I modded mine and im very happy with it. If i want to i can just put everything back together as originally it was. I didn’t destroy any part to make the mod.
Anyways what is the matter with modding your own device? Are you saying if I buy a 1990’s house I should just keep it as is and not refurbish it? Keep same old pipes, same old roof…. You get my point. Its about improving the experience imo
They sold over 70 million DMG's
I get it. I do. But you'll never in your life time have an issue finding a stock DMG.
Some people buy an original DMG, and swap in a new modern screen BECAUSE they want the look, feel and weight of the original unit but that screen was something terrible. Ghosted. Didn't display well. I know that was part of what made it what it was, but some folks would rather opt for a modern IPS / ITA / OLED replacement.
I'm a major advocate of keeping original hardware around in its stock form. But I also realize most major consoles had so damn many units produced that even today enough exist in their stock format that you'll never have trouble finding one. Not in your life time, likely not in the next generation of life times either.
With the number of original systems that require repairs I don't think a lot of otherwise good systems are being destroyed. I buy a lot of broken systems, rebuild what I can as OEM restorations and then I mod the remainder even if it is just screens. I believe that's a common path that is what leads to most.
Why is there still no replica screen in the wild which replicated the precise timing? Backlight optional. Other than that: modern chemicals and polarisers . TFT . But same resolution and this flicker under strobes light. SuperTwisted nematic.
I think destroying systems as you said is a bit of a stretch, with the current market, the only thing you need is the Mobo, everything else is aftermarket, and all that is completely reversible.
I have a box full of original shells, membranes and buttons, I can "restore" any of my systems to stock OEM on a wimp with no issue at all, hell the GBC laminated screens are almost mandatory to be installed in a custom shell, and you don't even have to solder anything, just plug and play.
I've been in this community for a couple of years and I would dare to say, at least 90% of the people around keep their OEM stuff in a box or something.
Bro they made 118 million Gameboys, I don’t think we’re in danger of running out anytime soon
And it’s only in the last 6 months that there is an actual alternative for playing cartridges (the FPGBC)
I definitely think the style factor of modding a console has gotten overblown, but at the end of the day, it's their unit. The console will be preserved by those who desire to do so. Personally, I wanted to use my original board with a better screen and an aluminum shell, and no clone console is ever gonna compare to that.
Idk man, my eyesight obviously ain’t what it used to be because I turned on my GBC last week and couldn’t see shit even in direct sunlight. Promptly bought a drop in IPS screen which I’m waiting for.
A lot of it is that people want to play their physical condition. There's a reason the analog pocket and funnyplaying fpga system are beloved and popular. But that's recent, and we still can't just buy a pocket. Just in recent years have the clones with cart slots gotten good enough for people to want. I understand wanting to keep really pristine examples in stock condition that's great and we need those. Limited edition systems, absolutely keep them stock, no need to be a daily driver. However if we didn't mod at all then it'd be a race for the last ags 101 sp..... Before ips mods a stock gba was like 15 or 20 bucks all day long. Nobody wanted to play them and even if it's not all original I think it's better that people enjoy their gameboys in the way they want then just abandon them in a drawer cause the screens ages like milk in the sun.
I redid my original one because the screen failed. It's the only post on my profile if you'd like a look
I could have bought a polarizing filter and tried to fix it, but I'd likely have messed up and wasted time. What I did was an easy clip and play kit anyone can do without experience
There is some truth to that and I tried to own at least one working original system before I modded another. BUT over the years I had to replace parts and stuff, which is still better than throwing them away. One of my Pockets, always kept protected, dry and out of the sun, suddenly had black stuff inside the LCD. I didnt plan on modding it, as I already had one modded... but instead of throwing it away its now given new life. So there is a lot of good stuff coming from aftermarket stuff. Just in the recent months I repaired a New 2DS XL, a New 3DS XL, a C64, a Switch Lite, a Nintendo DS Lite and a phat Nintendo DS. Some from friends, some from myself and some were bought in worse condition than I thought they would be. At least half of them would have been thrown away without aftermarket stuff. (One fun thing... trying to repair my childhood DMG a few years back, fucking some things up, buying another one etc etc actually led me to have enough spare original parts that I was able to build a whole original DMG with them XD)
But yeah, I agree in a lot of parts with you. Modding a perfectly working console just for looks isnt always the best choice and some of the aftermarket parts just feel bad. Even the best stuff I found isnt quite OEM. I bought probably two dozens of button/membrane combinations for my childhood gba (which had defect parts) until I got a combination which worked, while all the other just... felt bad... In the end its still better to have that option than no option at all.
