Hardware GBA Backlight! (AGB-001)

[Auyx]

does anyone know what the difference is between this one and this other one?

From the picture and the google translate of the description the former is a front-light and the latter is a true backlit.

From the first ones description via Google Translate:

" This machine is to use the ordinary GBASP modified version of the screen, is a former light board. Note that this is the entire SP screen transplantation and before the light, not the GBA screen. And the effect of SP regular edition is exactly the same. Because the cost of the change machine and change machine work and the bright screen is the same, so the price is almost the same. "

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Edit: Right, so I just ordered one of the backlight ones via Emailing the guy directly, He was very curtius and I ended up paying $84.70 USD that was $65 + $19.70 for international shipping. He says he ships by EMS and it should take around a week to arrive although I have come to expect delays when it comes to ordering items from China.

He gave me a choice of colours, he had : Black, purple,white, silver, yellow, transparent-blue and transparent-pink. I went for yellow. I belive the cases he is useing are these ones from the video's ive seen but I may be wrong : http://www.tradingmi...-GBA_p4290.html

I asked if the screens where original Nintendo screens or from clones and he said they where original.

When It arrives I will be giving it a full HD video review and I will upload a truckload of high res pictures for anyone who wants to see them.

I directed the guy to this page and asked if it was OK for me to give out his email here, he hasnt responded yet. I paid via paypal.

 

[constantgamer247]

Cool Bean. I'm really thinking about getting one. The only thing I wonder is. Can you adjust the screen brightness like on the GBA SP?

My eyes are super sensitive and I have the brightness on everything turned down as low as it'll go; still on but down.

You probably do not know yet. I'll email him and ask

 

[constantgamer247]

So got the kit yesterday, and just finished installing it. it looks awesome, the brightness is pretty much equal to the Gba SP+ on the lower setting. I'll post some pics in a bit

Looking forward to them, do you think the screen is original Nintendo or from one of the clones. Is the resolution correct on the screen?

I'm not sure if it's an original sp+ screen, but it's exactly the same. It could be an original, I don't know. Sorry about the blurry Ipad pics

Let me know if you wanna see anything else

Sorry about the blurry Ipad pics

Also can you repost your pictures? Your links are dead ):

 

[Auyx]

So got the kit yesterday, and just finished installing it. it looks awesome, the brightness is pretty much equal to the Gba SP+ on the lower setting. I'll post some pics in a bit

Looking forward to them, do you think the screen is original Nintendo or from one of the clones. Is the resolution correct on the screen?

I'm not sure if it's an original sp+ screen, but it's exactly the same. It could be an original, I don't know. Sorry about the blurry Ipad pics

Let me know if you wanna see anything else

Sorry about the blurry Ipad pics

Also can you repost your pictures? Your links are dead ):

The links are live but the thumbs are messed up because he didn't use a direct link with the image tags. If you go direct to the link you can see them.

 

[constantgamer247]

@[member="Auyx"] Cool thanks; I just saw the broken image icon and assumed the worst.

Also I sent him an eMail a few hours ago about the brightness level control. No word back yet but it's ~9:40pm in Shanghai right now. I'm just curious.

@[member="Thatotherpirateguy"] Can you confirm anything about the brightness control. If it's like the SP on low that is great. I never play my current ags-101 SP on anything but low,

 

[Auyx]

@[member="Auyx"] Cool thanks; I just saw the broken image icon and assumed the worst.

Also I sent him an eMail a few hours ago about the brightness level control. No word back yet but it's ~9:40pm in Shanghai right now. I'm just curious.

@[member="Thatotherpirateguy"] Can you confirm anything about the brightness control. If it's like the SP on low that is great. I never play my current ags-101 SP on anything but low,

I very much doubt that brightness control is available, The extra power for the screen is taken straight from the custom battery pack and there are no variable resistors there to control the current flow. I would imagine it wouldn't be to hard for him to install a potentiometer to the battery pack but I assume that you would need to ask him to do it custom to order.

 

[Thatotherpirateg]

I just asked a friend who lives in Hong Kong to order it for me

@[member="Thatotherpirateguy"] Can you confirm anything about the brightness control. If it's like the SP on low that is great. I never play my current ags-101 SP on anything but low,

The brightness is just a smidgen lower than that of the lowest setting on the Ags-101, and there is no brightness control.

Sorry about the pics guys, I'll take some better pics this weekend. Any requests?

 

[plc268]

Man... that looks excellent. It'll probably be a while before mine will show up in the mail though.

I ordered the 40 pin cable and screen. If that doesn't work out for me, I'll just order a complete one from him directly.

 

[Auyx]

@Thatotherpirateguy Could you take pics of your AGS-101 on its various brightness settings vs the mod in normal daylight conditions.

Thanks buddy.

 

[constantgamer247]

@Thatotherpirateguy Could you take pics of your AGS-101 on its various brightness settings vs the mod in normal daylight conditions.

Thanks buddy.

I second this. High Rez+Decent Quality would be much appreciated.

 

[Thatotherpirateg]

No problem guys, I'll take the photos tomorrow then. I'll use an actual camera this time haha
This mod is totally worth it guys, I am very happy with it. If you've seen an SP+ in action on the lower setting, you pretty much know what to expect here

 

[constantgamer247]

If you've seen an SP+ in action on the lower setting, you pretty much know what to expect here

Good way to describe it; that provides a very good mental picture. I would have no qualms cannibalizing my SP+ to do this mod. Pretty much the only thing I can stand to play on the SP+ is Pokemon as you can play that game so lax with no professional grip, but a game like F-Zero or another game you have to use your shoulder buttons for... nothing is better designed than the OG GBA.

