Foolish idea to mod a Pc Engine GT

[ltpitt]

Hi all!

I have this crazy idea of putting a Raspberry Pi Zero in my Pc Engine GT.

I don't want to butcher it, I just want to add this "feature".

I have a lot of room because the original screen was removed, a Raspberry Pi Zero with Retropie would be...
Awesome

I already have a composite input for the new screen so connection would be a piece of cake.

I can also use the same batteries with a voltage regulator, maybe...

Main question would be: is it possible to reuse the Pc Engine GT gamepad and buttons connecting them ALSO to the raspberry pi without runing the original cirtuitry?

thanks

[HuMan]

Burn the witch! Someone ban this heretic!

[crazydean]

You're right. That's foolish.

There's only two buttons on it so what are you looking to emulate?

[mario_pic]

if u make a casting of the gt and use the clone not a bad idea but never an oem even if its messed

[ltpitt]

Did anybody read the question?

I open my * Video Modded * Pc Engine GT.

This means I have a LOT of room in it, new video is far smaller than the original.

In this space I put a Raspberry Zero and connect to it batteries and the second composite input of the Video I have in there.

There would be ZERO damage to PC Engine GT shell or PCB.

This would allow me to get, for example, all Gameboy / NES titles PLUS MY ORIGINAL PC ENGINE GT still working.

I'd use just a switch for power / video between the two.

Then it comes my question:
Can I connect it to the Pc Engine Gamepad?
If so, how? Has anybody the pinout?

[GohanX]

I don't think you'd have enough room in there without pulling out the PCE guts. If you look at the inside of someone using a Gameboy shell the inside is absolutely packed with wires, PCBs, etc. Plus you'd have to figure out how to route the external jacks to the outside of the casing.

I've built a few Pi handhelds using 3d printed parts. There's a lot more than the Pi Zero that goes into the build.

[ltpitt]

I don't think you'd have enough room in there without pulling out the PCE guts. If you look at the inside of someone using a Gameboy shell the inside is absolutely packed with wires, PCBs, etc. Plus you'd have to figure out how to route the external jacks to the outside of the casing.

I've built a few Pi handhelds using 3d printed parts. There's a lot more than the Pi Zero that goes into the build.

While I do get your point and I do understand the challenge, the room and the wires will be (imho) drastically reduced because the batteries are already there, the gamepad is already there, the composite screen is already there, the speaker is already there...
I do not care much about fancy recharging features or safe shutdown circuitry.

What wires would you need to get out of the case?

Only doubt I had is if I can wire the GT pad to raspberry GPIO directly and if anybody has the pinout.

[GohanX]

You'd need at least one USB port to be external, as well as some way of accessing the SD card, unless you want to pull it apart every time you need to mess with the SD card. You'd need some method of switching the video input signal between the Pi and the PCE pcbs. Pi Zeros have no audio, so you'd need to squeeze an audio circuit in there unless you were going to use external USB audio. Also, over a dozen signal wires will need to be run so that all the connections are made properly. If you got everything working, your batteries are going to drain FAST if you're still using AA's. Even with powerful lithium ion batteries Pi portables don't last all that long.

[crazydean]

Did anybody read the question?

I open my * Video Modded * Pc Engine GT.

This means I have a LOT of room in it, new video is far smaller than the original.

In this space I put a Raspberry Zero and connect to it batteries and the second composite input of the Video I have in there.

There would be ZERO damage to PC Engine GT shell or PCB.

This would allow me to get, for example, all Gameboy / NES titles PLUS MY ORIGINAL PC ENGINE GT still working.

I'd use just a switch for power / video between the two.

Then it comes my question:
Can I connect it to the Pc Engine Gamepad?
If so, how? Has anybody the pinout?

I see you're not here to make friends.

[ltpitt]

Very interesting points GohanX.
Actually with Raspberry Zero W you have wifi so no need to open to access SD.
About the audio i remember a trick to get audio out of gpio but this can be an issue :/
6 Eneloop should do the work for around 4 hours, I hope...

Crazydean, it is really hard to be friends with you.
Whatever you see posted you enter the thread and comment something that sounds like your avatar.
That is nor pleasing nor helpful.

If you have something to contribute I'd love it, if you just write to complain or boo people it will be very hard to be friends.

[GohanX]

I've built a lot of Retropie systems. You are doing to need to access that SD card sometime. One bad shutdown and wifi won't help you.

[HuMan]

In other words, it's a terrible idea, don't waste a PC Engine GT.

[ltpitt]

In other words, it's a terrible idea, don't waste a PC Engine GT.

Just to understand your point, HuMan...

Where is the moment I should waste my PC Engine GT?

Do you have any understanding of the mod we're discussing?

[ltpitt]

I see you're not here to make friends.

In this case I think you're not here to make friends too.

In every thread you post your approach is similar to your avatar: "BOOO NOT COOL".

It is really hard to be friendly when your best help is booing.

As I've told you in another topic: can you provide some kind of input / valuable help on the topic?
No?

Please, then, move to the next thread.
It might be more interesting for you and my topic could stay...
On topic.

[ltpitt]

I've built a lot of Retropie systems. You are doing to need to access that SD card sometime. One bad shutdown and wifi won't help you.

Good point.
What about a forcefsck at boot to take care of that?

[crazydean]

I see you're not here to make friends.