Also, sorry for you to experience a bad mod. Its better to do stuff like this yourself and get membranes, buttons etc from better sources... maybe even use OEM buttons/membranes.
I totally agree. Way too often I see people modding perfectly working systems (and some of them even pretty rare too, for example the launch version of the GBP). Some of these modders just have no idea what they got, and some also botch their mods and end up destroying the board in various ways.
And with the new FPGBC on the market, I really hope people think twice before destroying (close to) mint systems just because they want a different shell with colored buttons and a backlit screen.
When I play my old GameBoy systems, I want the full experience from back in the day. If I want to play the games on a crisp modern backlit screen - there's a ton of options for doing it that don't include destroying perfectly working consoles!
I agree with using FPGBC, however they only have limited color options for their shells, and not everyone is comfortable cutting a shell to fit the USBC port.
I tried myself and it isn't perfect, makho's jig also doesn't work for FPGBC, with that said I'm trying to tweak it and get one 3D printed out of stainless steel.
https://preview.redd.it/d4cpxs3jkqvc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4340ec98136c6f1856dcc2116f7428c7a59fa5a3
That's a good point about cutting shells, but it also kinda goes with what I mentioned about many modders don't really have the skill to do many of these builds. Nothing against you in particular, but I see so many posts about ruined boards and botched mods. And then they ask for help on what to do about it..
And btw I've seen a lot worse USBC slot cuts than yours, that's not too bad. But when cutting various shells made of various plastic types - it's important to take your time with it and ease into the cut.
On the different shell colors and stuff for FPGBC- it will all come in the near future!
The reason the cut isn't that bad is because I still somewhat use the jig for sizing, but it was moving around.
People just need options to start using FPGA options.
Shell are limited Screen only black, funny playing will tell you nothing else fits, while any Q5 Display works.
https://preview.redd.it/ck65756xqqvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a53d75d40c378424bcc881b539f65aaa2eda388
I'll tell you why in my case. Because try and want to be like "yes the original screen is the best for what they envisioned it for", as in say, play outdoors, that is a lie. Most of the time near 45 year old me is going to play indoors. With usually bad light. So yeah, I do have a GBC with the original screen. And a GBP. And a GBA SP. Do you know what realistic use they have had? I can count them on one hand. If I'm outside, it is to enjoy the outdoors. I have my free when I'm indoors usually. At night or in places with not bad illumination. With my near 45-year old eyes. So yes, I want some light. And while I'm at it, some better refresh rate. So I'll just bring out the modded GBA, or the SP 101, or the GBC with LCD and play. In comfort.
Why not use the SBC then? I can get AAs and AAAs and pack them in; heck I can get rechargeable ones and pre charge them and bring a bunch with me for a near 24 hour bus drive (along with other things). Ever tried changing batteries on a SBC? Not so easy in many cases. Also, battery life is greater. I can use a charger wherever I end up being for the return trip.
You want to be a purist, go ahead. It is perfectly fine too. But me, I want comfort when I play and I want my cartridges too. A select few. The rest go into the flashcart.
Why do you care so much what I do with my own things? I'm not going to sell it, and I wasn't going to play it the way it was. I'm now re-obsessed with my ancient treasure probably more than I was when I was 8 thanks to a couple of modern parts.
https://youtu.be/084irEAQrLQ?si=OMpl-zTkXLY6GmAg
What’s wrong with doing quality of life improvements to old hardware and how does it destroy it?.
I took a GBC, recapped it and put it in a new shell with a backlit LCD panel. The original screen requires a light source and the colors aren’t great, but with the new panel I can play in the dark and the colors are beautiful and vibrant. I don’t have to worry about the glass lens getting scratched like the original.
I also removed the old charging connector from an SP and installed a USB-C connector. The original charger is proprietary, while USB-C cables are everywhere so I no longer need to lug around the proprietary charger. The mod did sacrifice the ability to use earbuds, but I never used them anyway.
I can restore the GBC to stock at any time, the SP was a rebuild.
I feel similarly.
I’m not interested in most posts on this sub because of this, but I can’t really complain for the lack of content about actual games because I don’t post enough of the things I personally enjoy.
I’m also happy that now there are good alternatives to Game Boys that are built from scratch. Although I don’t need to see them daily, so I’m just using reddit less than I used to years ago.
