GameBoy CD Player

Build a CD player with an old GameBoy, an ATAPI drive and some electronics. The CD player it's a kind of game cartridge to play CD. This is the final version, plug it to a GameBoy and listen to music!

Wanna see how it works?
http://personales.ya.com/proyecto_gb/ ->down
the new web page is http://perso.wanadoo.es/jordi__87/

Do you like it? Give me feedback please!

Step 1: Get a GameBoy!

First of all we will need some things:

-A GameBoy to show track information and control the playing.

-A GameBoy cartridge: we will need it to interface the GameBoy to a board.

-An ATAPI drive to play the CD.

-A 12v-5v power supply.

-An interface board: we can find it at http://personales.ya.com/proyecto_gb . Go to Hardware section and build the schematics. We will talk about later.

Step 2: Let's Make a Cartridge!

We need to wire the GameBoy pins to a board. We can open it, but we prefer to preserve the GameBoy to play our favourite games. So let's make an adaptor cartridge. Get a boring game and open it with a screwdriver, be careful not to broke the board inside.Well Prince of Persia was not boring but I had no one else.

Step 3: Cutting the Inside Chips.

We see some chips, the game program and some interface chips. We need to remove it, so let's use a cutter to cut it. We could use a soldering iron but that would wear away the board.

Step 4: Wiring the Cartridge

Get a ribbon cable and solder it to the board following a logical order, I mean, the pin 1 of the cartridge to the pin 1 of the ribbon cable. I used an IDE cable as a ribbon cable.Follow the pins paths to get a termination solder point,it's easier and better(then you can close the cartrigde).Check for shortcircuits when you finish. If it's all ok, fix the cable to the board with glue.

Step 5: Cutting the Plastic Case.

In order to put the cartridge inside we need to cut the plastic box. Use a cutter or a tool you consider better.

Step 6: Building the Board

I will not cover the board construction process, but i will put the schematics and some comments. I've made modular schematics, you must interconnect them to have the complete board.Axx , Dxx and /RD,/WR,RESET signals come from the GameBoy cartridge.GND and +5V are common to the power supply,chips and GameBoy.You must burn the z80cdplayer.gb in the EPROM. Sorry it's in spanish I will translate it some day.

The schematics also are at http://personales.ya.com/proyecto_gb/

Step 7: Putting It All Together

This is the last step. We must put it all in a box to make it useful. You can use a wood box,plastic box or even a cardboard box!! With imagination all it's possible.You can see how it works at videos section of http://personales.ya.com/proyecto_gb/