DIYotaku
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Our Projects

Here you'll find a collection of our DIY projects with detailed guides.

Project: Turn Nokia N95 into a Handheld Gaming Console

Nokia N95 Gaming Console Mod

Overview:

This "no-soldering" mod transforms the iconic Nokia N95 into a landscape-oriented gaming handheld using a 3D-printed shell and software remapping.

Materials Needed:

Key Steps:

  1. 3D Printing & Assembly: Print the custom case and buttons. The phone slides into the shell with the screen open to expose the multimedia keys, which act as action buttons.
  2. Screen Orientation: Use Rotate Me to set the display to landscape mode, placing the D-pad on the left and action buttons on the right.
  3. Button Remapping: Use Magic Key to map the multimedia keys to numerical values (Play: 182, Stop: 183, Fast Forward: 184, Rewind: 185) so emulators recognize them.
  4. Gaming: Launch emulators like GPSP (GBA) or vSun (SNES). The N95's hardware accelerator allows it to run Quake 3 Arena and other intensive titles smoothly.

Downloads:

The 3D design files (STL and FreeCAD) are available for free to modify and use.

Link to the Freecad and STL files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

Project: Samsung J7 to HDMI Monitor

Initial Setup & Concept:

Disassembly and Wiring:

Reassembly and Testing:

Project: Nokia E7 to Mini NES Console

Materials You'll Need:

Steps:

  1. Phone Selection and Initial Assessment:
    • Choose a Nokia E7 that has a broken screen but a working mini HDMI port. The goal is to connect it to an external monitor.
    • Verify the phone's functionality:
      • Ensure it powers on.
      • Test its ability to connect to an external HDMI display.
      • Confirm its USB host function works (e.g., by connecting a USB keyboard).
  2. Display Modification for Booting:

    The Nokia E7 requires its original display to be connected, even if broken, to boot properly.

    Carefully extract the necessary components from the broken display:

    • The ribbon cable.
    • The small board containing the menu button. These components are crucial for the phone to boot and allow menu access.

  3. 3D Print the Console Case:
    • Download a 3D model of an NES case (e.g., from Thingiverse).
    • Use 3D modeling software (like Blender) to modify the case:
      • Create cutouts to accommodate the Nokia E7's ports (HDMI, USB).
      • Adjust or close any unnecessary cutouts (e.g., those designed for a Raspberry Pi).
    • Print the modified NES console case using your 3D printer.
  4. Assemble the Console:
    • Assemble the 3D-printed case.
    • Solder custom power and menu buttons to the Nokia E7's internal board.
    • Integrate a USB Type-C port into the console for power.
    • Connect a voltage converter to the USB Type-C port to ensure the correct voltage is supplied to the phone's battery.
  5. Build the NES Controller:
    • Download another 3D model for an NES controller.
    • Print the controller casing.
    • Integrate a USB keyboard chip into the controller.
    • Solder buttons to the USB keyboard chip, mimicking the layout and function of an original NES controller (D-pad, A, B, Start, Select).
  6. Final Assembly and Testing:
    • Connect the completed NES console and controller to an external display.
    • Power on the console and test its functionality by playing NES games (e.g., Super Mario, Contra). Be aware that some lag and flickering might occur during gameplay.

This tutorial provides a general overview based on the video. For detailed instructions on soldering, 3D printing, and specific component placement, you may need to refer to more specialized guides or the original video itself.

Project: Old Android Tablet to Portable HDMI Screen

Portable HDMI screen made from Android tablet connected to Playstation 3

Materials You'll Need:

Steps:

