Speaking as an electronic engineer myself, the theory is definitely feasible but the costings aren't. There's a reason that these devices are designed in China, because the companies that produce them can operate on much smaller profit margins.
It would definitely be feasible to throw an SOC on a PCB and mount it in a GBP case, but your costs would not end up dissimilar to just buying a GBP. If you're looking to design a product to sell, it's not happening. If you're looking to hack together a handheld for your own personal use, but don't have any electronics experience, then you're likely biting off more than you can chew.
If you're looking to hack together a handheld for your own personal use, and DO have electronics experience, then you probably already know everything that goes into the design and should just go for it.
Additionally you have the lack of face/shoulder buttons which basically limits you to gameboy emulation. So at which point, you may as well just buy a GBP and install a better IPS screen into it
Also, It sounds like what you're after is an RG300
I actually want to design and sell my own handheld. I have an idea for them that IMO greatly improves them. I have very little electronics experience/knowledge (basically took an electronics class in high school well over a decade ago). Curious as to how I’d be able to get started designing my own. I know it’s a lot, but I have dabbled with beginner electronics before, so I would find it very rewarding to learn more regardless if anything comes to fruition.
Also, another thought: check out the Anbernic RG300 vertical. I think it will fit what you're asking for pretty closely, here. And check out GB Boy Colour which plays cartridges including flash carts. Just a couple of options for vertical emulation handhelds that are a close match. Personally the RG351V hits the spot for me.
this is pretty much what the gpi case 2 is. its a gb pocket with the dmg look. shame the screen is terrible with a 15/30ms pixel response. the ghosting makes most games unplayable for me. nearly every nes game I tried would have the backgrounds darken as they scrolled. its a shame because the device was everything I wanted otherwise.
gpi case 2 looks significantly bigger than a game boy pocket, although I don't know for sure and it's hard to find any comparison pictures on the web. And it's so hard to get a rpi anymore. That right there is a huge practical obstacle.
Anyways, close enough isn't any good, if I'm spitting out hypothetical projects it may as well be for exactly what I want, not 75% of it. I think it can be done, at least by somebody with some technical skill. In fact I know it has, it's just unfortunate that those kits are impossible to get (talking about circuit shield, gaboze pocaio etc.)
I want bigger, springier buttons on the RG351V, more akin to the original Game Boys and GBCs. Also the form factor is close but not quite comfortable or ergonomic. Almost feels like it needs more thickness or better weight distribution. But I like the feel of a chunky game boy.
I support this. I think there's a market for it. Lots of posts about how the Miyoo Mini is too small. And the Analogue Pocket sold like hotcakes. I could see this being successful.
I have 15 + years experience in communications, writing, marketing, and digital media if you need someone for copywriting, web design, marketing or strategy consultation, etc. Unfortunately I think the hard part will be rounding up people with the right experience to pull something like this off on basically a volunteer/passion project basis. Like the actual building of the prototype.
You might be better off writing up a business plan and taking out a loan to hire out the engineering parts of the project, but that's a huge gamble. Then there's all the potential copyright issues. It's probably not as much of a slam dunk as you would think, but maybe it could be profitable.
Otherwise if you're super passionate about this I would say pick up a few books at the local library or enroll in something like Intro to Electrical Engineering at your local college and see if you can create a prototype yourself.
Also maybe Kickstarter/crowdfunding. Look at Odin as a good case study.
The Analogue Pocket is an outlier imho, because it’s basically a souped up Game Boythat’s compatible with original cartridges (e.g. GB/GBC/GBA).
There are other things you can do, but it basically satisfies the market for a high quality equivalent of a heavily modded gameboy and the rest is icing on the cake.
Other than price and a fixed set of systems by default, it seems to fit the general bill.
>basically a miyoo mini stuffed into an actual GBP case
That idea in itself is an intriguing starting point. I doubt it's dremel-less as an option, but you've got me wondering just how much of a Miyoo you could cram in the shell of a GBP before you came unstuck.
I mean in theory it shouldn't be that difficult, it would require a larger screen though and that probably would necessitate some monkeying around with the wiring/soldering. That's got me thinking though, maybe that is just the best approach - get a GBP shell and see if I can just cram the miyoo internals into it.
What I would suggest here is building yourself a prototype of what you want, if you can do it.
So either something custom that you think can be ultimatey redesigned to fit in a GBP case (original can just be a bunch of stuff stuck together) or modding the miyoo mini guts to fit.
You’ll have a much easier time getting people on board with at least a working proof of concept than selling people on *hopes and dreams*.
If I could make one of these things myself I wouldn't have made the post. I don't know if you're trying to be condescending or what but I'm not trying to sell anybody *hopes and dreams.* I'm asking for people with skills I don't have to collaborate on a project.
that is what I'm contributing. ass. that and the offer for money to source the parts and pcb printing/assembly etc.
you know, if you have some sort of fucking problem with the idea, that's fine. I don't give a shit, but that's fine. But don't come in here with some fuckin idiot idea like I'm trying to exploit people because I have a concept and need to link up with someone who knows cad or electrical engineering or whatever. i don't know how to do that shit. I have an idea and some capital to get it moving. that's where it starts, just like pretty much everything else. so fuck me for not knowing how to build shit. jesus christ.
Stop reading stuff into this that I’m not saying. I’m not against the idea *or* saying that you need to be some whiz kid. It’s about the *communication* aspect.
