Gamecube Portable (abandoned)

Includes PS2, Xbox 1, GameCube (but not the Phantom Game Console)

Moderator:Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
techknott
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:224
Joined:Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:36 am
Location:Ingurland
Gamecube Portable (abandoned)

Post by techknott » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:29 am

Ok guys, I finally got around to starting my next project this week. Been at it a few hours now and this is it so far.

My goal is to make it as small and as slim as is absolutely possible.

So here goes:

First thing was to chop up the DVD drive
Image
Then remove all connectors etc from motherboard
Image
Then shrink motherboard and solder DVD PCB to mobo
Image
Bottom view of it all screwed together
Image
Top view
Image
Side view
Image
The acid test
Image

Ive saved all the pinouts and alternate solder points for everything aswell, just incase anyone needs them. Im also debating whether to remove the PSU or not.

Next I will be chopping up the LCD PCB to make it as small as it possibly go.
Last edited by techknott on Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
HotDog-Cart
Portablizer
Posts:3804
Joined:Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:07 pm
PSN Username:Lythinca
Steam ID:scythe_king
Location:Your IP Address, Connecting...
Contact:

Post by HotDog-Cart » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:40 am

Wow, that looks really good.
Image

User avatar
kasar
Posts:634
Joined:Tue May 15, 2007 2:36 pm
Location:127.0.0.1
Contact:

Post by kasar » Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:51 am

wow +1.

this is really slim,and tiny, nice job

User avatar
DK
Posts:1107
Joined:Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:00 am
Location:None of your business pedo nerds

Post by DK » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:33 am

:shock: :shock: That's awesome. The most anorexic Gamecube I've seen to date.
Image

Harshboy
Portablizer
Posts:3610
Joined:Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:44 pm

Post by Harshboy » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:44 am

That's going to be one small GCp. Good Luck ;)

What are you planning for the case design?

User avatar
techknott
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:224
Joined:Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:36 am
Location:Ingurland

Post by techknott » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:04 pm

Harshboy wrote:That's going to be one small GCp. Good Luck ;)

What are you planning for the case design?
Not designed it yet. Im seeing how small I can get everything first and then ill see. Thinking along the lines of hiding the dvd drive behind a slide along screen. Depends again on how thin I can get the heatsink etc.

User avatar
Neildo_64
Portablizer
Posts:852
Joined:Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:09 pm
Location:Iowa

Post by Neildo_64 » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:33 pm

looks awesome so far. This will probably be one of the smallest GCp right? It appears to be pretty small so far compared to the others around here.
Image
Current projects:
Ultimate N64 Guide
N64 Portable (x2)
NES Portable

User avatar
Valium
Posts:1412
Joined:Wed Jun 06, 2007 12:08 pm
Location:Nova Scotia, I'm over from kurt

Post by Valium » Wed Jul 09, 2008 1:45 pm

Soldering the drive connections must have been annoying eh
Image

Stratocaster
Posts:13
Joined:Wed Jul 09, 2008 7:49 pm

Post by Stratocaster » Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:22 pm

I actually registered here just to ask you questions about this project, because I'm working on one myself actually. You're doing an awesome job so far though!
Now, questions...
(some may be a bit dumb)
1) Does it work right now? Some connections look like they're missing so I'd suppose not.
2)It looks like you cut off the connector for the motherboard and the dvdboard, but then soldered it with wires to the source and cut the board... if so, can you share the pinouts? How much of the board can be cut off(eh, I suppose as much as in the picture)? Are you just using copper wires to connect them, i mean i just don't understand, don't they have to be insulated? What wires are you using there?
3)I supposed the 3rd board is a power regulator. Is it worth moving? I couldn't decide, but it looks like all you did was manage to slightly change the position of it. Why are the wires used different? What kind are they?
4)What is your solution to the annoying (short) ribbon cables on the cube? Are you using an extention or getting longer chords?
5)What are the gray pieces holding it in place made of? and what is the black gunk holding the gray pieces in place?
6)The power button and fan are gone. Are you going to use those or do you have replacements?
7)Final question, How are you going to cool it all? I know you said something about a heatsink in a post above, but is it the one that comes with the cube or a new one?