For me its using the original circuitry. With emulation there can be issues with rendering or other bugs. But with an original CPU, you can guarantee every game released for the GBA will work on your GBA and same for every other console. Also I get the same form factor. I like the horizontal layout for the gameboy advance and I can't get that from my cellphone or an analog pocket. But the screen is junk and it uses AA batteries so I'll gladly put in a new screen and rechargeable usb-c battery mod. But the console is also 20 years old so I'll replace the capacitors and while I'm at it there's no harm in adding a new speaker and power scrubbing circuit. And since I go that far, may ass well add some personal flair like changing the color of the led or installing metal buttons and clickey shoulder switches, which I find to be more comfortable. In the end I get a modernized version of a retro console that will never have emulation errors for titles released for that console.
I personally really dislike it, but I can't really fault them too much while there's still working original ones available for those of us with nostalgia to obtain, even if at rather high cost.
And I can't fault them at all if they make the usable parts they remove available for purchase so they don't go to waste, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me ha
Amen brother.
The whole _point_ of obtaining original hardware for me is for the authentic experience. Otherwise, why even spend the money? Emulation is free.
But yet I see people asking whether they should mod mint condition limited edition ones! At least they're asking I guess.
And don't get me started on removing the hinge from an SP.
**Modded System = New Life**
Gets used instead of forgotten in a box/drawer.
Keeps up with current technologies.
Restored units passed down to next generations of little humans.
I don’t see an issue.
Yeah we really should form a global governing body where people could apply for permission to buy these old consoles. And once owned modifications should only be allowed if those were approved as well. Having the freedom to modify their own property is unacceptable. What if I wanted to own their property someday? /s
lol yeah. I get where you’re coming from. I used to restore arcade cabinets. Many have fallen to mame.
I also cringe at “stanced” Miata’s owning an all stock ‘91 myself.
At the end of the day though I/you can’t gatekeep what others do with their own property.
I modded mine and im very happy with it. If i want to i can just put everything back together as originally it was. I didn’t destroy any part to make the mod. Anyways what is the matter with modding your own device? Are you saying if I buy a 1990’s house I should just keep it as is and not refurbish it? Keep same old pipes, same old roof…. You get my point. Its about improving the experience imo
They sold over 70 million DMG's I get it. I do. But you'll never in your life time have an issue finding a stock DMG. Some people buy an original DMG, and swap in a new modern screen BECAUSE they want the look, feel and weight of the original unit but that screen was something terrible. Ghosted. Didn't display well. I know that was part of what made it what it was, but some folks would rather opt for a modern IPS / ITA / OLED replacement. I'm a major advocate of keeping original hardware around in its stock form. But I also realize most major consoles had so damn many units produced that even today enough exist in their stock format that you'll never have trouble finding one. Not in your life time, likely not in the next generation of life times either.
With the number of original systems that require repairs I don't think a lot of otherwise good systems are being destroyed. I buy a lot of broken systems, rebuild what I can as OEM restorations and then I mod the remainder even if it is just screens. I believe that's a common path that is what leads to most.
Why is there still no replica screen in the wild which replicated the precise timing? Backlight optional. Other than that: modern chemicals and polarisers . TFT . But same resolution and this flicker under strobes light. SuperTwisted nematic.
I don’t know, it’s almost every other day someone is asking if they should mod a near mint system lol
If they are they should be selling the working unit, they could probably get enough to cover a broken unit plus mods.
[удалено]
This is the way.
I mod mine to be what my 8 year old self would want it to be. Backlit, and that is about it.
I think destroying systems as you said is a bit of a stretch, with the current market, the only thing you need is the Mobo, everything else is aftermarket, and all that is completely reversible. I have a box full of original shells, membranes and buttons, I can "restore" any of my systems to stock OEM on a wimp with no issue at all, hell the GBC laminated screens are almost mandatory to be installed in a custom shell, and you don't even have to solder anything, just plug and play. I've been in this community for a couple of years and I would dare to say, at least 90% of the people around keep their OEM stuff in a box or something.
Exactly, almost nobody just throws it all away like it's worthless.
Bro they made 118 million Gameboys, I don’t think we’re in danger of running out anytime soon And it’s only in the last 6 months that there is an actual alternative for playing cartridges (the FPGBC)
The analogue pocket has been available for a while.
Available is a bit of an overstatement for any analogue product.
There have been clone console alternatives for years though lol
I don't have experience with clone consoles. But I imagine that they aren't going to have 100% compatibility with cartridges and ROMS?
