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StarForcePilot

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  1. I wanted to report this video:

     

    If it were possible, I would prefer to use a USB controller

    example:

    https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B071ZHBCJG/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_8?smid=AWMHP4OZ0SMFE&psc=1

     

    but as a solution I do not mind.

     

    I've seen that one, it's partially why I went with the configuration I did, I did not find this very appealing, The nice thing about this though, is the retention of the start/select button!

  2. SO, tonight I found out the battery spring was shot to hell, which meant I can’t use the Lynx via batteries. Bummer. BUT, on the plus side, Now I could do the final mod I wanted to do: rechargeable battery! I looked online and just saw overcomplicated solutions, so here’s what I installed: generic €10 li-ion battery (12v, 3000mAh) + generic €2 variable step-down converter, set to 9v. Dremel out the batteryholder, crammed’m in, works like a champ.

     

    Check it out!

    img_20180920_214857.jpg?w=346&h=260img_20180920_231809.jpg?w=346&h=260
    img_20180920_232515.jpg?w=463&h=347
    img_20180920_233811.jpg?w=229&h=172img_20180920_232424.jpg?w=229&h=171
    img_20180920_232349.jpg?w=696&h=522
    • Like 1
  3. Thoroughly enjoyed your blog about consolizing the Lynx I. Kudos to you not only for completing the project but also for documenting it so well. Do you mind if I mention the project and your blog in the Lynxed In segment of the next episode of The Atari Lynx HandyCast podcast? Just let me know. Cheers, and congrats on such a cool mod!

     

    Cheers! Sure thing, feature away :) In fact, I've upgraded it slightly to now also include a 3000mAh rechargeable li-ion battery (added just now to my blog, I'll make a seperate post on it below this one). Yeah, I was gonna use eneloop batteries, but then the battery spring was so far gone, I decided to just go ahead and -really- finish the job. Works like a charm.

  4. Sorry for the late reply, holidays.

     

     

    This is awesome! How applicable would this series of steps be for the Lynx II? I know you said you're not offering this as a service but I do have a Lynx II already McWill'ed that I'd love to have console-ized if you'd like to try out performing this on a Lynx II

     

    I'm actually going to give this a try at the end of the month, and I think I know how to do it on te Lynx 2 actually. It's a bit tougher as the cartridge slot is in the way, and the pcb is at the back rather than the front, but I believe I have a solution. I'm sorry, but there isn't enough time to do comissions I'm afraid, I'm not getting around to my projects as it is. I'm doing one mod for a friend who's paying me in rare Atari Lynx CIB games, so if you've got anything enticing, I might consider it :P

     

    Not sure there is enough room behind the screen on the model II lynx like you see listed here. That is why we have the VGA outs on the top because of the battery compartment all across the bottom and again, little to no room behind the screen since the cart port is there.

     

    Yep, that's what I encountered, but I've got away around it I think, I wanna avoid sticking them at the top or bottom, in order to keep the facade intact.

     

    That is wonderful!

     

    I'd just posted about alternative ideas for the VGA placement, then saw this. Will definitely be giving it a try, and if you get a chance, sharing the .gcode files would be much appreciated -- the cover for the ports is a really nice touch.

     

    You're welcome to them! I have to find a place to put them, but I'll put the link here as soon as I do.

     

    nice, but the lynx needs 5 buttons.
    In your controller I see only 2.
    How do you play Blue Lightning or Ninja Gaiden?

     

    I kept it simple for my first attempt, just the D-pad and 2 buttons, I will upgrade to more buttons with my next build.

  5. This is amazing, I always wanted to have a consolized lynx with external controller and video out. Awesome to see someone do this project through to completion. Incidentally, would you consider building another and selling it to me ;)

     

    Cheers my man, it was really a pleasure to build! I'm not building systems for other people I'm afraid, there just isn't enough time in the day to pack everything in, but I did share how I did it on the blog (and above), all you need is a dremel and soldering iron, and off you go. Happy to give the .gcode files if you want them to print your own port cover + stand, no problem.