Thanks in advance to anything you can answer. I'm nearing the most difficult parts of the process so anything you can tell me will help.
Because Knowledge is Power!

User avatar
Turbo Tax 1.0
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:4773
Joined:Wed Mar 30, 2005 6:19 pm
Location:Delaware, no sales tax
Contact:

Post by Turbo Tax 1.0 » Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:38 pm

fantastic, your soldering looks excellent and you slimmed down the dd really well


you can relocate the psu with about 5 wires instead of the ~22 just to tell you.



looks great so far though keep it up
when life gives you lemons make flux
Image
snesp mk4

User avatar
techknott
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:224
Joined:Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:36 am
Location:Ingurland

Post by techknott » Thu Jul 10, 2008 9:37 am

Stratocaster wrote:I actually registered here just to ask you questions about this project, because I'm working on one myself actually. You're doing an awesome job so far though!
Now, questions...
(some may be a bit dumb)
1) Does it work right now? Some connections look like they're missing so I'd suppose not.
2)It looks like you cut off the connector for the motherboard and the dvdboard, but then soldered it with wires to the source and cut the board... if so, can you share the pinouts? How much of the board can be cut off(eh, I suppose as much as in the picture)? Are you just using copper wires to connect them, i mean i just don't understand, don't they have to be insulated? What wires are you using there?
3)I supposed the 3rd board is a power regulator. Is it worth moving? I couldn't decide, but it looks like all you did was manage to slightly change the position of it. Why are the wires used different? What kind are they?
4)What is your solution to the annoying (short) ribbon cables on the cube? Are you using an extention or getting longer chords?
5)What are the gray pieces holding it in place made of? and what is the black gunk holding the gray pieces in place?
6)The power button and fan are gone. Are you going to use those or do you have replacements?
7)Final question, How are you going to cool it all? I know you said something about a heatsink in a post above, but is it the one that comes with the cube or a new one?

Thanks in advance to anything you can answer. I'm nearing the most difficult parts of the process so anything you can tell me will help.
Because Knowledge is Power!
1) Yes it does work(with everything else connected up).
2) You can cut off whatever you fancy. They ARE multilayered boards(4 layers), but the inner layers are only for GND. The wires are copper enamel, they are insulated until you tin them.
Image
Image
3) I used ribbon cable so I can fold it over and make it as compact as possible, but that will now go.
4) Neither, I will remove them and use enamel or kynar.
5) The grey bits are foamex and the black gunk is for welding car wings together etc(like JB weld).
6) I will use a completely different cooling method(undecided as yet) and power button too.
7) The cube heatsink is far too big in my opinion, so i will make a new one from scratch(copper sheet, solder, pipe and small fans(inlet and outlet).



@ Turbo Tax, I know now. That was the first thing I did before doing any actual research. I plan on doing away with it anyway and using smd regs instead :D

@ Everyone else, landscape or portrate :?: :?: :?: :?:

User avatar
Valium
Posts:1412
Joined:Wed Jun 06, 2007 12:08 pm
Location:Nova Scotia, I'm over from kurt

Post by Valium » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:32 am

Landscape, more balanced.
Image

User avatar
Rekarp
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:2163
Joined:Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:52 am
PSN Username:Lnghrn_
Steam ID:rekarp
Location:Austin, Tx
Contact:

Post by Rekarp » Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:33 am

landscape with a widescreen LCD
The wood master

Image

"I was under the impression Mac owners don't actually USE their machines, they just parade them around trying to evangelize the masses."

User avatar
Turbo Tax 1.0
Portablizer Extraordinaire
Posts:4773
Joined:Wed Mar 30, 2005 6:19 pm
Location:Delaware, no sales tax
Contact:

Post by Turbo Tax 1.0 » Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:30 pm

do it landscape :D
when life gives you lemons make flux
Image
snesp mk4

User avatar
Negative_Creep
Posts:1093
Joined:Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:04 pm
Location:New Crack City
Contact:

Post by Negative_Creep » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:19 am

Do it landscape with a widescreen LCD.. it will look awesome that way

Post Reply