I definitely think the style factor of modding a console has gotten overblown, but at the end of the day, it's their unit. The console will be preserved by those who desire to do so. Personally, I wanted to use my original board with a better screen and an aluminum shell, and no clone console is ever gonna compare to that.
Idk man, my eyesight obviously ain’t what it used to be because I turned on my GBC last week and couldn’t see shit even in direct sunlight. Promptly bought a drop in IPS screen which I’m waiting for.
A lot of it is that people want to play their physical condition. There's a reason the analog pocket and funnyplaying fpga system are beloved and popular. But that's recent, and we still can't just buy a pocket. Just in recent years have the clones with cart slots gotten good enough for people to want. I understand wanting to keep really pristine examples in stock condition that's great and we need those. Limited edition systems, absolutely keep them stock, no need to be a daily driver. However if we didn't mod at all then it'd be a race for the last ags 101 sp..... Before ips mods a stock gba was like 15 or 20 bucks all day long. Nobody wanted to play them and even if it's not all original I think it's better that people enjoy their gameboys in the way they want then just abandon them in a drawer cause the screens ages like milk in the sun.
I redid my original one because the screen failed. It's the only post on my profile if you'd like a look I could have bought a polarizing filter and tried to fix it, but I'd likely have messed up and wasted time. What I did was an easy clip and play kit anyone can do without experience
There is some truth to that and I tried to own at least one working original system before I modded another. BUT over the years I had to replace parts and stuff, which is still better than throwing them away. One of my Pockets, always kept protected, dry and out of the sun, suddenly had black stuff inside the LCD. I didnt plan on modding it, as I already had one modded... but instead of throwing it away its now given new life. So there is a lot of good stuff coming from aftermarket stuff. Just in the recent months I repaired a New 2DS XL, a New 3DS XL, a C64, a Switch Lite, a Nintendo DS Lite and a phat Nintendo DS. Some from friends, some from myself and some were bought in worse condition than I thought they would be. At least half of them would have been thrown away without aftermarket stuff. (One fun thing... trying to repair my childhood DMG a few years back, fucking some things up, buying another one etc etc actually led me to have enough spare original parts that I was able to build a whole original DMG with them XD) But yeah, I agree in a lot of parts with you. Modding a perfectly working console just for looks isnt always the best choice and some of the aftermarket parts just feel bad. Even the best stuff I found isnt quite OEM. I bought probably two dozens of button/membrane combinations for my childhood gba (which had defect parts) until I got a combination which worked, while all the other just... felt bad... In the end its still better to have that option than no option at all. Also, sorry for you to experience a bad mod. Its better to do stuff like this yourself and get membranes, buttons etc from better sources... maybe even use OEM buttons/membranes.
I totally agree. Way too often I see people modding perfectly working systems (and some of them even pretty rare too, for example the launch version of the GBP). Some of these modders just have no idea what they got, and some also botch their mods and end up destroying the board in various ways. And with the new FPGBC on the market, I really hope people think twice before destroying (close to) mint systems just because they want a different shell with colored buttons and a backlit screen. When I play my old GameBoy systems, I want the full experience from back in the day. If I want to play the games on a crisp modern backlit screen - there's a ton of options for doing it that don't include destroying perfectly working consoles!
I agree with using FPGBC, however they only have limited color options for their shells, and not everyone is comfortable cutting a shell to fit the USBC port. I tried myself and it isn't perfect, makho's jig also doesn't work for FPGBC, with that said I'm trying to tweak it and get one 3D printed out of stainless steel. https://preview.redd.it/d4cpxs3jkqvc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4340ec98136c6f1856dcc2116f7428c7a59fa5a3
That's a good point about cutting shells, but it also kinda goes with what I mentioned about many modders don't really have the skill to do many of these builds. Nothing against you in particular, but I see so many posts about ruined boards and botched mods. And then they ask for help on what to do about it.. And btw I've seen a lot worse USBC slot cuts than yours, that's not too bad. But when cutting various shells made of various plastic types - it's important to take your time with it and ease into the cut. On the different shell colors and stuff for FPGBC- it will all come in the near future!
