The quest to a portable Uzebox - update!

Topics regarding the Uzebox hardware/AVCore/BaseBoard (i.e: PCB, resistors, connectors, part list, schematics, hardware issues, etc.) should go here.
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D3thAdd3r
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by D3thAdd3r »

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If you are still wanting to make changes to the case these might be interesting. Supaboy isn't that sleek but maybe someone wants to make a console/portable version some day.
neslou
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by neslou »

uze6666 wrote:I'm pretty sure that's the same rear view monitor everyone gets from china and it may be dual format, but I pretty sure it supports NTSC.

For the schematic I'll publish it tomorrow.
Sorry, uze is right, i have forgot to say PAL/NTSC compatible. and of course these are cheap.
For the case, i will try out of the box first so if all is ok i will fit all in the DMG Case.

Thank you uze for the schematics.
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uze6666
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by uze6666 »

I would also have some questions uze :
Have you drawn your schematics, in order for me to see how you handle the battery and sound integration please?
Sent you the schematic by PM. Note I don't want to publish the schematic a this point since it is very preliminary and not even tested. In my "Mark I" version I will go the easy route for the power system and be using a Li-PO module from adafruit and a dc-dc step up module from ali express for the LCD power. Please just use a reference but don't publish it please.
neslou
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by neslou »

Hi Uze,
Many Thank's for your help.
I won't publish this i will just use for reference no problem.

For the Battery i was thinking of something like this :
Lithium Ion polymer Battery pack - 6A
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/lithiu ... th=178_183

Regarding the power supply and charging module also open hardware thing like this:
Lipo Rider Pro
http://www.seeedstudio.com/wiki/index.p ... _Rider_Pro

Maybe it could be useful for you also...
Neslou.
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D3thAdd3r
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by D3thAdd3r »

I recently took apart a device that had some boxed in speakers, with perhaps a 1" driver and a 1.25" x 1" x 2" enclosure. The reason I found it so interesting is, relative to the size, the amazingly big sound they put out with audible bass. It appears to be an entirely sealed/non ported box which I would estimate is a little too big to fit inside a reasonably sized portable with all the rest of the gear.

The only reason I bring it up is that I am assuming the portable will have a built in small speaker. I always found that the quality of speaker sound like GB, GBA, Game Gear, etc was OK at best, with terrible bass response where you have to basically imagine the lower frequencies based off the middle frequencies you can actually hear. So maybe it is just as cost effective to mount it inside a small box inside the portable if there is some open space?
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uze6666
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by uze6666 »

D3thAdd3r wrote:I recently took apart a device that had some boxed in speakers, with perhaps a 1" driver and a 1.25" x 1" x 2" enclosure. The reason I found it so interesting is, relative to the size, the amazingly big sound they put out with audible bass. It appears to be an entirely sealed/non ported box which I would estimate is a little too big to fit inside a reasonably sized portable with all the rest of the gear.

The only reason I bring it up is that I am assuming the portable will have a built in small speaker. I always found that the quality of speaker sound like GB, GBA, Game Gear, etc was OK at best, with terrible bass response where you have to basically imagine the lower frequencies based off the middle frequencies you can actually hear. So maybe it is just as cost effective to mount it inside a small box inside the portable if there is some open space?
Yes, it will have a small speaker. I have tried a couple so far and settled for on one that has surprisingly big sound. Speaker enclosure design seems to be an art in itself and it's suprisingly hard to get good sound. Just as you though, I noticed that when testing with enclosure closed, the bass was much better. So I it won't sound like a Bose, but it should be better than most gameboys. :)
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schepers_cp
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by schepers_cp »

i created a design in paint, letting it look like a modern gameboy advance :P

pic below
pp - kopie.png
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i would love to have something similar for the uzebox portable :P (the same color palette will work for me as well :) )
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uze6666
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by uze6666 »

Ah yes, I had one Gameboy Advance SP... the very first backlit gameboy. Loved the design but it was a bit small and my hand were cramped to much. The folding design would complicate things a bit, but I agree it would be a nice design to implement.
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by D3thAdd3r »

If you can manage to make the PCB small enough with full SMT and header pins to external items like buttons, maybe it would be easy to fit it inside several different cases without redesign. Then it might be easy to stuff inside a keyboard or custom things of that nature.
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Re: The quest to a portable Uzebox

Post by uze6666 »

Oh my, it's been such a long time this thing has been in the oven! Although I've been somewhat quiet in the past months, I was working on my spare time on the portable...just in time for the Uzebox 10th anniversary. I just had to finish this and do it right. What really got this back on track was the acquisition of Eagle CAD by Autodesk and its subsequent tight integration with the (amazing) Fusion 360 3D modeling software. It just made it so much fun and easier to develop the PCB along the enclosure and make everything squeeze together neatly. This is the final version and I`m pretty happy about it. :mrgreen:
It features:
  • Through-hole parts ENIG PCB designed to be easily assembled just like the regular Uzebox
  • All parts easily sourceable
  • Composite 320x200 LCD screen (without the annoying green overlay you see in most car monitor screens)
  • Standard SNES buttons and rubber pads for all buttons except L\R shoulder which uses tactile switches
  • Power switch
  • LM386 Audio amp with classic volume wheel control that outputs to a speaker and headphone jack
  • 2200mAh LiPo battery (enough juice for ~6 hours)
  • Battery charger and 5V step-up converter with Micro USB jack (Adafruit Powerboost500)
  • Power and low battery leds
  • Footprints & header on the PCB for the SPI ram and esp8266
  • Easy to assemble\de-assemble, only hot glue required to tack screen and speaker in place
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So for the remaining work, I plan to get the enclosure done at shapeways on their new ultra polished plastic for that ultimate quality and add
hopefully adding silkscreened text and logo after that (I'm experimenting with that).

I don't plan to make kits like the regular Uzebox any time soon since the cost to have a top quality case would just kill it. But if anyone wants to make one, with an enclosure printed on a home printer, the BOM comes to about US100$. For now I planned to make at least one more for the (very patient) winner of the last UCC. :P I will post all the relevant design documents soon in the download section of the main site.

And after that`s finally out of the way hopelly I can get back to code a game or have that esp8266 doing something. Now back at catching up on the forums!

Edit: Thinking about it, I can eventually make a small batch (at least 5 to keep the pcb cost low) for the forums members. That would be with a home printed enclosure though. I learned some sanding\priming\painting can make wonders for those would like a better finition.
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