As you are no doubt aware, we enjoy quality retro mods here at Nintendo Life - we may love our decades-old gaming gadgets, but sometimes improved screens, batteries and inputs are very welcome indeed. We particularly like the example above, then, of the 'Ultimate Solar Powered Game Boy Pocket'.
That video is a lengthy one that goes over the concept, build and then potential improvements, produced by The Houston Museum of Natural Science. It's an excellent watch, as the producer has a genuine love for the hardware and the idea of modding it in a unique way.
The solar panel is part of wider improvements, namely a superior screen and an up-to-date rechargable battery. The solar panel allows for trickle charging in natural light; this doesn't have to be outside in the blazing sun, it should be noted. Whenever you want to play the system is, theoretically, good to go.
It's well worth finding a cozy seat and nice beverage for a watch, and at the end there's even a section outlining potential improvements for those that fancy giving it a try.
[source youtube.com, via hmns.org, gizmodo.com]
Comments 10
hot dang! perfect for playing Boktai!
This made me think about solar panels on the Switch. OK, I'm no engineer, but:
According to Source 1, the Switch has a power consumption of 16W discharged with Joy-Cons. This Quora post (source 2) says calculator solar panels provide a power of 1300W/m2 in sunlight. Let's go with half of that to account for decent light, but not direct sunlight, so 650W/m2. On the top of the Switch, from my measurements, there's a 0.7cmx3cm rectangle between the volume and the air out bit (this seemed like the most natural place for a solar panel, seeing as the top of the console is most likely to get the light). That's an area of 0.7x3x10^-4=2.1x10^-4 m^2. That area gives a power output of 2.1x10^-4 x 650 =0.1365W. Making the Switch consume a relative power of 15.9W. Which is basically the same as before.
Suppose we wanted to improve the Switch to effectively use half its current power; we'd need these solar panels to give a power of 8W. Then the area we need is 8W/650W m^-2 = 0.012m^2=123cm^2. The Switch screen has an area of 7.8x13.6=106cm^2. So you'd need more than the area of the Switch screen of solar panels in order to extend the Switch's battery by 50%. So yeah, at that point, I guess there's no reason to include solar on the Switch.
Source 1 - https://www.anandtech.com/show/11181/a-look-at-nintendo-switch-power-consumption/2
Source 2 - https://www.quora.com/unanswered/How-can-I-charge-a-solar-powered-calculator. Both accessed 12:15 UK time on 11/8/21.
@stinky_t make the switch into an exercise bike where you generate the electricity like a hamster on a wheel
@MJF we'll make Beedle proud
@CharlieGirl Wow that’s a blast from the past, what an under-appreciated game.
Gamegear version needs a panel the size of a football field.
Why a Pocket? I would rather use an IPS modded GBA. That way you can play almost any game from GB through GBA.
@stinky_t It would be a slow charge just using a panel the size of the back of the Switch. I've got solar panels and electric power supplies (batteries with AC and USB plugs) and have enjoyed playing my Switch with solar energy. I can plug in my TV, router, and Switch and play for hours on solar power. It's pretty neat!
@Heavyarms55 Probably because a Gameboy pocket has a much lower energy consumption rate than a GBA.
@link3710 But that shouldn't matter. He isn't running it on the solar power, he's charging the battery with it. The battery is where the actual power comes from.
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