Ampersand

2,716 orders since Jun 02, 2018

Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Ships from United Kingdom.

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Overall Rating:

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

Product: (4.73)

Documentation: (4.61)

Shipping: (4.72)

Communication: (4.56)

All Reviews

Maverick | July 17, 2019

Excellent product. But the Seller left me sour.

For Null 2 Kit

The product itself is top quality. I had never done an electronic project before- even against the recommendations I started my first with the Null pi 2. And even as a beginner, I was able to solder and assemble the project with hardly any troubles. I spent a full Saturday about 8 hours assembling the kit and another day to print and assemble the 3D case. The OS works out of the box and it plays 2D games very smoothly. Most N64 games are just too much for the Pi Zero W.

The documentation was good most of the way through but I did have some difficulty so I hopped onto the recommended discord channel for more questions and assistance. Unfortunately the seller has no sense of public relations and kept his answers short to assembling the kit. Which would be fine but he became aggressive towards me asking further questions about customization and grew hostile over engaging with the community. It's a shame because I was so happy the product I had planned on being a part of that community and buying the next round of null kits indefinitely.

The whole ordeal was upsetting so I'll leave anyone with this advice: stick to questions about the build steps only. Luckily I did make some friends from the channel who were able to help finish the case assembly steps with (For those in the US: those 3m x 8mm screws are a little elusive! You may have to ship some to you from amazon) and I'm thankful for that.

Pascal | July 11, 2019

a perfect set

For Null 2 Kit

A super set, fast delivery to Switzerland. With the good detailed instructions relatively easy to assemble, handling soldering iron should be present. Top...:-)

Only problem, the backlight of the display doesn't work. Is there a possibility to test?

Response from Ampersand | July 11, 2019

Sounds like you might have a problem with the resistor on the back. Feel free to message me through tindie or the discord so we can fix it.

Adrian | July 11, 2019

Great bit of fun

For Null 2 Kit

I bought this to finally use my Pi Zero W for something 'practical'. The kit arrived in good time and was very well packaged. The Main PCB is a thick, durable design, considering I don't solder for a living and have only been getting back into electronics assembly and repair recently it was fantastic to work with.

The kit comes with the key components, leaving the case, the battery and equipment for assembly for the owner to source. No drama, batteries are easy to get hold of and I only needed to get some Kapton tape to be able to get on. The case, however, whilst easy to purchase was a little pricier than I'd taken into account, making the overall cost of the build higher, but it'll be worth it.

As I said, the main PCB is durable and is very forgiving, so the overall assembly went well. Only had a couple of issues getting through-hole soldering for the Pi itself to test out. I found that a bit of flux and good solder and in one case a bodge wire through the hole that ensured a good joint and was later removed got the job done! The Screen ribbon cable was surprisingly easy as was the tiny surface mount resistor (once it stopped slipping about).

So after a couple of hours, I had it assembled and configured with Null2's OS. This is based on EmulationStation/RetroPi, which I am fairly familiar with so it wasn't long and I was able to play Alex Kidd in Miracle World on the go!

My only feedback to potential purchasers is that since the display outputs via the GPIO interface there is a little latency/frameskip but, to be honest, this is the case with many projects of this scope and was expected, as such the experience as a whole is still super fun!

George | June 27, 2019

Excellent kit

For Null 2 Kit

When I saw this kit I knew I had to get one. Ampersand has done all the heavy lifting here, the PCB design is great, everything fits, correct components are included, detailed build instructions online, pre-configured software image for it, and a discord channel that's actually helpful. Short of buying a 'game hat' or such that you just pop on a pi, this is definitely the cleanest kit I've encountered yet. Kit was packaged safely, showed up quickly after ordering.

I wasn't creative with the case, just went with clear like the images on the product page, and no regrets, it looks fantastic. :)

Tejashwi | June 13, 2019

One of best build

For Null 2 Kit

Ampersand is really active in the discord server/group and always tries to help which is one of the best parts, the creator will be there to guide you and help you fix things when you need help.
The kit arrived in India within 7 working days, packaging was great, all the required components were in the package except Raspberry zero, battery, case and SD card. Build guide contains all the detailed explanation about how to assemble it.
I am a total beginner in soldering, but with the help of flux, canonical soldering tip I managed to solder all the parts in the first go, no issues and the kit turned on :)
Totally recommend this

Martin | May 30, 2019

great!

For Null 2 Kit

Great product, much easier if you have the right tools.
Get a flux pen, life safer!
Multimeter is indispensable.

