Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
UPDATE! The 3D-printable case is closer to release.
I've been making tons of improvements to make it available soon and wanted to keep you all posted.
In case you don't know what I'm talking about, here is the original video of the DIY handheld game console: https://youtu.be/gkook0l_gsM
Issue 1. Joints
I decided to abandon the idea of having a case split into 3 for a more traditional joint: front and back halves (see pic. 2). This required me to redistribute most of the parts inside since they were engineered to be printed on the side.
It will take way more time to print it this way, but now the case can withstand the pressure from the hands (see pic. 3).
Issue 2. Shoulder buttons
I redesigned both shoulders to have hinges so the 3D printed pieces can support all the stress they need to support (see pic. 4).
I also worked on distributing the new 90-degree tactile push buttons inside the case (see pic. 5). It wasn't an easy task because the battery needed to be repositioned a little bit to the bottom to make space for the mechanism.
3. Ergonomics
Since I was making so many changes to the case, I addressed something that was bothering me since the beginning: the flatness of the overall shape.
Even though the previous shape resembled more a Nintendo Switch or a PSP/PSVita, the bump in the middle and the flatness on the sides were something that didn't look balanced.
I pulled 2 nodes from the back to form a couple of bumps. This way is not only more visually balanced but also easier for the hands (see pic. 1).
4. New video in the works
All these updates, along with the previous ones and more, will be on the next video. I've been shooting lots of scenes already.
Stay tuned by subscribing to the channel. I'll be posting on the community tab and on new videos.
Hopefully, the next update will be to share the downloadable file of the case.
Leandro
33 - 5
1 MILLION VIEWS ON THE HANDHELD GAME CONSOLE VIDEO!! Thank y'all for this New Year's milestone!
It's kinda funny because this project basically started as a prototype, just to see how far I was able to go. But then, I got a bunch of constructive feedback in the comments, and that got me hyped to dive into the next round of improvements. So in this post, I'm going to share with you:
1. What's new.
2. What I'm working on.
3. What comes next.
Here's the video if you wanna watch it again: https://youtu.be/gkook0l_gsM
1. What's new
I've put together a step-by-step guide so anyone can build this console at home. It includes all the decisions I made and the options I left out of the table.
leandrolinares.com/blog/diy-handheld-game-console/
Check out the Philosophy section of the guide to see how you don't need to drop all your money on components at once. You can start enjoying the console from day one with stuff you might already have.
2. What I'm working on
A number of people reached out to ask for the printable files. Please understand this is a prototype. Therefore, there are important flaws in the design I need to fix first. I know it sounds trivial, but every change I make has a snowball effect. If I move a button 0.1cm, there is probably not enough space for the battery. Then when I move the battery, the outer shape needs to change. If the shape of the console changes, some buttons need to move a couple of millimeters. I think you get the idea.
Issue 1. Joints: To get all the case pieces to line up properly, I've been using these little holes that connect with the other pieces using a short bit of filament (see pic 2). This is structurally weak and can't stand all the forces and movements one does with the hands. The solution I'm working on is making a lip around the entire circumference of the enclosure. The problem is that there is little space for that. So I'm moving some other things around to make space.
Issue 2. Shoulder buttons: The shoulder buttons work by having 90-degree pieces of plastic integrated into the main structure where the push buttons are located (see pic 3). This is a terrible way of having push button at 90 degrees. I'm currently redesigning those pieces to use proper 90-degrees push-buttons, so in the future this can be a custom PCB.
Issue 3. ABXY buttons: I realized too late that the A and B buttons follow the Nintendo layout, whereas the X and Y buttons use the PC/Xbox layout. I've already switched to the latter (see pic 4).
My main priority right now is to fix those issues to make the case available to everyone. Then I'll focus on the next iteration of the console with analog thumbsticks, xbox controller buttons, a custom PCB and a good paint job.
3. What comes next
Thumbsticks: Since this console is able to run not-so-old games (and maybe last-gen games via Xbox Cloud Gaming as well) I'm adding 2 analog thumbsticks. The problem with the Raspberry Pi is that it lacks of analog inputs, so I'm adding an Arduino Pro Micro in-between (see pic 5). To make the installation easier I'll move all the digital buttons from the GPIO pins to the Arduino as well. Adding thumbsticks is not trivial, though. I need to reposition the d-pad, Select and Start buttons. The enclosure will more likely end up wider because of that. I'll share all the details in a new video. Stay tuned!
Official buttons: I'll adapt the shape of all the buttons to be able to also accommodate the official Xbox controller buttons. The idea is to keep the 3D-printable buttons as an option so you're not forced to salvage your controller.
Also: I'm looking for a name since I can't keep calling it "the handheld game console", so I'm up to hear your ideas.
That's it for now! Thank you for the patience and keep the good feedback coming.
Leandro
64 - 16
A new video is out! It's been over a year since the last one, but I've never stopped working on projects. I've begun to pay more attention to the quality of my videos, so this time I've built a pro-level studio light using upcycled parts. Watch it here https://youtu.be/g4vlmUQwt7o
12 - 2
I finally replaced my broken camera and finished the video!! I've been designing my own console, inspired by the xbox controller. Watch it here https://youtu.be/gkook0l_gsM
49 - 9
I've been working for months on my next video, and sadly my camera decided to stop recording while shooting the last few scenes. This was one of the last good ones (Raspberry Pi 4 + PiSugar 2 Pro) 👇
16 - 3
Making stuff with 3D printing and electronics.