I've seen people suggest using a 5V fan and some sort of resistor or "buck converter" to step the 7V down to 5, but I have no experience with this kind of thing.

Ideally, the solution would be solderless, but I do have a friend who's a novice solderer and would probably be willing to pitch in. Failing that, I could commission my local hardware repair shop to perform a more complex soldering job, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Advice appriciated

https://hispeedido.com/gb-dmg-lcd

https://www.retromodding.com/products/amoled-touch-screen-lcd-kit-with-laminated-lens-for-game-boy-color

More pictures:

DMG: https://imgur.com/a/I6d2lEx

GBC: https://imgur.com/a/LvBIUlL

Now that I knew what the states were, how was I going to get it to talk to a voice module. Well Nintendo made it really easy for me, they broke out part of the databus and the write line to a typically unused voice header on the sound board. This was going to be my vehicle for talking to my module. Luckily for me, the write line went unused other than this header. From there it was trivial to figure out how to write onto the databus (thank god some great folk scanned the intel 8035 datasheet and manuals).

Now goes to the means of reading such writes. My whole voice module is based around an Arduino with the Talkie library. It is a neat library that takes data and outputs just like a TMS5220 (or a couple other speech chips) would. I was able to see the writes on my logic analyzer, but I realized that it would have been hard to keep the Arduino in sync with the databus even with using the write line as an interrupt. What I needed was a latch which my proof of concept didn't have. So for the first revision of the speech board I added a 74LS374 octal latch in order to capture the inputs as they are written. That way, the Arduino can just read the inputs at it's own pace.

I have a rough project that works correctly with the game now! I still have a lot of work ahead of me and things that I want to do to make this thing better though. Let me know what you think!

• Clean up the original speech samples / convert speech ROM data to work with this library.
• Utilize the dip switches to add a bit of extra functionality
• Work on making a better sounding amp circuit
• Alternate voice saying original lines (they don't sound to great)
• Alternate voice lines

I did this as a Christmas gift for my girlfriend's brother.  About 9 months ago we had talk about video games and how I got into collecting them and he mentioned how he wanted an NES and Super Tecmo Bowl.  I told him he probably wouldn't be happy to see how expensive they were going for online and the state they look unless you want to pay way too much money for a good condition one.  We never talked about it since then but I knew what I had to do.  I had to buy a junk NES (likely not working) and do a cool shell mod after fixing it.  That is what I did, got a cheap NES from a GoodWill auction (actually not nearly as beat up as I expected so I'll keep the shell) that I had to do some minor repairs too.

Over all the fucking screw holes on the new console were too small.  I sheared the top of one of the tiny screws that hold the metal bit/spring to keep the door open.  I ruined another screw holding the motherboard down and almost couldn't get it out.  Another screw is mangled and would be a bitch to get out if the motherboard needed to be removed again.  If I had to do it again I think I would try predrilling the holes bigger.  Also note that the case is STUPID easy to put micro scratches into.  I noticed paper towels were leaving micro scratches.  

I got the clear shell idea from watching this mod video:

Here is where I bought the clear shell: https://retrogamerestore.com/store/nes-shells/

Quote

Hey everyone!

We FINALLY have some updates for you!

1) We just got a new batch of Omega shells and the rest of the components needed for final assembly. We are putting together a decent sized batch that will be available for shipping with no wait. Once they are done we will post up here to let you all know that they are ready to go.

2) We just got in a batch of NeoBiosMastas. These are omega and mv1-c compatible. The will go live on Friday for immediate shipping.

3) We also have a good selection of key Neo Geo MVS titles we will also make available on Friday.

4) Lastly. The BLW. We have done a redesign that solves the previous issues people were having. We are in final negotiations with a manufacturer and we hope to FINALLY have a realistic timetable shortly.

I wish we could be more specific right now about timing, but we want to have something concrete in place before we make it all official.

Saw it on Reddit. This is all I know.

NES Slotmaster (laserbear.net)

Looks a little like a DIY Blinking Light Win. Requires some soldering. 

Thoughts?

Anyways...  i didn't know the older snes models had a soft RGB signal and that the 1chip models were better.  i have around 8 regular snes consoles.  none of them are 1 chip so i remember i had a extra snes jr sitting around which is a 1chip.  just need a rgb mod.  i went with a Borti4938’s SNES RGB Bypass board V4.1a with S-video.  i know there a 4.1b  but i wanted the s video too.

