Adding link port to Super GameBoy

I am working on adding link port to super gameboy project but so far I'm a bit confused...

I have found two different guides that basically say the same thing, being new to all the components and soldering in general i'm a bit unsure about the extra components I need to buy.

One lists "Some kind of "double - diodes"" http://www.mksmks.de/technical/sgblink.htm
The other lists "7 germanium diodes" http://www.devrs.com/gb/files/sgbmod.txt

I am going through digikey to try to pick up all the pieces I need but I am bit lost on what exactly is needed here.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Or is there a more detailed list out there?

-Nilats

 

No offense, but why bother? You can pick up a loose Super Game Boy 2 for 50 bucks and it has the link port built in. Also, SGB1 has a clock speed flaw where the games run slightly too fast. SGB2 corrected this issue. Save yourself a lot of hassle and just pick up a SGB2.

 

I am destroying the cart to make a custom SNES cartridge and I can justify destroying a 10$ super gameboy and adding on 5-10$ in components rather than 50$ for a super gameboy 2. Also I have information for the clock speed tweak which I am looking into doing as well.

I don't want to avoid the project just because it is a hassle, I like to make it work the way I want.

 

Okay so I am even more confused I've found three different schematics and one pre-built kit I can get and they all seem to have different kit, some appear to use 1 diode, some none others 3 double or 7 single.

Has anyone used done this modification before or can anyone give me some advice on this?

http://store.thursdaycustoms.com/product/sgb-link (prebuilt - Looks like 3 resistors no diode)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4678987585_d4b809760c.jpg (Original JP schematic, 3 resistors 1 diode)
http://www.mksmks.de/technical/sgblink_05.gif (3 double diode, 3 resistors)
http://www.devrs.com/gb/files/sgbmod.txt (7 diodes, 3 resistors)

I'm starting to think that the diodes aren't even all that required and might just be cautionary would this be reasonable assumption (I have been watching/reading intro electronics/components beginner stuff to try and get up to par)

 

Okay everyone, so it has been more than a few minutes since I last updated this.

So I was able to get everything working and I'm super excited see this video http://youtu.be/UFXXnutwst0

Basically I was able to contact Justin Thursday who sells some super gameboy modification hardware and kits who had a super gameboy link board. I didn't want to buy the board but I wanted more information on how it worked and he was really helpful in giving me the last bits of information that I needed.

Of all the resources that I found the only required bits are the 220ohm resistors on pins 68,69 and 70 and then the diode on the power. The diode that I was told worked were 1n914. (http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/1N914TR/1N914TR-ND/458817)

I am really happy with the results here. I have a donor cart which I am going to mount the link port into. The last bit I need is to get a label made up for pokemon gold on a SNES template. If anyone can help with that I'd be extremely grateful.

-nilats

 

Yo. I can do the label if you want and give you the PSD file. Do you have any paper/sticker to print it?

 

I have photo quality printer I can get the sticker paper yes. That would be amazing

 

I'm workin on it. I don't have decent image so I need a bit of photoshop here. I'll post something within 2 or 3 hours.

 

How about something like that?

 

Dont see anything posted

 

uppix.com is really slow.

Anyway I'll send you a link to the PSD.

 

Oh that is freaking awesome! You are amazing!

 

After printing and putting the label, post a pic of your finished work.

 

You can fix the speed issue with the original SGB too. I sell the required crystal, its a pin lift, crystal and 2 caps if memory serves

edit: found a picture of one I modded:

 

I am looking to do another couple of cartridge modifications I was scouring ebay for damaged/broken DMG-01 gameboys to use as donor for both the link port and for the crystal for the speed regulation. I have a couple en route but if they are no good I'll definitely hit you up.

 

Well, I finally finished. Big thanks to TheRealPhoenix for the help with the labels for both this and future projects they look amazing.

http://imgur.com/a/twXkU

I am going to take detailed step by step pictures and process with the next mod and do a full tutorial along with all images. Really happy with the work!

 

You really should put those protection diodes in, too - they are there to prevent the signal lines on the link port from going outside the power rails, since that can damage the chips.

I would use something like the BAT54S (https://www.fairchildsemi.com/datasheets/BA/BAT54.pdf) - wire pin 1 to ground, pin 2 to VCC and connect the signal to pin 3.

Yes, it will work without them, but you will run a (admittedly small) risk of blowing up the CPU chip if you ever plug in the cable when the power is on.

 

this look pretty cool i have seen some of your pictures but just a question this means you used a pokemon cart and solderd it to an SGP board and connected a link port to the SGP board and put it in a normal housing? this is pretty darn nice are you ever going to release a step by step how to because i would love to try this myself when possible!

 

I am still looking for a good "broken" copy of pokemon to use. I really am trying to not use a completely functional cart. I am starting work on a Zelda DX cartridge but there is no reason to add link port on that. I will be adding the timing crystal mod that Bad_Ad84 mentioned.

The copy of pokemon gold that I used had a rusted pin which prevented it from working on a GB but with my wires taping in on the back in behind the pin it didn't matter. I'm trying to find a similar "broken" cart for either red/blue/yellow

 

If you don't mind it in Japanese, the Japanese Pokemon carts are dirt-cheap, although they're starting to rise in price as people realise that they're way cheaper than the English versions (even though there's no reason for either of them to be expensive, because it's Pokemon - there are literally many millions of copies of these games out there).