Mine did not power up, could not find the solution, bought a multimeter and found out de power was not soldered on correctly.

Would prefer different buttons (soft), might get them 3d printed if i find the right 3d files. To make these buttons is a bit fiddly.

Response from Ampersand | May 30, 2019

Glad you liked it!
The buttons in the Null 2 STLs should fit both Nulls. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqMvwiYIMMtmuxPdQUkjy_zNo4ny
The files are called "Null2 Dpad Click V1.STL" and "Null2 Face Buttons Click V1.STL"
Shoot me a message on here if you need anything else.

Basil | Feb. 20, 2019

Thank you Ampersand

For Null 2 Kit

Excellent product.

The PCB is very well made. The documentation is simply perfect and explains thoroughly what you need to do. There is also a video on Youtube that follows the seller's documentation. This is a pretty good project for soldering beginners - plus you get a handheld emulator with pretty great form factor.

As for the lack of audio, I have found a variety of solutions online to connect bluetooth headphones to the pi - which seem pretty easy (I haven't had the time to try them). I've also seen a few videos that show how to connect a headphone jack, but you might need to print a bigger case.

The seller is also very communicative and helpful. He usually responds within a few hours.

All in all, great package for a pretty good price.

Thank you Ampersand.

Katie | Feb. 1, 2019

Really great kit and really, really great seller.

For Null 2 Kit

TL;DR: Really great kit and really, really great seller. I had a lot of fun building this, despite the problems I caused myself. If you’re thinking about building a project like this, you can’t go wrong with the Game Boy Null.

This kit is high quality and very well-designed. This was my first adventure in soldering and Raspberry Pi. To say I learned a lot in the process is an understatement. I also made some mistakes along the way, and the seller was amazingly helpful, way above and beyond what I would expect. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from him again—in fact, I’m thinking about building some Game Boy Nulls (Game Boys Null?) for gifts.

I started out by soldering a dead Pi to my PCB. I was too green to know that I could have easily tested the Pi beforehand to make sure all was in order. Before I knew the Pi was dead, I tried to isolate the problem by re-soldering the power switch, and I broke it. I thought it would be no big deal to remove the switch and solder on a new one, but I ripped a pad off the board. That’s when I contacted the seller for help. He told me that the missing pad was nonessential, and walked me through troubleshooting until I realized the Pi was dead. At that point, I decided to try my luck at desoldering the Pi. First, I thought I should remove the screen to prevent damage, but I destroyed the ribbon cable and the PCB in the process. Back to square one.

Armed with my new knowledge of all the things not to do, I ordered a new kit and successfully (although not without further troubleshooting and help from the seller) assembled it. It looks and works great. I ordered the case through ponoko.com, and I opted for opaque white for the thicker parts and green tint for the thinner parts.

Some pointers:
-Test the Pi first, because it’s impossible (for me, anyway) to swap it out after you solder it to the PCB. Prep your SD card and buy an HDMI adapter and any necessary micro USB adapters when you order your Pi. Plug it into a monitor, USB keyboard (or wireless dongle) and power, and make sure it’s working before you begin on the PCB.
-Get a 503450 battery—the one I got was too thick.
-Unless your soldering skills are strong, have a magnifying glass or similar handy to check and correct your work.
-Acrylic solvent doesn’t feel that great on your skin.

Joe | Jan. 30, 2019

got kit together but cant find how to get the roms added

For Null 2 Kit

The kit was easy to put together and arrived decently quick for the distance it had to travel the sellar was quick to answear my questions and i will be ordering more in the futer would highly recomend

Response from Ampersand | Jan. 30, 2019

Hi, there's a Discord where I can help you here: https://discord.gg/r9xekuP
This article will tell you how to add roms: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Transferring-Roms/

Matthew | Jan. 28, 2019

Awesome kit!

For Null 2 Kit

Ampersand's kit is a nice little build for people that would like to tackle a moderate project. Yes you do need to source some of the extra parts but to me, it's just part of the experience. As long as you keep with the guide, you should be fine. If you do have any problems, you can contact Ampersand here on Tindie and he will help out as much as he can or if you join his Discord server, there are a few people there including Ampersand to help you.

I would highly suggest a multimeter with continuity checker. It will help you solve most of your problems. Also, solder flux will help with your soldering. Especially on the ribbon cable. And DO NOT skip the kapton tape behind the pi. It really does make a difference!

PCB looks awesome in black and paired with the acrylic case just makes it 10x better. Everything is outlined so it is easy to figure out where everything goes while following the guide. It especially helps out when aligning the screen.

