HDMI Docking kit for Game Boy Advance (HDMI over USB Type C connector)
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Available from RGRS (affiliate link): retrogamerepai...
This is the internal HDMI out mod for the GBA and should be electrically compatible with all existing LCDs and kits. Actual physical fitment might be pretty tight with some kits though so if you want an internal IPS kit too, you might need to plan around getting a certain kit. I did this video with the funnyplaying 3.0 laminated IPS kit and I was able to get things to fit after hours of trimming and shaving the shell and display bracket.
When properly wired, this kit will support nearly any battery mod for GBA and actually adds simultaneous charge and play if the kit did not already support this (so there's no need to have two USB ports on the GBA). One quirk I noticed is that while the dock itself does support a USB type C host connection for power/charging, the GBA USB Type C port does not and will require a Type A to Type C cable for charging (or to just charge it while docked), even when being used with a battery mod that DOES support Type C host charging.
Other options for TV Out (using actual hardware and carts) --
A Game Cube + Game Boy Player is a fantastic option. There are some issues with that around controller input (the GC controller kinda sucks for the Game Boy Player) and certain options are very pricey (like the OEM GBP startup disc, component output or even HDMI and ODE mods) but a consolizer for your Game Boy (DMG, Color, or Advance) is also an option and can be significantly cheaper. Woozle's GBA consolizer is a great choice if you can find one in stock or you can build a gbaHD.
gamebox gbhd advance: gamebox.system...
woozle consolizer: www.game-tech....
zwenergy gbaHD: github.com/zwe...
If you're fine with composite, there are a few "TV Out" kits for GBA too, like the one I showed in this video too. See this video for more info there: • Game Boy Advance TV Ou...
Previous videos:
First generation version of this mod (works with any or none backlight kits): • Two Wire HDMI Mod -- G...
Second generation version of this mod (includes an ITA-like backlight kit): • DSi TFT HDMI Kit for G...
The Funnyplaying 3.0 IPS kit build I used for this video: • Funnyplaying 3.0 Lamin...
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Please be sure to check my website for more information including some handy links for useful resources, tools I use, and my socials: makhowastaken.com/
I love the long videos you hear such an exquisite job explaining everything
After ordering 4 weeks ago, today i finally built my ultimate Gba with the dock. Biggest problem was soldering the power Chip from the board. After 8 hours everything works. Only problem i cutted the usbc hole too much out. Im searching for a solution, maybe any Silicon pad to fill the hole. Its my second ips build and im very proud i made it. I ordered v2 but i think it is a neweer one then yours. Display was already connected to the hdmi board. If you know any shell with hdmi out port pre cut, let me know. It takes hours to make the shell ready. Tha k you very much, wothout your video i wouldnt had any idea ❤
You could make your own bezel and glue it to the shell to hide the cuts. I do that on occasion when I over trim.
This video blew my mind keep up the good work! So much helpful info here
MEOW
Woah, a time traveler
@@-HDR Massive triskit fan
😹😹😹
Your cat in the background is adorable :) Every time I watch one of your videos I'm reminded that I need to get a cat. Or two cats. I'll do it.
Adopt two cats
Your cat meowing woke up my cat
There is a new HDMI kit on the market from the same manufacturer including display and OSD. I would be happy if you could test that as well.
is there a link/video you could send on this kit? i can’t find any mentioning one including display and hdmi
edit: found it on ebay/aliexpress, it’s basically this mod with the highspeedido/onechip ips v5 in one pcb. no fancy stuff like frame blending though despite the laminated version of that ips kit having it
For all of the effort that went into designing the internals of this thing, you'd think the dock would be a bit nicer looking/actually support the console rather then have it just sit on top of the port. It is a cool mod regardless if a little pointless. Just needs some slightly less jank too it if that is even possible with these mods.
The company that makes this mod has consistently done stuff like this. They'll do like 80% of the work and then leave users to figure out that last 20% or deal with just having an incomplete mod. They are one of my least favorite mod makers because of this.
I would love something like this for a DS, damn
I hear gamebox systems is working on something similar. Or maybe it was 3DS. Either way, I'm sure something will come out eventually.
