BigBoy Advance - Bacteria's GBA portable with 8" screen

[bacteria]

Years ago, in 2007 I think it was, I made a system called "BigBoy Advance" which used a GBA Transverter, GBA console, PSone 5" screen, NiMH batteries (bad choice). It was shite compared to what I can do now, although making that system tought me a lot about modding, and was my first proper modding project - and we all learn about modding by experimentation, application, making mistakes and improving, right?

This is what the POS looked like back in the day, even used the wrong buttons; however bad it was, it worked though!:



I still have a love for the GBA, so decided to make a sleek looking system, a vast improvement to the old one (I couldn't even make a case properly back then).

On the build topic thread on my forum it shows the planning, construction of a mold and its vacuum forming, quite a few posts in it so far : http://bacman.co.uk/bacforum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=4555

This is what the case front looks like before spray painting it:



and the back...



Before I spent time sanding the case halves, however shows the case halves meet properly:



and how the innards look like, and planned to fit



This new system is using an 8" LCD screen, 4:3 aspect ratio, quite high resolution; and the excellent AD Adaptor (which is a GBA that outputs composite, to a good quality indeed) via a RetroDuo SNES console.

I aim to run the system off Li-ion cells as well as a transformer, however depends on weight of system as to if I include batteries, might otherwise have an external battery pack (screen weighs a bit as so large).

Spray paint is applied, using a mid-grey stone effect spray paint; in process of varnishing, will then leave it until Monday to set hard so can set about installing the electronics.

This is going to be a system to be proud of when i've made it.

After making this system, i'll probably make myself a TurboGrafx portable with similar case, and N64 one too.

[CRTGAMER]

The concrete mold threw me off at first, then realized that is the base to vacuum form the plastic. Amazed how much detail you put into your mods.

[bacteria]

Case finished, leaving it until Monday to set hard so can start to install the electronics.

Moved the case halves into the house from the garage as a more stable temperature.



I like this look, and it came out pretty perfectly too!

[bacteria]

Progress - more to follow too!

Removed the old "teeth" from the case as had been covered in paint; reapplied, this time using 0.5mm thick styrene, which curves very easily.



Also applied thicker pieces and longer pieces for the screws to secure the case halves together. Locate the places to drill the holes and mark with a pen, then carefully drill a hole



System actually only needed 4 screws to hold the system together however i'm using 8 just to make sure



May well change the screws to flatter ones, later

Time to start the screen and speaker installation; using hot glue. Hot glued also the small 4mm x 1mm rare earth Neodymium magnets in place too, alongside the edge of the screen.



The idea is to make a screen cutout to fit onto the actual screen, and put a piece of cloth there, or similar. The surround is held in place by a 2nd set of the same magnets; so when the system is not being used, the screen has a protection against getting scratched.

The picture below shows the position of the existing magnets in the system itself, might add more yet though. As you see, the screen protector plate will need to be shaped to not get in the way of the d-pad and buttons.

Going to work on getting the buttons, shoulder buttons and d-pad installed, as well as the front protection plate, which i'll do first so the screen is protected whilst modding too.

[bacteria]

Worked out before that the thickness of the system case (1mm thick) plus 0.5mm more of styrene allows the magnets to still work ok, all be it with reduced magnetism.

Glue a piece of foam which will protect the screen onto a sheet of 0.5mm thick styrene and then reverse the sheet and let another set of magnets find their home on top



Using a sheet of clear acetate or similar, map out the magnets' position



Make holes in a 1mm thick piece of styrene larger than the magnets. 1mm thick because the magnets i'm using are 4mm wide and 1mm thick



Use some glue (I used Bostic Impact glue for this part of the project), to hold the magnets in place



Then add glue to the whole area including in the holes where the magnets are, and press a 1.5mm thick sheet of styrene in place. Turn over, and press firmly down.



Sand and shape the plate to fit over the button and d-pad holes.





Then, paint.

I will make decals for the system back and front plate, not done yet.

[fastbilly1]

That looks awesome Bacman. Amazing work. GBA is one of my favorites aswell and something like this always makes me happy to see.

[bacteria]

Thanks! I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the GBA, not really sure why although does have some great games indeed.

Installed the A and B buttons, after trimming down their height



Stopped buttons rotating by making stops



A, B and Start installed. Not aware of any games that use Select on the GBA - are there any? (that's why not put that in).

[fastbilly1]

Select is used in the Pokemon games to register items and is used in games like Ecks vs Sever for weapon change.

[bacteria]

Ta, ok, i'll add a discreet Select button on the opposite side to use if needed.

[bacteria]

Ok, I found a red button that's about the same size as the Start one, it was from a NES controller as it turned out; installed that into the system case; symmetrical to the other one so looks really nice.

The front of the system case is done therefore, apart from the wiring. The space inside is limited but do-able for the rest of the electronics; although the case is 40mm thick, the screen and its board takes up just over half that and in places, 2/3. Fortunately, the RetroDuo when I relocate capacitors, etc, will be slim.

As to batteries, not sure if will have space, I am hoping to get 4 cells in there, not sure yet if can (thanks to the screen thickness). Should know tomorrow or Wednesday. The screen is reasonably heavy though so might not include batteries for that reason; other option is to include 2 cells and see how long they last for although I rather suspect i'd not get an hour out of two cells, which would be the minimum acceptable. Will run system off mains in any event though.

Will be nice to wire up the controller (RetroDuo controller) and then be able to run the system properly tomorrow.