![]() The DCMotor class talks with the Arduino via the USB using RS232 communications. Here’s my code, including the Arduino sketch and the code for VC++: Remote via PC is fairly straight-forward, as I mentioned. ![]() This is something I’ve done before and know how much work goes into it. Depending on how I decide to control this thing, the RC transmitter/receiver will be pretty much plug-n-play. Ultimately there will be three modes of operation: remote via RC transmitter, remote via PC, and autonomous. This is mostly just temporary code to test things. So, I wrote a bit of code to control brushed DC motors from a Logitech USB Gamepad -> Custom VC++ Software -> Custom Arduino Software -> Motor Driver -> Brushed DC motor. In the meantime, I am going to make the buttons. I’ve got about 8 hrs into it now and haven’t made any mistakes – yay! Unfortunately I ran out of polypropylene and had to put in a new order. Lastly I started fabricating the front of the enclosure. The main regulator pads were the best place to supply 5V and bypass the USB port. I then hardwired power and NTSC video directly to the Raspberry Pi. When I first got the regulator I was a bit suspicious since it looked like there was a big glob of solder bridging a couple nodes. Eventually I’d like to control them via my Teensy microcontroller because they bring up the menu for setting things like brightness, etc. Next I needed to remove the pushbuttons on the back of the monitor. First was to remove the case and hardwire the power to the battery and to the regulator. I just need to make some changes to get it how I wanted. The 4.3″ TFT monitor is a great deal for $18. It took a few tries, but I like the results. Then I used the tried and true laser toner, copper clad PC board, and ferric chloride PCB solution. Once I got the dimensions and button positions from Inventor, I made the PCB layout in DipTrace. ![]() I could use some pushbuttons, but wanted to retain the nice action of a gamepad button. Gamepads work by closing circuits to ground via silicon pads with bits of carbon in it. ![]() Since I’m splitting up the buttons from a traditional gamepad with the monitor in the middle, I needed some custom PCBs. Oh, and a Teensy v3 to make the gamepad portion. The parts I’m using are, mostly, shown below: a Raspberry Pi, a 12V-5V switching regulator from eBay, a 4.3″ TFT car monitor from Amazon, a 12V LiPo battery with integrated charging and power switch components from eBay, and the little silicon pads from a Logitech Gravis Gamepad Pro that doesn’t work. Not wanting to spend 500 hrs making billions of passes milling, I chickened out for something much easier to machine (set RPMs low and make heavy cuts). Originally I wanted it all milled out of solid aluminum. The enclosure is made of two pieces of polypropylene. The size is a bit chunky, but feels good in the hand so far. At the same time, I tried to keep ergonomics in mind. I went through several revisions, trying to maximize space and portability. I bought a few other components to make sure everything would work, and then started designing. Having installed the RetroPie distribution, running NES/SNES/Genesis/etc. Bending them back was an easy fix, and didn’t even require the removal of the security chip.Īnyways, now I’m trying to make a portable system based on a Raspberry Pi. This is typical when the pins connecting to the cartridge don’t make a good connection. I left a cartridge in the console the last time I played it and all of the pins got stressed, resulting in the blinking display. Well, when I say playing, I mean with my original NES. ![]() Lately I’ve been playing the old NES games. This time I’m getting back to electronics. One of these days I’ll post up some more detail.īut that project’s over and my shop is missing me. Here’s a couple pictures from my last project: tablet-based teleprompter with 15mm support rods and a quick disconnect camera system. ![]()
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