  6. The Atari Lynx 1-UP

    from: starforcepi.wordpress.com

    lynx_1up-1.jpg?w=700

    atari_lynx_re_created_logo__by_anarkhya-

    What’s the greatest handheld of the 1980s and 1990s? Why, the 16-bit arcade juggernaut named Atari Lynx, of course! I was a kid when the original Lynx 1 came out for us here in the old country in 1990, and was blown away. The Game Boy was a monochrome moron in comparison, and the Game Gear was all about converting Mega Drive and Master System games to pocket version – the Lynx, with its hardware-driven zooming and distortion of sprites, was going for Arcade experiences. BOOYA!

    Sadly, as with everthing Atari, this too turned to dust. BUT, fast-forward to 2018 and look at the love for this loveable giant! So much so, that McWill, a name you must’ve heard of by now, released one of the most impressive upgrades for a system I’ve ever seen – LCD replacement for the waning washed-out Lynx screen, with VGA output.

    lynx_1up-2.jpg?w=700

    The VGA output was a great addition, but the way I’ve seen people utilize it online seemed rather silly to me; you would have to use the Lynx as the controller when playing on the VGA. No sir, I don’t like it. So I decided to use the spacious room behind the screen to build an interface to: 1) securely place the Lynx on a stand; 2) output VGA; 3) connect a standard DB9 compatible controller (Mega Drive, Master System, Atari).

    lynx_1up-4.jpg?w=463&h=309
    lynx_1up-3.jpg?w=229&h=153lynx_1up-5.jpg?w=229&h=152

    lynx_1up-7.jpg?w=700

    lynx_1up-10.jpg?w=463&h=309
    lynx_1up-9.jpg?w=229&h=153lynx_1up-12.jpg?w=229&h=152

    lynx_1up-11.jpg?w=700

    It’s a tight squeeze, but the VGA, Controller port and Stand all fit neatly in the small 3x4cm interface window. This was an absolute pleasure to build, everything went smooth and simple, all the measurements were direct hits, hell even the stand only took me 10 minutes to design (8 hours to print, but hey). So let’s see it in full VGA action:

    lynx_1up-8.jpg?w=331&h=221lynx_1up-14.jpg?w=361&h=221

    lynx_1up-16.jpg?w=700

    lynx_1up-15.jpg?w=352&h=253lynx_1up-17.jpg?w=340&h=253

    lynx_1up-18.jpg?w=700

    It’s perhaps the best handheld to consolize: the GameGear has most games on Master System or Mega Drive, the GameBoy looks rather silly and clunky on a monitor, and TurboExpress is pointless, because it’s a 1-to-1 conversion of the actual console. I am glad I did it, I hope you will too, and stop placing those ugly connectors on the top of your handheld.

    Building the Lynx 1-UP

    I bought a pristine looking junked Lynx 1 for 20 euros – seemed a good place to start, let’s see if we can bring it alive! I replaced all the capacitors, power input socket, MOSFET, but finally it was the two 3906 transistors that were the issue.

    38171750_2033749699969199_39558748305023fb_img_1535233248834.jpg?w=346&h=346&cro

    In order to do these replacements, you need a fine-point soldering iron and some tweezers, but everything on the board is quite spacious, so there’s no mistaking what’s what. This part is cheap: 7 dollars on console5.com. They have links and tutorials on that site, very complete. I also bought the McWill for 120 dollars, I was gonna do this mod regardless if this particular system was junked. So far everything together cost me ~150 dollars.

    mcwill_lynx_i.jpg?w=479&h=336
    ata-lynx1-power-refresh-kit_1.jpg?w=213&ata-lynx-ck_1.jpg?w=213&h=214

    After bringing the console back to live, it was time for McWillification! I followed the 1 page diagram that came with it, but it’s a little information dense, so I followed the following video instead:

    This worked better than I could have ever imagined, I know everyone says they’re gobsmacked when they see the difference, but it really is very true – I get why it’s such an expensive mod now.

