The Gameboy DMG takes 4xAA batteries to power up. Furthermore, the DMG batteries cannot be charged even if rechargeable AA batteries are installed. The only way to ensure that you have sufficient power for your gaming session is to lug around reserve batteries and, given the size, that is a lot of weight to carry around for a "pocket console".
Unfortunately, the DMG appeared well before the USB era but with some skills and cheap materials the DMG can be modded to install a mini-USB charger PCB such that the DMG can be charged from any USB power source (including laptops, or others).
TP4056
can be bought on E-Bay from China for a meagre USD1!TP4056
to the battery compartment.TP4056
onto the plastic. The 3M double sided sticky foam sheet is extremely strong and provides a tidier solution to using a plastic gun.The DMG can be opened by removing 4 screws on the outer shell and then 2 more screws on the inside of the battery compartment. Once open, the flat LCD ribbon cable will have to be carefully removed by pulling it out of the socket - a tricky experience but not that difficult to do with sufficient time and care.
The best spot to place the TP4056
micro-USB charger PCB is right next to the audio controller board. There will be a plastic cap that should first be ground down to the shell using the Dremel. Slow circular movements will easily grind down the plastic cap and remove the excess plastic. The plastic protrusion looks like a screw slot but it is not used in any way and is probably just a production feature that ultimately served no purpose.
With the excess plastic trimmed off, the TP4056
is fastened down onto the battery case with some 3M VHB double-sided sticky foam tape. Most Gameboy mods involve securing extra PCBs with plastic hot glue but the plastic glue tends to wear off in time and it is a very messy business. The VHB double sided foam from 3M is a neater alternative.
Lastly, solder the leads from the TP4056
pads to the battery holder pins attached to the DMG PCB.
Testing with a multimeter shows that the TP4056
is admirably spot on with voltage that peaks at precisely ! Furthermore, the TP4056
has two bright LEDs which will:
The latter behaviour can tested simply by removing one of the 4xAA batteries, thereby breaking the circuit.
A small piece of optic fibre can be used to route the LEDs to the outer shell through a drilled aperture. In order to do this, you would drill a small hole next to the mini-USB etching and glue the optic fibre on top of the LEDs. Some black liquid tape can then be used to seal the LEDs and ensure optimum flow through the optic fibre cable to the aperture thereby creating an outer shell indicator.