Hardware GBA Mods (AGB-001)

[EpicCollector]

Hey guys,
I'm new here and I was just wondering if anybody can answer a few questions about the Game Boy Advance I'm working on.

First off, does anybody know if and how I could use standard white LED's as a backlight instead of taking the screen out of GBA SP because it'd be cheaper, less time consuming and would save me having to gut an SP. And, I was wondering if anybody knows where I could find a better speaker to replace the stock one in the GBA. I already decided to get the GBAmp3 but I'd prefer to get a better speaker as well so that I can have the BEST sound. Also wondering if I could add a second, identical speaker and amp for true stereo sound since, correct me if I'm wrong, the GBA was actually designed with stereo sound in mind. I heard somewhere that buttons from other controllers or consoles could be used in place of standard GBA buttons. I've set up a poll about the best buttons to use and if anybody picks 'other' can you please tell me what you're choice would be?

Couple more quick questions:
1) How do I add a rechargeable battery and charger port?
2) Can I add support for external controllers, preferably through a USB Port?
3) Does anybody know of a mod that can control the contrast of the GBA?

If anybody knows any guides as well, that would be appreciated.

EDIT: I've heard that you can paint the shell with a transparent look if you use a glacier shell. Is this true? If so, which type of paint would I use? Any specific brand? (EDIT 2) I kinda wanna go for this sort of effect just in a different colour.

EDIT 3: I also wanna see if adding a joystick is possible. Maybe through joystick conversion like this?

Thanks!

 

[malheur]

speaker in the original GBA is kind of the best one for in their circumstance. i mean either watt-wise and size-wise. there is no particullary better speaker unit for replace.

also you can mod speaker stereo with wiring earphone pinout but output watt is too small to outloud volume enough. maybe using tiny stereo amp unit can be amplify the volume enough since it has some space in the housing, but there is so many works needed, for ie put speaker / earphone swap switch, since speaker unit and earphone jack both wired earphone pinout.

and you simply cannot mod backlight in the any kind of color TFT-LCD, comepare to you can add backlight to grayscale lcd. backlight mod need to disassemble lcd component for insert light guide plate, but color TFT-LCD is impossible to disassemble that portion.

but you can mod frontlight. you can google it. i cant recommend though.

contrast may be adjustable with proper wiring, but research required i guess.

add rechargable batterty is possible. google may shows the way.

make USB port does not simply possible(not supports by MCU) but add extra external controller works only for GBA is possible. just pull out button pinout and wire it.

in conclusion, use raspberry pi for your purpose is better.

 

[EpicCollector]

speaker in the original GBA is kind of the best one for in their circumstance. i mean either watt-wise and size-wise. there is no particullary better speaker unit for replace.

also you can mod speaker stereo with wiring earphone pinout but output watt is too small to outloud volume enough. maybe using tiny stereo amp unit can be amplify the volume enough since it has some space in the housing, but there is so many works needed, for ie put speaker / earphone swap switch, since speaker unit and earphone jack both wired earphone pinout.

and you simply cannot mod backlight in the any kind of color TFT-LCD, comepare to you can add backlight to grayscale lcd. backlight mod need to disassemble lcd component for insert light guide plate, but color TFT-LCD is impossible to disassemble that portion.

but you can mod frontlight. you can google it. i cant recommend though.

contrast may be adjustable with proper wiring, but research required i guess.

add rechargable batterty is possible. google may shows the way.

make USB port does not simply possible(not supports by MCU) but add extra external controller works only for GBA is possible. just pull out button pinout and wire it.

in conclusion, use raspberry pi for your purpose is better.

I've decided to go with the AGS-1101 backlit screen anyway since I've found a few better deals on eBay. I have tried looking around for a GBA contrast mod but looks like I'll have to look a bit deeper. You mentioned that external controller support is possible, do you know where I can find some more info about this?

EDIT: As for the Raspberry Pi, that happens to be one of my next projects!

Thanks.

 

[malheur]

Hey guys,
2) Can I add support for external controllers, preferably through a USB Port?

i misunderstood this. i thought add ext controllers for GBA, but i now think you want to use GBA as controller for PC, but either possible.

as you can see, the buttons works as switch that shorts 2(or 2*2) metal point. also every 1 of each is GND(common). so first of all, solder wires to test pin near button metal point of each buttons and GND. that would be 11(L+R+A+B+UP+DOWN+LEFT+RIGHT+START+SELECT+GND).

and then get a cheap usb type controller, disassemble it. for ie :

it works same as GBA of course. but we are using this only for MCU adaptor that supports USB controller signal. so track down the circuit, solder 11 wires to this board, throw out housing, put this board with PC via USB, then GBA will works as USB gamepad through this board as adaptor.

draw a picture would be -

[GBA]----[adaptor]----[PC]

and if you want to seperation between gba and adaptor, you can make a hole into GBA housing, and put a port part that any port over 11 pins. like micro HDMI.

then it's easily attach and detach gba with adaptor.

of course there could be other way, for ie put a tiny arduino in the gba housing etc, but this would be easist and most compatible way there is.

 

[EpicCollector]

i misunderstood this. i thought add ext controllers for GBA, but i now think you want to use GBA as controller for PC, but either possible.

as you can see, the buttons works as switch that shorts 2(or 2*2) metal point. also every 1 of each is GND(common). so first of all, solder wires to test pin near button metal point of each buttons and GND. that would be 11(L+R+A+B+UP+DOWN+LEFT+RIGHT+START+SELECT+GND).

and then get a cheap usb type controller, disassemble it. for ie :

it works same as GBA of course. but we are using this only for MCU adaptor that supports USB controller signal. so track down the circuit, solder 11 wires to this board, throw out housing, put this board with PC via USB, then GBA will works as USB gamepad through this board as adaptor.

draw a picture would be -

[GBA]----[adaptor]----[PC]

and if you want to seperation between gba and adaptor, you can make a hole into GBA housing, and put a port part that any port over 11 pins. like micro HDMI.

then it's easily attach and detach gba with adaptor.

of course there could be other way, for ie put a tiny arduino in the gba housing etc, but this would be easist and most compatible way there is.

This isn't what exactly I had in mind. You were right the first time in that I want to use external controllers to control my GBA. However, this is a very cool suggestion so thanks for the help. Will definitely use this at another point in time! Do you think it's possible to use the GBA as a second screen as well if I followed the above method? Anyway, if anybody else can answer some more of my original questions, that would be great!

Thanks

 

[malheur]

You were right the first time in that I want to use external controllers to control my GBA.

soldering those button wires to ext controller makes button works vice versa. so you press the buttons of ext controller, it works on GBA too.

 

[EpicCollector]

soldering those button wires to ext controller makes button works vice versa. so you press the buttons of ext controller, it works on GBA too.

Oh, thanks! Now I just have to wait for answers to my other questions.