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RetroStone – Update 24 – Modding RetroStone tutorials

Hey guys,

Friday evening I tried to make video tutorial on how to add the optional buttons and the joystick. As it was the first time I was doing so it results in horrible video rushes where I keep hesitating, doing things wrong, doing them again, being out of focus, being out of battery and so on…

Anyway the rushes are total rubish so I can’t use them to make a video tutorial. However I could use screenshots from them to make a step by step tutorial that I just uploaded on the website :

https://www.8bcraft.com/modding-retrostone/

I have tested buttons already and they work OK. Joystick has not been tested yet. I wrote a driver that should be working and I’ll be testing it later.

Some pictures of the modded RetroStone and some pictures from the tutorial :

Have a good day

Pierre

PS : it’s the last 3 days on Kickstarter for the revised version of Raspiboy, don’t miss the clear case edition 🙂

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/583173617/raspiboy-revised-retrogame-console-electronic-kit

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RetroStone – Update 23 – Assembly and test pictures

Hey guys,

So today we have some pictures from the assembly line and test procedures. Also I have been discussing the timeline with the factory and there will be a slight delay : we should have started to ship today and PCB test took us more time than anticipated.

After discussing the matter with the partner factory it needs few more days for different reasons :

– test of PCB and assembly is taking more time than anticipated

– The pulp molded part will be received only friday.

So it will be as follow :

– First ~450 clear blue RetroStones will be ready and shipped the 28th

– Then the grey will follow and should ship from the 30th, then all units should be shipped in about 1 week.

Then shipping will take about 15-24 days depending on your country/custom service/luck. Very sorry about this additional delay..

So now about production pictures! Here is the PCB test jigg first. It is used to test the PCB one by one.

Then on the assembly line :

Back buttons step :

Connecting the LCD :

Closing the case :

Final steps :

Run/Burn test : testing all the units for about 30 minutes to make sure there is no problem on the board (shortcut, power problems…)

Also the pulp mold is finished on last friday, the parts should arrive end of week.

Have a good day,

Pierre

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RetroStone – Update 21 – Last chance to confirm your delivery address!

Hey guys!

Production is going well, PCB have been assembled, we have already about 500 PCB that are tested OK.

Full injected cases production is to arrive today so final assembly can start soon.

The pulp molded blister mold should be ready this week, first sample should be on the 12th.

Boxes and manuals are being printed now

So overall it’s going well! So that brings us to todays topic : we need to confirm the backer shipping list, so I will soon lock the shipping address (you won’t be able to modify anymore on Kickstarter). So make sure you updated it if you need to! Or to fill the survey if you have not yet! To change the address on Kickstarter backer here’s a tuto how https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfRCAZ2ZGFE

That’s it for today guys, have a good day!

Pierre

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RetroStone – Update 20 – Somes pictures and update

Hey guys,

Just a quick update with some pictures and news!

The PCB assembly started, here are some pictures :

The panel of 2 PCB that goes in assembly line :

The whole assembly line picture

AOI check :

Solder paste machine :

Solder paste machine 
Solder paste machine

After first side SMT process :

And some components arrived :

Batteries :

 

That’s a lot of batteries!!

LCD in they bulk pack.

The L/R button PCB.

The L/R button PCB wires

 

So overall we are still on schedule to start shipping the 23rd of July! Hope it runs smoothly 🙂

Also about Retrorangepi I got news from the developper, he told me he should be able to build a retrorangepi RetroStone image soon! In which he made some nice adjustments, such as preinstalling the GPIO buttons.

That’s it for today!

Have a good day,

Pierre

PS: Raspiboy rev1.3 is on Kickstarter, here’s the link that I forgot in last update :

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/583173617/raspiboy-revised-retrogame-console-electronic-kit

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RetroStone – Update 19 – Meanwhile Raspiboy rev 1.3 on Kickstarter

Hey guys,

Just a quick update to let you know that while RetroStones are being manufactured (everything still on last schedule, not much new to repport), I just launched a small Kickstarter campaign for the release of the rev 1.3 of Raspiboy.

 

 

For the occasion I just released a limited edition clear purple case! I think it looks really neat! 🙂

I think it will probably be the last rev for Raspiboy and I might disrupt it afterwards to focus on RetroStone !

Have a good day,

Pierre

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RetroStone – Update 18 – Some news and pictures

Hey guys,

Just a quick update today to let you know that production is still on schedule!

 

I received the boxes samples and the clear blue case sample. So here are some pictures of them!

 

The plastic blister should be replaced by a cardboard formed, not 100% confirmed yet as I’m waiting for supplier feedbacks.

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RetroStone – Update 17 – Limited edition and packaging pictures

Hey guys,

I just received pictures of an assembled clear blue RetroStone, and I think it looks really neat 🙂

I had to blur the display because I got picture with copyrighted data on them!

