Hardware Backlighting a GB Boy

[romanaOne]

You can use the same kits available on eBay (and elsewhere) for GB Pocket to add backlight to this knock-off. Unfortunately, it is a little bit harder than backlighting a real GB (Pocket): you still have to peel sticky backing off a delicate LCD without damaging a fragile cable that is in your way during the whole tedious process. You also have to glue the backlight in upside down because the LCD ribbon cables block the exit of the backlight power wires if you try to insert it like in a real GB. Glue is needed because it will slip around and get off-center.

The results are pretty good, but the grey shades flicker a little bit. I tried an external power supply and they still flicker, so it is not a power supply/wimpy battery issue. It might be because I replaced the crystal with a (slower) 4MHz one to get the music to sound normal. Maybe have to make another GB Boy backlighted w/o underclock mod to test.

 

[poipo32]

I have modded a GB BOY with a correct speed crystal and I'm also getting the flicker.
It definitely is from the crystal oscillator and not from the backlight.
I want to try adding a trim pot to the power going to the screen, maybe a lower voltage could fix the flicker and ghosting on the screen.

 

[Localhorst86]

but why would you do that? Isn't the GB Boy really bad? I faintly remember reading reviews that the game speed is off, the display is blurry etc. Wouldn't it make more sense to simply get a Gameboy Pocket and do the mod? You can get a cheap GBP for around 20€ and a backlight kit for 10€, the GB Boy is not that much cheaper.

EDIT: I mean - I guess a valid answer would be "because we can" - but is there a specific reason you're not using a GBP?

 

[romanaOne]

Replacing the crystal with a 4MHz crystal (like 5 for a dollar at your nearest parts shop) helps to fix the music and makes the games play at the right speed.
Yeah, the screen is a little ghosty/flickery but it's not horrible.

Why backlight? They're cheap and it's fun.