Portable Led Game System

This is a really easy to do video game system with a LED screen.
I made it trying to keep it as tiny and cheap as possible.
It uses only one IC, a PIC16F628A and 9 bipolar transistors, has 4 buttons for control and a swich for turning it off.
It also has a tiny speaker for making some sounds.
The power is given by four ni-mh batteries, and the consume is so reduced and you will keep them charged for a long time.

Games: So far I have only programed three games but I gonna do more in the near future (see steps 9,10,11 and 12  for more info about the games).

I hope you like this instructable and make your own portable game system.

Ps: I am from Argentina so let me know for any grammar mistake.

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It just use some electronic components, most of are them recycled.

Transistors: Use 9 transistors BC548 or similar.
Even 2N3904 can be used but their terminals are opposite, very careful when soldering if you choose these ones.

LEDs: they are at the forefront of this project. Only the four lower LEDs are RGB, the rest are common red LEDs.
If the light is different from the LEDs you can diffuse then using a sandpaper.

Switches: try to get good quality switches. I used switches from a monitor for the shoulder buttons and I bought the front ones.

Resistors:
9 - 1k ohm
4 - 220 ohm
4 - 10k ohm
1 - 560 ohm

Capacitors:
1 - 100 uf
1 - 100 nf

Microcontroler: PIC 16F628A

Misc: An on/off switch, a piece of plastic, 8 screws, 8 spacers, 1 piezo transducer (the little speaker that looks like a coin).

To make the control board I used the method of the ironing.
The tracks are thick enough to not have any problem and allow you to use any glossy paper.
The last image will help you locate the components.
Pdf file is ready for printing (don't use the fit to paper option).

The screen board is made in the same way as control board.
Be careful when soldering the bridges linking the columns do not touch the tracks of the rows.
Do not drill the six holes for the columns.

This is the most boring part of the construction process.
Use wires of about 10 centimeters long, if you use shorter wires the second part will be harder, if your wires are too long they won't fit between the two boards.
Follow the guidance of the first two images and you'll be fine.

The speaker is soldered directly on the copper side of using two small wires.
The image will show you how to do it properly.

The case of this proyect tray to keep it cheap and portable.
This is just made from a piece of plastic and some spacers.
First cut and drill the plastic at the size of the control board. Then put four screws and the 3 mm spacers.
Now we have to paste the speaker, I used two sized tape for keeping it firmly pasted to the plastic sheet.
Cover the speaker with electrical tape and insert the control board.
Put the 8 mm spacers, then the screen board and finally the last four screws.

The system is powered by 5 volts.
I use 4 x 1.2 volts my-mh with a battery holder. Consumption is low and the batteries will last for a long time.
You can try any other type of power supply like a 9 volt battery and a 7805, or even use a rechargeable Li-ion battery.

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For programming the pic I used a JDM programmar, which is really cheap and easy to make and the WInPic800 software which is free.
Any game and aplication requires the PIC to be reprogrammed.
The HEX file in this step allows you to test if the screen works well.
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The classic game Simon Says.
This time in a monochrome version.
The aim of the game is to repeat the sequence generated randomly.
You use the two buttons on the front and the two shoulders buttons.
You can reach a maximum sequence of 16 LEDs and then start from 0 again.
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This is a simple application for counting events.
Pressing the left frontal botton we add one.
Pressing the right frontal button we subtract one.
Pressing the top left button sets the account to 0.
The green LED serves as an indicator of on and off.
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