Project Nimrod begins

My first portable home console project, named Project Nimrod, will be a portable NES. More specifically, it will be a portable NOAC (Nintendo-on-a-chip). NOACs are little chips that emulate Nintendo hardware. Because of this, they are much smaller than the original NES motherboard, which makes them great for portable projects.

I dithered a bit when deciding the form factor, and I went with the tried-and-true Datamax, which is a kid's handheld electronic device. It's popular among portable console modders, and I think it will give me plenty of breathing room, which is probably important for my first project.

Here is a list of the parts that I've ordered so far:

• Super Joy III (NOAC with 70+ ROMs loaded inside, plus a 60-pin port for Famicom cartridges)
• Datamax K2360 (to be harvested for the case)
• NES controller (I'd prefer to use the original NES buttons)
• Zenith LCD display (also comes with speakers and controls for brightness/volume)
• 2x 3.7V 5000mAh Li-Po batteries (if I've done my homework right, this is sufficient to power the NOAC and the screen)
• PCB and charger to go with batteries

I have friends who have the tools I'll need (e.g. solder, dremel, probably a hot glue gun), but I know that there's still a lot more stuff I need that I haven't thought of. I figure I'll just go out to my local hardware store or Radio Shack and buy what I'm missing as I need it.

I'm certain that I'll be making lots of mistakes along the way, but I'll be learning, and that's the important part. I will be keeping track of my progress on this blog, and you might even see a video or two posted on YouTube along the way. Hopefully, in X months, I'll have my first portable NES!