We feature a large number of game console mods here, because enhancing the experience of using a classic machine often involves some really clever work. But here’s one that’s a bit different, instead of upgrading his Game Boy Advance, [Wenting Zhang] has downgraded it from a colour screen to a monochrome LCD. Take a look at the video below the break.
One might ask why this would be necessary, given that there are plenty of backlit colour LCD upgrades already for the GBA, but perhaps people who played the original might understand that it’s about improving the viewability over the rather poor-quality colour LCD original.
Interesting too is the choice of display controller. Where it might be expected to find an FPGA, instead there’s an PR2040. He goes into detail about its programming, and we hope it might inspire any others looking at screen transplants. Meanwhile if the name [Wenting Zhang] means anything to you, it should be for his other work with mono LCDs.
I’d like to see someone do one of these or even an old Lynx in OLED. Would be something to behold I imagine
s/PR2040/RP2040/
Nice little Freudian slip there.
Since GBA is backward compatible with GB, this improves visibility as stated in the article, from the picture you also get a larger screen. Not sure about battery life, maybe screen consumes less than colour one, but you need an extra driver board. Still good hack for any GB only players.
Is the programmable logic in The RP2040 similar to FPGA?
I’m glad to see people using RP2040 for these crazy hacks.
https://www.cnx-software.com/2021/01/27/a-closer-look-at-raspberry-pi-rp2040-programmable-ios-pio/?amp=1
I guess its not the same thing, but it accomplishes similar things. I assume it can be very power efficient.