Starting GCp, have some questions

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:07 pm

I'm going to make a GCp in the coming months (with palmertech's contest to give me a deadline). I managed to score a GC for $8, the first player port doesn't work (looks like someone plugged a controller in and hit it with a hammer). I'm getting some controllers from weaponepsilon, as soon as I pay him. The screen I have is a 7" widescreen, so I'm just gonna deal with the stretchedness or find out how to make it go into 4:3 mode. Battery is currently up in the air, I don't have much money to spend, so it'll be wall powered, maybe use a 12v 7Ah SLA battery my dad has (not inside). I plan on making a case similar to the one gamelver had for his first GCp (the white one with pieces of an orange controller).
Now for the questions.
According to ER's findings, the GC uses about 8.5W. But when I measure the 12v line going to the regulator, it says 1.66A without a game, ~20W. I can't see the regulator being less than 50% efficient. Anyone have an explanation? I'd rather not build new regulators, but if it doubles my battery life...
How much cooling is needed? I ran mine for about 10-15 minutes without the fan, and the heatsink was pretty hot. I ran it for 30 minutes with the fan and it was pretty cool.

Kyo · Post by **Kyo** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:17 pm

if you ditch the original powerboard, you can power it with 5V

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:29 pm

Kyo wrote:if you ditch the original powerboard, you can power it with 5V

Only if you have the skills to work with the regulators. Which I experimented with. I gave up on it

I don't know, maybe your wrong, or maybe ER's wrong.

Well, FTR: I can run my GCp for two hours off of an 11.1v 6.4Ah battery, that includes a fan and a 4 led modded PSOne screen. But I think the time is offset considering my batteries drop to 9.9v, which shuts down the original powerboard. Oh, I think that was 8.5W at 7.2v, btw. Don't know my battery math, but that might effect something.

If the controller port poses issues, Check the plug on the inside. If you need a new one, I have another controller board, I doubt the internal plug is messed up. Harshboy made a diagram a while back with the pinout of the internal plug + the board, so connecting a controller shouldn't be that hard of an issue.

You'll want a fan. Just make sure it blows on the heatsink, or atleast near it(in my case

), and you'll be fine. I think the original fan only draws about ~50mah. I think ER found that too.

I don't remember the GC being able to go widescreen. You might be stuck with a stretched image.

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palmertech · Post by **palmertech** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 5:15 pm

It depends on the game. Some games have a widescreen option, I think twilight princess is one.

In fact, even the N64 Ocarina of time had a widescreen mode!

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:30 pm

ShockSlayer wrote:I can run my GCp for two hours off of an 11.1v 6.4Ah battery, that includes a fan and a 4 led modded PSOne screen.

That sounds closer to my reading than ER's. I'm thinking either ER didn't get the correct readings, or the regulator is super inefficient (which doesn't make sense if yours is similar).
I got a controller for $4 today, the controller ports work (except first player). I'm still getting a few more from weaponepsilon, just in case. I'm going to ditch the controller board, and just wire the main board directly to the ports. What pin does your switch change for your internal to external controller switch. Yes, I know that sentence is confusing.

I'm gonna stop by Gamestop tomorrow and grab a game to check the laser. Then I'll just need to get some 30 gauge wire and I can start construction.

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 4:19 pm

Well, there are 3 different versions of the powerboard so far!

Hey, check to bottom of yours and see if it is a texas instrument chip, if not, it could be 2 national semiconductor chips, or something else.

I think I put my switch on the 5v line.

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vskid · Post by **vskid** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:03 pm

Got Metroid Prime for $7. But, the disc drive isn't working. About half the time it just says there's an error, the rest of the time its a disc read error. I adjusted the pot down to 160 ohms, but it still isn't working. I'm gonna see if I can borrow another game/test my game in another GC.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:34 am

I think my laser must be dead. I can get another GC for about $15-20, usually with just the cables and no controllers. Is that a good deal, or could I find one cheaper?

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:40 am

Well, If you want to buy another GC, thats cool, but If you just need the lazer, I can send you a few.

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vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:58 am

ShockSlayer wrote:Well, If you want to buy another GC, thats cool, but If you just need the lazer, I can send you a few.

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What exactly would that consist of? The whole drive, or just the laser assembly itself? And how much moneys?

Post by **Skyone** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:03 pm

Has anyone tested the regulatory needs on the 5v line? Does it have a tolerance level? I'm hoping 4v-6v.

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:27 pm

Skyone wrote:Has anyone tested the regulatory needs on the 5v line? Does it have a tolerance level? I'm hoping 4v-6v.

Yes, someone do that! Maybe it'll run off 3.43v too.

Just the black plastic, the spinner, and the lazer. Pretty much anything that isnt the mobo. $10 + shipping good? I have two, I'll test them both out to make sure they work.

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