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NEC TG-16/TE/TurboDuo => TG/PCE Repair/Mod Discussion => Topic started by: tbsjordan on April 27, 2011, 05:50:57 AM

Title: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: tbsjordan on April 27, 2011, 05:50:57 AM
Got my first TG-16 in the mail today. I took a chance a bought one off ebay cheap(seller said he never tested it.) The system works, but I can't get a good picture. The system came with TV Sports Basketball, here's a couple pictures of how it looks.

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100872.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100871.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100870.jpg)

To make sure it wasn't the game I went ahead and tried a copy of Military Madness that I had already.

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100868.jpg)

The pictures actually adds more color to the pictures, its actually darker in person. I thought it could be the rf but I tried a NES rf and the picture just rolled. And if it makes any difference I'm using a Model 1 Genesis power supply because the system came with some panasonic adapter I didn't trust using.

Anyone have any suggestions?
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: DragonmasterDan on April 27, 2011, 06:09:41 AM
Got my first TG-16 in the mail today. I took a chance a bought one off ebay cheap(seller said he never tested it.) The system works, but I can't get a good picture. The system came with TV Sports Basketball, here's a couple pictures of how it looks.

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100872.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100871.jpg)
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100870.jpg)

To make sure it wasn't the game I went ahead and tried a copy of Military Madness that I had already.

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4100868.jpg)

The pictures actually adds more color to the pictures, its actually darker in person. I thought it could be the rf but I tried a NES rf and the picture just rolled. And if it makes any difference I'm using a Model 1 Genesis power supply because the system came with some panasonic adapter I didn't trust using.

Anyone have any suggestions?


Do you have a different RF switch to test with? if the NES RF wasn't working at all and this one didn't work properly it might be the TV as well. Try a different TV, the panasonic power and a different RF if possible.
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: Necromancer on April 27, 2011, 06:16:52 AM
Did you try jiggling the rf connector on the TG?  Its solder connections might need some help.
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on April 27, 2011, 06:21:20 AM
You can add RCA out, I am sure there is a schematic somewhere on this site.

I have a turbo grafx, that does not output any picture via RF, but when I plug it in the expansion dock, it works great... So I have to assume the RF is bad...

Good luck!
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 08:11:43 AM
i just fixed the rf on my third tg16.
it appeared to be a build defect (missing part) in the rf modulator.
it was working withe poor pic on one tv and not at all on another
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on April 27, 2011, 10:58:08 AM
Hmmm, thesteve, can you provide me some assistance?  Like what part was missing, did you just solder it, I want to get another TG up and running. Any pics would help... Thanks!
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 11:31:03 AM
i should have taken a pic.
if u look at the board on the rf modulator (jack on top three pins bottom) just below the jack is its solder joint.
there needs to be a small SM capacitor connecting it to the solder joint to its right
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: tbsjordan on April 27, 2011, 12:18:41 PM
I tried a bunch of other r/f and ac's and I still got the same result. I hooked up my NES to make sure the tv wasn't the problem and it had a clear picture. I don't have another tv to test it on. Guess either my tv hates it or I got burned :(
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: BlueBMW on April 27, 2011, 12:23:58 PM
You might try and rig one of these up.... ultimately you want to use composite over RF anyways...

http://www.cgquarterly.com/articles/tg16_cable.htm
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 12:40:32 PM
that cable works well
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: bernielindell on April 27, 2011, 12:57:16 PM
Nice site Blue!  Got some good reading there.
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on April 27, 2011, 01:11:49 PM
Great link, Im gonna try that for sure!
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 02:41:01 PM
composite is better
but for the sake of those who want it to work the way it was designed to (me included), we should pursue this.
i made one weak unit display strong through rf all ready, so it can be done I just need to get pics up.
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 04:01:27 PM
the one i got was missing the pass cap.
i replaced it with a chip cap from a cd rom board
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on April 27, 2011, 04:27:47 PM
Steve, you're the man.  I am not sure what to do, I will have to look at it..

I know I saw another schematic where you solder the wires in the inside, for more of a permanent solution... I will try to find it, as I know I will rip those cables while I am having a monster session of Keith Courage. 
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: thesteve on April 27, 2011, 04:41:05 PM
i just mounted my L R V jacks on the right side of the unit because i had room to. on my composit mod
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: tbsjordan on April 28, 2011, 01:47:41 AM
I completey forgot about TurboBoosters, one of them would probably fix the issue right?
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on April 28, 2011, 02:42:17 AM
Yeah, the Turbo booster would work, if the problem is the RF, and the video signal is good from the board...
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: tbsjordan on May 03, 2011, 03:53:26 AM
Small little update, a collector I know who is scaling back decided to sell me his TG-16 and games so I went ahead a bought it. Here's how the picture is looking on it:

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y55/tbsJordan/P4160874.jpg)

Goes to show the the other Turbo had something wrong internally. I tried the old one with the new one's cables and still got bad picture.

Not sure what I'll do with the other Turbo (if someone wants to buy/trade for it to fix it up let me know) but I'm happy I finally got a working system.
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: BlueBMW on May 03, 2011, 01:50:22 PM
And you're using it on a CRT!  Good show :D
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: tbsjordan on May 04, 2011, 01:59:25 AM
I don't even own an LCD tv :P This tv is starting to have some picture issues though, so I may end up having to upgrade sometime soon though  :?
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: BlueBMW on May 04, 2011, 03:08:55 AM
I wsih tv makers would at a retro mode option to make a modern tv look and function like a crt.  (Including light gun compatibility etc)
Title: Re: Turbo-Grafx 16 Picture Issues
Post by: alexsduo on May 04, 2011, 03:16:22 AM
That would be cool.... EMS makes a lightgun for projectors and lcd...

http://www.hkems.com/product/xbox/LCDTopGun.htm