Deep blue

Deep blue left – light blue right

They feedback that the color difference don’t show a lot on pictures but in real life it looks more different.

 

Packaging pictures

We received the first thermoformed blister, it’s transparant and glossy instead of matte and black (or white maybe), but it gives an idea and validate the 3D shape.

They are currently sending to me the clear blue case retrostone + all the packaging samples. So I’ll be able to feel them.

Let me know if you enjoyed the update, and don’t hesitate if you have a comment/questions,

Have a good day,

Pierre

 

 

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RetroStone – Update 16 – Clear blue case sample

Hey guys!

I received the first blue case samples!

Supplier made 2 tones for me, if you want to help choose the one you prefer, light or deep.

If you have comment on the color don’t hesitate I can ask to change still.

 

 

Also I got some more sample pictures :

Box sample from another supplier

 

 

 

Well that’s it for today!

Pierre

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RetroStone – Update 15 – Packing boxe vote

Hey guys!

Meanwhile production is on it’s way I am working on the packaging. I asked samples in different color. You can help me choose the color by voting in comment down below!

There is 5 colors :

– Kraft color – Printed black

– Glossy white color – Printed black

– Glossy black color – Printed white

– Matte white color – Printed black

– Matte black color – Printed white

Personnaly I think glossy color makes it look really cheap, that’s why I asked supplier to make matte color sample. I thought I would show them to you anyway.

Kraft color – Printed black

Glossy white color – Printed black

Glossy black color – Printed white

  

Matte white color – Printed black

Matte black color – Printed white

Inside there will be a thermoformed shapped:

But it’s not ready yet, samples should come next week.

That’s it for today, Leave your color vote down below !

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Retrostone – Update 14 – Production update

Hey guys,

Quite a lot of news for today!

First 40 pieces of PCB are assembled

As you can see some changes has been done on the new layout, there’s the MCP3208 layout if you want to add joystick, also other changes such as a sound filter and video filter that were not implemented on prototype.

Last few days we have been busy setting these up and testing them and the results are as follow :

– TEST OK Qty: 32PCS
– NG (no good) Qty: 8PCS :
  • Ethernet NG: 4PCS
  • Overheating: 2PCS
  • No Display: 2PCS

So well, most of them works which is good as it confirmed there is no mechanical error between PCB and molded parts (ie connector hole at the wrong place or such), and layout probably don’t need changes.

But 20% of boards NOK is kind of a problem! On a production that would be a disaster! So we’ll have to figure out from where those three problems come from and fix them before going for production.

So anyway, we could already build 8 RetroStones that looks definitly awesome! (note that LCD is shinny but that’s because the temporary LCD protector has not been removed on the pictures, usually the LCD should be mat)

 

Note there is a mistake in the buttons, it will be L1 + R1 red, L2 + R2 blue.

We built only 8 so far because we are missing LCD that should arrive soon. Then we can finish to assemble the 32 first units.

Factory is sending 5 of those to me in Paris so I can check if everything is OK and confirm main order. As soon as I got them here I can send one to retrorangepi developpers who will likely prepare a retrostone version of retrorange pi 🙂

Some delays

I have been reviewing the production timeline with factory and I am afraid I have a little bit underestimated the manufacturing time, in particular for the leadtime to order the PCB and the leadtime to assemble. We draw a excel timeline to make it more clear that I share with you below :

 

Which makes a shipping end of July rather than end of June. I am sorry about this delay, we accumulated a bit of small delays, which formed a bigger delay as I underestimated a bit the manufacturing steps.

About assembly process

We are defining the assembly process steps, some optimization have been made and some details :

  • Some insulating foams so that there is no shortcut between PCB and LCD case :

  • some foams on the small PCB too, so there is no shortcut with heatsinks

  •  The speaker cable has been shortened so it’s easier to assemble

Packaging and manual

I also have been working to make a nice packaging and a manual for safety things (yes the small book that no one will read but which is mandatory)

The packaging will look a little bit like this box :

I make the 3D design for the thermoformed PP blister that will look like this :

I still need to make the Box design. I was thinking just a simple natural kraft color box with black printing.

If you want to help here are some topic on which you can help 🙂

  • If some of you are inspired to make a nice box design you can send me your creation at hello@8bcraft.com ! 🙂 The inside dimensions for the box are : 170.7 x 130.7 x 32 mm, so exterior will be a little bigger, but ratio will be the same anyway.
  • If one of you is specialist of cardboard don’t hesitate to give advises on specification to ask to get a neat looking box !
  • Also if someone knows a bit about EAN barcode, or has a company with GS1 membership and can generate a EAN for RetroStone it would be neat.

Last I am working on the incredibily boring task of making a “operation manual” listing all the potential dangers… Yay!

A lot of mumbo-jumbo if you ask me, but it appears it’s mandatory so well! I’m sure lot of you will read it carefully 😉

Pierre