Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the Arduinoboy Kit Test 4:

Assembly Guide from Xiwi Electronics. Do you really have an enclosure ready for
This guide will help you on your quest to this thing? Can you wake up in the morn-
assemble the all powerful Arduinoboy. ing, look yourself in the mirror, and say “I
Upon completion, you’ll be able to use have an enclosure ready to go?”
the device to interface MIDI information
with your Gameboy! This is the most crucial test! This kit was
designed to be incredibly small and as
But, are your electronic skills good cheap as I could afford so that hobbyists
enough? will be able to house it in interesting
locations.
Test 1:
If you don’t know what an Arduinoboy is, Making enclosures requires skill,
that’s a bad sign, but all hope is not lost! patience, proper tools, and hardware.
Refer to the back of this manual for a This manual contains drill guides to
great list of links that will lead you the mount the hardware perfectly. If you’re
original Google Code webpage, killer unsure of how you’ll be able to make your
videos of completed Arduinoboys, forum own enclosure, DON’T BUY THIS KIT!
threads, and maybe a few other nifty
locations on the Internet! I am currently hard at work at creating
another guide for mounting this kit in the
Test 2: battery compartment of a DMG Game-
You’ll need the following items. boy. To you who don’t have enclosures,
keep your eyes peeled for that!
- Soldering Iron
- Solder Conclusion:
- Wire
- Wire Stripper ADVANCED BUILDERS ONLY!
- Helpy Hands (recommended)
- Multimeter (recommended) Did you pass all the tests? Great! Let’s
- Desoldering wick (just in case) start building. You’ll notice some of the
- Enclosure to house the AB instructions are a bit on the vague side,
that’s because I’ve made the assumption
Test 3: you know what you’re doing.
You’ll need to have mastered basic elec-
tronics assembly skills. This kit may look Additionally, I’ve published a real-time
appealing to beginners due to the small video series on my YouTube channel of
size of the PCB, but believe me, there is a me constructing this very same kit! You
serious amount of wiring work involved. can watch it if you have questions about
Please keep in mind, that I’m just ONE anything.
guy putting all of this together. Please
don’t email me with questions unless you http://tiny.cc/rkt7xw
think the kit is defective.
GOOD LUCK!
Arduinoboy Kit Contents
The Brain Bag The Hardware Bag
1 - Arduinoboy PCB 1 - 6-pin DIN Plug
1 - Pre-programmed ATMEGA328 Chip 1 - 6-pin DIN Jack
1 - 6N138 Opto Isolator 2 - MIDI Jacks
1 - 28-pin IC Socket 1 - 2.1mm Power Jack
1 - 8-pin IC Socket 1 - Pushbutton
1 - 16 Mhz Quartz Crystal 4 - 1/4” 4-40 Machine Screws
6 - 1/2” 4-40 Machine Screws
6 - 4-40 Hex Nuts
The Component Bag 2 - 1/2” Plastic Hexagonal Standoffs
1 - 78L05 Voltage Regulator 1 - Original Gameboy/GBC/GBP Link Cable
1 - 1N914 Diode
1 - 1uF Capacitor
2 - 22pF Capacitor
1 - 4.7K Ohm Resistor
1 - 270 Ohm Resistor
2 - 220 Ohm Resistor
1 - 2K Ohm Resistor
6 - LEDs (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, or Blue)
6 - 3mm of 5mm LED Holders
6 - LED Resistors based on your chosen color...
5mm LEDS 3mm LEDs
Red 1K Ohm Red 2.2K Ohm
Orange 270 Ohm Orange 270 Ohm
Yellow 150 Ohm Yellow 470 Ohm
Green 270 Ohm Green 150 Ohm
Blue 2.2K Ohm Blue 1K Ohm

Resistor Guide
4.7K Ohm 1K Ohm

270 Ohm 150 Ohm

220 Ohm 2.2K Ohm

2K Ohm 470 Ohm

 PCB Overview

Note: This PCB uses a ground plane

Assembled PCB
GB Link Cable
6N138

MIDI Out
ATMEGA328

MIDI In
Push Button

Status LED
LSDJ as MIDI Slave Sync
Any Voltage
LSDJ as MIDI Master Sync
5v - 12v
LSDJ PC Keyboard
MIDI to Nanoloop
mGB
 Schematic