So at first i got a electrolyte cap kit from console5.  but i noted that the mod chip would make it hard to replace those caps when it came time again.  so i asked luke (console5 owner) about getting a solid cap kit made.  after some talking he sent me a experimental solid polymer cap kit.  which has worked great so far.  these supposedly will last quite a bit longer than electrolyte caps.  as long as it out lives me thats good enough for me lol.

I also replaced the old 5v regulator with a higher amperage 5v regulator.  i also added the extra filter cap on the regulator and in the vacant spot too. i replace the cap inside the ac adapter too.  its hooked up to a scart from retro active cables and a retro tink 4k upscaled picture.  is perfect!

So thats it!  if you are looking to get a 1 chip just get a snes jr and mod it.  its pretty easy to do.

Also yes this is my first try at chrono trigger  and at a real RPG game.  other than pokemon.  im not a big RPG fan but i had to try this one cause ive heard its one of the best RPG out there.  it hasnt displeased me so far  and yes i do have a real cart of it for many years.

https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?p=196881#p196881

What I'd like to know, is there any actual reason to keep an NES with its original lockout chip? Anything unlicensed that relies on it? Because I've tried the Aladdin Deck Enhancer on a 10NES-less Front Loader system and it works fine. Camerica carts also work fine with the lockout switch in Position B.

Otherwise, I think I'll just continue removing lockout chips from NES Front Loader consoles.

OG Xbox

Dreamcast

Sega Genesis Model 1 Core System (1 controller no game included)

Sega Genesis Model 2 Core System (1 controller no game included)

I'm a pretty big fan of the Wii. Anyone who grew up with it will tell you how magical the system is. Even in 2024 using a Wii takes me back to a time when people looked forward to what technology the future would bring. Alas, my TV is not very kind to analog signals, with just enough video delay to irritate me. I've been looking at solutions such as the RetroTINK, the OSSC, ect. but they're all rather pricey.

I'm not interested in solutions outside of a real Wii and a digital signal. Feel free to share your thoughts!

   I have a konami 352026 board which is a tlrom but was wondering about the wiring of it for a repro. I know that boards made by acclaim and other 3rd parties like color dreams don't require any rewiring, but I was not sure about this board in particular as it has Nintendo stamped on it. Please let me know if anyone has used this board for a repro in the past. Thank you

    I have a question about CNROMs. I think that they can be used in place for any CNROM, NROM 128, or NROM 256 board for repros. Is this correct. Thank you. 

Recently I got that PVM and decided to try out that game on my Action Set, all that has been done there is killing pin4 of the 10NES and the usual boil/pull of the stock pin connector -- that's it.  Yet, the game is having problems on the system.  It takes a moment to fire up rolling some colors, then from there is shakes a bit and gets graphics problems, uglier on the menu system infidelity made, but, also in each of the games there is some character data that's just scrambled in pieces on things, usually it appears on the sprites.

But, if I put it on the top loader I've had for years now with the HiDefNES kit installed -- solid, the game isn't glitching out like crazy where it's semi-unplayable.

I know I'm not supplying much other than this and pics, but what could be the issue here?  I wanted to play that on the little CRT and it's just not happening and I'm 99% certain when my toploader got the fix, it was disabled from doing RF so I can't exactly just pull it and get an adapter for that port to rca either.

Anytime I find a console or accessory that has seen a hard life and just needs a little love to bring back to good working order, depending on where it's at I either choose to restore or customize and since I like my gear to be aesthetically pleasing it's a lot more fun to customize! Here's a few projects I've completed in the last few years.

N64: https://imgur.com/gallery/59OxFYO

GBA:

101 screen

GBA 001 IPSv2 screen kit, inside of shell painted:

https://i.imgur.com/kzE9nZi.mp4

In progress: https://imgur.com/gallery/FN5lVut

Paracord sleeved SNES Controller: 

https://imgur.com/gallery/OF38xjP / in progress: https://imgur.com/gallery/XRZOjzK

What kinda customized goodies have you done/own? Are you more on the stock look with hidden mods? I wanna see that gear!!

