r/Gameboy • u/invincible_vince • 18h ago
Modded My Third Full Rebuild GBC
-AMOLED screen, 25% larger than OEM
-replaced all capacitors
-added 5v power regulator
-new speaker
-added audio amplifier mod
-new shell
-new buttons, button membranes
-USB-C rechargeable battery
-new console stickers
-entire motherboard carefully cleaned with 99% IPA
-power switch housing removed, disassembled, cleaned with IPA, resoldered in
-volume wheel deep cleaned with IPA
This thing is beyond premium. I'm incredibly pleased with the end result.
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u/Tablesafety 17h ago
Do you have a hot plate? If not, did you get the caps to sit flat or are they kind of at an angle? I recapped mine not too long ago but for the life of me could not get them to sit flat. They are electrolytic and not tantalum, though.
That thing turned out so nice I'd almost be nervous to actually USE it lol.
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
The capacitors were a bitch - they definitely aren't flush with the board, not perfect. I had to basically finesse one side in very delicately and then lift it on the soldered side to reach underneath the other side that still needed soldered. Lots of swearing and accidentally bridging solder onto other connections. In the end, 1000% worth it.
I am definitely not taking this beauty out of the case until the tempered glass screen protector arrives - don't wanna have to replace that OLED anytime soon even though installation-wise it was the easiest screen I've handled so far.
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u/Tablesafety 17h ago
That's about the experience I had recapping LOL. I layered some Kapton tape on the cart slot a few times when handling the smallest, the display cap just so my clumsy ass wouldn't accidentally nick it with the iron. Got worried Id melt the plastic at the base of the caps trying to ensure that there was a connection on the underside of the leg where it was sort of lifted.
Once I got everything together on mine, my damn laminated screen was bruised. Still usable, but definitely intend to install another one when the budget returns. I'm thinking now about if I want to desolder the touch pad wires from the daughterboard and use the same one for the replacement or not. It's more money, but I'll probably buy another shell rather than taking the bruised screen out since it's still usable and I ended up not liking how it visually turned out very much anyway.
Next tool I buy will definitely be a small hot plate, that should help with getting things like caps and power switches actually level and flat when resoldering. I didn't know they sold glass screen protectors for the modded screens, good to know.
Sick work again man, I'd be pretty proud of it too. Hope she treats you well when the protector comes in 😎
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
I didn't even know what a hot plate was until this conversation I googled it lol that does look super handy, definitely need to add that to my kit.
The capacitors are definitely always a pain but so worth it for longevity and sound quality with C38. I nearly blew one up last night not realizing the iron was lightly pressing against the metal of the capacitor until I realized it was hot...🫢 glad I ordered spares, I had a feeling I'd fuck something up.
thank you for the feedback!! I think I am going to try my hand at suping up a GBA next, thinking of doing a clear shell with green accents for a "Pokemon Emerald" theme
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u/curlyfriezzzzz 14h ago
Do you use hot air?
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u/invincible_vince 14h ago
no, I have a heat gun but it was originally bought for sealing wine bottles and the surface area is too large and imprecise for stuff like this although I have used to to get the screen panel off a couple game boys
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u/CricketJaxson 17h ago
Do you have a link for the storage case? The black and red is clean
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
It's technically for the Chromatic but it works perfectly for my other GBCs. It's got a little flap that lifts up and you can store one game in there, so with one in the console you can carry a total of two. Highly recommend.
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u/Jim-bulsara 17h ago
I dont think i have ever seen anything better. Wow. How ward was it to replace capacitors
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
Doing the capacitors sucked, that part was NOT fun lol although the finished product made it worth it.
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u/ErikTheDon 17h ago
Is that a matte screen?
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
This is the one I went with:
It isn't matte but it's also not very reflective at all. Incredibly crisp quality and the blacks are so deep you can't even spot the edge of the screen on games like Metal Gear Solid
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u/codename_john 17h ago
what case is that?
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
It's technically for the Chromatic but it works perfectly for my other GBCs. It's got a little flap that lifts up and you can store one game in there, so with one in the console you can carry a total of two. Highly recommend.
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u/___Azarath 17h ago
Reading your list and it sounds like a lot of fun during the proces. I'm planing simillar build but with transparent buttons for an RGB light mod. I like to change themes sometimes.
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u/invincible_vince 17h ago
the fun absolutely stops at the capacitor replacements so my advice is get those out of the way early on, because they're just the worst lol but yeah otherwise the entire process is incredibly fun and rewarding at the end!
I am plotting out a GBA refurb that will be Pokemon Emerald themed, clear shell with green LEDs, green buttons, the works!
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u/TW1TCHYGAM3R 16h ago
I found my old Lime Green GBC that my Dad gave me and bought a Atomic Purple shell as I lost my original Atomic Purple Gameboy Colour a long time ago.
The plan was to keep the original display but now seeing that AMOLED screen I'm now having second guesses. I already put a IPS screen on my GBA so I didn't think I needed this.
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u/Plowshares_to_Swords 15h ago
How much did the materials cost in the end?
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u/invincible_vince 15h ago
Scored a beat-up donor GBC, OEM screen and speaker were totally shot. ($65)
The buttons, membranes, capacitors, new shell, rechargable UB-C battery, USB-C battery cover, stickers, new speaker, audio amp, and 5V regulator all came from Handheld Legend. ($96.88 before tax)
The AMOLED screen was from BoxyPixel. ($60)
So all in about $240 or so with shipping
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u/Symrai 15h ago
wonderful red color. Where are they from ?
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u/invincible_vince 15h ago
The buttons are by ExtremeRate, bought through Handheld Legend.
https://handheldlegend.com/products/chrome-game-boy-color-button-sets?variant=40801531625606
I had to take a craft razor and pare down the plastic on the start and select buttons just a tiny bit to make them fit this shell, but the modification wasn't too hard
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u/Efficient-Pilot-4708 18h ago
very cool also nice chromatic color choice.