The Xii-Boy Ultra is a small and compact portable Wii using a vertical layout. This third revision offers all the latest fonctionnalities, as long as the WireFree system, which allows easily assemble and dissasemble the system without solder iron, just a screwdriver.
Everything has been approved an updated to receive the last 4LayerTechnologies PCB, including PMS2 which allows showing the battery level at any time, as long as the RVL-DD for the best video quality / compatibility possible.
It also integrates a brand new analog trigger system using Nintendo Switch joysticks, the WiFi module for online game, Bluetooth to connect the original WiiMote controllers, and more! Check out this thread for further informations: Xii-Boy Ultra BETA Release Thread
All the needed parts are listed in the Xii-Boy Ultra Parts list Most of the parts come from Aliexpress, which might not be idea due to the recent tarrifs modifications. If you find some parts on another website, please let me know 👍
🔋For the batteries, I personally recommend those: Recommended XBU Batteries There is plenty of website that sell batteries. You should aquire them from a source you're confident with. If you live in Europe, I highly recommend Akkuteile. It's a German website and I always been pleased by their services.
You'll also noticed that the 40 pins ribbon cable might be replaced by the 40p Shielded FFC I designed due to the interferance issues I had with the normal one.
All the PCBs files are availble in the PCB section If you just want to order them, you can use the Gerber files. Multiple manufacters work, but I suggest JLCPCB for that build.
You can also make edits using the Kicad 9 files.
For the components, everything is listed in the PCB BOM File. For the moment, there are only the Digikey links, I haven't found all the parts on Mouser yet.
Ordering PCB is a pretty important step, and you should really put the correct settings while ordering, otherwise you could run into issues. For example, even though ENIG cover is more expensive, it's absolutly nessessary for the Controller PCB. Otherwise, the buttons won't respond well, and might not work anymore after 3 months.
Here is a list of every settings per board:
- Material: FR4
- Impedance Control: YES
- Impedance Control profile: JLC04161H-7628
- Thickness: 1.6mm
- Material: FR4
- Thickness: 1.2mm
- Material: FR4
- Thickness: 1.6mm
- Surface finish: ENIG
Material: Flex
- Thickness: 0.12mm (💡0.11mm also works, but it's way riskier and more fragile according to some people. I personnaly didn't notice a lot of differences.)
- Stiffener: YES, Polyimide 0.2mm
- Material: FR4
- Thickness: 1.6mm
- Material: FR4
- Thickness: 0.8mm
- Material: Flex
- Thickness: 0.12 (💡For that baord, 0.11mm also works well)
- Stiffener: YES, Polyimide 0.2mm
You can also change the color if you want, but you shouldn't change anything else if you're not sure what you're doing.
The 3D files are all available in the 3D Section. However, they are some differences between some files. First, there are two different kind of files. STL are classic 3D files. They can be use for ordering, or directly 3D printing through a slicer software. They are considered as "fabrication files" meaning they can almost not be editable. STEP can also be used in a slicer or for ordering, but it also allows making changes and edits on the shell.
On top of that, there are also two versions of the top shell:
If you have a classic FMD 3D Printer, or planned printing the case on one, you should use the FMD version of the file. The main change is the screen tolerance, which isn't the same on FDM. This version only use a Friction Fit technology, and the 3D printed layers help the screen to get stuck in place.
If you planned ordering the case through JLC3DP or PCBWay, or simply printing one yourself with a resin printer, you should use the Resin & SLS case. Considering the shell is much smoother here, normal Friction Fit doesn't work well, and the screen might pop off pretty easily. To avoid that, those versions have a Super Friction Fit technology, which mimic the FMD layers and make the screen strongly attached into the shell.
The 3D files are also available on my Printable account Xii-Boy Ultra 3D files - Printables
The Xii-Boy Ultra is only on a BETA revision. This means, there could be some mistakes somewhere. Troubleshooting a whole design like this is tricky, and I might have not seen all the mistakes. Reason why you should absolutly tell me if you notice some.
If you think something can be improved, once again, please let me know. Those feebacks help a lot making the project better.
This BETA Revision might not be for beginners considering it requires soldering knoledge and self-deduction to assemble everything together. For the moment, there is no assembly guide, which makes the build much trickier to make. An official guide will come soon!
To sum up, if you don't have the knowledge for assembling that revision, you should probably wait for the upcoming kits, with a dedicated assembly guide.
If you see anything wrong or weird on the design, or if you have any suggestion, please let me know!
Have fun!