Tutorial  Updated

n3DS XL with Integrated Bluetooth Audio (Hardware Mod)

Hi,

I love my n3DS Xl but the one thing I really wanted was to be able to use Bluetooth audio, I though I'd share with you how I did it.

So things I used

iFixit Teardown
JETech Bluetooth Stereo Audio Transmitter and Reciever
Rimmel London 447 Barmy Blue Nail Varnish
No Clean Flux
0.35mm Rosin Core 60/40 Solder
Hakko FX951 Soldering Station
PH0 Screwdriver Bit
Craft Knife
Black Electrical Tape
3.5mm Headphone Jack from an old pair of headphones
KYNAR Wire
Micro Push Button Switch
3.5mm Drill Bit
Dremel With Cutting Disk

Step 1.

I took apart the Bluetooth Transmitter, the case is just held together with clips so a bit of brute fore and ignorance got the case opened, Inside there is the Circuit board and the 3.7v 150mAh rechargable battery

I desoldered, The Headphone Socket, TX/RX Switch, Battery and just used a pair of snips on the micro usb port to remove it. to make the board as low profile as possible

I didn't take any photos as I did this but you can get a good idea of the layout of the board in this picture

Step 1.png

Step 2.

I bridged the two pads on the board where the TX/RX Switch used to be to put it permanently in Transmit mode see the pic in Step 1


Step 3.

I had to remove a little bit of the internal plastic of the n3DS XL case for the board to fit there was a small area next to the GameCard Slot and at the same time I removed one edge of the Headphone socket plastic to allow me to see the indicator lights for the JetTech board when it was mounted I just used the craft knife to do this. The board is held in place by compression it fits nice and snug in this area

Step 3.png

Step 4.

The most fiddly bit of soldering was on the opposite side of the board where the on/off/pairing button is, I solder 2 wires to the button so I could extend it to be mounted to the rear of the case.

Step 4.png

Step 5.

Using a very small drill bit and the Dremel I drilled a hole in the top edge of the 3ds case to act as a pilot hole to drill the 3.5mm hole for the micro push button switch

I used a litlle bit of double sided foam pad I had lying around to mount the switch to the case, I also use a triple thickness piece on the back side of the switch to cover the switches legs and also to help keep it in place when the case is closed

Step 5.png

Step 6.

I had to do a little bit of testing around the audio jack on the n3DS as the point I initially thought was going to be the left audio point was incorrect

The Points I used

White (Left Audio)
Red (Right Audio)
Black (Common)

Step 6.png


Step 7.

The n3DS XL uses a 3.7v battery , which is perfect as its the same voltage the Bluetooth transmitter works on I soldered to the following points on the Battery connector and connected them to where the Battery for the Bluetooth board used to connect.

Step 7.png

Step 8.

Wire Routing and connecting the audio wires up

Completed Internal.jpg


Step 9.

Used a Couple of pieces of Black Electric insulation tape on the back of the Bluetooth board not only to support the soldered connections but also to stop the possibility of a short between the Bluetooth board and the n3DS XL


Step 10. (Also future upgrade)

So to set the n3DS to output sound over the headphone jack you have a couple of options,

A. I cut up an Old headphone jack with my Dremel and a cut off wheel, Sanded down any sharp edges and then borrowed some of the Wife's nail varnish, I found the one linked at the top of this post to most closely match the Dark Metallic Blue of the n3Ds XL there maybe closer matches but I wasn't going to go out and buy something if I didn't need to. I painted the flat wnd with the nail varnish to match the colour of the n3DS

Inserting this small cut off headphone jack into the headphone socket works really well Switching between Bluetooth and the n3Ds's Speakers.

Step 10a.png

B. Alternatively you can put a switch/latching push button across these two point on the board I have some switches on order so I can update my mod once they arrive.

