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  • Author Author: shabaz
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ODROID-GO Handheld Gaming Kit

shabaz

Introduction

Thanks to he advised me about a simple gaming kit called ODROID-GO, and it was fairly low cost (£38 including delivery to the UK) for such a device, so I was tempted to purchase it. (Note: that there will be duty of approx. £7 to pay, plus £12 handling charge by FedEx, so that makes it less attractive : (

 

The ODROID-GO is a very compact (approx 120x75x13mm) device that internally features an ESP32 (ESP32 PDF datasheet) based module (this contains a microcontroller and 2.4GHz WLAN and Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE capabilities), and rechargeable battery built-in too. There is also a microSD socket and what is especially awesome is a 0.1 inch SIL header socket at the top end of the case, for custom hardware expansion : )

 

image

(image source: ODROID website)

 

It comes with a microUSB cable for charging and USB UART for connecting into the ESP32 module. All that is additionally required is a microSD card, and a small Philips screwdriver to assemble it!

The device comes from ODROID, who manufacture some really nice single board computers and accessories.

 

It arrived today, and although I'd initially thought it was a kit to be soldered, it actually is pre-soldered. I think a child could easily assemble it with just a little supervision. It looks really great, and I'm tempted to purchase another, so both my nephews can have one.

 

This short blog post is a quick introduction to the ODROID-GO, I have not explored it much yet.

 

What's in the Box

This is everything you get in the box (the micro USB cable is also supplied but not shown in the photo):

image

 

What Can it be Used For?

The project is open source, and there is an ODROID-GO github repository with the schematic and source code.

However no programming knowledge is needed to use it just for gaming. For gaming some files are downloadable from the ODROID website that need to be transferred to a microSD card, along with games ROMs. It can play ROMs for various historical consoles like Nintendo GameBoy, and Sega GameGear and so on. I've not explored (nor assembled!) it yet. ODROID-GO assembly steps are online.

 

More interestingly, since it is open source, the possibility exists to create your own games or applications, and connect your own hardware. The expansion port appears to have SPI and a few general purpose input/output connections and 3.3V available. Perhaps it could become a debug tool : )

 

Some More Pics..

The enclosure looks to be of reasonable quality, injection-moulded, perhaps 1mm thick. It could crack perhaps if mishandled; it looks like the same plastic that CD case covers were made of. It is custom-designed and has the ODROID legend on the front. The lower half of the shell has a slot for inserting the microSD card, but I didn't like that such a delicate card is exposed. It would have been better to have a plastic cover for it. Other than that, I didn't have any complaints, but I still need to assemble it to explore further. There are four black rubber buttons (the enclosure has them labelled as Menu, Volume, Select and Start), and also a directional pad and a couple of buttons labelled A and B, suitable for games. There is a slide switch on the right of the ODROID-GO, for power on/off. The hard LCD cover is adhesive, so once the LCD is fitted, it may be awkward to remove. Anyway, the LCD it is unlikely to go faulty. The PCB can still be removed by disconnecting the LCD.

image

The pre-assembled circuit board looks nicely made, it is a 1.6mm fiberglass board so it is fairly rugged.

image

 

Everything looks easy to maintain and debug, there are lots of test points on the circuit board. The holes where the screws should go are marked; three screws secure the PCB to the inside of the front shell of the enclosure, and then six screws will secure the rear half of the enclosure.

image

 

That's it for this short blog post. To be continued..

Parents

  • O dear Shabaz you made it sound so attractive I bought one as well. Also got another XU4 so I can make a mobile with my Lime /Lime Mini SDR!!

  • in reply to Problemchild

    FedEx today sent me a demand for £19: ( I'd thought it was below the limit for duty, but I'd mistaken it with the limit for gifts.

    For non-gifts, the limit is £15.

    So basically there is an additional cost of £7 plus £12 handling charge by FedEx, total £19 : (

    Still, if you've got other gear like the XU4 at the same time, then that £12 handling charge is absorbed a bit better.

  • in reply to shabaz

    I must admit I thought you got away with it as  often you get a letter to pay first although FEDEX  is quite sharp with this not least as they get 12£ to raise 7£ worth of VAT...Im glad I ordered a bit more to get my £12 fee's worth.

     

    Also you are quite lucky to actually recieve the paper bill the last time I delt with them the first thing I knew was when the collections company phoned up all arsey about their money ... I jumped on Fedex and everything was cool though!

     

    Just think this is what happens to folk ordering say an RPI from an unsuported country the fees are more than the parts almost especially if you don't have an alternative to the money order!

  • in reply to shabaz

    Shabaz,

     

    That is a pretty big hit.  Good thing that you skipped over the bank transfer fees, or this thing would end up costing you a small fortune.  It seems like shipping cost and duty fees are holding online shopping from getting all the business.

     

    Gene

  • in reply to genebren

    Hi Gene,

     

    I think so, we get ripped off on service charges, plus duty on items of relatively low cost : (

    There is a UK distributor but I've not heard positive feedback, and the amount they charge is such that it is possibly cheaper to buy direct from the manufacturer if two or more items are being purchased, as John sensibly did.

  • in reply to shabaz

    there is an additional cost of £7 plus £12 handling charge by FedEx, total £19 : (

    I also dislike the freight company that has already been paid to deliver an item, adding a handling charge to collect a fee.

     

    Here in NZ we have the NZ Customs adding a large amount when they want to collect Tax (usually GST) and the freight company then gets in on the act with various other charges.

     

     

    Apparently the NZ Government is pushing legislation that means the overseas companies need to collect the GST.

    Unsurprisingly many have decided to refuse to take orders ...

     

    Amazon has done one better, and redirects Australian customers to the Australian site, which often doesn't have the item, and the price is far more than the conversion plus tax.

     

    Both governments would have been better getting Paypal, or the Credut card companies to do their collecting at purchase time.

    The transaction from the vendor could have an extra field to show it was not a transaction, and therefore the GST is not applicable.

     

     

    Odroid have a list of distributors

    https://www.hardkernel.com/main/distributor.php .

     

     

    This american site has listed them in their products

    https://ameridroid.com/products?keywords=go

     

    Mark

  • in reply to shabaz

    You shouldn't need to limit your supplier to being in the UK. Using any supplier throughout the European Union currently avoids import duties when shipping into the UK and hence there should no courier handling charges.

     

    It is only those goods exported from outside the European Union that will be subject to import duties.

     

    There are also reports of some people challenging the couriers over the charges and getting them waived, not sure if that is genuine or if it just another internet rumour.

     

    Kind regards.

Comment
  • in reply to shabaz

    You shouldn't need to limit your supplier to being in the UK. Using any supplier throughout the European Union currently avoids import duties when shipping into the UK and hence there should no courier handling charges.

     

    It is only those goods exported from outside the European Union that will be subject to import duties.

     

    There are also reports of some people challenging the couriers over the charges and getting them waived, not sure if that is genuine or if it just another internet rumour.

     

    Kind regards.

Children