Hardware GBA Backlight! (AGB-001)

[jumpman1229]

No, that's an original AGS-101 screen from Nintendo. Took it out of my GBA SP myself.

Update: Modified an Energizer Wii inductive charge pack to fit in the stock battery compartment. Guess I don't need to cannibalise my SP motherboard and battery now.



The upside is now I can just set it down to charge it. The down side is I sliced my hand open to do it.

How's the battery life on it? Much different from stock?

 

[KDH]

How's the battery life on it? Much different from stock?

I'm not sure yet. Haven't had a chance to try it. I'll let you know once it has a full charge and I can use my left hand again. I can tell you right now that heat may very well be an issue. I may have modded the battery for nothing. Then again, that may just be because I replaced the pack's 600 mAh AAAs with my own Energizer 850 mAh AAAs. Might try it again with the 600s to see if it makes a difference, or if the plastic around the batteries was to protect from excess heat.

The earliest I'll have any more information is Monday however.

 

[Coltonamore]

You can also use the Nyko Wii charging station battery's to power the gba without modding the battery. Here's the vid for prove.


Holy shit, I posted this video on two threads!!!

 

[Joe88]

would an ags-101 motherboard and screen (all internal parts) fit inside a ags-001 shell without modification?
its cheaper to buy some crappy ags-101 color or one that is really beat up and stick it in my onyx 001 shell

 

[KDH]

You can also use the Nyko Wii charging station battery's to power the gba without modding the battery. Here's the vid for prove.


Holy shit, I posted this video on two threads!!!

The two issues I have with that are A) You have to remove the pack to charge it and B) you cannot use the GBA's battery cover with the rechargeable pack in it. Also it looks like even my mod, which if you remember replaced the 600 mAh batteries with 850 mAh ones, isn't enough and I don't imagine the Nyko packs use higher capacity batteries than the Energizer ones I have. I've been simulating game play by constantly replaying the Metroid Zero Mission demos on my desk with the volume at full and the battery indicator LED is orange after only an hour and a half. The 600 mAh's last about 45 minutes BTW.

I'm considering trying an even more drastic mod once my hand heals: solder the charging circuit directly to the GBA's power contacts and use 2000 mAh rechargeable batteries. I don't see why there would be a difference between that and just being in contact with other pieces of metal that are touching the charging battery, but I'm admittedly new to this sort of thing. I'm going to do my own research, but if anyone knows a reason why that would be a bad idea, let me know.

 

[jumpman1229]

I'm not sure yet. Haven't had a chance to try it. I'll let you know once it has a full charge and I can use my left hand again. I can tell you right now that heat may very well be an issue. I may have modded the battery for nothing. Then again, that may just be because I replaced the pack's 600 mAh AAAs with my own Energizer 850 mAh AAAs. Might try it again with the 600s to see if it makes a difference, or if the plastic around the batteries was to protect from excess heat.

The earliest I'll have any more information is Monday however.

Cool! I'm interested in knowing your results because I was thinking of doing the same for my GBA

 

[KDH]

Well it's actually lasted four and a half hours on the Metorid demos, so it's at least as good as an unaided 3DS/Vita. I'd test more, but I'm tired so I think I'll call it a night. Oddly most of the time it's been on the indicator LED was red or orange. I don't know why the 600 mAh batteries didn't last very long, since that's the same rating as the SP's battery. Then again, it the SP's battery has a higher voltage.

 

[bowser]

Well it's actually lasted four and a half hours on the Metorid demos, so it's at least as good as an unaided 3DS/Vita. I'd test more, but I'm tired so I think I'll call it a night. Oddly most of the time it's been on the indicator LED was red or orange. I don't know why the 600 mAh batteries didn't last very long, since that's the same rating as the SP's battery. Then again, it the SP's battery has a higher voltage.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong:

Power = voltage x current

So, you're saying the batteries you're using now have less voltage than the SP's original battery. So to get the required amount of power, the GBA will try to draw more current. It's probably drawing more than the rated 600mAh and that's why you're getting a lot of heat. Try using higher capacity AA batteries like 1200 or 2200 mAh.