Step 10b.png

C. You could connect these 2 points directly with a short piece of wire but you wouldn't be able to get sound out through the n3DS's speakers any more.

externally the only thing you can see is the small hole where I drilled for the Bluetooth on/off/pairing switch

CompletedExternal.png
 
Last edited by EddCase,

Thee_BaBs

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This is really cool! I was planning on doing something like this until I sold my xl and bought the animal crossing bundle, nice to see that it is possible.
 

duffmmann

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I love this and would love to do it to my N3DS XL, but, am I correct in understanding that now the only headphone you can use with your 3DS are bluetooth? Like you can no longer use wired headphones on your 3DS? Ideally I'd like to be able to use either kind of headphones with my 3DS like I can with my smartphone, though I'm not sure that would even be possible with a 3DS.
 
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EddCase

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Just to clear some things up, You can still use your standard headphones in the 3ds, bridging these 2 points would put it in bluetooth/headphone only mode (No Sound from SPEAKERS)

step-10b-png.41485


using the small cut off piece of a headphone jack is just so the 3DS redirects the audio from the speakers to the headphone jack, which is also where the bluetooth audio is now wired in to. when you remove the small piece of headphone jack it reverts to using the speakers.
if you wanted to connect a switch accross these 2 points and place that somewhere in the case, (I've done that today to mine) you can just use the switch to turn it between bluetooth/headphones and the speakers.

Oh and I've not noticed a huge amount less battery life whilst this is on, and when its in standard mode using either normal headphones or speakers its exactly the same as if it wasn't installed
 
Last edited by EddCase,

EddCase

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There's nothing to stop this working in any 3ds, however you'd have to find your own location to install the bluetooth audio transmitter into and still be able to close the case up, I only have a n3DS XL so cant comment on wether it would fit in an o3DS I can only say it would probably be very tight if not impossible on a standard 3DS or n3DS It only just fitted within the n3DS XL
 

junn

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cool mod. it'll take a lot of my spare time to do it.


is interest me because i just brought this last week to my disappointment that i cant use it on my HBS-900
View attachment 41632
is your bluetooth adapter a receiver or transmitter?
mine's a transmitter and it works fine on my bluetooth headphone and n3ds
bluthn3ds.jpg
 
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EddCase

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The one I used can be set to either transmit or recieve (I set it to transmit permanently), you put both devices in pairing mode wait about 30 seconds and they connect, you'd have to look at any instructions for a different device.
 

xdarkmario

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The one I used can be set to either transmit or recieve (I set it to transmit permanently), you put both devices in pairing mode wait about 30 seconds and they connect, you'd have to look at any instructions for a different device.
The manual doesn't say much on how to do that. Well this one was only like $10 the real one I was looking at was like $45. Maybe I need that one.
Very frustrating how this one is useless to me.
 

Azel

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Impressive mod but BT3.0 and no aptx capability means some audio lag, sadly :\
Edit : learned a lot about Audio BT over the past few months and meant to say apt-x -LL-, sorry for the confusion. BT3 or 4 is not an issue. (I since own a pair of BT Sony Cans/headphones (MDR-ABT) it supports 24 bit/96Khz Hi-res via LDAC codec, despite being only BT3.0)
 
Last edited by Azel,

junn

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I think what you have is a receiver.
Anyway I just did what's on the manual on how to connect. tried like 3 or 4 times,
But I got it to pair after I plugged in the charging cable in the adapter while pairing with my Bluetooth headphone.
links:
-http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Sinvitron-Headphones-Simultaneously/dp/B01ABOKRPC/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1457686143&sr=8-23&keywords=Bluetooth+Transmitter

-http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-A2DP-Bluetooth-Music-Transmitter-Adapter-For-TV-MP3-Black-/161811961603?hash=item25acbe9703:g:U-cAAOSw0JpV5F0d
 

xdarkmario

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I think what you have is a receiver.
Anyway I just did what's on the manual on how to connect. tried like 3 or 4 times,
But I got it to pair after I plugged in the charging cable in the adapter while pairing with my Bluetooth headphone.
links:
-http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Transmitter-Sinvitron-Headphones-Simultaneously/dp/B01ABOKRPC/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1457686143&sr=8-23&keywords=Bluetooth+Transmitter

-http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-A2DP-Bluetooth-Music-Transmitter-Adapter-For-TV-MP3-Black-/161811961603?hash=item25acbe9703:g:U-cAAOSw0JpV5F0d
Ahh mines does not have that little button. Mine is different I'll buy that one thanks
 

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