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    Project DCH (dirt cheap handheld)

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Projects and Themes
    cheapsimplehandheld
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    • mooseprM
      moosepr @AluLagoa
      last edited by

      @AluLagoa individual buttons are better for action buttons, and the 5 way navigation switches are good as little joysticks so you might find you want to do a hybrid of the two

      I also made this

      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/8614/my-take-on-a-gbz

      And this

      https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/10012/behold-the-world-s-smallest-raspberry-pi-based-gaming-device

      So I have pretty much tried all configurations!

      want to get a tft into your project, look no further than here https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7464/ili9341-tft-screen-guide

      A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • A
        AluLagoa @moosepr
        last edited by

        @moosepr
        Wow!
        I had seen those before, but didn't know they where yours. Great work!

        I am gonna go with individual buttons then.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • A
          AluLagoa
          last edited by

          Video of the gpio controller script working:

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • A
            AluLagoa
            last edited by

            Still waiting for parts to arrive...

            Last time I ordered from aliexpress I got my stuff in three weeks, but this time I will have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the stuff to arrive, and only 3 weeks have passed.

            My internship ends today, so I will have a lot of free time from now on.

            I was expecting for the parts to arrive this week, so I would have something to do, but that isn't the case.

            Feeling really tempted to buy another display for 6.5€ from a seller from my country so I can get it next week and continue with this project...

            mooseprM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • mooseprM
              moosepr @AluLagoa
              last edited by

              @AluLagoa yeah shipping on AliExpress can be variable. I tend to pay the extra and go for the 20-40 day option rather than the 30-60 day one.

              I'm still waiting for some screens that I ordered at the start of January!

              want to get a tft into your project, look no further than here https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7464/ili9341-tft-screen-guide

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • A
                AluLagoa
                last edited by

                Decided to order another display from a guy in my country.
                Should be here in the next few days, so i can go on with my project.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • A
                  AluLagoa
                  last edited by AluLagoa

                  Hi!

                  Finally got everything i needed to start the project!

                  Here are some photos:
                  alt text
                  Controller board and front plate.

                  alt text
                  alt text
                  alt text
                  Testing the screen.

                  alt text
                  Back.

                  alt text
                  Front.

                  Video of it in action:

                  Now just need to make some sort of case...

                  PS: Sorry for the dog hair...

                  Cheers!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • mooseprM
                    moosepr
                    last edited by

                    Awesome work! 😀

                    want to get a tft into your project, look no further than here https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7464/ili9341-tft-screen-guide

                    A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • A
                      AluLagoa
                      last edited by

                      Thanks!

                      For about 2h of work is not that bad.

                      Just did a cardboard case for it:
                      alt text
                      alt text
                      alt text

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • A
                        AluLagoa @moosepr
                        last edited by

                        @moosepr
                        How can i find the buttons that you used on you minimalistic build?
                        Mine are really hard to the press and kind start to hurt my fingers after a while... Yours look soft to the touch...

                        mooseprM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • mooseprM
                          moosepr @AluLagoa
                          last edited by

                          @AluLagoa yeah they are soft. The only place I know selling them now is adafruit

                          https://www.adafruit.com/product/3101

                          I randomly found mine on eBay, but the seller doesn't have any more

                          want to get a tft into your project, look no further than here https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7464/ili9341-tft-screen-guide

                          A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • A
                            AluLagoa @moosepr
                            last edited by

                            @moosepr
                            Thanks!
                            Adafruit wants $45 for shipping, and a seller i found in the UK wants $8 for 10 + shipping.

                            Well, when I do Version 2 I will 3D print a case, and I will try either to make bigger buttons to press on the tactile switches or use a SNES USB gamepad under the shell.

                            mooseprM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • mooseprM
                              moosepr @AluLagoa
                              last edited by

                              @AluLagoa yeah adafruit shipping can be a pain.

                              Can probably get a few hundred from China for minimal prices

                              want to get a tft into your project, look no further than here https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/7464/ili9341-tft-screen-guide

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • A
                                AluLagoa
                                last edited by

                                Possible next version of the handheld.

                                alt text

                                Smaller, much nice looking, possibly 18650 battery on the back.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • A
                                  AluLagoa
                                  last edited by

                                  Well, trying do desolder the pins on the display was a bust... Acidentally striped one of the contacts...

                                  Lesson learned: Don't mess with something that already works.

                                  obsidianspiderO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • obsidianspiderO
                                    obsidianspider @AluLagoa
                                    last edited by

                                    @alulagoa said in Project DCH (dirt cheap handheld):

                                    Don't mess with something that already works.

                                    Where's the fun in that? ;)

                                    📷 @obsidianspider

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • DD-IndeedD
                                      DD-Indeed
                                      last edited by

                                      Interesting project. Sparks up couple ideas on my head as well. Could propably build something similar from a Odroid U3 that I have lying on the drawer, so definitely gotta follow this topic. :)

                                      My soul rests, when I hear the PS1 boot music

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • B
                                        barrymossel
                                        last edited by

                                        Really cool. Something like this might be next project (after my full size cab). Still have a 7 inch screen lying around and quite some arcade controls :)

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • A
                                          AluLagoa
                                          last edited by

                                          A friend of mine will give me a DMG-01 case, hopefully that will be big enough to use the components with the connectors.

                                          DD-IndeedD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • DD-IndeedD
                                            DD-Indeed @AluLagoa
                                            last edited by

                                            @alulagoa

                                            Game Boy Color's case is big enough for sure, and I think that you can get new ones too. Copy models obviosly, but good for these kind of things.

                                            My soul rests, when I hear the PS1 boot music

                                            A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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