    fb_img_1535233276450.jpg?w=346&h=346&crofb_img_1535233258735.jpg?w=346&h=346&cro

     

    I was gonna leave it with that, honestly that’s just everything one could ever want from an upgrade… but, of course, me being the way I am, things escalated. You see, the mod came with the VGA socket, and I saw how people were placing these at the top of their handhelds, and you know what – it looked ugly. I want the facade of the handheld to be untouched. While I was adding the McWill mod I noticed the enormous space left behind the screen, which is when I had the idea: make the Lynx into a hybrid, with the connector ports at the back with a stand for console gaming via VGA, and all the ports hidden behing a minimal cover during handheld gaming.

    I first ordered DB9 sockets for a controller, and placed this together with the VGA socket on the inside of the battery cover. I made a little window in the battery cover, 3D printed a frame and cover for the ports, and there we have our interface.

    lynx_1up-3.jpg?w=346&h=231lynx_1up-5.jpg?w=346&h=231

    For the controller ports I had to solder 6 wires on the button pads of the Lynx PCB. Luckily most of these have soldered extension traces, so you can avoid blocking the normal button-to-pad press, but for two I had to solder directly onto the pad: be mindfull to be as flat as possible.

    img_20180828_000639.jpg?w=346&h=461img_20180828_000649.jpg?w=346&h=461
    img_20180827_234710.jpg?w=696&h=522

    Then we wire up the VGA socket to the pads on the McWill screen, this is shown in the accompanied diagram of the screen. We then place the DB9 and VGA socket in the space between the batteries, where the little light tube of the old screen sat (ignore the loose wires, they’re from the battery input, I cut them for ease of access).

    img_20180829_230215.jpg?w=463&h=347
    img_20180827_210030.jpg?w=229&h=172img_20180829_230007.jpg?w=229&h=171

    In the left picture, top connector is the VGA socket you can see running to the McWill screen. The lower connector go to the front of the PCB to the button pads. When assembled the VGA socket is lower, and DB9 is upper. Next to these I added screw connectors, so that I may fix the system to a stand, as shown in the next pictures:

    lynx_1up-7.jpg?w=473&h=296
    lynx_1up-10.jpg?w=219&h=146lynx_1up-12.jpg?w=219&h=146

    lynx_1up-19.jpg?w=700

    Unlike the Nintendo Snack Pack, this was a joy to make. I did it to unwind and relax, I didn’t want to build something from the ground up, but this just gave enough inspiration to just slightly 1-up it. The Lynx Stand and little VGA cover in particular really clean the mod up nicely, and makes this thing into a fully consolized system. I must admit though, I’ve been mostly playing it with the stand and controller via the McWill screen, not via VGA, but hey, it’s there. Finally, it all cost me a substantial 150 euro, but it was worth it.

    lynx_1up-13.jpg?w=700

    The Atari Lynx is a very strange and powerful handheld, spanning 7 years with 72 games, it’s still enjoying new homebrew releases every year, with a small but dedicated following. I’m very happy to be one of them.

    Upgrades:

    • Full capacitor replacement
    • MOSFET replacement
    • 3906 Transistor replacement
    • Power input socket replacement
    • McWill Screen upgrade
    • VGA output port
    • DB9 input port
    • Custom interface window & stand
    • Like 18
  7. Thanks a lot all, glad you guys dig it :) I'll try and make some time and get a couple of minutes of video up as well, should be good!

     

    Definitely a labor of love right there. I doubt anyone will ever see anything like this again.

     

    How do those Sega controllers connect? It looks like the same port as the Nintendo pads. Are there Sega replica controllers that connect with that same Nintendo connector? Surely not?

    Ah, that's a little cheeky on my part, it's just a prop in the picture, like the Gameboy and Lynx. What I was going to do was take a SNES controller, take the board and wire it up inside a Mega Drive Power Stick - but I haven't gotten around to it. I might not bother, I ordered a 6-button wireless Hori Commander controller, if that's as good as other Hori stuff I'll leave it at that.

