@DogP: Thanks for taking the time to write that all out. I’ll see if I can get some time with one of the guys this week or next (if they’re not too busy) to sort this out.

Here’s a different problem I’m running into: After putting my second VB back together, one of the displays seems to be “shifted” vertically in relation to the other one. While both displays are functioning perfectly, looking into the unit feels like it is actually damaging my eyesight, haha.

DogP wrote:
And BTW, the left eye uses the left mirror and left LED display (and the same goes for the right).

Do you mean that the displays are actually side-dependent? I thought the displays were the same part for both sides. If they’re side-dependent, then maybe I put the wrong sides on and that’s causing this weird shifted (and painful!) view…?

Either way, does anyone have any tips on aligning the displays vertically? Has anyone else run into something like this?

DogP wrote:

MineStorm wrote:
Pat, what’s the fix for a constantly shrinking / expanding image in one display ?

I’ve never come across one that did that, but it’d have to be something in the control loop of the mirrors. There’s an opto that detects the mirror vibrating back and forth… the system counts the pulses and either speeds up or slows down the mirrors to make it oscillate at exactly 50Hz.

IMO, the opto is the most likely culprit… either it’s just dirty, or could be failing. There could also be a problem with the wiring, or the circuit that drives it, but since the other eye is working fine, I’d say that’s less likely. I guess it’s also possibly caused by a mechanical failure.

If you have a scope, you could look at the opto pulses and make sure that they’re actually happening, and at a constant rate… otherwise I’d first check that the wiring is all connected well, and try blowing out the opto area. I don’t think the system will run open loop if there’s no signal at all from the opto (I seem to remember the display going black when I’ve stopped the mirrors)… though I’d have to try again to confirm.

DogP

So, interesting that this should come up.

I put together the first of my two repaired VBs last night and started playing GPinball. First off, the fix worked *perfectly* — the game works 100% and looks great. The Lens of that VB is a bit busted, so there’s a little smear, but I got back to enjoying my games and it was a lot of fun. Thanks again, DogP!

At one point, I started focusing on the starfield in the background and I saw the whole image start to expand just a little bit and snap back to the right size. It kept doing this. I didn’t think to see if it was on one eye versus the other, though; will check tonight.

DogP: Can you show on a picture exactly where to look on a VB for any trouble? I don’t have a scope at home, but I work with a fully-stocked electronics workshop with a number of guys that could help me out. But I have no idea where to look on the device…

TheClash603 wrote:
P.S. – Uncle Tusk needs to do an English Mother 3 GBA release inbetween his VB awesomeness

I think at that point the Big N Lawyerhammer would come down upon poor ol’ Uncle Tusk. Nintendo does have to protect their copyrights, lest they lose ’em.

There are still a few GBA flash carts out there if you’re looking for a copy. The guy that made the Neo Geo Pocket Color flash cart (and is working on a Wonderswan one) had an offer to send people GBA carts pre-flashed for a little while. If he still has some, it’s a good way to play something you’ve been meaning to play on real hardware: http://www.freeplaytech.com/blank-gba-cartridges-gameboy-advance-flash-carts/.

I have one of the weird sort-of-maybe pirated flash carts, an EFA Linker 512 or something like that. It’s enough to fit English Mother 3 and one or two other games on it, which is fine. It requires Windows XP to flash, which is a pain for me — all of my home computers are either Win7 or 8! I tried to use a Virtual Machine for it, as is often suggested, but I could never get it to work. In the end I just installed XP on a box, haha.

I sincerely hope they do, but I think the amount of time to do it versus the projected return means they probably won’t.

I can’t imagine it’s all *that* complicated to write an emulator that can make use of the 3DS’ native 3D screen. That would be the *perfect* use for it, in my mind.

A games analyst suggested that maybe Nintendo would make more games along these lines rather than re-release them via Virtual Console. Think: Wario 2 rather than the original.

It would be so much cooler if they’d put out VB games on the system, though.

bigmak wrote:
heh not even close

Wow! Someone call Guinness: World record for most number of Virtual Boy games in one place at the same time! haha, that’s fantastic.

Thank you, by the way, for doing the work to get these and make everything available to the community.

Haha! I just bought a VCR for $5 at a thrift store. Haven’t tried it yet, but if it works, great. I have a few tapes I’d like to watch sometime.

Wyndcrosser wrote:
I’ve started on these two, but I’m working on other titles too.

Ogre Battle
http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1799/

Biomotor Unitron 2
http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1793/

You, sir, are doing god’s work (as it were). I love my NGPC and now that I have a flashmasta flash cart, I’d love to play these. I sincerely look forward to them!

Oh man, that overlay is in great condition. Congratulations on the impending sale!

I read up on reproducing one’s own overlays a while ago and it didn’t seem too impossibly complicated for a dedicated individual. Heavy transparency paper and some high quality scans would go a loooong way. Possibly better than that site’s $6.99/ea, but I’m also lazy, so maybe not, haha.

I don’t have a 3D Imager for mine, but I highly desire one. I’m pragmatic when it comes to something like this: if I were selling, I’d charge maybe $10 + shipping + cost of materials if they don’t take too long to make. That way you get them out there nice and cheap and people get color wheels. Since it’s a repro, $100 would definitely be too steep, but maybe something more akin to $30? I don’t know what your costs are, so it’s hard to say. If there are only two, maybe do a bundle that’s cheaper than the cost of buying two as a bargain?

It definitely seems like a limited business audience, but I’m sure there’s a few bucks to be made there.

That’s an interesting new problem, and a bummer… but hopefully not a problem UNTIL it’s been another 17 years or so.

I remember talk around here — AGES back — about straight up making new cables. Maybe in ~15 years we’ll have to start in on that…

Thanks again DogP! This is a great service you’ve provided and I can’t wait to have 3 VBs all functioning again. Now I just need to get a link cable and some homebrew that uses it… heh.

OKAY Well I’m just a *bit* off, hahaha. I thought Space Invaders was a bit more rare? Or maybe it’s just Gundam and VLab that are more $800?

I’m tired. Time for bed, haha.

He’s asking for our guess at what it’d be worth.

I’d guess it should start at $800. That seems to be what sales are going for…?

Good looking stuff! Want to order for completeness. Also ran into the shipping problem; PM’d.

GauBan wrote:
Here’s a picture of my VB collection. All my games are complete.

The only official release I’m missing is WaterWorld. It is in the house but I can’t have it till next month. The other half has this thing about birthday presents. LOL

I’m also waiting for my copy of Blox to be shipped by Uncle Tusker and I’m keeping my fingers crossed over for a Faceball prototypes from Bigmak, or at least waiting for the retail copy of Faceball Re-mastered to be released.

Great collection! Looks to be in pretty good condition, too! Congratulations.

kkabalka wrote:
Insmouse on ebay complete with box and inserts for 200$.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=200919266958&index=10&nav=SEARCH&nid=59529279247

Woah! Good price and good condition! I’d BIN if I could afford it this month… sadly, I can’t.

I can’t submit an empty poll vote, so I can’t vote, haha.

You could try your hand at making your own a la DogP!

(Waaaay too intense a project for me. )

Necrobump, apparently!

I’d say just go with an Oculus Rift: http://www.oculusvr.com/.

:O So jealous! Those are some pretty lookin’ protos. Congratulations on the purchase!

Don’t have any. Maybe some day, but I’m more interested in my game collection.