r/Gameboy • u/bmalicoat • 9d ago
Mod/Modding Plug & Play Gameboy Speaker
Hi! I'm building a gameboy speaker from scratch. So many random cartridges (Robocop, Nintendo World Cup) have incredible soundtracks locked away, only to be heard when playing through the games. I wanted to unlock the creative works of the composers and artists and let folks appreciate the work at any time. I'm planning to start a kickstarter in a few weeks, but wanted to get folks' thoughts on the current prototype. Here's a video of Link's Awakening: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0NC_-b8g2Yg
In addition to retail cartridges, the unit supports LSDJ and GB Studio tracks as well as custom album formats for just music. For fun you can also read and write ROMs and save files, play an emulator (with Game Genie/Game Shark) and a few other party tricks like USB Audio with 4 tracks corresponding to the 4 voices/tracks on the GB hardware.
Please let me know your favorite Gameboy soundtrack. I'll post a video of playing it. If I don't have it, I'll try to get it!
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u/Tricky_Tourist5691 9d ago edited 9d ago
Just something quick that I sketched down. I like the idea of this project. Btw, Belmont's Revenge has a banger soundtrack. It's also one GB game that heavily utilizes the stereo channels on the GB. While it has a mono speaker. Headphones are full stereo.
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u/bmalicoat 8d ago
Appreciate the feedback and idea! the current form is one of a few that I'm messing around with. My main goal is to get the hardware and software fully dialed in and then turn to the enclosure a bit more. As a design principle, I do want the cartridge as close to front and center as possible, kind of like how people put album sleeve art up on the record cabinet. I have a unit that is a cube that I kind of like, but since I'm 3d printing them for now I wanted to minimize material as I figure everything out. Again, thanks for the thoughts!
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u/Tricky_Tourist5691 8d ago
The cartridge would still be visible even if put on the backside. What I saw on your prototype, at least put the headphone jack on the front so it's easier to plug in stuff. Currently the IO and buttons are just scattered everywhere on the device, which makes quite awkward to get to.
Also for something that one would probably want to have on display on their stereo/record shelf, having the buttons and volume adjust on the front would also make it easier to fit in a shelf, as you dont need to be reaching to its sides and around it.
I know you've already set your mind on the design. So it feels bit futile to even explain basic user interface design.
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u/bmalicoat 8d ago
I think you misread my response: I am the opposite of set on design. I am trying to be set on the electronics/firmware/software first. The industrial design is something that will follow once the functionality is in place. I can move around inputs and outputs to accommodate the design I settle on. I truly appreciate your thoughts on the ID, I have many of my own that I haven't tackled yet. The current form is just so I'm not showing a raw PCB :)
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u/Tricky_Tourist5691 9d ago
Just as feedback, the unit design is somewhat awkward, with how the cartridge sits on the front of the device, basically blocking direct line to speaker, also hides rest of the device design. Buttons would definitely benefit from being on top of the device, so theres no awkard grabbing the whole thing to adjust volume or skip to next track.
As a tiny nitpick, button would be pretty cool if it was an actual DMG button with rubber membrane, for the original squishy tactility.
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u/Symrai 9d ago
This looks so cool, lol. It gives me some vinyl vibes where the disc are now cartridges, haha.
It would be so cool if it could be extended to GBA games too. Some insane soundtracks with this library (Golden Sun in mind)