project, I suggets using the GBASP's buttons since they're stiffer and eaiser to click.

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:06 am

These guys look a tad scary, but seem to have it for $10-13 (plus outrageous shipping):
http://ps2modchip.com/GBA.php

I own an afterburnered GBA, but because of when I bought mine, it was actually cheaper to buy a GBA premodded (under $50) than to get the kit. I'm sure you looked into this, though...

of course mine just might wind up in the buy/sell forum after the micro comes out. Unless there turns out to be something wrong with the micro...

...GBM launch was supposed to be today...
but the soonest any store I've been to says that they'd have it is tomorrow.

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:04 am

Reaperman@home wrote:These guys look a tad scary, but seem to have it for $10-13 (plus outrageous shipping):
http://ps2modchip.com/GBA.php

I own an afterburnered GBA, but because of when I bought mine, it was actually cheaper to buy a GBA premodded (under $50) than to get the kit. I'm sure you looked into this, though...

I think the shipping is 120HKD which is about $15USD.. but yeah.. those guys look a little shady.. I'm very cautious about ordering from places like that...

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:20 pm

So... has nobody here EVER seen or heard of somebody frontlighting an LCD internally? GB, GBC, GBA.. anything.. I just want to hear from somebody that did it or knows if its worth the trouble... The GP32, GBASP and afterburners all used a special optical material.. can that stuff be obtained? and if not what are some alternative methods? I know somebody on this forum has at least thought of this.. the GBA has been out for what? 5 years? people are already modding the DS for pete's sake

Reaperman@home · Post by **Reaperman@home** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:37 pm

you could always ask the folks who made the afterburner.
If I recall they had this website:
http://www.tritonlabs.com/indexflash.html
it's worth a shot, anyway. Nobody's built their own, because for the longest time, the afterburner was inexpensive and effective.

there also was a similar light product that was an external stick-on you could probably rip the tube out of--if you do scratchbuild. For the life of me I can't remember what it was called...

a word of caution, though, frontlighting washes out the GBA colors pretty badly. For that reason, and the fact that there will be a backlit gba within the week (or a used DS for the same price) it is my opinion that frontlighting isn't really worth the trouble these days. (even though I do like mine)

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:56 pm

thanks Reaper.. I guess I probably should've held out for an SP or a micro but this was really cheap $25.. and I'm sort of tapped out because I just bought a Zodiac.. Plus I wanted to save money and buy a flash cart for all the emulators.. I ordered a rechargable GBA battery pack on ebay and it came with a free light http://cgi.ebay.com/GBA-Gameboy-Advance ... dZViewItem only cost me $9.. so all total I have an like new GBA with a case, rechargable battery, and external light for $39.. I guess I can live with that

EDIT.. I found the product you were talking about.. Its called a Halo Light.. http://cgi.ebay.com/Gameboy-Advance-GBA ... dZViewItem If I can find one cheaper I might give it a try..

thanks for your help

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 4:00 pm

brandon9271 wrote:thanks Reaper.. I guess I probably should've held out for an SP or a micro but this was really cheap $25.. and I'm sort of tapped out because I just bought a Zodiac.. Plus I wanted to save money and buy a flash cart for all the emulators.. I ordered a rechargable GBA battery pack on ebay and it came with a free light http://cgi.ebay.com/GBA-Gameboy-Advance ... dZViewItem only cost me $9.. so all total I have an like new GBA with a case, rechargable battery, and external light for $39.. I guess I can live with that

EDIT.. I found the product you were talking about.. Its called a Halo Light.. http://cgi.ebay.com/Gameboy-Advance-GBA ... dZViewItem If I can find one cheaper I might give it a try..

thanks for your help

PS these guys are apparently gone now.. either that or they decided to make techno music

you could always ask the folks who made the afterburner.
If I recall they had this website:
http://www.tritonlabs.com/indexflash.html

brandon9271 · Post by **brandon9271** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 1:43 pm

anybody have any idea to at least reduce the glare on the GBA? the screen lens is so friggin shiny! Think it could be reduced with light sandpaper or some compound? toothpaste maybe? I'm just afraid it may inhibit the view.. dammit, I guess I should've just saved for an SP.. handcramps or not...

superdeformed · Post by **superdeformed** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:24 pm

You could try a screen protector for a PDA. They're generally meant to block glare.