How it’s done
Nintendo Virtual Boy
The Virtual Boy is a strange piece of gaming history. Nintendo called it a “32-bit, 3D experience” that “eliminates all external stimuli, totally immersing players into their own private universe.” Even so, Time magazine listed it as one of the worst inventions of all time, and PCWorld called it one of “the ugliest products in tech history.” So let’s delve into the mystery behind the Virtual Boy.
Major tech specs
• 20 MHz, 32-bit RISC Processor
• 128KB dual-port VRAM
• 384 x 224 pixel resolution
• 2-bit monochrome display (black and three shades of red)
• 16-bit stereo sound
Key findings
• Taking the Virtual Boy apart is no walk in the park. Our 1/4” drive gamebit didn’t fit into some of the recessed screw holes, so we had to get creative. After throwing sparks from our rotary cutoff wheel, we ended up with a gamebit socket that can be turned with a flathead screwdriver.
• The neoprene eye shield and its frame pop off the rear. After making short work of the screws securing the tripod base with our custom gamebit, it can be lifted off the lower case.
• After removing the rest of the screws, you can lift off the lower case. Ribbon cables attach the main board to components across the Virtual Boy. After disconnecting them, the board easily comes out. The main board takes inputs from the controller, loading game cartridge data, sending audio data to the speaker, and driving LED displays.
• A couple of Phillips screws secure the controller port and sound boards to the upper case. After removing the screws, both boards can be lifted out. The modular construction of the Virtual Boy indicates it was designed with repair in mind. A damaged controller port or audio system can be replaced individually rather than replacing the motherboard.
• A one-pixel-tall row of LEDs at the end of each display unit projects light through a lens in the middle of each unit. After passing through the lens, light is reflected off a mirror situated at 45 degrees that oscillates about its central axis. The mirror oscillates and the LED refreshes so fast that the human eye perceives a single image across the view plane.
• To oscillate the mirror, alternating electrical current at high frequency passes through a copper coil to the mirror. An iron core is attached to the display unit, forming a solenoid to produce the force. To tell the oscillator how fast the mirror is moving, an arm connected to the mirror passes through an optical sensor attached to the lower circuit board.
• Two T10 Torx screws secure the LED unit to the end of the display assembly. After the LED unit is removed, you can see the periscope-style reflection and slight magnification caused by the mirror and internal lens. Each four-color display unit features a 1 x 224 pixel resolution with 32 levels of intensity. Each “image” produced is a row of red dots. Used with the oscillating mirror, a full image is created.
• Repairability score: 6 out of 10. Modular design makes replacing ports easy. Phillips and Torx screws inside can be removed with the right drivers. Many components can be lifted out with little effort. However, opening the casing requires a specialised tool that took time to replicate.