Hello all - Modding a DS Lite and need some soldering help

[Norantio]

Hello everyone!

I've been a lurker for many years, and am finally starting my own modding project. I've got a few DS Lites strewn about and decided it was time to do something with them. What I'm attempting to accomplish is turning a base model DS Lite into a "Pokedex DS". I've got the modeling down, and can do most of the soldering work myself, but there are a few things I'm gunna help some help with. As you can see with the pictures below, I've made pretty good progress on the physical design, (everything is still fluid and subject to change). The biggest challenge I have at the moment is the screen cables and connectors. P3 & P4 on the motherboard. To get this to work, I need to extend the ribbon cables from the LCDs, or extend the connectors OFF of the motherboard somehow to reach the LCD ribbon cables. Any help would be much appreciated.

direction with.

 

[AncientBoi]

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hello everyone!

I've been a lurker for many years, and am finally starting my own modding project. I've got a few DS Lites strewn about and decided it was time to do something with them. What I'm attempting to accomplish is turning a base model DS Lite into a "Pokedex DS". I've got the modeling down, and can do most of the soldering work myself, but there are a few things I'm gunna help some help with. As you can see with the pictures below, I've made pretty good progress on the physical design, (everything is still fluid and subject to change). The biggest challenge I have at the moment is the screen cables and connectors. P3 & P4 on the motherboard. To get this to work, I need to extend the ribbon cables from the LCDs, or extend the connectors OFF of the motherboard somehow to reach the LCD ribbon cables. Any help would be much appreciated.

direction with. View attachment 436162View attachment 436163View attachment 436164View attachment 436165View attachment 436166

That does not look like an easy mod, the modifications needed to make a DS work in portrait mode.
Why GameCube layout? It doesn't really work that well for games that weren't made for it.
Edit: What are all the things on the back? Obviously there's triggers, but what's the black thing on the top, and the white and blue things on the bottom? The blue thing kinda looks like a solar panel.
Also. I don't see a stylus slot. Oversight, or on purpose?

 

[BETA215]

That does not look like an easy mod, the modifications needed to make a DS work in portrait mode.
Why GameCube layout? It doesn't really work that well for games that weren't made for it.

Platformers like Mario, while using the X (run) and B (jump) setup, would be just impossible to play (.'_>')
Yeah, I would recommend to stick to the usual A-B-X-Y used on SNES, DS, 3DS, Wii Classic Controller, Wii U and Switch.

Also the speakers have an unfortunate placing, since you'll be positioning your hand over them at all times. Putting them on the back, even if it would make stereo sound not matter, would allow you to actually be able to hear the audio.

Of course, it's just advices. I hope your project sails smoothly! Will be more than glad to see the results of it

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Platformers like Mario, while using the X (run) and B (jump) setup, would be just impossible to play (.'_>')
Yeah, I would recommend to stick to the usual A-B-X-Y used on SNES, DS, 3DS, Wii Classic Controller, Wii U and Switch.

Also the speakers have an unfortunate placing, since you'll be positioning your hand over them at all times. Putting them on the back, even if it would make stereo sound not matter, would allow you to actually be able to hear the audio.

Of course, it's just advices. I hope your project sails smoothly! Will be more than glad to see the results of it

I think the speaker positioning is actually fine. It's the same as the Game Boy (Color) and I never had issues with my hands covering the speaker on those.

 

[Norantio]

That does not look like an easy mod, the modifications needed to make a DS work in portrait mode.
Why GameCube layout? It doesn't really work that well for games that weren't made for it.
Edit: What are all the things on the back? Obviously there's triggers, but what's the black thing on the top, and the white and blue things on the bottom? The blue thing kinda looks like a solar panel.
Also. I don't see a stylus slot. Oversight, or on purpose?

The mod won't be that difficult, as the only remaining items of difficulty are the screen ribbon cables. Button layout is 100% preference, as is the case for every controller ever made. If that weren't the case, no Gamecube game would be playable on any other system, and conversly, no other system could play Gamecube games.

Post automatically merged: May 9, 2024

The mod won't be that difficult, as the only remaining items of difficulty are the screen ribbon cables. Button layout is 100% preference, as is the case for every controller ever made. If that weren't the case, no Gamecube game would be playable on any other system, and conversly, no other system could play Gamecube games.

The blocks on the back are to mimic the OG Pokedex. Purely aesthetic.

Post automatically merged: May 9, 2024

Platformers like Mario, while using the X (run) and B (jump) setup, would be just impossible to play (.'_>')
Yeah, I would recommend to stick to the usual A-B-X-Y used on SNES, DS, 3DS, Wii Classic Controller, Wii U and Switch.

Also the speakers have an unfortunate placing, since you'll be positioning your hand over them at all times. Putting them on the back, even if it would make stereo sound not matter, would allow you to actually be able to hear the audio.

Of course, it's just advices. I hope your project sails smoothly! Will be more than glad to see the results of it

The speakers work just fine! I usually don't have them on full blast anyway. And it might be blasphemous to say, but I don't like Mario games This will primarily be a pokemon and RPG machine

 

[SylverReZ]

Hello everyone!

I've been a lurker for many years, and am finally starting my own modding project. I've got a few DS Lites strewn about and decided it was time to do something with them. What I'm attempting to accomplish is turning a base model DS Lite into a "Pokedex DS". I've got the modeling down, and can do most of the soldering work myself, but there are a few things I'm gunna help some help with. As you can see with the pictures below, I've made pretty good progress on the physical design, (everything is still fluid and subject to change). The biggest challenge I have at the moment is the screen cables and connectors. P3 & P4 on the motherboard. To get this to work, I need to extend the ribbon cables from the LCDs, or extend the connectors OFF of the motherboard somehow to reach the LCD ribbon cables. Any help would be much appreciated.

direction with. View attachment 436162View attachment 436163View attachment 436164View attachment 436165View attachment 436166

That mod looks fairly complicated, but that's really awesome.

 

[genistopitauniverfrocrami]

I guess the cleanest would be to design a FPC and the cheapest would be micro soldering.