Fix NDS Lite Broken Power Switch.

So, this is my tutorial on fixing a broken power switch on an Nintendo DS Lite.

By fixing, I mean fixing, NOT replacing. So I  used a piece of staple and some epoxy glue.

Will it hold ? Well so far it holds. 

If you are specifically come across this post, then I'd assume you know how to open an NDS Lite. I assume that because broken power switches are mostly because of a botched installation of the lower casing (yes, I did that).

And you may ask me, why not just replace the entire switch? Well, do it if you can. If you're like me that doesn't have a replacement switch lying around, or maybe you botched it once and not willing to risk it again (yes I botched it twice).

The tools you need :

1. The DS Lite of course, already opened. you can leave the motherboard attached or remove it entirely from the case for better handling

2. A Solder, flux and soldering wire (tin)

3. A piece of staple. 

4. Epoxy glue. Alternatively you can use super glue, but I found epoxy glue easier to handle because you have more time for adjustment before the glue sets in.

5. A tweezer for holding small stuff

6. Either a really tiny flat head screwdriver, or a small box cutter, you need it to pry open stuff.

7. A tiny cable, with insides around the same size as the staple, we need the rubber casing/cover. I actually use the cable tie for a headphone I bought.

The steps : 

1. Using a solder, heat the two legs/pads securing the metal cover of the switch, you might need to slid the box cutter under the switch so that you can pry it loose. You can do just one side, and very carefully lift it without breaking the other side, or you can just do both sides.

Note : Be very careful not accidentally stripping off the pads on the motherboard. But even if you do, it's not the end of the world, as those pads are only for securing the metal cover onto the switch/motherboard.

2. Now you can remove the plastic cover. that's inside the switch, the broken part. You might want to take note of the placement of the tiny spring, remember it and takes it off.

3. Make a notch in  the broken part of the switch. This is for the staple.

4. Cut the staple, take the longer part (we can trim that later). This is our new handle for the switch.

5. Prepare the epoxy glue, If you're using a two part epoxy like me, just mix a small part using a toothpick.

6. Take that piece of staple, put some epoxy glue on it and insert it in the notch we created earlier. Align it so that the thicker part of the staple is put horizontally (so that it doesn't bend when we use the switch).

Make sure it's not too much. We need to insert that piece of plastic back into the switch, If it's too much, the switch might not move.

7. Leave the glue to dry/harden. If you're not too sure, you can leave it longer.

8. If necessary, you can trim the excess glue on glued part so it doesn't impede movement. Use the box cutter.

9. Put it back together. The plastic cover,  the spring and then the metal cover. 

10. Before you solder the metal cover back, test the switch. If you're careful enough to not use too much glue, it will glide smoothly. If it's stuck, trim the glued part again. You might gonna have to tolerate that it isn't gonna be as smooth as before, just make sure it works.

11. Solder the metal cover back. If you managed to strip off the pads, you might have to glue it (the legs, or the sides, NOT the top).

12. Now you got a working switch. Last thing to do is to make the handle a bit thicker. You can use the cable casing for that. And while you're at it, you might need to trim the handle a little bit shorter.

And that's it. Assemble it back and this time make sure you don't break it again.

Berkenalan dengan Raspberry Pi (Part 2)

Lanjutan dari Part 1.

Mengambil Raspberry Pi

Beberapa saat setelah komunikasi terakhir dengan client si empunya Raspberry Pi tersebut, penulis menyempatkan diri untuk mampir ke kantor si client, untuk mengambil alat tersebut.

Berkenalan dengan Raspberry Pi (Part 1)

Kali ini penulis ingin menceritakan pengalaman penulis dalam meminjam dan menggunakan Raspberry Pi.

Apa Itu Raspberry Pi ?

Definisi Raspberry Pi menurut Wikipedia :

"The Raspberry Pi is a series of credit card–sized single-board computers developed in the UK by the Raspberry Pi Foundation with the intention of promoting the teaching of basic computer science in schools"

(Situs resminya di https://www.raspberrypi.org/)

Jadi secara singkat, Raspberry itu adalah komputer mini, yang panjang dan lebarnya kurang lebih sebesar kartu kredit (panjang dan lebar saja yah, tidak memperhitungkan tinggi, karena kalau dilihat aslinya, lumayan tebal juga).

Tutorial Singkat Menggunakan Yahoo Finance API (Versi Indonesia)

<No English Version Available>

Hari ini kita akan belajar membuat aplikasi Stock Inquiry sederhana menggunakan API (Application Programming Interface) Yahoo Finance. Artikel yang serupa sudah banyak disediakan dalam bahasa inggris, jadi untuk kali ini saya tidak menyediakan versi Inggrisnya.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Review / A Short Treatise On "Video Gaming Escapism"

"A lot of us are addicted to something that makes the pain go away"

No, I won't be talking about religion or even drugs. I will be talking about something else, I'm gonna talk about 'fiction', or to be more precise, I'm gonna talk about gaming.

Life can be very stressful, and the human mind can only take so much. At the end of the day, there are times when we wish we were another person, living a different life.

And a lot of games offer that kind of possibility. And I mean BIG TIME. And it became a problem too. Some people choose to play games all day long, rather than facing reality.

And that's where this game : Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (FFTA) comes in.

I started playing FFTA years ago, but haven't got time to finish it until 2012. I was in another town at the time, far from friends and family for a (arguably dead-end) project. And although I did made some friends there, I do wish I was back home with my family.

Before we begin, this is a mandatory "SPOILER ALERT" warning. I will write about the events in the games. If you are thinking of playing this game, please stop right here, and experience this game the way it's meant to be : to be played.

Let's begin.

Kuliah di Universitas Terbuka (Bag 5 - Galeri Foto)

Oke deh, udah lama gak posting mengenai Universitas terbuka.

Kali ini penulis akan memperlihatkan beberapa foto/hasil scan dari dokumen-dokumen (dan lain sebagainya) yang dijumpai penulis selama menjadi mahasiswa UT (pada saat artikel ini ditulis, penulis baru menyelesaikan ujian akhir semester 2).

Gambarnya bisa diklik untuk versi yang lebih besar.

Menampilkan Report dengan MS Reporting Pada VB.NET (Versi Indonesia)

Tutorial ini membahas mengenai menampilkan report (menggunakan Microsoft Reporting) di VB.NET

Artikel ini adalah terjemahan dari versi bahasa Inggris (yang juga ditulis oleh penulis). Akan ada sedikit perbedaan, karena memang ada istilah dalam bahasa inggris yang sulit dicari padanannya dalam bahasa Indonesia, (lagian kalau sama persis kesannya kayak google translate abiezz)

Biasanya orang suka nanya "gimana sih cara menampilkan report di program", dan seringkali mereka menyebut suatu produk tertentu, yaitu Crystal Reports. Crystal Reports adalah yang paling sering digunakan (penulis sudah menggunakan Crystal Reports dari versi 8.5, dengan programnya pakai VB6). Namun sebenarnya banyak pilihan lain yang bisa digunakan, ada ActiveReports, XtraReports, dst.

Penulis pertama kali berkenalan dengan Microsoft Reporting itu adalah saat company di tempat penulis bekerja waktu itu menggunakan SQL Server Reporting Services 2005 sebagai standar dari pembuatan report. SQL Server Reporting Services ini adalah produk reporting andalan utama microsoft, yang jalannya server-side (ada Report Server sendiri). Namun demikian Microsoft juga menyediakan versi client side-nya yang disebut Microsoft Reporting.