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Austin, Texas
ashimoke wrote:

What's the point of the internal MMC? I must be missing something important here...

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Austin, Texas

That said, the internal MMC is a really cool idea, but I'd bet it's a pain in the ass to build.

If only the MMC was an open-source project and we could build our own modules from the schematics…

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Chicago
Boddah wrote:

The MMC pcb is the one under the Transfer Pak pcb. As for connecting it to the cart slot, all of the leads going to the cartridge pins on the MMC, there are very tiny holes in each trace with a very tiny amount of exposed copper around them. I have some wire that will fit in the holes and although it would probably be very difficult, I figured I would just have those thin wires connected to the holes and extended from the pcb about an inch, then attach thicker wires so they'll fit in the cart slot holes better. I haven't really made it to the MMC yet, so once I get there I'll figure it out I guess.

Wouldn't it just be easier to wire up the cart header pin holes in the bottom gameboy pcb directly to the 31 pins that normally make contact with the header instead of wiring to the header in the mmc? Then wire up a switch in a more convenient location in the shell instead of where it is located on the mmc.

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ashimoke wrote:

What's the point of the internal MMC? I must be missing something importatnt here...

Yeah I am too,,,

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For the Arduinoboy rebuild, if you do your PCB yourself (the design i mean, then send the design to seeedstudio for example for manufacturing) , it can be very small, as you don't need every output or input pin you can reduce this to a very  small size, the worst stuff in arduoinoboy is that it use standard midi circuitry so it need a optocoupler and other component, if you use usb midi, you don't need that at all.. but Arduinoboy firmware need to be reprogrammed. (what i'm trying to do with a Teensy)

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Austin, TX
Telerophon wrote:
ashimoke wrote:

What's the point of the internal MMC? I must be missing something important here...

'nuff said.

The MMC hasn't been done before as far as I know and it would be helpful for internally storing game saves.
GoingHam, do you mean solder the pins from the DMG pcb where the connector was removed, to the bottom cart pins on the mmc, and then the pins for the removed MMC cart connector going to the cart conn. in the T-Pak? And then remove the switch and relocate it? If so, that's what I was planning smile
I really don't have the time/funds to have a custom pcb manufactured, but I've been drawing out basic ArduinoBoy schematics based off of Trash80's original designs, and I'm just starting some new blueprints. I'll get those new blueprints finished and put 'em up to see what you guys think.
Thanks to everyone for all the encouraging words and helpful advice! It is very appreciated smile

Last edited by Boddah (Nov 7, 2012 7:37 pm)

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Chicago
Boddah wrote:

If so, that's what I was planning smile

Excellent, glad to see we're on the same page.

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Austin, TX

It's been a while since I've worked on this, but I ordered a batch of Arduino Pro Mini's that should arrive by the time the holidays are over, as well as some other small components. Should be back to work on this badboy after the new year, and it shouldn't be long before it's completed!

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South Carolina

Hey boddah what size potentiometer are u using to place at the top of the gameboy and do u have to sand it a a little or does it fit and I realize to that ur gonna have to cut the front pcb to fit it but is that it.

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Austin, TX

I used one of these potentiometers, http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet … GTR01254B0

So far I haven't had to sand the pot, but I did cut the pcb. The top right corner of the pcb is mainly just a ground pad so you can cut a pretty big chunk out.

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South Carolina
Boddah wrote:

I used one of these potentiometers, http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDet … GTR01254B0

So far I haven't had to sand the pot, but I did cut the pcb. The top right corner of the pcb is mainly just a ground pad so you can cut a pretty big chunk out.

Alright is the getlofi potentiometer 250k fine  to use that comes with the kit.

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Austin, TX

The GetLoFi pot would work fine I'm sure, I had to use the other because the GetLoFi one was a tad too big to fit with the placement of the right RCA jack.

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South Carolina

Ohh alright thank you.

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Austin, TX

No problem smile

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Austin, TX

So I've been extremely busy trying to finish this project lately, but I've run into another problem and if anyone could help that would be great!

On the DMG motherboard, I decided to use a newer one due to the original one not working even after replacing all of the capacitors. I started by removing the cart connector and power board, then cut the two bottom corners of the pcb, and reattached the power board. I tested it and it worked perfectly, the screen just showed the black bar going down the screen as it normally would without a cart inserted. Then I removed the power switch and the top right capacitor (C1 100uf/10V), then cut down the two top corners. I then reattached the C1 cap by attached the (+) leg to another point that was going to the same place as the capacitor originally was, then attached the (-) leg to the link port's ground shield. The power switch was then attached, connecting the pins in order, 1->2 and 3->4. If I'm not mistaken, 1 & 2 are VCC and 3 & 4 are GND. But then when I tested it using an AC adapter, the backlight would turn on and there would be either a single horizontal line near the bottom of the screen or multiple ones, but when turned off it would do the normal horizontal line across the bottom of the screen and then fade away. None of the components got hot during the testing, and I've double checked to make sure there aren't any shorts. I haven't replaced the caps on the new pcb, so perhaps that may be the problem? But it worked with the old caps before removing the power switch and cap C1 so I'm not sure...

Any suggestions?

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Chicago

I had a similar problem one time when cutting the area near the C1 capacitor.
Also the device is turning on so both lead me to believe its a issue with one of the following:

Firstly I'd check to make sure there is connection from the purple point to any given point in the areas marked in yellow
Secondly check the connection of your wires from the power board to the rear pcb
Thirdly if none of those remedy the situation, reattach the legs of the C1 capacitor to new locations

Any chance of major update on this build blog in the near future?