09-16-2017, 04:39 AM
I received both my RetroModding and Freeplay Zero packages yesterday and started working on the assembly after dinner. I am still not done but should complete it tonight or tomorrow.
Here are my initial impressions:
Here are my initial impressions:
- The packaging of the FPZ kit is great and professional. I liked the little touches like the printouts showing the right and wrong way to assemble. I also liked the little sticker on the the headers reminding users to check the orientation of the pins.
- I bought a brand new "fancy" X-Acto handle and a package of blades. The plastic on the GBA shell is not easy to cut through. Vertical cuts that go straight down are manageable, and maybe scraping or shaving millimeters of plastic off are fine. But any sort of cuts parallel to the shell, especially for long lengths is extremely difficult and quite frankly, dangerous. I am not sure how people are pulling this off. I think these cuts might be possible with a box cutter blade (which are much thicker than X-Acto) but their size doesn't make it easy to work in small spaces.
- Definitely use a set of flush cutter (pliers). They are especially useful to get things started or to snip away vertical walls or posts.
- The best tool though, is a Dremel. I used a bit with a ball tip that's probably meant for engraving. This worked great to chip away at the plastic and grind it down. It also is helpful to get the long short walls reduced around the LCD screen.
- Triple check your marks for the X and Y buttons. I double checked, drilled them this morning, and they are mere millimeters (we are talking maybe 1/4 mm) off and my buttons don't fit. I am really annoyed at myself because now I have to enlarge my holes in a certain direction (making the hole oblong). I am worried about having too much space around the buttons once everything's installed.
- Be really sure you seat the ribbon cable into the FPZ board securely. I thought I had it but it came slightly loose and I didn't get any display on a test startup.
- Ed keeps updating the Google Doc instructions making things more and more clear. It's really awesome and appreciated.
- The hot glue covering where the speaker wires connect to the board just fell off on its own. I was just handling the board normally, doing test fits and I noticed it on my carpet. I think one reason is it might have been too thick (easier to come off). Should I put a dab on there to replace it?
- The speaker cable is quite long which makes confused about where it should be routed. Should a slot be cut in the speaker slot wall to allow the wires to go through? How should the wires be folded, bent, to clear the frame?
- Without looking at the videos or images, my initial guess at how the LCD ribbon should be routed, was the complete opposite of reality. I don't remember if it'll reach but it feels like since it naturally folds, it would have been "neater" to have the LCD connection on the FPZ board on the opposite side. Or, get an LCD panel with the ribbon on the other side. The way it currently works, you have to double fold the ribbon which doesn't seem great.
- Is there any way to modify contrast and (especially) brightness for the LCD? It is SUPER bright and this hurts battery life and, in the long run, I am guessing the life of the screen. Even if it's a software solution where we can set it once, from the shell (and it'll modify the firmware of the screen?) would be ok with me. I am guessing I only need to run the screen at "level" 30 (out of 100) and it''d be perfectly useable
- I did a test boot with the screen and Pi installed, using the image provided by Freeplay. It did the initial boot, then there was an error something I didn't catch, then it automatically restarted and finally entered Retropie. The display looks good but it seems like maybe it's not centered correctly. This might change once I have it fully installed with the screen cover on (since there's a border). But I think maybe the overscan or some other settings need to be tweaked to shift the display.
- How do the button covers for the X and Y stay in place? They don't look like they have any tabs or anything. What keeps it from falling out if you flip the GBA upside down? (I haven't tried it yet since I am still having problems with my drill holes).