Why nintendo whipped up the SP over putting the rechargeable battery and backlight screen in the OG GBA I'll never know/understand.

 

[Hanafuda]

Why nintendo whipped up the SP over putting the rechargeable battery and backlight screen in the OG GBA I'll never know/understand.

I prefer the SP. My AGS-101 is durn near priceless to me. I've heard a lot of guesses from people as to what Nintendo might have been thinking of in naming it "GBA SP", and what the "S.P." stands for, but to me its obvious:

SCREEN PROTECTED

 

[constantgamer247]

My mind came up with a lot of explanations for the acronym SP but I never thought of Screen Protected.

I think I was thinking things like:

Special Powers
Special Pocket
Super Pocket
Super Powers
Speed (SP is the abbreviation)
Special (again SP is the abbreviation for)
Skill Points

Things along those lines; I would have to say SP standing for Special is the most convincing and that Screen Protected would be the second most convincing. Has Nintendo ever said anything about this?

My biggest gripe with the SP are the shoulder buttons. That and the bad ergonomics of it >_

 

[Hanafuda]

My mind came up with a lot of explanations for the acronym SP but I never thought of Screen Protected.

I think I was thinking things like:

Special Powers
Special Pocket
Super Pocket
Super Powers
Speed (SP is the abbreviation)
Special (again SP is the abbreviation for)
Skill Points

Things along those lines; I would have to say SP standing for Special is the most convincing and that Screen Protected would be the second most convincing. Has Nintendo ever said anything about this?

My biggest gripe with the SP are the shoulder buttons. That and the bad ergonomics of it >_<

Nah, "screen protected" is just something I made up. I think "special" is the most likely as well.

The ergonomics of the SP, strangely enough, work better for me than just about any other Nintendo handheld. I don't use my fingertips for the shoulder buttons - I use the inside of joint closest to the knuckle. Works great for me, the only downside is the rest of my right index finger is laying across the charge & headphone port, so I never bothered getting the headphone adapter. There's no way I could have that thing protruding from there and still have a comfortable place for my finger to rest.


As for this backlight kit, have to admit it looks pretty good. I'd be tempted to get it just for kicks, if it weren't for the damage my kid (he's almost 20 now) did to his original GBA's screen cover 10 years ago. It's very scratched up, and replacing the actual display screen wouldn't change that. I know Nintendo used to sell replacement screen covers for the Gameboy and Gameboy Color (probably not available anymore), but AFAIK they never offered this for the GBA.

 

[plc268]

My mind came up with a lot of explanations for the acronym SP but I never thought of Screen Protected.

I think I was thinking things like:

Special Powers
Special Pocket
Super Pocket
Super Powers
Speed (SP is the abbreviation)
Special (again SP is the abbreviation for)
Skill Points

Things along those lines; I would have to say SP standing for Special is the most convincing and that Screen Protected would be the second most convincing. Has Nintendo ever said anything about this?

My biggest gripe with the SP are the shoulder buttons. That and the bad ergonomics of it >_<

Nah, "screen protected" is just something I made up. I think "special" is the most likely as well.

The ergonomics of the SP, strangely enough, work better for me than just about any other Nintendo handheld. I don't use my fingertips for the shoulder buttons - I use the inside of joint closest to the knuckle. Works great for me, the only downside is the rest of my right index finger is laying across the charge & headphone port, so I never bothered getting the headphone adapter. There's no way I could have that thing protruding from there and still have a comfortable place for my finger to rest.


As for this backlight kit, have to admit it looks pretty good. I'd be tempted to get it just for kicks, if it weren't for the damage my kid (he's almost 20 now) did to his original GBA's screen cover 10 years ago. It's very scratched up, and replacing the actual display screen wouldn't change that. I know Nintendo used to sell replacement screen covers for the Gameboy and Gameboy Color (probably not available anymore), but AFAIK they never offered this for the GBA.

You can buy a replacement screen cover on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=gba+screen+cover&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 

[Thatotherpirateg]

Here are some HQ pics. I'm very happy with this console. I'm just hoping it'll be as reliable as the original.




I remember reading once that the codename for the Sp before release was Special Project, and that might be what the SP stands for

 

[Auyx]

Here are some HQ pics. I'm very happy with this console. I'm just hoping it'll be as reliable as the original.




I remember reading once that the codename for the Sp before release was Special Project, and that might be what the SP stands for

Thanks for the pics man, there really good. I noticed yours has the standard battery compartment rather than the one seen HERE did that take any extra wiring up? I wonder if it would be possible to add extra current to the screen and get a brightness closer to the SP+ on max?

 

[constantgamer247]

Very nice photos; thank you for sharing =)

I too am wondering about the battery section.

Plus one more question. Do you think it would be possible to shut the SP's back light off through a switch or something? It would be super cool to have the OG GBA with an off and low SP+ brightness setting.

 

[Thatotherpirateg]

Plus one more question. Do you think it would be possible to shut the SP's back light off through a switch or something? It would be super cool to have the OG GBA with an off and low SP+ brightness setting.

You won't be able to see without the light on. As for the brightness control, maybe somebody with better modding skills than me could attempt it. I would love a brightness control I just used a basic tutorial to do this, so I have no clue on how to add the control
That battery compartment isn't for the console itself, I hooked it up to the GBA while I was working on it to see if the screen was working. I didn't want to put it all back together the have to open it again.

I have the 40 pin pcb, so I'm not sure how it work with the 32 pin one. Which ones do you guys have?