PCEngineFans.com - The PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 Community Forum
NEC TG-16/TE/TurboDuo => TG-16/TE/TurboDuo Sales & Trades => Topic started by: D-Lite on September 18, 2007, 04:55:06 AM
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9/26/07 UPDATE: I have finished a thorough guide for installing this PCB! Please visit my website at www.multimods.com (http://www.multimods.com/) and click on the "New! PCE Region Modification" link on the left side of the page.
First off, let me spend the top of this space thanking Ben Moran for designing and printing the first run of these PCBs months ago.
:clap: :clap:
Although others had outlined the PCB method, he was the first I know to step up and get the damn things printed. With that he opened the door for modding more system such as the CoreGrafx and Turbo Express due to the small size of the PCB. And for that, as I mentioned previously, the "Moran 1.0" is still there on the PCB itself. Thanks Ben, for designing this and allowing me to continue with the PCBs by sharing your layout.
OK, now the good stuff.
As the below picture shows, the new PCBs are identical except for the mask and screen now since I went with a production run of the boards. Very nice quality and works great. What these boards will do for you is allow you to switch the HuCard slot region on any NEC system. Yes, ANY system, including Duo, DuoR, DuoRX, TG16, CoreGrafx I/II, PC Engine, Turbo Express, PC Engine GT, and SuperGrafx. Even the LT? Probably, but I'll let you do that. Same for the LaserActive. Note that with japanese systems you'll need to ground pin 29 on the processor, which if you're good enough to do the mod anyways, should be easy for you.
Cost per board: $15 +shipping ($4.60 for Priority mail, $1.50 for regular 1st class)
To install it, you'll need:
- SPDT switch (available readily at Radio Shack)
- wrapping wire (30 gauge stuff, also at the Shack)
- wire cutter, wire stripper
- drill and file for cutting and shaping the hole for the switch
- proper bit for opening whatever system you have
Oh, and I've decided to give back to Ben on this stuff. Every board sold is $1 for Ben for just being a great member of the community. :clap:
Sound daunting to do yourself? Send me your system and I'll do it for $35 shipped for the small guys (PCE, Core, Core II), $40 for the bigger ones (Duo, SGx, etc). I'm not yet doing the Turbo Express/GT mods myself yet due to a couple of factors, but probably in the future.
Best bet to reach me: dean@multimods.com
I will be listing a ton of games later today/tomorrow and also some modded PCE/Core systems. Stay tuned.
Now, here's a pic of the new board, next to the original board, next to an 8PDT switch that I still sometimes use:
(http://www.multimods.com/images/PCB2.JPG)
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I'll be sure to add one of those little guys to the next order I get from you.
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Looking good Dean, and thanks for the kind words. It didnt make sense for me to just "sit on" this stuff while I was away.
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Ahh silly me thought it was switchless,still, a spdp is worlds more manageable then the original switch,and a radio shack ready item. Good you guys worked it all out. Oh yea,Eric was pleased with the MVS carts too,was not sure if you knew or not.
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Ahh silly me thought it was switchless,still, a spdp is worlds more manageable then the original switch,and a radio shack ready item. Good you guys worked it all out. Oh yea,Eric was pleased with the MVS carts too,was not sure if you knew or not.
Switchless would be great but impossible. It's an actual physical difference between the cart pins, so unless you built in logic to the system itself to detect region, you're stuck with a switch.
Yep, got a message from him, thanks for setting it up again.
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Yea I don't know what I was thinking there,I got stupid for a day.Old age starting to set in.
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So I am to gather you two have just taken this old mod:http://mbrandel.vizionaires.net/?page_id=48
and streamlined it for everyone with better instructions?
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So I am to gather you two have just taken this old mod:http://mbrandel.vizionaires.net/?page_id=48
and streamlined it for everyone with better instructions?
Exactly. In Ben's original thread on this, he cited that page for the design. I'm going to mod a Core and take pics of the progress on it to post. It'll be an online guide for it.
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Awesome,thats what I thought,visually it looks like you 2 have worked wonders with it,I really hate radioshack stripboard,streamlined is much nicer. You should try to cover a method of doing the pins,try to come up with a easy method for people new to soldering and cutting pins,not that there is a real "easy" way for this particular mod,but since your set to do a guide,try to come up with the "easiest" method for someone who never has done this before with up close shots. I bet alot of people would like that,help reassure them that they can do it without messing up.
edit:
A side note,I have a very small pair of medical scissors that I use for thin pins or anything like that that is in a tight spot and needs to be cut. Its the same type they use to cut stitches. If you search you can find that kinda stuff and it really helps. Also small toe nail clippers that are new and sharp. I use those when I want to clip a leg on a chip,works well and fast and gives me pieces to solder onto with less risk to damaging the leg completely or having to desolder it.