     

    Everyone should be following your blog, where this is old news. But it's cool you came around to repost it here so more people can see it.

    Appreciate it! I always make my blog posts, share it on social media and only when I'm satisfied unleash it to the scrutiny of AtariAge :P

    • Like 2
  8. As usual, whenever I finish another major build I run on over to AtariAge and share the tales of mayhem and mirth. I hope you guys are gonna dig it, it's The Nintendo Snack Pack.

     

    nintendosnackpack.jpg?w=700

    nsplogo.png?w=700

    After rebuilding every major classic system from the console wars era, I finally brought the remaining two powerhouses of the late-80s/early-90s into one easy-to-carry little console. A light-weight version of the Sega Omega Drive, if you will, featuring a carefully hand-picked list of games for the NES and SNES, running on official Nintendo hardware (emulation, but still). When the NES mini came out, I wasn’t that interested, thoroughly entrenched with Team RasPi & Original Hardware. But when I played my brother’s NES mini and saw that excellent interface, the simple yet rich features, and played on the responsive and authentic controller, I was hooked. And 30 well-picked games was perfect for a guy who never owned anything Nintendo except a GameBoy (SEGA For Life, Baby!). I’ve been wanting to built something Nintendo for a while now, and this was it. I set to work, and created The Nintendo Snack Pack Dedicated Oldschool Entertainment System (DOES). If you’re interested how I built it, visit the buildblog.

     

    nps_main-2b.jpg?w=700

    I wanted the system to be really easy and fun, no brain required, and above all, portable. That’s why the system is fitted with a large 20.000mAh battery and comes with a 12v charger – just carry and play! The system revolves around a SNES mini and a NES mini board stacked on top of each other, which you can switch between via the large vintage-style rotary dial at the front. This dial also allows you to go to other channels, but we’ll get to them later.

    nsp_controls.jpg?w=463&h=310
    nsp_controls2.jpg?w=229&h=153nsp_filler1.jpg?w=229&h=153

    Each board is hakchi’d and contains a host of platforms and games that can be played via the controller ports at the front, for 1 and 2 player action. The system features a rich 8″ IPS LCD display, running at 1024×768 in 4:3 aspect ratio. Sound is pumped through 1.2watt Logitech stereo speakers for clean & crisp audio, and the whole thing is housed inside a vintage 1972 portable black & white Sony TV-740. The Nintendo Snack Pack has 4 retro channels to choose from, so let’s check’m out!

     

    Channel 1: NINTENDO WORLD – Plays the mighty NES, it’s heir to the crown SNES, and Classic Gameboy and GBA games!

     

    nps_main-1.jpg?w=700

    nsp_menu1.jpg?w=463&h=310
    nsp_3.jpg?w=229&h=153nsp_4.jpg?w=229&h=153

    Of course a channel dedicated to classic Nintendo is fun, but you know what’s more fun than classic Nintendo? Classic SEGA! That’s right, the second mini board is loaded up with everything decidedly NOT Nintendo. Just switch your controller over to the SEGA ports, and Welcome to the Next Level:

     

    Channel 2: SEGA ZONE – Play the powerful Mega Drive, Master System, & Game Gear! We even sneaked on a bit of PC Engine, Lynx & Vectrex!

     

    nsp_2.jpg?w=700

    nsp_menu2.jpg?w=346&h=232nsp_5.jpg?w=346&h=232

    All that 8- and 16-bit action getting a bit much? Need a moment to chill, and reflect how to kill that damn boss in Contra Hard Corps? Switch over to channel 3 and chill out with some toons.

     

    Channel 3: VIDEODROME – Stream classic cartoons, movies and shows via Chromecast!

     

    heman.jpg?w=700

    output-3.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1output-1.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1output-2.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1

    Classic games are excellent of course, and I enjoy seeing a bit of Ghostbusters over breakfast with the kids, but sometimes you wanna play a little more modern games, right? Well, thankfully this bad boy is equipped with AV RCA input, allowing you to hook up that PlayStation, Saturn or DreamCast for some late-90s polygon action!

