GPD Win based bartop, need monitor input from the community.

[tony.silveira]

Hi all,

I just ordered my GPD Win handheld and will be embarking on a bartop build that the GPD will dock into.  I'll have a hard drive in the bartop to hold ISO images when docked.  The GPD itself will have all other games on SD/USB storage so I can game on the road.

Any thoughts on a name for the project?

[sealcouch]

The smarmy part of my brain was gonna just post "GPD Why?"

But honestly I'm pretty interested in seeing where this goes. You could go with a really small form factor with more than enough power for any game you'd want to throw at a bartop.

I'm going with....

GWBT: the GDP Why Bartop 2: Electric Boogaloo

[stigzler]

The WinDock?

[tony.silveira]

Build has begun!  I made a design change that I think you all or going to dig when you see it.

I need community help.  I need either a 25mm or 36mm mini trackball, preferably a US supplier.

I want a trackball on this panel but it needs to be small

[tony.silveira]

Really excited with this build, inspired by my vectrex, the control panel will flip down so you can remove and play.  In addition, small trackball with buttons to be mounted on the small shelf just under the monitor.

The gpd Win plugs into the right side like a vectrex cart.

Making the main panel flip down and on a coiled cord (just like my veccy) will make customs panels / controllers easily plugged in for unique play.  I'm thinking...

buttons only panel for games like asteroids, track and field, etc.

4 way / 2 way only stick games

And so on. 

Sorry for the rough sketch, late at night and didn't feel like taking pics just yet as I only have the console parts cut.  Mini joysticks just arrived, mini buttons on order, I think I found a source for 38mm trackball which I am hoping will fit where intended.  Console build will be first, removable panel will be last, that's where I will be spending most of my time.

Thoughts?

[tony.silveira]

A quick assembly, no glue yet, just pieced together to see. 

[ark_ader]

I would call it the money pit.

[tony.silveira]

Any thoughts on a monitor?

I have two option, I have a small 12" 16x10 that runs at the native resolution of the GPD, 1280x700 (I think that's it).

Or, I can get a 10" 4:3 that runs at 800x600.

Pros: 12" would not require me to change the resolution when I plug it into the bartop
Con: because the screen is wide, 99% of the games would either run stretched to fill in the screen or, it would run letterboxed with black bars on the left/right, making it a smaller image.

Pros: 10" is native format for 99% of games so they would run full screen, making it a bigger picture
Cons: 10" would require me to change the resolution on the GPD every time I plugged it in the bartop.

What do all think?

[ark_ader]

Quick question on your GPD.  How hot does it run?

The reason why I ask is I got a JXD S7300 Android handheld console, and the morons in China only put a thin piece of copper for passive cooling.  After an hour use you can cook eggs and your palms on it.  Just curious if that unit had a similar problem.

Oh and I would go for native resolution.

[tony.silveira]

Quick question on your GPD.  How hot does it run?

It gets pretty warm after a while, not as hot as you mention, certainly it's never been so hot I couldn't hold it.

[burn_654]

I like the design! It caters well to having a couple different joystick/controller designs if you wanted to f.e. make another joystick box for analog games/racing games etc.

Personally, while it might be more work, for the games you are interested in running I would make a batch file on the desktop that would swap some ini/cfg files between 'docked' and 'undocked' settings. That way you could dock the gpd, run your batch file and everything would be changed to be appropriate control-wise and resolution wise for the new setup. Could even have it launch your frontend if you want one. Then have another batch to go back to portable mode. Having more emulators/more games will make that idea more complicated though but it could still be more convenient than changing things on a per emulator basis when you switch.

[tony.silveira]

i don't think i would need to do that.  i only have to set up two control schemes and it should be ok.  MAME for instance allows you to set up many keys for the same command.