Watch us hack a Nintendo 64 into a portable gaming system complete with screen, speakers and battery power: Full Nintendo anywhere you go!
Hacking your old N64 into a smaller more portable package isn't rocket science, but making sure you have the right tools, parts and, most importantly, instructions will ensure your video game mod will be a successful one.
So watch this episode closely as we turn a stock Nintendo 64 into a portable!
For helpful guides and tutorials from other experience makers, check out game console mod master Ben Heck's N64 forum.
And don't forget to print out this wiring diagram before you start.
If you're a bit unsure about building a proper power regulator using the TI part you can check out some samples here!
For other clever hacks, check out additional episodes of SYSTM.
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Posted by j19h89 on 12/06/2008 at 10:25:24 pm in Systm
hey guys,
sorry for my almost complete lack of technological skill, (I guess I should find a different show lol) but I was thinking. It seems to me that the main problem with this portable N64 is that you have to lug the games around with you. It seems like it'd be nicer just to plug in a flash drive or some other small device into the mod. The flash drive would hold the games on it.
Pardon my fanciful thinking for a moment. Obviously there are some problems with this. How are you going to get the games on the flash drive and how are you going to plug the flash drive into the N64? Would it work to download some emulator games off the internet and put them on your flash drive (assuming the flash drive plugged into the N64), and if by some miracle that worked how would you plug the flash drive into the N64? I don't think the motto I adopted in the scouts would work "if it doesn't fit just push harder!"
I bet this is just more pain than it's worth but it got me thinking. Anyway if you all have any thoughts I'd like to hear them.
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Posted by jsc315 on 12/05/2008 at 12:35:23 pm in Systm
loved the episode. I love mods of stuff like this. Some time ago i did a NES mod. Would have done a SNES one too but i for some stupid reason i got rid of my games.
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Posted by jherdt on 12/05/2008 at 06:58:02 am in Systm
Outstanding work gentlemen - enjoyed this episode very much.
congrats, Jim
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Posted by imagitronics on 12/04/2008 at 04:59:16 am in Systm
"
Oye vay. You're right. Well, Technobots.co.uk offers a couple of different 3A Step-up/Step-down regulator circuits that are actually available now!
Thanks.
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Posted by computoman on 12/04/2008 at 01:25:44 am in Systm
Anyone else order samples from TI?
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Posted by kiwifrog on 12/03/2008 at 07:35:21 pm in Systm
I had a wee chuckle to myself when he was describing the point of flux. "It just helps with the soder sticking to the wire".
Flux is incorporated into most solder(your call it soder) and it is basically an acid, it's used to clean the track or wire your tinning/soldering, If the flux-core solder doesn't work efficiently, you can then use its liquid form, it'll clean the track or wire making it easier to solder.
Most solderwick(desoldering braid) has flux impregnated into also, when heated it activates cleaning the braid and in-turn sucking the solder up in one hit.
It seams like he's using lead free solder, plus that cheap iron isn't hot enough, He need to go and practice his soldering technique a little, trimming the wire after they're tinned helps, and possible get a slightly nicer temp controlled iron, and some good old fashion non pc lead/tin/silver solder.
Mike.
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Posted by haku on 12/03/2008 at 06:29:32 pm in Systm
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They say it's not the size of your tool that matters, it's how well you weild it :D
I do a lot of SMD soldering and the guy I work for wonders how I manage to do such fine work with a large tip. I tried using a much smaller tip but found the SMD work very difficult, moved back to the larger tip and I was back to speed.
"
The Dimension Engineering DC-DC buck/boost regulators are excellent, been using them for a few years now and have one embedded in the frame of my electric bike to convert the battery voltage (varies between 24-30v) safely & easily down to 5v to power the custom 72 LED lighting setup.
But don't hold your breath on the AnyVolt3 appearing soon, that page hasn't changed in a year, I emailed them last year and early this year asking when it was arriving and both times they said soon...
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Posted by wargames on 12/03/2008 at 03:28:24 pm in Systm
Did anyone notice his last name?
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Posted by kiwifrog on 12/03/2008 at 04:43:51 am in Systm
I agree it was a great show, They should give this intern his own segment.
I only have one question, where are Dave and Patrick?
Mike.
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Posted by imagitronics on 12/03/2008 at 12:38:08 am in Systm
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One note that I would like to add is his soldering of the power wires to the N64 board didn't look very good. He got some nasty looking solder peaks. My suggestion would be to brush on some of that flux that he has before doing the soldering. That will help the pre-existing solder to flow nicely. Or, remove the solder from the connections you plan on using (or even totally remove the connector) and re-apply fresh solder. The latter is a better solution, but the former should get acceptable results.
"
I think he just needs a smaller tip on that iron! That thing looked gigantic for such fine work. Although they do say the camera adds ten pounds! Personally, I'm quite fond of the Weller ST7 tip, of course I use a Weller iron...
Anyways, excellent show! I was just curious if there's been any negative repercussion (such as brown outs during play) from operating the N64 at ~8V vice the 12V it was designed for. I would consider using an AnyVolt 3 from dimensionengineering.com when it becomes available (soon).
"
The AnyVolt is an adjustable step up / step down 3A switching DC-DC converter. The output is adjustable from 2.5 to 24V. The output voltage is set with a dial, similar to the volume control on a stereo system. Once the output voltage is set, it does not matter whether input voltage is higher, lower, or the same as the desired output.
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I've used their AnyVolt Micro (0.5A max) in several projects and found it to be a very nice "drop in" solution.
Once again, excellent show. Rev3 should be courting this kid as a regular employee before he wises up! hah.
Tim
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