Hardware I'm thinking about making a portable Wii or GameCube.

[W.A.C.]

So I'm interested in the idea of creating a portable game system and I'm learning toward creating either a portable Wii or GameCube. These are the factors I'm most concerned about.

-How does GB, GBC, GBA, SNES, and N64 emulation on the GameCube compare to emulation on the Wii?
-How large would a portable Wii have to be compared to a portable GameCube?
-How much more power would a portable Wii require compared to a portable GameCube? How would this affect battery life in the best case scenario for a portable Wii and GCN?
-How much more expensive would it be to create a portable Wii?

If I were to create a portable Wii, I would have the buttons emulate a Classic Controller. A lot of the games for the Wii that don't support the Classic Controller either wouldn't work well as a portable game or there's homebrew that forces Classic Controller support. Since Nintendont allows Classic Controller support with GCN games, that would resolve compatibility issues in that area. Another thing is that if I were to make a portable GCN or a portable Wii, I would want to make it where I could plug it into a TV and use the portable as if it were a normal console when I want to go that route. So with these factors in mind, what would you guys recommend? Also, if I were to make a portable Wii, I probably would use DualShock 4 parts for the analog sticks, dpad, and face buttons. I would definitely use the original Classic Controller's L and R analog shoulder buttons since they're very comfortable and would work great with GCN games. ZL and ZR buttons on the hand, not exactly sure which buttons I would use but my guess would be the Classic Controller Pro's L and R buttons, or the Wii U Pro Controller's L and R buttons.

 

[duffmmann]

I've thought about doing this myself, and with Nintendont now working properly with bluetooth controllers, the time seems right. I don't have all the answers to your questions, but I'd say the following: go with a portable Wii, it'd be so much easier to softmod to play all your old emulators, there'd be no need to use discs in the system or anything like. You're right to make it think your handheld is a classic controller, as the Wii menu can be navigated with the Wii classic controller left control stick (meaning you wouldn't have to mod in the sensor bar, which you wouldn't have any use for anyway). But, with the state of Nintendont now, you'd be able to play a very large percentage of Gamecube games on the thing, many great Wii games (though plenty you wouldn't be able to play), the WiiMC media player, Netflix (and Hulu and Amazon) and loads of your favorite emulators. If I could make a suggestion though, while you should use the inner workings of a classic controller (original so you can use the analog triggers), you should use actual buttons from gamecube controllers (at least for the triggers and LZ/RZ button (you'd have to take apart 2 GC controllers to have 2 of those I suppose).

 

[Thirty3Three]

I drew this real fast for you. When I read the title, this was all I could think about... "WATCH THE FUCKING ROAD".

 

[W.A.C.]

I've thought about doing this myself, and with Nintendont now working properly with bluetooth controllers, the time seems right. I don't have all the answers to your questions, but I'd say the following: go with a portable Wii, it'd be so much easier to softmod to play all your old emulators, there'd be no need to use discs in the system or anything like. You're right to make it think your handheld is a classic controller, as the Wii menu can be navigated with the Wii classic controller left control stick (meaning you wouldn't have to mod in the sensor bar, which you wouldn't have any use for anyway). But, with the state of Nintendont now, you'd be able to play a very large percentage of Gamecube games on the thing, many great Wii games (though plenty you wouldn't be able to play), the WiiMC media player, Netflix (and Hulu and Amazon) and loads of your favorite emulators. If I could make a suggestion though, while you should use the inner workings of a classic controller (original so you can use the analog triggers), you should use actual buttons from gamecube controllers (at least for the triggers and LZ/RZ button (you'd have to take apart 2 GC controllers to have 2 of those I suppose).

Yeah, the GCN analog shoulder buttons would work great too for the analog shoulder buttons. For me, it would depend largely on the size of the machine and what would be the best way to build it. I also care a ton about comfort, as I generally find handhelds way less comfortable than controllers because handheld designers tend to be so obsessed with making their handhelds as compact as possible in terms of where you use the inputs.

I drew this real fast for you. When I read the title, this was all I could think about... "WATCH THE FUCKING ROAD".

omfg This post. XD

 

[W.A.C.]

So does anyone have a rough idea of the answers to some of these questions?

-How large would a portable Wii have to be compared to a portable GameCube?
-How much more power would a portable Wii require compared to a portable GameCube? How would this affect battery life in the best case scenario for a portable Wii and GCN?
-How much more expensive would it be to create a portable Wii?

 

[metroid maniac]

Would the Wii really use more power than the Gamecube?
A quick search tells me that a Wii uses 18W when in use while a Gamecube uses anywhere from 23-39. I can't find a reliable answer but all of them seem to be greater than the Wii's.