@@makho I'm not super impressed with the 3DS (especially when it comes to how it handles DS gameplay) but I understand it is much more moddable for these kinds of things. There is a reason no one's made an HDMI out mod for the DS or DS Lite, haha. I'll be looking forward to whatever this is, though!
Seems like you could kitbash this into a consolizer fairly easily and avoid needing to stuff it all into a shell with a screen.
that's really an exhausting mod. i got another ips display, but adding the dock makes the gba so thick that it puts pressure against the display... which also caused your white spot.
got to do a lot of trimming now... but actually don't know where to start. lol
also hate the fact that i have to unsolder a lot of parts again.
With enough trimming, it all works and fits fine. Obviously lots of fit checking is required though. Time consuming.
@@makho Quick question... using the dock - do you experience audio delay using capture cards as well? output on tv is fine. i only have this issue with the gba dock. other devices (ps3, 4, 5, xbx, switch etc.) work fine.
it's my second gba now with the dock mod. both have this issue with my avermedia live gamer 4k.
@@WillbaldStreamen Capture cards are notoriously laggy. I recommend using one with passthrough for this specific reason.
Could also be that your capture card is not compatible given that these mods run at around 59.7Hz instead of the standard 60Hz.
@@makho Hey! Quick question... have you, by any chance, been able to get a good USB-C extension that plays well with the dock? Been ordering a few for a while now but none of them worked... I once got one to deliver power. but they never delivered audio and video.
@@WillbaldStreamen These aren't USB connections so a USB extension won't work. Perhaps a thunderbolt extension might work? You need a cable that uses all 20 conductors. Type-C connectors are designed to be reversible so most USB cables only use 10 conductors at most.
Hi, I am about to get this mod and I have the following question. If I connect a USB C -> HDMI cable to the gameboy advance and the HDMI is connected to a video capture machine, can I play and capture my game without the screen turning off?
I installed it and it has problem with most controllers I hook on the wiimote "nes mini" port. Only it doesn't make sense... Snes classic USA works, the European doesn't, neither does NES mini or Wii Pro. Any ideas? Snes port seems to work fine.
Can someone walk me through how he found the right thing on the battery to solder to around 1:33:00? I have a funny playing battery and trying to find where to solder the wire to.
Makho, are you planning on making a video on the version of this kit that has the ips screen built into the motherboard for it? i was interested in it and was wondering if you were going to make a video on it to see more about it before i bought it.
Unless we're thinking about different things, no, I do not have any plans to do so at this time. I doubt it's anything new compared the last 12 kits from this company.
As a side note I just want to point out that the wiimote's rear port is an i2c bus, with the nunchuk, classic controller, motion + sensor, and all other accessories on that port using an i2c bus format. the snes controller port uses latched data pins, not i2c; while the 'wiimote port shaped connector' on the dock does in fact use i2c, as do the recent 'mini' controllers Ninty has released, it's not quite accurate from a wiring or data connection perspective to say they're the "literally just the supernintendo connector but in a different form factor" in the same way that it's not accurate to say that a 1980's serial joystick port is "literally just a USB-C connector but in a different form factor".
The fun thing about i2c, though, is that it has enough pins to be dual-wired, that is to say, you could shove an i2c chip into a snes controller, and make a hardware-less pin-to-pin adapter to plug an snes controller into a wiimote port, and boom, it works. (Still need an active converter chip in there somewhere, but they do have the same NUMBER of pins, so it's technically feasible to do both.)
Oh wow 😮
My kit is different. it has wires soldered already onto the pcb for tp1 and tp0. Do i need to put those anywhere?
If you don't want audio, no.
Hello ! I watched some parts of the video and I have just a small question ! My Elgato Capture Card sometimes gets the sound from the dock, but I get no image and I can't find a way around it. I seem to be using the same cables as you but you seem to have changed something and said " I know why the capture card doesn't work " but you didin't give a clear answer why. Could you help out with this ? That would be awesome. Thank you so much and good work on your video.
elgato is not compatible with most DIY HDMI stuff, GBA mod kits especially. My issue and yours are unrelated. I didn't explain why it wasn't working because I thought waving the unplugged HDMI cable would be enough of a hint.