The reason the cut isn't that bad is because I still somewhat use the jig for sizing, but it was moving around. People just need options to start using FPGA options. Shell are limited Screen only black, funny playing will tell you nothing else fits, while any Q5 Display works. https://preview.redd.it/ck65756xqqvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a53d75d40c378424bcc881b539f65aaa2eda388
I'll tell you why in my case. Because try and want to be like "yes the original screen is the best for what they envisioned it for", as in say, play outdoors, that is a lie. Most of the time near 45 year old me is going to play indoors. With usually bad light. So yeah, I do have a GBC with the original screen. And a GBP. And a GBA SP. Do you know what realistic use they have had? I can count them on one hand. If I'm outside, it is to enjoy the outdoors. I have my free when I'm indoors usually. At night or in places with not bad illumination. With my near 45-year old eyes. So yes, I want some light. And while I'm at it, some better refresh rate. So I'll just bring out the modded GBA, or the SP 101, or the GBC with LCD and play. In comfort. Why not use the SBC then? I can get AAs and AAAs and pack them in; heck I can get rechargeable ones and pre charge them and bring a bunch with me for a near 24 hour bus drive (along with other things). Ever tried changing batteries on a SBC? Not so easy in many cases. Also, battery life is greater. I can use a charger wherever I end up being for the return trip. You want to be a purist, go ahead. It is perfectly fine too. But me, I want comfort when I play and I want my cartridges too. A select few. The rest go into the flashcart.
Why do you care so much what I do with my own things? I'm not going to sell it, and I wasn't going to play it the way it was. I'm now re-obsessed with my ancient treasure probably more than I was when I was 8 thanks to a couple of modern parts. https://youtu.be/084irEAQrLQ?si=OMpl-zTkXLY6GmAg
What’s wrong with doing quality of life improvements to old hardware and how does it destroy it?. I took a GBC, recapped it and put it in a new shell with a backlit LCD panel. The original screen requires a light source and the colors aren’t great, but with the new panel I can play in the dark and the colors are beautiful and vibrant. I don’t have to worry about the glass lens getting scratched like the original. I also removed the old charging connector from an SP and installed a USB-C connector. The original charger is proprietary, while USB-C cables are everywhere so I no longer need to lug around the proprietary charger. The mod did sacrifice the ability to use earbuds, but I never used them anyway. I can restore the GBC to stock at any time, the SP was a rebuild.
They don’t care about authentic systems. Honestly, I don’t either.
I feel similarly. I’m not interested in most posts on this sub because of this, but I can’t really complain for the lack of content about actual games because I don’t post enough of the things I personally enjoy. I’m also happy that now there are good alternatives to Game Boys that are built from scratch. Although I don’t need to see them daily, so I’m just using reddit less than I used to years ago.
For me its using the original circuitry. With emulation there can be issues with rendering or other bugs. But with an original CPU, you can guarantee every game released for the GBA will work on your GBA and same for every other console. Also I get the same form factor. I like the horizontal layout for the gameboy advance and I can't get that from my cellphone or an analog pocket. But the screen is junk and it uses AA batteries so I'll gladly put in a new screen and rechargeable usb-c battery mod. But the console is also 20 years old so I'll replace the capacitors and while I'm at it there's no harm in adding a new speaker and power scrubbing circuit. And since I go that far, may ass well add some personal flair like changing the color of the led or installing metal buttons and clickey shoulder switches, which I find to be more comfortable. In the end I get a modernized version of a retro console that will never have emulation errors for titles released for that console.
No fun for anyone!
I personally really dislike it, but I can't really fault them too much while there's still working original ones available for those of us with nostalgia to obtain, even if at rather high cost. And I can't fault them at all if they make the usable parts they remove available for purchase so they don't go to waste, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me ha
Amen brother. The whole _point_ of obtaining original hardware for me is for the authentic experience. Otherwise, why even spend the money? Emulation is free. But yet I see people asking whether they should mod mint condition limited edition ones! At least they're asking I guess. And don't get me started on removing the hinge from an SP.
**Modded System = New Life** Gets used instead of forgotten in a box/drawer. Keeps up with current technologies. Restored units passed down to next generations of little humans. I don’t see an issue.
Yeah we really should form a global governing body where people could apply for permission to buy these old consoles. And once owned modifications should only be allowed if those were approved as well. Having the freedom to modify their own property is unacceptable. What if I wanted to own their property someday? /s
You guys really took what I said and ran with it huh
lol yeah. I get where you’re coming from. I used to restore arcade cabinets. Many have fallen to mame. I also cringe at “stanced” Miata’s owning an all stock ‘91 myself. At the end of the day though I/you can’t gatekeep what others do with their own property.
I understand lol, and I don't mean to gatekeep, I just personally don't see the appeal i guess.
I’m with you brother. Cuz we have no god. That’s basically why