In this case I think you're not here to make friends too.

In every thread you post your approach is similar to your avatar: "BOOO NOT COOL".

It is really hard to be friendly when your best help is booing.

As I've told you in another topic: can you provide some kind of input / valuable help on the topic?
No?

So you've called me out twice now in this thread. If you don't want people to come in and tell you that you've got a dumb idea, don't start your thread title with "Foolish idea".

Also, you're talking about modding an expensive handheld to put in emulation when there are already much better methods of handheld emulation. Why not go with something more common like a GameBoy? Or, just get a PSP and expand your emulation abilities with more than two buttons.

If you have a problem with me, you're welcome to send me a PM and tell me that it bothers you, but don't go calling me out for taking your thread OT by taking your thread OT...twice.

[ltpitt]

I see you're not here to make friends.

In this case I think you're not here to make friends too.

In every thread you post your approach is similar to your avatar: "BOOO NOT COOL".

It is really hard to be friendly when your best help is booing.

As I've told you in another topic: can you provide some kind of input / valuable help on the topic?
No?

So you've called me out twice now in this thread. If you don't want people to come in and tell you that you've got a dumb idea, don't start your thread title with "Foolish idea".

Also, you're talking about modding an expensive handheld to put in emulation when there are already much better methods of handheld emulation. Why not go with something more common like a GameBoy? Or, just get a PSP and expand your emulation abilities with more than two buttons.

If you have a problem with me, you're welcome to send me a PM and tell me that it bothers you, but don't go calling me out for taking your thread OT by taking your thread OT...twice.

This is a Pc Engine MOD subforum.
That is why I am talking about my idea here.
Foolish as in rare, unique, risky.
Dumb is your comment on it, not mine.

I need technical information about how to proceed and useful pointers like the ones I got from GohanX.

If you don't have any thanks anyway for your input, it is understood and I do not agree with it: other systems have two button input and could work great.

If modders would stop at any doubt then the Pc Engine GT would never have received any mod at all.

Feel free to read and comment something else if you don't like this mod idea.

[LowRes]

lol you're mad when people don't like your idea? Most of these guys on here are collectors.  Nobody wants to hear about a PC Engine GT get hacked up with emulation.  I don't even like that the Turbo Express I bought was screen modded, but hopefully one day I'll come across another one that has been kept original.   

Good luck with your project, I'm not gonna hate on you for liking mods or emulation.  It's your GT and you can mod it all you want but don't get mad when people don't agree.

[thesteve]

The controller board has the same pinout as a standard PCE controller
Not sure about switching between boards
Several of the NES games are ported if you have an everdrive

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[thesteve]

Except pin8 isn't ground

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[o.pwuaioc]

lol you're mad when people don't like your idea? Most of these guys on here are collectors.  Nobody wants to hear about a PC Engine GT get hacked up with emulation.  I don't even like that the Turbo Express I bought was screen modded, but hopefully one day I'll come across another one that has been kept original.

I don't think this is true. So many people here have region and video modded systems, and nary a respected person here goes around claiming they're "collectors."

[Nazi NecroPhile]

... nary a respected person here goes around claiming they're "collectors."

Sure we do, with many even labeling ourselves as collectards.  It's pretty hard to argue that you're "just a gamer" when you own hundreds of games, multiple versions of a single system, a Laser Active, a PrintBooster set up, etc. 

[o.pwuaioc]

... nary a respected person here goes around claiming they're "collectors."

Sure we do, with many even labeling ourselves as collectards.  It's pretty hard to argue that you're "just a gamer" when you own hundreds of games, multiple versions of a single system, a Laser Active, a PrintBooster set up, etc. 

I meant it in the sense that they're not really a gamer, they're more of a collector.

Maybe I'm just projecting, though.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

Yeah, only assholes are pure collectors.  We all wish we had more time to play, no doubt, but only a twat would buy piles and piles of stuff with no intention of playing any of it ever.

And that's the most oft used excuse from such jackholes: "I don't have time to play!!!".  Yet you'll see 'em spending far more time prowling ebay/garage sales/local shops for deals to flip, recording and editing game hunting and box opening videos, and posting on facebook or NA their latest congratulate-me-for-buying-something bullshit than the rest of us spend at playing/collecting combined.

[ltpitt]

lol you're mad when people don't like your idea? Most of these guys on here are collectors...
<snip>

I am not mad but if the only contribution to the topic is saying "this is dumb" well, maybe find another topic

I started playing my Pc Engine GT again only after modding its screen (it came to a new and brilliant life) and, again, this section is Pc Engine MOD.

Why are people even reading it if they dislike mods?

It is like hating broccoli and going for fun in a broccoli lover's sub-forum to say that broccoli stink, no?

[ltpitt]

The controller board has the same pinout as a standard PCE controller
Not sure about switching between boards
Several of the NES games are ported if you have an everdrive

Thanks, thesteve: always useful!

NES... Ported? :O

[esteban]

The controller board has the same pinout as a standard PCE controller
Not sure about switching between boards
Several of the NES games are ported if you have an everdrive

Thanks, thesteve: always useful!

NES... Ported? :O

Bonknuts (aka tomeithaus) (aka ____) will hopefully continue doing awesome stuff...

...the NES ports were only a piece of his contributions... Spriggan 2 localization is another.... and _______ and _______.