Gameboy Advance backlight mod

[SS]

Has anyone ever done an original model GBA backlight mod? If so, how difficult did you find the mod to do and, more importantly, where did you get your mod kit from? Thanks for any info that you might be able to give.

[Tanooki]

I've done it, properly to the electronics mod, shoddily to the point it broke it on the case mod because I barely own much for tools and fubar'd it up bad.

 

All you need really is to on the electrical side is just follow the examples online of removing layers of buffer(glued on stuff) to the back of the LCD itself that's set in a metal bracket. Then slide the appropriate 32 or 40pin ribbon adapter on it, and the other end into the ribbon jack on the GBA board. Then to properly set it up, there's a wire that should be hanging off that ribbon adapter, you solder 1 point on the board to the tip of that ample wire, and you're effectively done on that end.

 

The part I jacked up is that I had nothing to properly snip away at the plastic with and I don't own a dremel(which would have made it a 5min task too...grr.) You basically need to remove some of the original LCD frame bracketing out of the plastic mold enough so the new one fits in there snuggly and nice. That's effectively it unless you want to rip the original lens off and put a scratch free durable glass one there instead.

 

Anyone with basic noob level soldering skills who can attach a single wire to an open not even tight spot on a board can do the job. The harder part is framing the plastic, not the mod itself. it could be done in under 15min or an hour depending on the craptitude of your tools.

[godslabrat]

I remember hearing lots of people complain it was hard to do without getting dust on the screen. That may have changed since the old days.

[Tanooki]

Oh no that's true if you're in a dusty home or environment, but there's a really stupid cure all for that. Hot shower. Start one, do your work on the bathroom counter AFTER the room gets steamy. The steam will collect all the dust like natures clean room. But if you do get some that's what canned air is for just before truly compressing everything down flat and screwing it shut.