Gameboy Color Pocket Assembly | Boxy Pixel

Boxy Pixel Aluminum Game Boy Color Electronics Inside Pocket Housing Assembly

This is a working document, describing the basic steps to install electronics into Boxy Pixel metal housings

There are several different modification options outlined in this document. As a consequence, your assembly may differ slightly. There exists a possibility that not all Nintendo PCBs are the same, so always ensure you check your voltage pins.

Warning!

Please take extra care with the fasteners. The fastener heads and the threads are very small. The assembly process shows the fastener lengths that we have personally found to work well, however, you will need to use your best judgment.

1. When assembling, do not force the fastener. If you feel too much resistance, re-evaluate your fastener length or back out, clean, and try again.
2. Choosing the correct fastener is a balance between having a safe amount of thread engagement and also not putting a fastener in that is too long which can risk breaking or stripping. Take your time and reference my directions for guidance. There may be a rare instance when you need to choose a different-sized fastener than the install directions if a threaded hole is too shallow!

Additional Fastener Rules:

1. Ensure you have the correctly sized Philips drive that is also not worn. It makes all the difference.
2. Use my installation guide as a starting point for recommended screws for a given hole location. You may need to deviate from this if there is not enough thread engagement.
3. For all fasteners, make sure the parts are aligned before screwing together.
4. For all parts, ensure the parts are fully seated and hold the parts together when fastening. I would recommend against having the fastener pull the parts together. This is especially important when fastening the front/rear housings.
5. When starting a screw, I will often turn it counterclockwise to start. You should "feel" when the screw catches the first thread. Then, I gently turn clockwise. If you feel any resistance, stop and reevaluate. Personally, I use my fingertips to turn the screwdriver while applying enough downward pressure to keep the driver engaged. If you are stripping the screw head - you have far too much resistance and/or the incorrect driver.
6. Whenever you have more than one screw attach two parts together - always start all screws first before tightening one down.
7. Keeping the above rules above in mind, I first would carefully choose your screws and then do a practice run for the 4 screws that hold the front and rear housings together.

Items needed:

• Nintendo Game Boy Color
• Laminated GBC Q5 IPS screen kit from Funnyplaying
• Rechargeable battery - Boxy Pixel 1700 mah
• GBC button set (metal or plastic)
• GBC power switch (use from your GBC or included if you buy plastic buttons from a supplier)
• Type C charge board
• USB/Type C rechargeable 3D Printed battery housing
• Wire -28 ga or similar size
• Touch sensor Pins (optional)
• Kapton tape (or substitute)
• Very thin double sided tape
• Super glue for touch sensor (optional)

Touch Sensor Pins

These optional pins are for the touch sensor. Two are installed, however, only 1 is needed for the brightness control.  Two are included screens that may use two sensors for brightness and the other for color pallets or other functionality.

Gluing is optional, however, I like to do this as it holds the pin in place while I solder the wire later. Do not get glue on the contacts (gold metal). You may want to add blue painter's tape on the outside of your shell to ensure it doesn’t get on the outside of the shell.

You can use your rear housing to press and hold in place if you used superglue

Prepare your GBC

Cut or de-solder your IR LED’s.

Next, remove the two battery terminals shown below.  Note: Before removing terminals, you may want to test the LCD screen.

Turn over the PCB and heat up the solder on the backside. Push or carefully pull the terminals out using pliers.

Solder the wires from the micro USB/Type C

1. Solder the Black-out
2. Solder the Black battery B-
3. Solder the Red battery wire B+
4. Solder the Red Out+

Solder the Red wire to the positive + location

Solder the Black wire to the negative - location on the Nintendo PCB

Connect your IPS screen and test your IPS screen before installing the screen. After confirming the screen functionality, disconnect the parts.

After testing your screen, do a test fit of the screen into the housing to familiarize yourself with how it’s installed. 

Tip: When fitting the screen, be mindful of the backside orange flex cable to ensure it’s not damaged and out of the way as you position your screen.

After testing your screen kit and testing the fit of the screen in the housing, remove the adhesive on the sides of the screen and install the screen back in the housing.

Connect the flex to the screen

Solder the touch sensor wire from the flex to the new touch pin. I like to tape the wire down.

GBC Buttons - Install your D-pad, A/B buttons, and conductive silicone pieces

Install your flex cable into the connector on the Nintendo PCB. Lock into place. I find it easier to do this before the board is screwed down.

Solder the wire from the touch sensor pin to the pad (TCH) on the black flex cable. (GREEN)

Solder a new wire from the PWR on the black flex cable to the power switch on the Nintendo board. (RED) 

Fasten the PCB down at the locations shown.

Solder the the wire from the flex PWR pad to the third pin down on the power switch.

We suggest testing again at this time, to ensure that your buttons actuate freely. If not, try repositioning the silicone pieces. 

Add the plastic power switch and tape any wires that could get in the way during assembly. 

Ensure that wires will not get in the way of the two holes circled below. The rear housing will need room to touch down on the PCB. 

Install the metal bezel using thin double-sided tape. 

Enjoy your new Gameboy Color Pocket!