The worlds smallest Game Boy cart flasher!

Purchase on OSHPARK

Purchase the tool for flashing the boards on OSHPARK

Flashing the bootloader

Flashing is done over isp, i use a Raspberry pi for this, see https://github.com/HDR/RaspberryPi_ISP for more info

Raspberry Pi:

sudo avrdude -p atmega8515 -C ~/avrdude_gpio.conf -c pi_1 -U lfuse:w:0x1f:m -U hfuse:w:0xda:m -B 6
sudo avrdude -p atmega8515 -C ~/avrdude_gpio.conf -c pi_1 -U flash:w:GBFlasher-Bootloader.hex -B 6

USBISP

avrdude -c USBasp -p atmega8515 -U lfuse:w:0x1f:m -U hfuse:w:0xda:m -B 6
avrdude -c USBasp -p atmega8515 -U flash:w:GBFlasher-Bootloader.hex -B 6

Flashing the firmware

Flashing the firmware can be done over USB using tinysafeboot

  • Download and extract tsbloader_adv

  • Download the firmware and put it in the folder with the files you just extracted

  • Open command line and flash the firmware by writing "tsbloader_adv -port=com# -fop=wv -ffile=GBFlasher-Firmware.hex" (Replace # with whatever com port number the flasher shows up as in Device Manager)

BOM (Most of these can be found on LCSC)

Reference Part Number Description
C1 0603F104M500NT 100nF
C2 CL10A106MQ8NNND 10uF
C3 0603F104M500NT 100nF
Atmega8515 Atmega8515L-8AU Atmega8515L-8MU is not compatible
FT232RL FT232RL Buy from Aliexpress
J0 Buy from Aliexpress Cartridge Reader
J1 Type-C-31-M-12 USB Type C Receptacle
PWR Everlight Elec 19-217/GHC-YR1S2/3T Green 0603 LED
R/W Everlight Elec 19-217/R6C-AL1M2VY/3T Red 0603 LED
F1 MF-FSMF050X-2 500mA PTC Fuse
R1 CR0603JA0102G 1K
R2 CR0603JA0102G 1K
R3 0603WAJ0103T5E 10K
R4 0603WAJ0512T5E 5.1K (Only required for USB C to USB C cables)
R5 0603WAJ0512T5E 5.1K (Only required for USB C to USB C cables)
X1 S3D6.000000B20F30T 6MHz Crystal

Images

Front

Back

1.1 Changelog:

  • Added indicators for the chips and header to make the pcb easier to assemble

  • Added indicator for LED positioning

  • Reduced pcb height by 0.3mm

  • Fixed positioning of cartridge reader guide holes

  • Renamed IC1 and IC3 to make more sense

1.2 Changelog:

  • Reduced pcb height by 1.4mm

  • Relocated components to fit within the new size

  • Modified the cart reader footprint

  • Replaced the crystal (ECS-60-32-5PXDN-TR) with FQ1045A-6.000 to as this component is only 1.7mm tall instead of 4.3mm

1.3 Changelog:

  • Fixed incorrect crystal footprint

1.4 Changelog:

  • Fixed incorrect crystal wiring

1.5 Changelog:

  • Replaced the micro usb port with a USB Type C port

  • Removed the ISP header in favor of flashing using the cart bus https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/OUjmrtRg

  • Replaced the crystal with one that is smaller and does not require 2 capacitors

  • Removed redundant capacitors

  • Removed the leds for TXD and RXD and their resistors

  • Reduced board width by 0.3mm

  • Reduced board height by 1.8mm

  • Reduced board layers from 4 to 2, this cuts the price in half

  • Reduced the size of the cart reader footprint, this now requires some trimming of the pins to fit