 

[KipMudz]

would an ags-101 motherboard and screen (all internal parts) fit inside a ags-001 shell without modification?
its cheaper to buy some crappy ags-101 color or one that is really beat up and stick it in my onyx 001 shell

Yes. Every parts of the AGS-101 (except to the parts soldered on the PCB) is no different to AGS-001 size-wise.

 

[Coltonamore]

The two issues I have with that are A) You have to remove the pack to charge it and B) you cannot use the GBA's battery cover with the rechargeable pack in it. Also it looks like even my mod, which if you remember replaced the 600 mAh batteries with 850 mAh ones, isn't enough and I don't imagine the Nyko packs use higher capacity batteries than the Energizer ones I have. I've been simulating game play by constantly replaying the Metroid Zero Mission demos on my desk with the volume at full and the battery indicator LED is orange after only an hour and a half. The 600 mAh's last about 45 minutes BTW.


I'm considering trying an even more drastic mod once my hand heals: solder the charging circuit directly to the GBA's power contacts and use 2000 mAh rechargeable batteries. I don't see why there would be a difference between that and just being in contact with other pieces of metal that are touching the charging battery, but I'm admittedly new to this sort of thing. I'm going to do my own research, but if anyone knows a reason why that would be a bad idea, let me know.

I don't know how long the battery's are going to last. I'm planning on using a back-lit mod he said it works just as well as anything else. But can someone confirm this for me?

 

[KDH]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong:

Power = voltage x current

So, you're saying the batteries you're using now have less voltage than the SP's original battery. So to get the required amount of power, the GBA will try to draw more current. It's probably drawing more than the rated 600mAh and that's why you're getting a lot of heat. Try using higher capacity AA batteries like 1200 or 2200 mAh.

No no, the heat comes when it's sitting on the charging pad. It's always happened with these battery packs, even when I was using them with my Wii remotes. My concern was that the heat while charging might damage the screen, a non-issue for their intended use.

 

[Joe88]

Yes. Every parts of the AGS-101 (except to the parts soldered on the PCB) is no different to AGS-001 size-wise.

thanx
just bought this terrible condition black one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321093969851

 

[Coltonamore]

Also is it possible to to spilt the video on the GBA to make it so I can connect it to a tv?

 

[KipMudz]

Also is it possible to to spilt the video on the GBA to make it so I can connect it to a tv?

Like this? If not, looks like the GameBoy player for GameCube is the nearest thing that you can get.

 

[Chary]

Truthfully, I like the style of the original GBA over the SP. An original GBA with a backlight would be amazing.

 

[Joe88]

well they have snap on/in grip controllers which makes things more comfortable

 

[Coltonamore]

Like this? If not, looks like the GameBoy player for GameCube is the nearest thing that you can get.

It was a suggestion by one of my friends depends on how hard it is to track down. I still plan on this back-lit mod for sure. I even going to get an EZ Flash IV before it become really rare.

 

[HeroicJoker]

Does anyone have any soldering tips for me? I can't keep the wire still when trying to solder it >_< and I don't know if I should use a lot of solder because every time I try to use it I end up using too much help? D:

 

[KipMudz]

Does anyone have any soldering tips for me? I can't keep the wire still when trying to solder it >_< and I don't know if I should use a lot of solder because every time I try to use it I end up using too much help? D:

You mean the wire for the backlight? If you're having trouble on putting lead to the wire and joining it to the solder point, try to do these following steps:

• Remove the coating to the tip of the wire before soldering by sanding. It will allow the lead to bond with the copper easily.
• Use something to hold the wire like adhesive tape or a clip.
• Heat the tip of the wire. Give it at least three seconds to heat then put the lead on the wire. Make sure that the lead is well-bonded with the copper.
• After applying some lead to the wire, stick the tinned part of the wire to the solder point then use the soldering iron to join them.

I hope these steps helped you. Good luck...

 

[Isy]

Hey everyone, just signed up to say thank you to all involved in getting the word out there for this amazing mod and thank you to Zerey for his outstanding products and service.

Wiggy, your work has inspired me to start painting again and here are a couple of examples of what I have created so far.

Thanks for keeping GBA alive and kicking! =D