8 + 22

7 + 20

2
3
4
5
6
8 + 22

23
24 14
25 15
8 + 22 16
8 + 22 17
18
19
7 + 20

Note: The pin mapping has been changed to reflect the pins of the ATMEGA chip.
Let’s Build This Thing... Depending on your enclosure, you’ll find
the best order to do this in.
Populate the PCB
You’re going to want to add the compo- 1. 6-Pin DIN Jack
nents in the following order to save This diagram shows you how to connect
yourself trouble. the points from the PCB to the jack. This
is the part that you’ll be plugging your
1. Resistors + 16 Mhz Crystal Gameboy into!
2. Diode
3. IC Sockets Back of 6-PIN JACK
4. Capacitors
5. 78L05 Voltage Regulator
Only if you’re using
However, there is one little problem. I put TR TL a GB cable that can
some of the solder points, super close to supply +5v power.
other points that they aren’t directly
More on this in the
connected to! TC BR
links section of
BL this manual
To prevent any kind of mishaps, bend the
resistor leads away from the ATMEGA
solder points in the same direction. I built If you’re crazy good and doing something
15 Arduinoboys this way and didn’t have custom with the link cable, you might end
a problem. If you’re confused by this at up ignoring this part. You’re basically, just
all, check out the YouTube vid. making an interconnect to conveniently
plug and unplug your Gameboy.
http://tiny.cc/2du7xw
2. 2.1mm Power Jack
When you’re done soldering all the parts This diagram assumes you’ll be using a
into place, DON’T INSERT THE CHIPS! 5-15v power supply that has a center
positive pin. Check the power supply you
It’s good practice to do this at the very intend to use for this symbol.
end. You’ll still be soldering wires that
connect directly to the ATMEGA and
6n138 and if you’re terrible with an iron,
you could damage the chips! If this is the same symbol that appears on
your power supply, use this connection
Wire-up the Jacks and LEDS layout.
This part requires a great deal of your Back of POWER JACK
attention as it’s very easy to make a
mistake and wire the wrong part of a jack
to the PCB. It’s unlikely you’d damage the 9V
circuit, but it definitely won’t function.
Here’s a link to the video that covers this
part of assembly. GND
If the negative symbol connects to the
http://tiny.cc/rgu7xw black dot, swap this pin mapping
We Building This Thing... 6. LEDs
The LEDs portion is going to require some
3. MIDI In and Out Jacks real craft. Wire each LED annode to one
There are two points on the PCB labeled 4 of the corresponding 1-6 holes on the
and 5. Take note that the 4 and 5 group is PCB. Take note that LEDs are polarized
for MIDI In and the 4, 5, and 2 group is for and that it’s the longer lead you’ll want to
MIDI Out. These numbers correspond to a connect to the numbered points.
completely draconian pin mapping for
5-pin DIN jacks, that I’ve finally commit- Top of LED
ted to memory, but won’t ruin your day
with.
Back of Back of 1-6 GND
MIDI IN JACK MIDI OUT JACK

GND
1-6
Here’s where the tricky part comes in.
4 5 4 5 You’re going to want to solder all of the
2 LEDs GND leads together. This can be a bit
tricky, but is so incredibly satisfying when
You don’t have to use both MIDI In and pulled off. Once the LEDs are all
Out. If you’re planning on just using mGB, grounded, connect a wire from the GND
don’t even bother wiring up the MIDI Out point just above the 1-6 points on the
unless you want to experiment later. I’d PCB.
love to see some customized Arduinoboys
out there! Use a heat sink when soldering, especially
with 3mm LEDs. It’s also easier to connect
5. Push Button the wire to the annode before it’s
The push button looks cool, but is the mounted to the case.
most sensitive part of the kit aside from
the LEDs. DO NOT APPLY TOO MUCH 7. Link Cable
HEAT TO IT. The metal will melt the plastic There’s a bunch of information concern-
and cause the switch to malfunction. ing the link cable, especially for anyone
Additionally, don’t ever grab the leads looking to make their own or alter the
with pliers or attempt to bend them. one that accompanies the kit. You’ll find
all that information on the following
page.
Back of
PB1 PUSH BUTTON Here’s a link to the YouTube video that
covers the Link Cable construction.
PB2
(Connection orientation
doesn’t matter ) http://tiny.cc/mqu7xw
The Link Cable... White Tape
General Link Cable Info
TL TC TR
The first thing to know is that all link
cables aren’t created equal. Some cables
come with an additional contact that

