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    Project DCH (dirt cheap handheld)

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

      @moosepr
      Thanks!
      For now I would just like to know which design i should go for. I am more inclined to the 2nd one, because of the full SNES style controller.

      mooseprM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • 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
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