     

    Channel 4: INSTERT GAME – With oldschool AV you can connect your own console or VHS player!

     

    nsp_controls3.jpg?w=700

    playstation-3.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1playstation-2.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1playstation-4.jpg?w=229&h=229&crop=1

    I built this with the idea of making something that would be undeniably fun and flexible, easy to use and portable. What I didn’t consider was how difficult it was to build, especially because I tried following a systematic workflow. This didn’t work out so well, so I went back to building in the manner I had always done: intuitively. Hack and slash, and solder, and fry, and curse, and burn, and replace and finally out from the carnage we get a little treasure that is something I could’ve only dreamed about when I was a kid. A little gaming TV that does it all.

     

    seganspnewest.jpg?w=700

     

    Wanna know how I built it? Check out ‘Building the Nintendo Snack Pack’!
    Wanna know what 30 SEGA Games I chose for channel SEGA ZONE? Check out ‘SEGA’s Fatal 30 for the Nintendo Snack Pack’!

    Nintendo Snack Pack SPECS:

    • Authentic Nintendo NES Mini Board (Channel 1)
    • Authentic Nintendo SNES Mini Board (Channel 2)
    • 4x Controller Ports (1-2 Player for Channel 1 & 2, respectively)
    • Google Chromecast 2nd Generation (Channel 3)
    • RCA Audio/Video Input (Channel 4)
    • Aluminium Rotary Dial to switch channels
    • 8″ IPS LCD screen in 4:3 aspect ratio, 1024×768 (HDMI/RCA/VGA)
    • Logitech 1.2watt Stereo Speakers (Z120)
    • 20.000mAh 12V DC Battery
    • Vintage 1972 Sony TV-740 Converted Case
    • Dimensions: 25 x 20 x 24 cm, Weight: 2.5kg (5.5lbs)

    post-43782-0-53304000-1534533626_thumb.png

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    • Like 4
  9. These are soooo cool. Better than the best new retro gaming products made today. Wish these were available to purchase in stores! :)

     

    Cheers! I'm still working on a Raspberry Pi system that should bring a very solid approximation to arcade gaming, in a somewhat portable factor, and affordable: the STARFORCE PI. But I'm still prototyping. Currently I'm testing link-cable possibilities, it looks promising!

  10. Cheers all, I was going for 'holy shit', glad it came across! I actually built it because I wanted a cool arcade interface for all the console I had no real interest in modding into an all-in-one like the STARFORCE NEO

     

    Wow, just ... wow. I'd love to see something like this done for the Super Famicom.

     

    As Fry said...

     

    79af6b3bc5b23131ace1d835c402fa444ebd7cfc

     

    You got it! In fact, that was what I was planning to go after next - Nintendo. Growing up with Sega has always left me irked with the NES and SNES, because SM and MD for life! But I think I should give them both a chance, so I'm starting plans on how to proceed. I already have a encasing for them, but I'm contemplating whether to go original hardware, or the mini classic emulation formats. It's more interesting to have the original hardware, but also far more work, and more expensive to get the NES up to a decent video signal. The purists would kill me, but it's really the same reasoning as I made when making the PC Engine SD, I was never gonna collect the games for it, so I switched it to take SD cards instead. I have to make a video about that actually, soon. Cheers!

     

    How hard would it be to build in a 32x and sega cd?

     

    Good question, it was going to have the 32x in there actually! I bought one and everything, but the hardware was so quirky, the ribbon cables inside didn't stay seated properly, and when I secured that, the SCART output to the scalar board caused glitches, did weird things, and I'm not technical enough to go into what weirdness was going on with the SCART sync. So I took it out, which actually kept the unit a lot thinner than it would've otherwise been. Also, the cartridge slot would've been when the control panel is now. I think it looks better where it is, and the natural curve of the Genesis 2 cartridge slot elipse fit almost perfectly with the curve of the AfterBurner bezel - so win!

