Gameboy modding?

[James8BitStar]

Hey, I was just wondering something:

Has anyone ever made a custom mod of the original Gameboy, to make it where it has a clear screen?

Also, why was the screen on the original Gameboy so blurry anyway?

[XxHennersXx]

Hey, I was just wondering something:

Has anyone ever made a custom mod of the original Gameboy, to make it where it has a clear screen?

Also, why was the screen on the original Gameboy so blurry anyway?

because good lcd screen tech in 1989 was expensive and would have made it more expensive which might have been less units sold.

[Jorpho]

Wasn't that much improved in the Game Boy Pocket anyway?

I wouldn't imagine modding the screen would be very easy, since it can't be a standard TV-out signal going into it.

[MrRoboto19XX]

What would be really intresting would be to transform the gameboy (or any variation) into a full-fledged console. Not like the super gameboy or gameboy player, but like..a console.

Figure out how to make the video line into a standard video out, change the controller interface to have a cord (I'd imagine a standard NES pad would work well enough) and simply plug the carts, err "game paks" in the system.

Easier said then done, but essentially it's gb(c)(a) games on the big screen.

Plus, such a little system with litte games would look awesome.

[Jorpho]

The TV de Advance for the original Game Boy Advance acts much like you describe (though there's no extra controller port - the whole thing seals right back up afterwards).

[idrougge]

What would be really intresting would be to transform the gameboy (or any variation) into a full-fledged console. Not like the super gameboy or gameboy player, but like..a console.


You can do that with the Gamegear if you want.

[XianXi]

because good lcd screen tech in 1989 was expensive and would have made it more expensive which might have been less units sold.

And it still outsold the Neo Pocket, go figure.

[James8BitStar]

Wasn't that much improved in the Game Boy Pocket anyway?

Yeah.

On the other hand, the GBP introduced other problems... like how uncomfy to hold it was because it was so small. The original GB is still simply the most comfortable to hold.

[Jorpho]

On the other hand, the GBP introduced other problems... like how uncomfy to hold it was because it was so small.

It would seem that the easiest solution, then, would be to make some sort of soft rubber shell for the GBP that would give it the same "heft" as the original.

And perhaps the second easiest solution would be "modding" a brick by hollowing it out and replacing its internals with that of a GBP.

(And we won't mention the extremely minor compatibility issues the GBP had.)

[neuropolitique]

It would seem that the easiest solution, then, would be to make some sort of soft rubber shell for the GBP that would give it the same "heft" as the original.

And perhaps the second easiest solution would be "modding" a brick by hollowing it out and replacing its internals with that of a GBP.

(And we won't mention the extremely minor compatibility issues the GBP had.)

There is such a shell, put out under the Handy name. Intek among others slapped there name on it as well. And what compatability issues?

[Jorpho]

We won't mention those. :D

Actually, as I recall, they took the form of some sound effects not playing in the GB versions of Galaga/Galaxian or something of that nature. The GBP used a Z80 that was a tiny fraction of a MHz faster than the original GB's Z80; that might have something to do with it.

[mills]

I've seriously considered this myself many times. Essentially what I want is an original style or pocket style game boy system with a new LCD installed and modded to play everything from GB to GBA ( carts please, no emulators) I even tried to find Ben Heck's contact info for it.

What do you all think?

[James8BitStar]

I think, Mills, that it would be cool if you ever actually managed it.

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

I've seriously considered this myself many times. Essentially what I want is an original style or pocket style game boy system with a new LCD installed and modded to play everything from GB to GBA ( carts please, no emulators) I even tried to find Ben Heck's contact info for it.

What do you all think?

I think that the biggest problem with that would be designing and building some sort of shoulder button set-up. If you went with an original GB size case, it would be too large to use and the GBP size might be too uncomfortable. A backlit original GBA sounds almost light what you would want.

JY

[Jorpho]

I think that the biggest problem with that would be designing and building some sort of shoulder button set-up.

Hmm. Seems to me you ought to easily be able to fit something comfortably accessible inside that huge battery compartment (whose physical capacity would be unneeded if a GBA's batteries were being used).

[XianXi]

I even tried to find Ben Heck's contact info for it.

Are you selling a kidney?

From what I read that you want to do the easiest would be to swap in the SP PCB and LCD into another case and add the 2 shoulder buttons. Doesnt sound too hard.