I dug up a picture of what can be done to upgrade a Honeybee to the level of a legit Nintendo made FC adapter in those early carts.  I went and grabbed a thrashed copy of NES baseball for $5 and returned with it.  It was a bit taxing trying to be very careful but using a mix of needly tweezers, flux paste, solder, soldering iron I was able to first pop the CIC chip off the old Nintendo PCB without bending/breaking the pins on the chip.  From there I went and gutted (see images below) the garbage bypass shock setup the Honeybee has and stripped the board clean other than the connector itself since it has a CIC row of pins where that bodge of garbage had rested.

Going back on was a lot faster, smoother.  Cleaned any holes that needed a little clearance, re-pasted the entire area, and then slowly using the needly tweezers threaded the little legs of the chip into the holes it was intended for.  From there fluxed, soldered, and gave a little to each, any that came up a little less than ideal from the chip side fed just a little more into the hole to be firm ...and done.

Or not... that spot I saw also showed how to run a wire from a pin from the adapter(FC side) to the NES 72pin side to allow for expansion audio.  So quite quickly tinned a little solder in two places for a surface, then I cut a piece of wire exposing just a little metal on each end, laid that down, soldered a little clean ball to both sides, and tested it out... worked perfectly as it should then properly screwed it shut.

The pisser... SMAS still acting all stupid.  I think I must have some variation of the CPU in there that it just hates on.  I saw some comments about that when trying to this fix that there were factory variations in the chip that don't trigger legit games but can piss off unlicensed and bootlegs possibly on the more complex side like this one.  Oh well.

Now I just need to go get Voltaurs drop in 2 spot solder 1 wire expansion audio mod micro PCB for my action set and I'm set up for good.

--Original post --

That Mario Allstars unique issue I'm having on my (cut pin 4 10NES aside) stock action set NES I did a little more investigating on.  A couple months back I got another FC adapter in a broken in the mail 260in1 golden game cart, PCB was done done, but salvaged its adapter and the shell.  I tried that game with SMAS and it got even more wonky.  It got me thinking, went to the discord for here and was tipped off (didn't realize it, never looked that hard) the honeybee sends a pulse to fry the lockout, so it doesn't have a legit bypass to the CIC say like Tengen cooked up.

I did a dig on google, came up with just one solitary post going back between 15-20 years ago on NESDEV forums about the adapter.  I did look and yes, the Honeybee is bodged to hell but also the PCB has traces and pinholes for a legit CIC chip!  The post sadly had a terrible 800x? photo and a sketchy description saying they took the scary stuff off the board and put the CIC in and it's functionally identical to the Nintendo bypass board from 1985.

The thing is, I looked at the Nintendo board, it is a CIC but has also one other resistor on it.  The modder didn't show this, only adding a red wire from pin to pin(top-bottom) for expansion audio.

Can I just slide all this crap off the board seen here, clean it up nice and tight and find a sacrificial awful cart to use as a victim to make this honeybee right?  The thing is my SMAS cart works on a sketch-o FC Mobile88 clone handheld too along with my HiDefNES kit modded top loader(using the honeybee as is with a slight jiggle on the menu.)

Based on the form factor, this precludes any sort of 2-player action, which is somewhat disappointing, but not terribly surprising.  One thing to note, though, is the mention that the creator is thinking of figuring out how to implement a touch screen and somehow work that in to allow for playing light gun games on the system.  Sadly, that still leaves ROB out in the cold, but I suppose it's roughly the last amount of functionality that could realistically be squeezed into the form factor while still leaving the underlying system using 100% genuine Nintendo hardware under the hood.

Thoughts?

I read through the instructions from Voultar's site, watched through the video where he installed it (mostly to determine whether the single component present in the csync area of my board needed to be removed--it didn't), and then got to work.  After minimally stripping the board to get to what I needed (removing 14 screws to release the system from the bottom case and drop off the lower RF shield), I got to work.  I can't describe how satisfying it was when the tiny mod board dropped right into place over top of the pins from the multi-out that stuck out from the bottom of the board.

I quickly discovered that Voultar apparently either used low-melt solder or had his soldering iron cranked to the moon, as whatever material had been used to make the rings around the vias on the mod board simply did not want to take solder no matter how long I held heat on them or how much flux I applied.  I adjusted my iron temperature up from ~400C to ~500C and had a lot more success, although there was still one via that was stubborn and ended up taking solder and then freezing it up immediately, as if I had been trying to remove old solder (there wasn't any) and the joint had gone totally cold (it wasn't).  After finally getting the last via to take solder and make a proper, if ugly joint, I very easily tinned the pads at the bottom of the mod meant to receive the RGB and csync signals and moved on to the wires.

