Backlight

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Backlight

As far as we understand, Der Warst created the concept of the backlight around 2004, with a simple approach of some clear plastic, an LED and tinfoil as a replacement for the foil backing adhesive on the gameboy screen. This simplistic approach has set the mould for backlights to be manufactured and distributed to modders globally.

There are a few backlight modules which are little more than panels of LEDS, mounted behind the existing dot matrix screen once the original backing film is removed. There are multiple methods to do this, and we will add in these as tutorials as they are sourced and created.

Tutorial

There’s a few variations and most differ from product to product, but here’s a basic one by Hand-Held Legend on Instructables.

Suppliers

nonelectronics

Currently on his V5 backlights. As each revision comes, nonfinite has managed to push the quality of his backlights with each revision.

nonelectronics v1 and v2 backlight
Both require the power light to be removed from the left hand side of the board as the screen is side fitting.
nonelectronics v3 backlight
3 LEDs. They are connected via the bottom, so the power LED can remain intact.
nonelectronics v4 backlight
Model name: ‘Envy’ 4 LEDS. Connects at the bottom.
nonelectronics v5 backlight

Kitsch Bent

RGBbb
Kitch’s first released backlight. RGBbb has had two revisions: (va) is the thicker version I still have in stock. (vb) was the thinner variant with color-coded wiring which is sold out atm.
LEDx3 has had 3 variants so far: (va) was the Kitsch-Bent/ASM Retro collaborative one based off the RGBbb shape/construction. (vb) and (vc) had very minor changes to them, but still based off this original (va) model. However, it should be noted that after (va), we didn’t collaborate on the design so they diverged.
el_dmg
Kitsch first started working on this model for backlighting, but took longer to complete as a project in ‘releasable’ form.

RGBx3
Kitch’s most recent backlight, which cycles 7 colours.

The kit was released the same time as a replacement clear screen holder for the off/white one provided with the original DMG.

lcd_plastic_frame_clear_white — Click for store page

ASM Retro

Density Backlight
There are no pre-attached wires, so this reduces snapping and heat burns from re-soldering. 4 LEDS. Comes in Pink, Red, Orange, Green Blue, Turquoise.

VC-White-Unlabelled — Click to store page

Hand-Held Legend

4-LED Backlights

Colours are, Yellow, Red, Blue, Green, Orange, White, Pink. These can be installed into Gameboy Pockets with some cutting of the frame. The image is of a bi-verted screen which grants crisper visuals on the screen.

Backlight4you

White backlights