     

    The sega cd, in fact any cd system, I'm trying to avoid to mod. It's delicate, and unreliable on the long run. But! The Sega Omega Drive has a SCART input and 220v power output built-in, so I can hook up my killer Multi Mega (CDX) and play dem CD games all night lawng. This too, will be part of the video covering external systems connected to the Sega Omega Drive.

     

    Thanks for the questions and remarks, feel free to ask more!

  11. Lets play some PC Engine games! Check the original blog here.

    1.png?w=350&h=526&crop&ssl=1

    Firs let's hooking up the PC Engine SD via SCART to the Sega Omega Drive

    2.png?w=342&h=261&crop&ssl=14.png?w=342&h=261&crop&ssl=1

    Then: PLAY! One of the best versions of R-Type, the grimey Alien Crush and the excellent Bonk!

    51.png?w=346&h=210&crop&ssl=16.png?w=346&h=210&crop&ssl=1

    The video output does not go through the SLG-in-a-box, but rather a scanline generator to SCART/HD converter. This allows both the Genesis board and external console to play in parallel, with a secondary monitor.

    7.png?w=346&h=252&crop&ssl=18.png?w=346&h=252&crop&ssl=1

    Good Times.

  12. Contra: Hard Corps on the Sega Omega Drive!

    Using a Mega Everdrive to play this insanely expensive, yet awesome game on the Sega Omega Drive.

     

    gaming.png

     

    Zoom-in: SLG-in-a-Box tweaks with the scanline generator to get some soft PVM style lines:

     

    gaming2.png

     

    gaming3.png

    gaming4.png
    gaming5.png
  13. That's gotta be huge, because..

    attachicon.gifafterburner_upright.jpg

     

    There's gonna be room in there for an R-Pi to make an interesting-looking bartop. Or maybe even room for a proper i7 hexacore. Then play flight simulator on it. Woot!

     

    It certainly is one way to do modular games. No fuck'n around with retroblox or any of those shitbox kickstarter things. Just plug in the hardware (console or pc) and get gaming.

     

    You could definitely fit a complete gaming rig in there, plenny-o-room, but I kept is modest, focusing more on video signal conversions. I could certainly throw in a R-Pi for fun, might even do that at some point actually, make it a bit of a mediacenter as well.

     

     

    attachicon.gifEXPERT ANALYSIS.png

     

     

     

    Sent with love, honestly. This is crazy cool (with equal parts of crazy and cool).

     

    Hah, I love it, that's going straight on the FB/TW wall.

     

     

    that's... different.

     

     

    what upscaler are you using?

     

    There are two video setups in place

    Vid1: I took Arcade Forge's SLG-in-a-Box three point system, which uses a GBS8220/GBS8200 scaler board, the Sync Strike and the SLG3000, and took it apart, placed the interface into the control panel, and connected the Genesis to the SCART input. I then extended the VGA and RGB/YPbPr ports to the control panel as well. This part is running the Genesis, VGA and RGB/YPbPr input ports. This is connected to the VGA port of the display

    Vid2: I connected a SCART scanlinegenerator to a budget SCART to HDMI video converter, which also accepts additional HDMI input. This part runs the SCART and HDMI input ports, and also output HDMI for a second monitor (which allows a console to be connected to the Omega Drive, and play in parallel to the Genesis). This is connected to the DVI port of the display.

     

    The video playback is more modular and generally higher quality in Vid1 than Vid2, but I tested Vid2 with a Sega Multi-Mega, the PC Engine SD and an unmodded Playstation 1, and it al worked fine. Weirdly enough, the SNES did not work on it! Maybe a SCART issue, or it may be destiny :P One thing I learned was to not be cheap with SCART cables!

     

    The audio was a pain in the ass... audio ALWAYS is a pain in the ass it seems, I can never get it crystal clear. Anyway, I connected RCA audio input ports together with the output of the SCART to HDMI converter to 1 port of the audio mixer (controlled by the two white faders in the front), and connected audio output from the SLG-in-a-box connected to the Genesis to the second port of the audio mixer.

     

    See attached an early sketch (this has been updated since then)

     

    od_connectivity.png

    • Like 1
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