DMG
allows for 5v from the GB to power the
Arduinoboy. The cable in this kit is NOT
one of those cables. Your completed AB
BL BC BR
will require power from an external
source.
TL TC TR
If you’d like to make your own cable that
has a 5v contact on it then you’ll probably

Pocket
GBC
want to pick up a DMG multi-tap or a GBA
cable. I’ll be publishing a video shortly.

The next thing to know is that the link BL BC BR

cable crosses over two of its points. This TL - Top Left BL - Bottom Left
means that one side of the cable is differ- TC - Top Center BC - Bottom Center
ent from the other. There are two kinds of TR - Top Right BR - Bottom Right
cables that you can receive with this kit.
Creating the Link Cable with DIN Plug
One with a white stripe and another
Rember wiring up the 6-pin DIN Jack?
without one. I’ve taken the trouble of
Well each one of those points corre-
mapping out the pins using a multi meter
sponds to the Link Cable you’re building
so you don’t have to!
right now. If you followed the last
diagram and follow this one exactly as
Pin Mapping of Link Cable
they’re documented here, you won’t have
any problem at all!
No Tape
SUPER IMPORTANT: Put the black plastic
TL TC TR
jacket on the cable BEFORE soldering the
pins to the back of the DIN plug!
DMG

NO TAPE WHITE STRIPE

LINK CABLE LINK CABLE
BL BC BR
Back of 6-PIN PLUG Back of 6-PIN PLUG

TL TC TR
Pocket
GBC

BL BC BR
The Link Cable...
Ditching the DIN Jack All Together
The following diagram is for those who
would like to attach their link cable
directly to the PCB. I don’t recommend
this unless you have a good solution for
strain relief.

NO TAPE
LINK CABLE

WHITE TAPE
LINK CABLE

FINISHED!
At this point you should have everything
wired up to the AB PCB. Insert the
ATMEGA328 and 6N138 chips. Plug in
your power supply and look for the a
quick pattern from the LEDs.

If it doesn’t light up, unplug it right away!

Check your board for shorts. Check the
LEDs were wired properly, Check to make
sure the power was connected propperly.
Check to see the chip was inserted all the
way into the IC socket. You know, the
normal trouble shooting stuff.
Drill Guides
I’d highly picking up a stepped drill bit. This one from Jameco worked really well for me.
http://www.jameco.com/1/1/26307-thr-020-high-speed-step-drill-bit-made-100-steel-tools.html

Remeber, always use a center punch before drilling holes. It will make your life so much easier!

There’s a file in the Arduinoboy Documentation folder on dropbox where you downloaded this
guide from that contains an illustrator file with all of these components. Use it to generate your
own layout

MIDI In, Out, and DIN Jacks

5mm LEDs

1/4”

3mm LEDs

11/64”
5/8”

3/16”
Push Button

2.1mm Power Jack

5/8”

ALWAYS DRILL TEST HOLES! MAKE SURE

THE COMPONENTS FIT BEFORE DRILLING
YOUR FINAL ENCLOSURE! 5/16”
Resources
Main Arduinoboy Site
https://code.google.com/p/arduinoboy/

Arduinoboy Instructable
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-an-ArduinoBoy/

Super Cool Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCOts5U0Og8

Another Neat Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgUbqlOvgpQ

Please send me links of other sites you think should be included in this list. THANKS!