gcvideo - Open source GameCube component cable solution

Just look for a general purpose connector that has enough pins.

 

Hey Unseen, is it possible to add a digital audio TOSLINK port to the GameCube without the component cable or GCVideo? If so, what would you need to do this?

 

You need to convert the I2S to SPDIF. Someone did that here.

It seems the GC misses the Master clock for audio. The schematic just adds an external crystal to obtain it. I don't think that is a very good solution, because I don't think the audio signals will be in sync with it..

 

Well thank you for the link. I'll try it out when I get the parts. Is there a better solution that keeps the audio in sync?

 

The I2S-to-SPDIF encoder in GCVideo uses the clock signal from the Gamecube to generate the SPDIF clock and doesn't drop any samples, but there is currently no standalone version without the video part.

 

BuffaloWing, thank you for the rendering on that connector. Even though it's just to get something on paper, hopefully it will add momentum to the original proposal.

There's a lot of cool ideas being thrown around and lots of good stuff in the works, but I feel a component solution using the digital AV out is going to be the most preferred option as a whole. Thank you to all who are putting in hours on this.

 

Just completed version 3 of this little board
http://www.staffs2.webspace.virginmedia.com/shuriken video.htm
and I was thinking its not that far away from the plug and play version on page 11 think I am going to give it a shot at the weekend

 

Awesome job! Have you tested it yet?

 

yer I got a v3 welded into a pal cube, it didnt work at first spent all weekend trying to find a bad solder joint :-( then realised it was a timing issue. The fpga was starting up before the serial flash was ready, so I added a bigger input cap 10uf on the fpga's 1.2v supply rail so that it started up later. It fixed the issue and the board startup fine however its a bit of a hack need to add a proper reset / power up IC for v4.

 

Hi @happy_bunny

Can I just flash the flash IC with an external programmer before solder it to the board? It will work doing this way?

Thanks in advance.

 

I think there will still be a demand for official component cables, some collectors will want to have them but this is great news nonetheless

 

@GillBert

yer you can flash it before you solder, that will work fine.

Hopefully tomorrow I will finish v4 struggling with the PCB design rule checker at the moment.

main board ordered will got the top mini board done tomorrow plug and play here we come !



top mini board, the question now is does it work ??? hopefully ;-)

 

I had the exact same idea! I was a bit sceptic on whether it will stay in place nicely, due to the weight of the board and the HDMI cable. Will you put something between the two boards and then solder them together through the vias?

Any plans for a case?

If this works, then it is a simple and cheap solution.

 

Those vias are 0.9mm holes but yes I am going to wire the boards together. After i get the boards and test them I will start work on the case. Hopefully it will all work and be a simple open source design.

 

Looking good!. Are you going to use headers to connect the two boards? Not sure about the header height is compatible as I never look into it. You could always rely on designing your case to accommodate it.

 

My idea was to put another PCB between the two PCBs. Something around 1mm (I think a bit more would be better), seemed all right.

I do not have any experience with 3D printing, so the design would have had to work without a case.

 

my idea for now is to just use ribbon cable to connect the two boards together, so that the top board can move freely. Then I was going to glue the top board into the top case (red showing glue but the glue would be in the inside )



that way as you plug the connector in the top pcb can still move down a little as the metal clips push on the top case. Not sure if it going to work we will see (pcb are in the post that was quick !).

 

Should work as long as the two PCBs are parallel to each other and they fit snugly against the female side.

 

uploaded the BOM for v3 onto my website it includes farnell part numbers coming out just over £6 (not including the FPGA). heres a pic of v3 welded into my cube.

 

Awesome work! A quick question about the JP1 you have on you BOM, where exactly is it on the board? and do you populate it or not? I see a rectangle to the left of R4 so I'm assuming that is it.

I also made a parts list to buy from Digikey and all parts come to $16, of course the SMD 0805 resistors and caps can be gotten cheaper on TaydaElectronics.com or ebay or wherever.
http://www.digikey.com/short/330rd5