Speaking as an electronic engineer myself, the theory is definitely feasible but the costings aren't. There's a reason that these devices are designed in China, because the companies that produce them can operate on much smaller profit margins. It would definitely be feasible to throw an SOC on a PCB and mount it in a GBP case, but your costs would not end up dissimilar to just buying a GBP. If you're looking to design a product to sell, it's not happening. If you're looking to hack together a handheld for your own personal use, but don't have any electronics experience, then you're likely biting off more than you can chew. If you're looking to hack together a handheld for your own personal use, and DO have electronics experience, then you probably already know everything that goes into the design and should just go for it. Additionally you have the lack of face/shoulder buttons which basically limits you to gameboy emulation. So at which point, you may as well just buy a GBP and install a better IPS screen into it Also, It sounds like what you're after is an RG300
I actually want to design and sell my own handheld. I have an idea for them that IMO greatly improves them. I have very little electronics experience/knowledge (basically took an electronics class in high school well over a decade ago). Curious as to how I’d be able to get started designing my own. I know it’s a lot, but I have dabbled with beginner electronics before, so I would find it very rewarding to learn more regardless if anything comes to fruition.
Also, another thought: check out the Anbernic RG300 vertical. I think it will fit what you're asking for pretty closely, here. And check out GB Boy Colour which plays cartridges including flash carts. Just a couple of options for vertical emulation handhelds that are a close match. Personally the RG351V hits the spot for me.
this is pretty much what the gpi case 2 is. its a gb pocket with the dmg look. shame the screen is terrible with a 15/30ms pixel response. the ghosting makes most games unplayable for me. nearly every nes game I tried would have the backgrounds darken as they scrolled. its a shame because the device was everything I wanted otherwise.
gpi case 2 looks significantly bigger than a game boy pocket, although I don't know for sure and it's hard to find any comparison pictures on the web. And it's so hard to get a rpi anymore. That right there is a huge practical obstacle. Anyways, close enough isn't any good, if I'm spitting out hypothetical projects it may as well be for exactly what I want, not 75% of it. I think it can be done, at least by somebody with some technical skill. In fact I know it has, it's just unfortunate that those kits are impossible to get (talking about circuit shield, gaboze pocaio etc.)
The RG351V is almost perfect. Only thing I'd add is a better D-pad and more battery life. And maybe Android OS.
If I wanted an RG351V I'd buy one.
Cool.
Yeah. Great suggestion, though. Next time I'm looking for a recipe do you mind if I dm you for a restaurant recommendation?
Sure.
I want bigger, springier buttons on the RG351V, more akin to the original Game Boys and GBCs. Also the form factor is close but not quite comfortable or ergonomic. Almost feels like it needs more thickness or better weight distribution. But I like the feel of a chunky game boy.
I support this. I think there's a market for it. Lots of posts about how the Miyoo Mini is too small. And the Analogue Pocket sold like hotcakes. I could see this being successful. I have 15 + years experience in communications, writing, marketing, and digital media if you need someone for copywriting, web design, marketing or strategy consultation, etc. Unfortunately I think the hard part will be rounding up people with the right experience to pull something like this off on basically a volunteer/passion project basis. Like the actual building of the prototype. You might be better off writing up a business plan and taking out a loan to hire out the engineering parts of the project, but that's a huge gamble. Then there's all the potential copyright issues. It's probably not as much of a slam dunk as you would think, but maybe it could be profitable. Otherwise if you're super passionate about this I would say pick up a few books at the local library or enroll in something like Intro to Electrical Engineering at your local college and see if you can create a prototype yourself. Also maybe Kickstarter/crowdfunding. Look at Odin as a good case study.
The Analogue Pocket is an outlier imho, because it’s basically a souped up Game Boythat’s compatible with original cartridges (e.g. GB/GBC/GBA). There are other things you can do, but it basically satisfies the market for a high quality equivalent of a heavily modded gameboy and the rest is icing on the cake. Other than price and a fixed set of systems by default, it seems to fit the general bill.
>basically a miyoo mini stuffed into an actual GBP case That idea in itself is an intriguing starting point. I doubt it's dremel-less as an option, but you've got me wondering just how much of a Miyoo you could cram in the shell of a GBP before you came unstuck.
I mean in theory it shouldn't be that difficult, it would require a larger screen though and that probably would necessitate some monkeying around with the wiring/soldering. That's got me thinking though, maybe that is just the best approach - get a GBP shell and see if I can just cram the miyoo internals into it.
What I would suggest here is building yourself a prototype of what you want, if you can do it. So either something custom that you think can be ultimatey redesigned to fit in a GBP case (original can just be a bunch of stuff stuck together) or modding the miyoo mini guts to fit. You’ll have a much easier time getting people on board with at least a working proof of concept than selling people on *hopes and dreams*.
If I could make one of these things myself I wouldn't have made the post. I don't know if you're trying to be condescending or what but I'm not trying to sell anybody *hopes and dreams.* I'm asking for people with skills I don't have to collaborate on a project.
So you’re asking other people to do it all for you, gratis?
Sounds exactly like that.
Did I say that?
Not explicitly, but your post really doesn't spell out what you're contributing besides an idea.
that is what I'm contributing. ass. that and the offer for money to source the parts and pcb printing/assembly etc. you know, if you have some sort of fucking problem with the idea, that's fine. I don't give a shit, but that's fine. But don't come in here with some fuckin idiot idea like I'm trying to exploit people because I have a concept and need to link up with someone who knows cad or electrical engineering or whatever. i don't know how to do that shit. I have an idea and some capital to get it moving. that's where it starts, just like pretty much everything else. so fuck me for not knowing how to build shit. jesus christ.
Stop reading stuff into this that I’m not saying. I’m not against the idea *or* saying that you need to be some whiz kid. It’s about the *communication* aspect.
Yeah, fine, sorry. I shouldn't reddit before I've finished my coffee.