@@makho Oh okay. Welp, guess I'll stop trying then lol. Thanks a mil for the response !
@@OncleS.A.MYeah, sorry. I know elgato is usually the name on peoples' lips for this stuff but their stuff is really limited. I'm unaware of any third party fixes and as far as elgato is concerned, there's nothing to fix on their end.
Incidentally, the cheapo unbranded capture cards on aliexpress and the like work way better for this sort of stuff. I got a "4K" one with passthrough and it's what I use for all my captures now.
I just assembled my GBA dock kit today and it is working fine with my Elgato. I will note that I am using the original Elgato game capture that only supports 720p so maybe that makes it more compatible?
@@josephlucas.44 it makes sense because I read that the small resolution of the gba makes it a hassle for the signal to go through. That might be part of the problem. Thanks for the input though !
Hello, do you think the dock mod is safe? Meaning it won’t make your GBA explode or overheat?
Neither of those things you suggested will happen unless you royally bugger the install.
Do you think it would be managable to desolder the usbc male connector on the dock and wire my own male connector? I want to 3d print my own formfactor that puts the plug somewhere else.
If you have to ask, I think the answer is no. You know your abilities better than I know them.
@@makho Yeah I bought one and it looks way to difficult but thanks for answering anyways!
@@tealias You could try a custom built extension -- might be easier than straight relocation. Despite using a Type-C connector though, it is NOT a USB connection so you'll need something that connects all 20 conductors. USB is typically only 10 conductors and reversible. This is not.
@@makho Yeah I was gonna do that too and make a custom extention cable if a regular didn't work. I am still waiting on my screen kit to arrive while planning. Have you tried already? Big thanks again!
This kit seems like an absolute nightmare to install
It was fiddly to get everything lined up with the brackets and such but it's fine once you've got the order of operations figured out. It's probably a lot easier to just use any kit that isn't a laminated funnyplaying kit.
@@makho I wouldn't dare go back to non laminate kits after how awful my experience with the IPS V2 kits was
@@3a.m.284 Well, funnyplaying isn't the only maker of laminated kits. This interposer board is likely a lot easier to install when used alongside the LCD kit from the same manufacturer. Also, if you're bothering with HDMI, I think it doesn't matter too much what screen you got inside the console.
Hola! Saludos, ¿podrías hacer un vídeo soldando el resistor R13 de la placa de GBA? ✌🏽✌🏽✌🏽
Debería ser lo mismo que soldar cualquier otra pieza de montaje en superficie. Tengo transmisiones en vivo en kits de práctica de soldadura si lo desea.
Great video. Do you know if that kit compatible with the IPS V5 kit sold on Aliexpress ?
Unsure which specific kit you mean. "v2", "v3", "v4", "v5", etc are usually tacked on to listings by the seller as a sales tactic and it doesn't actually mean anything in nearly every case.
Electrically, this should be compatible with nearly every kit though. Mechanically, well, good luck as some kits are harder than others.
@@makho Any idea if it would work with the 720x480 OSD 15 brightness IPS kit? It has a daughterboard a bit larger than the one in this vid that I worry might conflict, you posted a video on it about 5 months ago.
Annoyingly had to wait a month for a SN30 to arrive via Ali and when it does found out the audio lags by about a second once you have been playing for 10 min or so. Until this point not played for that long as i didn't have a fully working controller.
Did you experience this? Wondering if its a me issue (maybe PAL vs NTSC, maybe my telly settings etc).
There are unused pins on the USB-c connector, i could route audio through there and put a line out on the dock but that is a faff.
Audio is already routed into the dock, you can just pull from there. How else would it get knocked into the HDMI signal?
More likely the issue is with your TV (Samsung or LG?) since these devices do not output a standard HDMI signal, your device must be only partially compatible. You can try a different HDMI port if you've got different types or another TV entirely.
