Installing OLED screens into Gotek

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3681)

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04-12-2019, 02:53

I started the project to install OLED screens into Gotek emulators. The screens are cheap 128x32 pixel ones from China. Pixels' color is either white or blue. I've designed 2 ways of installing:

- horizontal: on top of Gotek's case
- vertical: inside the Gotek's case

The first variant is designed for Gotek emulator installed into RBSC's side slot adapter for floppy drives and Gotek emulators (https://github.com/RBSC/SideSlotGotekAdapter). This variant requires drilling a single 6mm hole on the top side of the emulator's case. The screen in the special frame is installed onto the popping out part of the emulator. The screen is hold in place by 2 pins that go into the drilled hole and into the standard screw hole of the emulator. The wires from the screen go into the case through one of the pins. The screen can be easily removed if necessary. Instead of the original 3-digit panel I designed the special plug with the MSX logo that is installed into the emulator's case. The emulator's cover presses it against the front panel from inside. So this installation requires minimum modifications of the emulator. The wires need to be soldered directly to the screen because there's not much space inside the frame. Here are a few pictures:

And here's a short video of the screen's testing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0dokdPDVLI

The second installation option is still in progress. It will require a minor modification of the Gotek's case from inside, so that the screen could be moved as close to the front panel as possible. Behind the screen there will be the special frame that will hold it in place. This frame will be pushed against the front panel by the emulator's top cover. Connecting the screen will be possible with the original wires.

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By gdx

Enlighted (6617)

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04-12-2019, 14:50

Nice integration!

By sdsnatcher73

Enlighted (4461)

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04-12-2019, 19:49

Sounds like a nice upgrade to offer to owners of these devices/visitors of Nijmegen (signing myself up if you decide to do that Wink)

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3681)

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06-12-2019, 00:42

And finally I installed the screen into the Gotek emulator located in my Yamaha YIS-805 MSX2+. I designed and printed a small frame that holds the screen and pushes it against the front panel from inside. The screen was fitted with 4-pin header and it was connected to the Gotek's board with the original cables. The case had to be a bit modded - I removed 2 ledges on the inner side of the front panel and cut 2mm from the screen's holder on the Gotek's upper cover (on the photo the 2mm are missing from the right side of the holder). A few photos:

I will release the 3D models tomorrow.

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3681)

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06-12-2019, 00:43

sdsnatcher73 wrote:

Sounds like a nice upgrade to offer to owners of these devices/visitors of Nijmegen (signing myself up if you decide to do that Wink)

I can send you the assembled module. You will just need to drill the hole and connect the wires. Please write me an e-mail if interested.

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3681)

Wierzbowsky's picture

06-12-2019, 11:42

The 3D models with case modding instructions are available here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4024731

By Wierzbowsky

Guardian (3681)

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07-01-2020, 03:28

I designed another way to install the screen on the Gotek emulator. This variant allows 180 degree rotation of the screen's frame. You need to drill a 8mm hole as shown on the below image. Then you need to push the screen's pin through the hole and secure it with a plastic ring. It will lock the frame in place and won't let it move upwards. And finally, you need to add the "-inverted" parameter to the screen's setting in FF.CFG file so that the text on the screen is properly rotated.

The benefit of this solution is the possibility to put the screen at a desired angle for better readability. The drawback is the possibility to break the screen's frame if the screen is not secured in the vertical position when a computer is moved around.

I put the new models into the repository. Thanks to GreyWolf for the ideas about the screen's placement.