PSPi Version 3 - Custom PCB Prototype

obsidianspider

@adamspc said in PSPi Version 3 - Custom PCB Prototype:

@obsidianspider I haven't seen daylight in 2 months

Do you have a background in electronics or is this all learning as you go? Piecing together parts is about where I'm at, but making a custom board is at a whole other level.

adamspc

@obsidianspider Sort of in-between. I've been making stuff with a soldering iron since I was a kid, so the understanding of electronics was there. PCB design is a different area altogether though, and everything with this board was me learning as I went. Every circuit was designed from scratch or modified from free published circuits I found online.

BuZz

Very impressive - great job! :-)

markyh444

@adamspc Excellent work dude, been following your work for ages. Can't wait for you to start production of these coz I've got a pile of parts and an old PSP just waiting to be worked on, but I'm waiting on your PCB at the minute.

celly

Wow dude, just, wow. Wicked build and super impressive.

edmaul69

@adamspc awesome job! Is the analog functional?

adamspc

@edmaul69 Not quite yet. The first analog to digital converter ended up cooking. I think a couple pins got switched around on the schematic. Those things aren't cheap, so I made some breakout boards and I'm going to troubleshoot it when they arrive. Should be here before the weekend.

@markyh444 Soon. Very soon. Working on prototype #2 now.

DirtyRob

@adamspc Ack ... always scares me to see a metal shield slapped over a freshly soldered power connection without putting some Kapton tape down first. Cool build though. Im still smazed you were able to make it all fit!

moosepr

@adamspc good effort dude!! what are you using to design your board with? and the purple boards look oshpark like :)

adamspc

@DirtyRob Lol. Nothing bad ever happened from shorting a pair of lithium batteries that are wired in parallel.

@moosepr Using Eagle for the design and Oshpark for the prototypes.

There have been a lot of changes since I posted this video. More stuff has been integrated, the mounting position is better, and everything fits better. Months of work so far and probably another month at least before I have it ready.

Dochartaigh

@adamspc

Let us know when they're 100% and hopefully available for purchase! I've been waiting for a cool project like this to work on, but always saw the DIY route to just be extremely messy with the wires everywhere (plus I've soldered a ton...but always larger gauge stuff so I've been kinda afraid to work with things as small as this) - I love the board you designed and hope you get it working!

adamspc

Prototype 2 has been ordered. I'm quite excited. Celebrate with me by joining the giveaway for a 1000.2.1 kit.

moosepr

@adamspc looking good!!! i bet that PCB wasnt cheap!!

Dochartaigh

I searched around....but what version of the PSP will this fit? There seems to be like 6 different versions through the years...

adamspc

@Dochartaigh Original 1000 series. If this kit sells well enough to pay for the 6 months of work I did, I might do a board for the 2000 and 3000 series.

iggy

@adamspc Gr8t job on the board! Cant wait to see howbit all turns out with ur final version of the board. I know how much time it takes to design a pcb and optimize the placement of components, etc. When I was designing mine for the NES R2-D2 I was working on, I was like, "glad its finished" and sumbitted to the board fabricator only to realize that I could design it better and go smaller. 4 versions later, I still could go smaller by utilizing SMD components instead of through-hole components. Guess im old school when it comes to using though-hole components. Nevertheless, its a great learning experience for anyone wanting to design his/her own boards.

adamspc

@iggy Yeah I'll never be satisfied. I keep wanting to add features or make improvements.

I just got the second prototype in and I'm running some tests.
http://othermod.com/pspi-version-3/

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moosepr

@adamspc looking good! Is that all hand soldered?

I take it you are using a row of headers to attach the pi to the board?

markyh444

@adamspc Genuinely excited about this. Can't wait for you to start shipping these to the UK!

adamspc

@moosepr
Yes, all hand-soldered. I use a mixture of stencil/solder paste for the bulk of it and a soldering iron for final details.

I did use headers to attach it, then cut off the excess. The SD card pads are soldered directly to it using 6 holes in the board.

@markyh444
I'm excited too. Won't be much longer.