  1. Tablet Selection and Initial Assessment:
    • Choose an old Android tablet that meets the recommended specifications (quad-core CPU, 1GB RAM, Android 8.1, 1280x600 screen resolution).
    • Crucially, ensure the tablet supports USB host functionality, as this will be used to connect the HDMI capture card.
  2. Disassemble the Tablet:
    • Carefully open the tablet's casing. The goal is to identify internal space where the HDMI capture card can be integrated.
  3. Modify the Tablet's Casing:
    • Using a Dremel tool, carefully remove plastic from the tablet's internal casing to create sufficient space for the HDMI capture card.
    • Create a precise cutout on the back cover of the tablet for the HDMI port of the capture card, ensuring it's accessible from the outside.
  4. Solder Connections to the Motherboard:
    • This is a critical step requiring precision. Refer to the video's detailed schematic for the exact soldering points.
    • Solder connections to the tablet's motherboard for USB power and data. This typically involves connecting:
      • The positive (+) pin.
      • The data pins (data+ and data-).
      • The ground (-) pin.
    • Integrate a switch for the USB host mode. This switch will allow you to toggle the USB host functionality, which is necessary for the HDMI capture card to work.
  5. Assemble the Tablet with Integrated HDMI Capture Card:
    • Carefully place the HDMI capture card into the newly created space within the tablet's casing.
    • Securely connect all the soldered wires from the capture card to the tablet's motherboard.
    • Close the tablet's casing, ensuring all components are properly seated and the HDMI port is accessible through the cutout.
  6. Final Testing:
    • Connect the newly converted portable monitor to a laptop or another device using an HDMI cable.
    • Verify both video and audio output to confirm the successful conversion.

How to Build a Portable iPhone 6 Gaming Console

Materials You'll Need:

Steps:

  1. Disassemble Your Old Setup (if applicable): If you have a previous iteration of an iOS gaming console, carefully remove the iPhone and the existing button board from its 3D-printed case.
  2. Design Your New Non-Invasive Case: Use CAD software to design a new 3D-printed case.
    • Key Design Principle: Ensure the design is non-invasive, allowing the iPhone to be easily inserted and removed without damaging the phone.
    • Focus on creating a secure fit for the iPhone while providing space for the button board.
  3. 3D Print the New Case: Once your design is finalized, 3D print the new case using black filament.
  4. Assemble the New Case with Your iPhone: Carefully place your iPhone 6 into the newly printed case. Verify that the iPhone fits securely and that the case allows access to necessary features like the power button and screen.
  5. Prepare the Button Board: Prepare the components for your new button board. This board should be designed to fit precisely within the updated 3D-printed case.
  6. Solder the Buttons onto the Board: Solder the individual buttons onto the prepared button board. Ensure all connections are secure and correct.
  7. Final Assembly of the Console: Install the completed button board into the designated space within the 3D-printed case. Place the physical buttons into their respective slots on the case, aligning them with the soldered components on the board.
  8. Test Your Gaming Console: Once fully assembled, test your new portable gaming console. Launch various games to ensure all the buttons are functioning correctly and that the overall design provides a comfortable and effective gaming experience.

Link to the Freecad and STL files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

How to Build a Mini Pocket Computer from Broken HTC Touch Pro/Diamond Phones

Materials You'll Need:

Steps:

  1. Assess Your Donor Phones [00:01:12 - 00:06:28]:
    • Identify your HTC Touch Pro unit. This will be the "brain" of your mini computer, providing the motherboard and physical keyboard. Ensure its main functions (apart from the screen) are operational.
    • Identify your HTC Touch Diamond unit. This will be the "display" donor. Ensure its screen and especially its touchscreen are fully functional. The video confirmed identical screen specifications (resistive, 600x480 VGA, 4:3 aspect ratio, 2.8 inches) for both models.
    • Note: The video showed issues with damaged battery pins on one Diamond, so choose a unit where the screen can be safely salvaged.
  2. Perform the Screen and Touchscreen Transplant [00:07:49 - 00:10:11]:
    • Carefully disassemble both the HTC Touch Pro (the receiver) and the HTC Touch Diamond (the donor). Be extremely gentle with ribbon cables.
    • Extract the screen and touchscreen assembly from the HTC Touch Diamond.
    • Carefully install the HTC Touch Diamond screen and touchscreen into the HTC Touch Pro.
    • Reconnect all necessary ribbon cables.
    • Crucial Step: Briefly power on the HTC Touch Pro to test if the transplanted screen boots up and if the touchscreen is responsive. This confirms the successful hardware transplant before proceeding.
  3. Design the Custom 3D-Printed Enclosure [00:10:23 - 00:19:33]:

    Since the HTC Touch Diamond screen might not fit perfectly back into the original HTC Touch Pro casing due to different bezel designs, a new custom enclosure is required.