I have built 2 of these so far and both have not had any problems. I highly suggest this product if you are looking for a handheld retro console!

Jared | Jan. 25, 2019

Big let down....

For Null 2 Kit

My original order never arrived and when a replacement was sent it didn't work right. The pads for the screen fell off and the board does not work when powered by a battery. I feel like I wasted $50.

Response from Ampersand | Jan. 25, 2019

Your order was lost by your local postal service and I sent a replacement kit as soon as I heard. I can't hand deliver these and I also can't monitor the tracking for 100+ orders at once. It sounds like you attempted to remove the screen and failed to apply enough heat to the pads, they did not just 'fall off'. If you had issues with putting it together, you could have contacted me through here for troubleshooting.

Hasan | Jan. 25, 2019

Best purchase ever.

For Null 2 Kit

Ampersand is honestly the best dude ever. Don't listen to these other guys. They don't understand that this isn't a beginners project. You need to know how to solder, and you need to understand, you need other stuff! He isn't selling a ready made product, It's pieces. While not as simple as Lego, If you put enough time into it, you'll get it done. I went in as a beginner, awful at it. It wouldn't boot, so I joined his discord and within one minute, I had a reply. He stayed on with me and troubleshooted, and within 15 minutes, the issue was resolved. It would've taken me hours. Ampersand really cares for his patrons, and will go through any lengths to make sure his buyers are satisfied. Honestly, all these people leaving negative reviews don't seem to understand what this project is. If you buy it, Good Luck!

George | Jan. 23, 2019

Perfect

For Null 2 Kit

Awsome product.

The instructions have a lot of depth.

I had some issues while putting it together, and the seller helped me out on the discord. He replied extremely fast and was really helpful.

I’m really satisfied.

Barrett | Dec. 13, 2018

A seriously fun kit

For Null 2 Kit

This kit is fun to put together and learn some small soldering techniques.
The board is incredibly high quality and easy to work on. The documentation is similarly great.
Communication with @Ampersand is very easy.
Seriously, one of the greatest experiences - get this kit

Andrew | Nov. 26, 2018

Definitely recommend

For Null 2 Kit

One of the most fun DIY projects I've ever done. Ampersand's documentation and willingness to help troubleshoot on the product Discord helped get the project working properly. I am not a soldering expert by any means, but I strongly recommend getting a practice kit before tackling this. All in all I would definitely do this project again.

Troy | Nov. 23, 2018

Not simple

For Null 2 Kit

I finally got around to assembling this today, I had to get through my backlog, and I was really looking forward to this kit.
Unfortunately, it appears I have a dud unit. My Raspberry Pi0 is brand new, and I put on a stock image of RetroPi prior to starting this build and it works fine.
I assembled according to the instructions, and a few videos that I found on youtube with no effort, and took probably 90 minutes. I had no problems with any overheating pads, or bridged joints. I've done plenty of SMD components prior to this. Plus having only one surface mount 3R9 resistor doesn't make it hard to assemble.

Metering around all the joints after putting the Pi0 in place seemed ok. I would like to mention that it would be beneficial to add pads to the bottom of this board so you can test the actual connectivity of the joints, instead of guessing that the solder has taken. The instructions would be better if they ditched the color coded schematic, and instead had a proper diagram, so you can test all soldered points, without confusing the slight variations in colors.

I believe my screen is faulty, it only shows a white background. Nothing flashes or flickers even slightly. I have reflashed the image twice, thinking it was the problem, then went over the joints and tested the Pi0 again with a RetroPi images SD card, which displays perfectly over HDMI. The little switch plastic nub has now broken off the power switch, since troubleshooting this device is less than ideal. The power down button at the bottom right initiates the shutdown command to my PI, and i can see when to turn it off as the LED extinguishes.

To date, in my 30+ years of soldering, this is the first device that has ever failed. Again, I believe it's the LCD, but since I don't have one spare it's pretty hard to confirm. Putting it back in the pile of "I'll get around to it" again. Assuming it's just these cheap LCD's from aliexpress? (https://de.aliexpress_dot_com/item/NoEnName-Null-2-8-inch-LCD-screen-touch-screen-ILI9341-SPI-serial-port-18pin-Z280IT010/32825958698.html)

Response from Ampersand | Dec. 28, 2018

Hi, send me a message on here when you pick up the build again and we'll troubleshoot it?