From a layman's perspective it just makes sense that a portable Wii would be quieter,more efficient and smaller than a portable Gamecube. It's smaller and quieter so it probably has less heat to get rid of, and it's very underpowered compared to when it came out (The Gamecube was a beast in 2001, while the Wii was barely more powerful than an original Xbox).

 

[Goku Junior]

Well, my opinion is better doing a portable Wii, why? because it power consumption is lower, it has backward compatibility with GameCube (except Super Slim/Mini model), it has Virtual Console, it's more powerful than a GameCube (better graphics and better for emulation) and Wi-fi, that's what i think, but It could be difficult to use with the Wii Remote...

EDIT: I forget to say the Wii processors are smaller than GmaeCube processors, so the portable should be smaller compared to GameCube Portable, for price, The GameCube don't sell anymore, so Wii Should be cheaper.

 

[mightymuffy]

Well, my opinion is better doing a portable Wii, why? because it power consumption is lower, it has backward compatibility with GameCube (except Super Slim/Mini model), it has Virtual Console, it's more powerful than a GameCube (better graphics and better for emulation) and Wi-fi, that's what i think, but It could be difficult to use with the Wii Remote...

He already said he would have the buttons emulate a classic controller, all he'd really need to do on top of that, considering he's after emulation, is add a power button.... He'd even get a few specific Wii games to play no problems, not mention Gamecube games using either Nintendont or Devolution - smallest, cheapest, least power consuming, better emulation... OP: there's no contest here, use a Wii!

 

[Goku Junior]

He already said he would have the buttons emulate a classic controller, all he'd really need to do on top of that, considering he's after emulation, is add a power button.... He'd even get a few specific Wii games to play no problems, not mention Gamecube games using either Nintendont or Devolution - smallest, cheapest, least power consuming, better emulation... OP: there's no contest here, use a Wii!

OK, I didn't read all the post, well that was only my opinion.

 

[W.A.C.]

With all of this in mind, I find it weird there are so few portable Wii's out there compared to portable GCN's. I guess if I make a portable system, making a portable Wii would be the better choice. Though for SNES and NES emulation, would it be difficult to achieve the 8:7 aspect ratio? I really hate playing SNES and NES games in 4:3, since everything looks so stretched.

 

[somewhereovertherainbow]

design idea: how portable ps4 can look
http://www.dualshockers.com/2014/06...ing-the-liquid-crystal-monitor-4-for-the-ps4/

n instrucables lowbusget portable wii
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Low-cost-Portable-Wii-Laptop/

 

[W.A.C.]

Not interested in making a Wii laptop, but it's cool alternative for those who don't want to put the effort (and money) into making an handheld version.

 

[somewhereovertherainbow]

wii VR . one like this?

 

[osirisjem]

I drew this real fast for you. When I read the title, this was all I could think about... "WATCH THE FUCKING ROAD".

I knew this mockup wasn't real.

How ?

(1) There are no portable green Wiis.
(2) As well, that steering wheel has no steering column. Trying to steer with that steering wheel is not going to work.
(3) Nun-chuck games aren't possible as you need that hand to drive. DUH !

 

[CheatFreak47]

Well I've never done a portable anything myself, but i'm sure it's possible.
Just looking at some basic ideas for something like this...

The first thing I would do is get a wii and softmod the hell out of it. A 2GB regular SD Card. Get a small but large in size usb HDD, get all the softmod stuff out of the way first. (USBLoaders/Dios Mios, etc.)
Set up Prilloader to boot into a USB Loader or something GCN controller compatible.
If you do this, I'll help ya out with the pre-mod setup stuff, just ask me if you don't know it already.

Remove the nearly useless huge disc drive, of course.
No idea what kind of enclosure you could use for this, that's for you to figure out.
Screen, I don't know about, 4:3 is easier, but 16:9 looks nicer. No idea what you could use for that.
Same deal for the battery, something you'll need to figure out on your own.

I'd say build a gamecube controller into the actual portable wii enclosure, that'll allow you access to GCN games, some wii games, and all emulators. (GET A BETTER DPAD DOE)
For Wii Games, you'll need to put Infrared LEDs in the front above or below the screen, mimicking a shorter sensor bar (Think Wii U gamepad)
Build the External USB into the actual enclosure, no idea how, but if you're good with this stuff i'm sure it's possible.
I'd say put some kind of usb port on the actual unit, that would allow for hard drive access on a PC, might have to add a switch, I dunno how that'd work.
Build a GCN memory card into the thing somehow. Unless you have a bunch of GCN games, then you could use devolution and validate all your games before you rip the wii apart.

Do realize I'm talking out of my ass here, I've never done anything like this myself, but I have ideas on how it can work on the software side at least.
As I said above, if you need any help with the software stuff, feel free to ask me. I know almost everything about softmods on Wii.