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If the PCE stuff had a reset button, it would be possible to incorporate a latch that switches regions on reset.. But ahh well.
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Wow,lol I was thinking the exact same thing,but since we have to use run and select......
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So does Markus Brandel's region mod not fit in a GT? Looks like there's quite a bit of space at the back, where the HuCard slot is.. I haven't tried it yet but I have a beat up GT I got for cheap.. maybe... :-"
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Check your pm please d-lite.
Got the modded coregrafx but some select u.s titles won't play on it ](*,)
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Check your pm please d-lite.
Got the modded coregrafx but some select u.s titles won't play on it ](*,)
PM'd you back. I think it's just a readjusting they need as those played fine here and there's little reason to think some HuCards would play and others not, but let me know!
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9/26/07 UPDATE: I have finished a thorough guide for installing this PCB! Please visit my website at www.multimods.com (http://www.multimods.com/) and click on the "New! PCE Region Modification" link on the left side of the page.
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'bout time you updated your site! Nice job on the guide.
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'bout time you updated your site! Nice job on the guide.
Haha, yeah, it's been a while. One thing I really really want to update/create is a funky PCE hardware page. I have a ton of those oddball items to take pics of and describe at least in brief. Virtual Cushion, Shuttle CD adapter, prototype HuCard Slot to computer cable, two different kinds of PCE arcade setups, etc. Some day.
I'm wondering if I should start a new thread for the guide since it seems no one noticed yet.... :-"
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Give it time,people will notice. DEF GREAT JOB ! The pics will be a great help to alot that need a visual guide over a line drawing.
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Awesome job!! The guides are better than those Time Life carpentry books. :clap: hehe
I have a friend here in town who is pretty good with electronics. He said he could probably do the S-Vid and region mod if he had a guide. What do I need to get from you before he begins?
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Awesome job!! The guides are better than those Time Life carpentry books. :clap: hehe
I have a friend here in town who is pretty good with electronics. He said he could probably do the S-Vid and region mod if he had a guide. What do I need to get from you before he begins?
For the region mod or S-Video?
The S-Video mod is much easier than the region one if you have the encoder built already.
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That reminds me,who is selling the s-video encoder now? You or Grahf?
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For the region mod or S-Video?
Both :)
Do I get the encoder off you?
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At the moment, I don't have a "professional" stamped PCB for the S-Video mod, I make them by hand. Take me about 50 minutes each to make and I have 5-6 right now. Works exactly the same as the PCB that grahf had and I'm looking to design and stamp a PCB for that in the future. But that's not a top priority because of the cost involved. To get the region mod PCBs done on a scale that made sense, I had to put down a ton of $$ upfront. I have more than enough boards for modding myself and anyone and everyone that would want one. I assume the supply will last 2-4 years, but that's a lot of idle cash.
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'bout time you updated your site! Nice job on the guide.
Haha, yeah, it's been a while. One thing I really really want to update/create is a funky PCE hardware page. I have a ton of those oddball items to take pics of and describe at least in brief. Virtual Cushion, Shuttle CD adapter, prototype HuCard Slot to computer cable, two different kinds of PCE arcade setups, etc. Some day.
I'm wondering if I should start a new thread for the guide since it seems no one noticed yet.... :-"
I'd love to see that!
Virtual Cushion!!! :mrgreen:
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'bout time you updated your site! Nice job on the guide.
Haha, yeah, it's been a while. One thing I really really want to update/create is a funky PCE hardware page. I have a ton of those oddball items to take pics of and describe at least in brief. Virtual Cushion, Shuttle CD adapter, prototype HuCard Slot to computer cable, two different kinds of PCE arcade setups, etc. Some day.
I'm wondering if I should start a new thread for the guide since it seems no one noticed yet.... :-"
I'd love to see that!
Virtual Cushion!!! :mrgreen:
Maybe it's just me but everytime I see Virtual Cushion I imagine a beanbag chair that makes accompanying sounds whilst playing Toilet Kids. :oops:
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I have a Virtual Cushion available I'm thinking about buying. Is it worth it? Does it have good bass response?