Author Topic: I made my own Windows console  (Read 10540 times)

chdcchris (OP)

  • Posts: 6
I made my own Windows console
« on: July 08, 2017, 10:00:44 pm »
Hey guys,

I'm a big fan of the GPD win and I know there is a lot of interest for these kind of devices on this forum, so I thought I'd share this idea with you.

Although I really like the  GPD win for it's compact size, I think the screen is too small for certain games. There are times when you just need a bigger screen.

One day I had an idea when I saw the Gamevice controllers (iPad mini only) and it reminded me of the idea I had, to make a portable windows gaming device. Then I saw the Xiaomi Mipad 2 Windows (which is a very high quality tablet btw) on discount on a chinese webshop and that brought me to the idea to combine the two. And so I bought a second hand Gamevice controller and a Xiaomi Mipad 2.

There went quite a lot of time in this project, but in short, I completely had to mod and rewire the thing inside to a teensy 3.2 and added a usb hub, usb sound card and external usb port.

I managed to fit everything inside the whole controller and finished my project. For me, it's actually more comfortable to play then GPD Win.






I hope some company like Smach Z finally puts something like this available on the market, because I really like gaming this way. The only downside is, that the Z8500 is a little less powerfull then the z8700 in the GPD win. But it is still acceptable.

What do you guys think?
« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 11:10:31 pm by chdcchris »

notime2d8

  • Posts: 67
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2017, 11:24:21 pm »
Looks awesome....trying to figure out the wiring...the tablet usb is running to a power controller then to the battery and then to the usb sound card - the usb sound output is going to the gamevice original headphone port? How did you wire the buttons???  ;D

chdcchris (OP)

  • Posts: 6
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2017, 11:46:39 pm »
Looks awesome....trying to figure out the wiring...the tablet usb is running to a power controller then to the battery and then to the usb sound card - the usb sound output is going to the gamevice original headphone port? How did you wire the buttons???  ;D

Thanks :)

The tablet usb is a USB-C OTG connector, which is connected directly to an unpowered usb hub. The usb hub is on the right side of the controller together with the sound card and external usb port. The sound card is wired to the original 3.5mm port on the gamevice controller.

On the left side, most of the endpoints can be found of the buttons, so I went and put a teensy 3.2 (running on arduino) in remaining space on the left side of the controller. The teensyduino is in Joystick HID mode, so I managed to make it a full game controller, which is recognized by windows as a generic game controller.

The only remaining problem was connecting the usb hub from the right side over to the left side. There was a flat cable running through the rubber, but all the lines were already occupied by the buttons. I finally decided to lead some wires trough the very tight space where the flat cable is.

Then the last challenge was recognizing the buttons on the teensy, because most of them appeared to be pressure sensitive analog buttons. I had to use all the analog ports on my teensy to get all the buttons to work. I had a few code wise problems, because one of the buttons' analog reading wasn't accurate, but luckily solved it on the software side.

Fun fact: Getting the wires trough the tight rubber space was actually the hardest problem to solve, because I didn't want to damage it. I solved it by taping a fish wire to a metal pin, stuck the pin through the tight space. Then I untaped it, knotted the fish wire to 4 tiny wires and pulled it back.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 11:49:15 pm by chdcchris »

Faust

  • Posts: 541
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2017, 05:53:13 pm »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk


chdcchris (OP)

  • Posts: 6
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2017, 09:52:25 pm »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.

Faust

  • Posts: 541
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #5 on: July 09, 2017, 09:57:24 pm »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.
Wow great job, and really neat.

 Hopefully with your skills you will be able to update this gamepad for future tablet.


leafar

  • Posts: 265
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2017, 02:35:12 am »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.

yes yes, nice make a video and more photos, i don't have the skill to do it, but i do have some some ideas with different approaches.
i will tell you later.
Really good job

Charliedontsurf

  • Posts: 22
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2017, 12:02:27 am »
That is unbelievably cool, keep it up! We need someone with your know how and a kickstarter to make us the console we all want. I for one NEED decent stereo speakers and that's a rarity today.
Xperia Play, Nvidia Shield
Emulation should be free and open.

siegel17701

  • Posts: 265
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2017, 02:07:01 am »
Amazing! What can it play?

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk


siegel17701

  • Posts: 265
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2017, 01:47:46 am »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.
Did you ever make a video?

Sent from my MIX using Tapatalk


ruthan

  • Posts: 108
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2018, 10:27:16 pm »
When you have skill its nice..

  It could be even better if would be some very small pc boards available for end customers.

SONY

  • !
  • Posts: 1630
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2018, 12:48:32 am »
Off topic...I use my Gamevice on a daily basis.
Nintendo Switch w/ipega PG-9083

SONY PS3 Super Slim
SONY PS4 Slim
SONY PS4 Pro

ALLDOCUBE Mix Plus w/ ipega PG-9023

Apple iPad pro 2019 w/Gamevice (pending)

vcoleiro1

  • Posts: 1720
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2018, 12:54:53 am »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.

Great build, do youi have a DIY guide on how you built it?

Also, can I ask why you didn't use he Cube Mix Plus with it's m3-7y30 and 128gb SSD.  It sells in the low to mid $300s
You would have gotten similar performance to the GPD WIN 2

SONY

  • !
  • Posts: 1630
Re: I made my own Windows console
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2018, 03:13:02 am »
Do you have pictures of the finished product?

Envoy? de mon 6039Y en utilisant Tapatalk



The first 2 images in my post are of the finished product. Do you want more pictures?
I might make a video when I have the time.

Great build, do youi have a DIY guide on how you built it?

Also, can I ask why you didn't use he Cube Mix Plus with it's m3-7y30 and 128gb SSD.  It sells in the low to mid $300s
You would have gotten similar performance to the GPD WIN 2

The Gamevice (for iPad mini (7.9" screen)) slots into the Xiaomi Mipad 2 (7.9" screen) perfectly​.
Cube Mix Plus is a 10" tablet, so it wouldn't be the best fit.....and would be much heavier for the Gamevice to hold.

Btw, I have 2 Gamevice (for iPad mini) controllers  that I never  use, if you ever want one to mod a tablet onto.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2018, 03:15:20 am by SONY »
Nintendo Switch w/ipega PG-9083

SONY PS3 Super Slim
SONY PS4 Slim
SONY PS4 Pro

ALLDOCUBE Mix Plus w/ ipega PG-9023

Apple iPad pro 2019 w/Gamevice (pending)

 

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