These devices output at the same refresh rate as the original console so instead of the standard 60hz, the mod is doing about 59.7. This is close enough that most devices are fine but clearly yours desyncs. If you unplug your HDMI cable and replug it when the desync happens, I bet it will go away until it desyncs enough again to be noticeable.
@@makho Thanks for the responses, with a channel as big as yours I don't usually expect a response (especially considering you gave info on the USB-C extension comment i made too) so thats cool!
As for the HDMI, when i opened the dock out of curiosity i didn't see any hardware between the HDMi connector and the USB-C connector so i assumed the board inside the GBA generated the signal. My understanding is the HDMI does not transfer analog audio so i assumed the embedding of audio was done inside the GBA when the signal is generated. So that was my reasoning there.
Our TV is an LG and from a google is has a number of aduio sync related options (not sure if my specific model has them all) but i'll have a look and see what i can do.
I wonder, if i ran analog audio from the GBA direct to a stereo for example would it still desync? Truth be told im not entirely sure how it works. Either way thanks for the info and given me direction to investigate!
@@stephencooper3067 Honestly, I'm not sure if the audio would still desync since the issue is likely related to the frame timing. It's certainly worth a shot.
The S01 and S02 test pads that the kit attaches to on the GBA are the PWM audio signals from the CPU itself. Or you can use the headphone jack.
@@makho Well had a bit more of a play and your right the audio does not desync if using the GBA's headphone jack. I found a cheap HDMI to component adapter in a box. Hooked it up to see what would happen and the audio stays perfectly in sync. Obviously the video now looks crap which is sods law!
Not entirely sure what options i have from here. The TV itself has no options to assist. I don't have a separate sound system to use instead. I suppose i could try and inject audio with an adapter between the dock and the TV. Not sure how much lag that may introduce though.
Either way the component adapter gives me a working solution so not end of the world, would rather poor video quality than de-sync audio if i had to choose!
@@stephencooper3067 Maybe something like a retrotink 4k could clean up whatever is causing the issues HDMI desync. I don't know that there isn't a solution other than buy a different TV, try a different consolizer (like an analogue pocket + dock), or spend almost a thousand dollars on a scaler that may or may not fix your issue. I mean, all of those solutions are a few hundred dollars at minimum anyway so I understand how much this sucks.
If the company that makes these things ever sorts out the incompatibility, chances are extremely likely that you won't get any support with yours and you'd have to buy a new one. Given that this thing works on other brands (like my vizio TV from 2012 and monoprice computer monitor from like 2016), I'd say it's not entirely on them either.
I have no idea if this will have any effect whatsoever but maybe an HDCP stripper or similar will work? I don't know of many devices that can convert HDMI to HDMI except for retro scalers like the retrotink 4k.
If I could recreate the issue on my hardware, I'd do some more digging for you.
I can kind of understand the janky dock design. There is no way to guarantee the USB C connector will be positioned the same on each install, so the dock can't be designed to fit more snugly on the console. Now if that is their actual reasoning or not, who knows.
It's a shame USB-C extension cables don't reliably have every pin connected. Tried a couple with mine and they would charge but no video. That may be a work around. The better solution would be shells built with this mod in mind, then the dock could be built to work specifically with those shells and provide a better fit.
I wouldn't be surprised if they just winged it and it worked well enough that they shipped it as is.
Look for a thunderbolt extension, that should have all the pins connected 1:1. Not cheap though.
Couldn’t you change the hdmi connector on the dock for a full size one?
It's not as simple as removing the mini port and soldering in the big port but yes, you can. Big port won't have anywhere to attach so an adapter would need to be made. I'm content with just leaving a dongle plugged in to the dock itself since the dock doesn't really need to move around.
damn, this looks way too complicated for me to do myself. i wonder if there are any local solder champions in my area...
A solder practice kit can get you nearly all the way there if you want to DIY. Soldering is easy to learn but difficult to master but you do not need any advanced skills for something like this IMO (unlike a CPU swap for an aftermarket board for example).
Did you get the pressure spot figured out?
Yep, I cut more holes in the bracket.
Meow
I already fed you