The instructions stated not to strip or insert the wires any further than 3mm so as to not hit or short with the video chip above the vias they were to be inserted in, so I very carefully measured and stripped out 2mm on each wire.  Then I fought with each one for roughly 5 minutes each, as while Voultar's video described the wire as braided, it wasn't--it was basic stranded wire that when stripped, wanted to fan out and go everywhere.  Being as tiny as it was, it was quite a chore to twist the exposed bit of each wire enough so that they would fit through the tiny vias in the board.  After finally getting each one twisted enough to fit, I dropped the wires into the holes as instructed, lightly tacked them, then cable back with flux and solder ("standard" 60/40 rosin-core leaded) to solder them each properly into place.  I had similar issues with the other ends of each wire, but quickly enough got them soldered in place on the mod board, then moved on to the separate csync wire and repeated the process.

Now came the time to test.  Per a different video from RetroRGB which showed basically the same operation (same type of mod but different mod board), I skipped putting the system back together to any degree before testing it, just in case something wasn't quite right.  I gingerly plugged everything necessary up, gently wiggled the power brick onto the bare power plug, and inserted my RAD2X cable into the multi-out before flipping on the power.  The power light turned on, the red light on the RAD2X cable came on, then after a few long moments, the light flipped over to purple, indicating that it was receiving an RGB signal.  Then, a test pattern appeared on the screen.  RetroRGB had talked about how when he'd had installs go wrong, he would see a black screen, but then again, he was using standard AV cables, and a test pattern is what the RetroTink2X (what the RAD2X is built off of) will show when it's transmitting signal but not receiving anything to pass through.  Failure.

So, I carefully unplugged and then re-plugged everything, and powered back up.  Purple light, test pattern.  Figuring I'd just made some simple mistake like a solder bridge or something wasn't soldered properly (even though I'd checked before testing), I took everything off the board again and put it back on the bench.  I went over everything with a magnifier and couldn't see any shorts or bad joints, so I hit everything with flux, reflowed everything with my iron (making everything look as good as or better than the first time) and even went back over all the joints at the top of the mod board before hooking everything back up and testing it again.  Purple light, test pattern.

Ok, still a failure, but per RetroRGB's video, the only time he'd seen this board "fail" had been when he'd inserted the wires too deep and made contact with the video chip underneath.  Even though I'd measured out less length than Voultar had specified, maybe that was the issue?  So I heated up each wire and backed them ~50% out of each via and then allowed the solder to resolidify.  I hooked everything back up, and...  Purple light, test pattern.

Dammit!  At this point I was starting to inwardly panic a little, fearing that I'd fried the board somehow, even though I'd followed Voultar's installation video to a T and even used less exposed wire than he'd specified specifically to prevent the issue he and RetroRGB had talked about with the video chip.  But the RAD2X cable was showing it was receiving an RGB signal every time--what was going on?  So, I desoldered and pulled all the wires out of their respective vias on the bottom of the board and bent them out of the way to the side, hooked everything back up, and...purple light, test pattern.  So, Voultar's mod board would tell a RAD2X cable that it was receiving an RGB signal even if no signal was coming through.  I realized that the issue had to be coming down to either a connection issue between the mod board and the N64, or an issue with the wires going through the vias.

Being pretty much done with it by this point, I cranked the temperature on my iron up well above where I'd normally go (I just cranked the knob and saw it ended up around ~720C when I looked back at it), fluxed the daylights out of the pins going to the multi-out, then re-flowed them again.  This time, there was no argument from Voultar's board, and my standard rosin flux and 60/40 rosin-core leaded solder wicked down onto each via, even the stubborn one, instantaneously, making beautiful joints on every one.  Since the vias for the wires had become filled where I'd just pulled the wires out, I decided I would try soldering each wire to the vias instead of through the vias, since there seemed to be something going on there that wasn't being addressed by me using less length than the creator specified was necessary to prevent shorting out the circuit.