    Using CAD software, design a new 3D-printed case that accommodates:

    • The HTC Touch Pro motherboard and its sliding QWERTY keyboard.
    • The transplanted HTC Touch Diamond screen.

    The goal is to keep the device in an "open" position to prevent stress on the display's ribbon cable when sliding out the keyboard.

    Measure all components precisely to ensure a snug fit.

    Tip: The video creator initially missed a hole for the power button, so ensure all necessary ports and buttons are accounted for in your design.

  4. 3D Print and Assemble the Enclosure [00:19:33 - 00:22:57]:
    • Print your designed case using your 3D printer and desired filament.
    • Once printed, carefully fit all the HTC Touch Pro components (motherboard, screen assembly, keyboard mechanism) into the new 3D-printed case.
    • Drill any necessary holes (e.g., for the power button) that might have been overlooked or require precise placement after printing.
  5. Software Setup and Testing [00:22:57 - 00:38:28]:
    • Insert an SD card loaded with your desired operating systems (e.g., Windows Mobile, or emulators like Palm OS Emulator, Windows 95) and applications.
    • Power on your newly assembled mini pocket computer.
    • Test Emulators and Games:
      • Key Mapping: The video highlighted significant issues with keyboard mapping in emulators (e.g., Age of Empires, Jazz, Palm OS Emulator). Only basic keys like Tab, Shift, Enter, and Backspace were consistently recognized, often requiring extra steps to send key presses. Be prepared to troubleshoot or use the stylus for input where keyboard mapping fails.
      • Performance: Test the performance of various applications. Older operating systems like Palm OS ran relatively well. Windows 95 was functional but very slow.
      • Graphics: Some games (like Quake/Quake II) might produce sound but no image, suggesting potential limitations with the phone's GPU or lack of proper graphics drivers.
      • Troubleshooting: If you encounter persistent keyboard mapping issues, as seen in the video, a full reset of the device or further investigation into custom ROMs/drivers might be necessary.

Link to the STL file: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

Build a round Gaming Console

Materials you'll need:

Steps:

  1. Choose and prepare a smartphone:
    • Select an old HTC smartphone, similar to the one used in the video.
  2. Design and 3D print the case:
    • Create a custom design for a round case that will house the phone's screen and controls.
    • Use a 3D printer to print the case.
  3. Assemble and test the console:
    • Place the phone inside the custom-designed case.
    • Connect the gaming controls.
    • Test the completed console by playing various games and emulators.

The creator of the video tested the console by playing the following:

Link to the STL files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

How to Build a Sony Ericsson Gaming Console

Introduction and Rationale

The goal of this project is to create a dedicated gaming console by repurposing an old Sony Ericsson phone. The creator notes that while some Java phones can run emulators for systems like NES and Game Boy, the performance is often poor. This tutorial focuses on playing the phone's native Java games, which are described as being high-quality and numerous.

Step 1: Obtain a Sony Ericsson phone

The project is built around the Sony Ericsson phone itself. The video does not specify a model, but shows a phone with a portrait-oriented screen.

Step 2: Design the custom console body

Step 3: Assemble the console and test with games

Once the case is printed and the phone is installed, the console is ready for use. The video demonstrates its performance with the following Java games:

Link to the STL files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

How to Build a Windows XP Mini-Laptop from an Android Phone

Introduction

This project transforms an old Android smartphone into a functional mini-laptop running Windows XP. The video uses a Samsung Galaxy S7, but the process can be adapted for other Android devices. The key components are a 3D-printed case and an Android emulator.

Step 1: Gather Materials

Step 2: Design and Print the Custom Case

Step 3: Install and Configure the Emulator

Step 4: Demonstrate Functionality and Use

The video shows the creator testing the completed laptop with several applications:

Link to the freecad files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!

How to Build a QWERTY Keyboard Case for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Introduction and Rationale

The goal of this project is to create a more practical and portable QWERTY keyboard case for the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The new design is a significant improvement over the creator's old, bulky case, which was not suitable for everyday use. The new case is designed to be much thinner and can remain on the phone at all times.

Step 1: Gather the Necessary Materials

Step 2: Design and 3D Print the New Case

Step 3: Assemble the Components

Step 4: Test and Explore Functionality

Link to the STL and freecad files: Download Feel free to use and modify the design as you want!