Zega Mame Boy Pre-install Checks

Zega Mame Boy Pre-install Checks

Installation of the Zega Mame Boy+ requires soldering to complete the setup. Only attempt if you are confident in your soldering ability. By attempting to complete the setup of the Zega Mame Boy+ you are confirming that you accept responsibility for any issues and / or damages that may arise due to incorrect installation.

Refunds will only be given if no attempt has been made to perform the setup and the kit can be returned in its original state. I can help fix any issues as long as the kit can be returned to me at the buyers expense. Charges will occur for any remedial work carried out and any costs will be confirmed before the work is started. Please contact me with any concerns that you have, or if you would like me to carry out any soldering for you.

STEP 1 - TESTING THE POWER SUPPLY

Connect the charging / audio board to a USB-C power source and toggle the power switch. Ensure the power LED illuminates. You will need to cycle the switch twice to change from power-on to power-off, this is normal.







STEP 2 - CONNECTING THE MAINBOARD

  1. Disconnect the mains power supply
  2. Connect the charging / audio board to the mainboard using the supplied flat ribbon cable.
  3. Connect the power supply. The battery level LEDs on the mainboard should now illuminate meaning the power supply to both the charging / audio board & mainboard is good.




STEP 3 - IMAGE DOWNLOAD

  1. Download the image for your model of Raspberry Pi Zero from the Downloads area of the website
  2. Unzip the file to your computer and burn to an SD card (minimum 8GB)
I would recommend using either Win23DiskImager or Balena Etcher


STEP 4 - PLUG IN THE RASPBERRY PI ZERO / ZERO 2

  1. Ensure all power is disconnected.
  2. Plug the Raspberry Pi into the 40 pin header located on the rear of the Zega Mame Boy mainboard.
  3. Connect the USB-C power supply and power on using the power switch.
  4. On applying power you should first see a white display on the LCD. Ensure you have increased the contrast to full.
  5. First boot can take a little longer . Please allow up to a minute to fully boot.
If all has gone well the Zega Mame Boy will boot to the Retropie home screen


Clean all input pads with isopropyl alcohol prior to testing

STEP 5 - MAINBOARD CHECK

  1. Once Retropie has loaded, check every input pad for correct operation. Use a Gameboy DPAD rubber to press each contact pad individually.
  2. Use the power switch to shutdown the device. If all is connected correctly, Retropie will shutdown and all power will be disconnected.
  3. Once power is disconnected, the LCD will switch off. It is now safe to remove the USB-C power supply



STEP 6 - AUDIO

  1. Connect the speaker to the mainboard using the supplied 2 pin connector
  2. Connect the audio jack PCB to the mainboard using the supplied 4 pin connector
  3. Connect the USB-C power supply
  4. Power on the Zega Mame Boy, Once booted to Retropie ensure audio can be heard from the speaker.
Load up a favourite game to fully test the speaker and ensure the volume is set to the highest level
Do not adjust audio settings within Retropie



STEP 7 - BATTERY

  1. Ensure all power is disconnected
  2. Pre-tin the two battery connector pads on the Charger / Audio Board

  1. Solder the supplied battery extension cable to the battery pads located on the Charging / Audio board.

  1. Ensure the red wire is soldered to the positive pad (B+) on the Charging / Audio board.
  2. Connect a battery to the extension cable. Ensure your battery connector polarity matches the battery extension wiring. Not all battery connectors are the same.
  3. Toggle the power switch until the power LED on the Charging / Audio board illuminates
  4. The battery level indicator should now display the available battery level
  5. Toggle the power switch until the power LED goes off. When switching off, the battery level LEDS will remain illuminated for approximately 30 seconds
  6. Wait for the battery level LEDS to turn off.
  7. Connect a USB-C power supply. The Battery level indicator will now show the battery level, with a flashing LED showing the battery is now charging.
  8. Leave to charge for a minimum of 30 minutes
  9. Disconnect the USB-C power supply
See more info under Recommend Batteries

Zega Mame Boy Charging / Audio Board

Watch the video



    • Related Articles

    • Zega Mame Gear Pre-install Checks

      Power Board Connect the power board to a USB-C power source Ensure the battery level LEDs illuminate Mainboard Disconnect the USB-C power supply Connect the Power Board to the Mainboard using the supplied 4 pin connector Toggle the power switch ...
    • Zega Mame Boy Advance Solder Guide

      Top Side PWR: LED (RED) ACT: LED (GREEN) Bottom Side LED1 - LED (RED) LED2, LED3, LED4: LED (GREEN) SW1, SW2: Trigger R1: 1MΩ R2, R6, R7: 2KΩ R3, R4: 2Ω R5: 10Ω C1, C2, C7, C8, C9, C10: 10uF C3: 100nF C4, C5, C6: 22uF Q1: SS (Safe Shutdown) IC Q2: ...
    • Preparing your SD Card

      How to download and flash an SD card for your device To prepare an SD card to use in your device you will need An SD Card (Minimum 8GB) A copy of either Balena Etcher, Win32DiskImager or Raspberry Pi Imager Download the required image from the Zega ...
    • ILI9341 Serial LCD Manual Driver Installation

      All pre-made images available to download are already configured with this driver You will require: SSH Access to your Raspberry Pi (Putty is recommended) FTP access to your Raspberry Pi (WinSCP is recommended) 1. Connect to your Raspberry Pi using ...
    • Optimised Retropie Themes

      All pre-configured images already have these themes installed Download themes optimised for the small screen. I have used the Super Retroboy theme and made some adjustments to make it even easier to use on the smaller screens.