What I ended up with wasn't as pretty as a through-hole joint would have been, but they were solid, and not shorted to anything else, so I very carefully hooked everything back up to the system, crossed my fingers, and flipped the power switch.  Power light, red light on the RAD2X...then purple light...no test pattern...then Everdrive menu!  Success!  All the colors appeared to be there, but it had been suggested by RetroRGB that modded systems be tested with Super Mario 64, since all the colors were visible on the startup screen and any issues should be immediately visible.  So, I powered off the system, hooked up a controller, and restarted the system.  Success again!  I navigated to Super Mario 64 in the menu, hit start, watched the loading bar pop for a moment, disappear, and...nothing beyond a popup on the TV stating "480P HDMI" on top of a black screen.  I turned off the system, made sure everything was seated properly, then turned it back on.  All the lights on the system came on as per normal, the RAD2X went from red to purple...then the TV popped up a black screen saying "480P HDMI" and nothing else.

What the heck?!  I pulled everything off of the system, then put it back on, making sure everything was seated properly, and flicked the power again to the same result.  Then tried pulling the SD card out of my Everdrive, starting it up without it, then putting it back in and starting it again, all with the same result.  Maybe I'd accidentally broken one of the connections on the bottom of the board, since they were simply soldered to the tops of the vias instead of through them?  So I disassembled again, desoldered each wire, then soldered each back into place, reassembled everything, and powered on to try again.  Black screen, "480P HDMI."  My heart sunk.  I figured either my Everdrive had crapped out, or the system had gone funky with something potentially broken.  I started keeping my solder gear at my brother's house due to my kids being too curious when I was working on things, so I'd been working at his place.  As such, in my "brilliant" overconfidence, I didn't think to bring a different cartridge or AV cable to test the system with and, with it being past midnight, I didn't want to spend half an hour driving home and back to get something else.

Then a thought occurred to me based on some information I'd randomly heard in some GameCube videos I'd watched earlier in the week.  What if his TV had freaked out and lost signal when the resolution changed and had just failed to resync it?  So, I flipped the TV to a different input, waited until it synced and showed output from the computer connected to that one, then flipped it back over to the input the N64 was on and hit the console's power switch.  Power light, red light on the RAD2X, then purple, and...Everdrive menu!  Not quite out of the woods yet, I started a different game, figuring that perhaps there was something weird going on with the Super Mario 64 ROM on the cart.  Goldeneye popped up and started playing immediately and looked ok, although I admitted that I'd not seen enough of it in decades to really know whether it looked right or not.  So, I reset the system and fired up Conker's Bad Fur Day instead.  Bingo!  Everything looked correct, the graphics a little sharper, and as far as I could tell, the colors did seem to "pop" a bit more, although I would really need to see it on my TV at home to know for sure, since that's where I'd been playing it.  I reset the system again and figured I'd run it through one final test to make sure it was running correctly, and fired up Super Mario 64 again.  Success!  The loading bar disappeared, then the game's logo showed up in all its multicolored glory, followed immediately by Mario's big head and the RGB "Press Start" in the corner.  Whatever had gone sideways at the end had gone away, and it just needed to be buttoned up.

So, I took a look at RetroRGB's install video quickly to determine how he had bent part of the lower RF shield to clear the mod board (since Voultar never mentioned this necessary step in his video), crimped the offending flap down into the shield as flat as I could, then put electrical tape over the board and exposed solder points to prevent shorts, as well as a bit over the center of the wires to hold them down, and buttoned it up.  After I got the system back into the lower shell, I hooked it up and tested it again, finding everything working the way it had a couple of minutes prior.  I then proceeded to button it up completely, reinstalled the Expansion Pak and its cover, then hooked the system back up one more time to test it out.  Everything worked as expected, and I ran through the first couple of areas of Conker just to make sure it wasn't going to work fine at startup, then show a problem later on.

I'm happy to report that it came through with flying colors, looking much better than composite had (slightly sharper, better colors, and everything being much brighter overall), and in the end being worth all the headache.  I'm still not sure what was going on with the lack of video signal with the wires inserted in the vias (unless the maximum length had been misreported), but I'm happy with the result, even if the soldered-on wires aren't as neat and pretty as soldered-in ones would have been.  Function before form.

(Note that the screenshot of Super Mario 64 is taken on my TV that all of my other screenshots have been taken on.  Should anyone want a comparison between composite and RGB on the RAD2X, just let me know, as I have a second, unmodded N64 that I can use to provide comparison photos.)

I have spent hours trying to internet search for anyone who may have had a similar issue to no avail.  Unfortunately, I do not have any other top loaders to test on currently and I have to assume there probably aren't too many out there with the "covid version" of the RGB mod installed.  Has anyone else ever run into any sort of issues loading FDS games on a top loader?