Tyler | Nov. 17, 2018

Great service

For Null 2 Kit

Project came quick and was all in one piece. Would have been amazing but sadly I burnt through the pads when I attempted to solder the resistor, and ended up ruining the board. In terms of the product was wonderful quality.

Thomas | Nov. 16, 2018

Product

For Null 2 Kit

I didn't manage to make it work and end up damaging the PCB , i contact the seller send me a new one very kind !

Freddy | Nov. 8, 2018

Awesome product that takes out most of the hard work.

For Null 2 Kit

This kit is easy to assemble and the provided source file works flawless. I don't know how often there will be an update ( raspbian jessie is being phased out). You do need some soldering skills and a half decent soldering iron, the hardest part to solder was the smd resistor and that was because i dropped it and spend 10 minutes trying to find it. I used the 3D printable files found on thingiverse and used the bigger case to be able to put in a bigger battery and sound. Wich is the one drawback to this kit, no sound out of the box. It is however very easy to get the pwm sound working (only on one PWM channel) and tough not great, the sound is good enough for retrogaming. The further the battery is depleted, the more pwm static is present. On my 2000mAh battery i get about 7 hours runtime, your mileage may vary.

Thank you for making a great kit that my kids enjoy very much. I truly love the look and feel of the pcb wich is obviously decent quality. I hope you keep making these and maybe also make a version to punt in a standard GBC case.

Andrea | Oct. 21, 2018

Fun project

For Null 2 Kit

I decided to buy this kit as I wanted to improve my soldering skills with a significant challenge. The kit provides all the necessary electonics, leaving space for the final user to choose a case (I went for a 3D printed one). The assembly process is straightforward and the instructions are really good. I recommend using a multimeter throughout the whole procedure.

Christoph | Oct. 18, 2018

Perfect

For Null 2 Kit

Very nice Little Thing, makes fun to Play with it. I managed to get Mono-Sound into as well. The shipping was ver fast, the Documentation was perfect for a beginner and the Seller was very Helpful when i had Questions. Two Thumbs up!!

Luca | Oct. 16, 2018

Great product

For Null 2 Kit

I'm very satisfy for this device. The quality is excellent and work fine.
Great Tindie thank you so much

Stéphane | Oct. 15, 2018

Very disappointed

For Null 2 Kit

I was expecting a full kit, that means a lot which would include the plastic case, and everything else. Instead, I got a bare circuit board with an LCD screen. What do I do with that ? Nothing ... I cannot use it given there is no case ...
And also the package was terrible. No box, I was lucky the LCD screen arrived not broken.
I just threw my money... Don't buy this. Not worth the money.

Response from Ampersand | Oct. 17, 2018

The store listing is very clear about what’s included in this kit. There’s an attached guide that details what to do with the parts and where to get the case. If you’re based in the US, you can use ponoko.com to cut the case and get $20 off your first order. The packaging was adequate because the screen arrived intact and unbroken.

Tom | Oct. 10, 2018

Great kit

For Null 2 Kit

It was a fun kit to assemble and easy to do so because of the good documentation! I like to sit down with the the GameBoy Null to enjoy some retro games. Only downside to this project is the lack of sound. But if you're handy, you can easily add an i2s audio PCB and a speaker. Just like I did, to complete the retro experience :)

I would recommend the kit after all.

Yusuf | Sept. 22, 2018

Cool product!

For Null 2 Kit

Ordered now again 2 pieces. Total 4 build and given them to my family. They loved it. love the easy build! Keep on going!!!

Mike | Aug. 23, 2018

Simple and Elegant

For Null 2 Kit

This is one of the best emulator kits I have put together! Overall the simple PCB makes putting it together a lot of fun and the clear acrylic case can show off your work. For a 2.8" screen the resolution is great and games come across crisp. Highly recommend! Thanks Ampersand!

Charles | Aug. 22, 2018

Great seller, fun project

For Null 2 Kit

I really enjoyed putting this thing together and am super happy with the results. I was hoping to be able to connect bluetooth audio devices to this, but it seems that isn't super easy to set up at the moment. I have yet to get it working, but I hope to figure it out sometime soon.

Muslum | July 18, 2018

Good

For Null 2 Kit

Fast shipping , good product ,good seller , good documentation . The missing sound on this device

Michael | July 10, 2018

Great

For Null 2 Kit

Great product, Fast shipping, great communication with seller (he is very reagents), good documentation

Aaron | July 5, 2018

awesome toy

For Null 2 Kit

Great lil device for playing some old games. Look techy and geeky enough for me which I love. Only thing missing was sound on this device. Still waiting for my case but very satisfied.

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