PCEngineFans.com - The PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 Community Forum
NEC TG-16/TE/TurboDuo => TG-16/TE/TurboDuo Sales & Trades => Topic started by: chop5 on May 16, 2008, 05:01:53 PM
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Howdy. As some of you know ive been working on a easy and cheap way to play japanese hucards on american systems without the need for a commercial converter or cutting our precious systems. And having as many systems as i have modding them would be expensive and no way in hades im spending $150 plus on some kisado or old worn out converter.
So i introduce to you the chopsado 2:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/jetsado4.jpg)
I took my old slot tester that i made from the older thread and cut another PCI connector from an old pc motherboard one side the pins are to american and the other to japanese. They were to connect to a bridgeboard made from a butchered thin ribbon cable taped on a credit card here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/jetsado3.jpg
and then slid into the machine. The wires are curved so it can be fit easily on the back of a tg express.
I only got it working 1 time with fuzziness. No pictures of it in action cause soon after i pulled it out of the tg express a few wires popped off the connector so i had to touch it up.
When i was fixing it and trying to get the fuzziness out it dawned on me.
Why not make a sticker region mod that fits on the hucard itself. Thin and has adhesive so that you can remove it easy and place on another hucard or just leave it on forever without damaging it. Similar to a sim card on mobile phones.
So i started to make a rough proto and sacrificed the materials used on the chopsado2 for it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado7.jpg)
Just some folding here and there and make it nice and compact. The ribbon is double sided just have to scrape away the insulation for contacts on each side for 1 piece to redirect and rest another over it. The force of the hu connector will make them have contact when slid in.
chopsado3 is born:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado10.jpg)
I was gonna solder the wires to the ribbon at first so it would be flat against the hucard cause you can solder onto those thin metal film:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/jetsado.jpg
but since this is a proto and i might have to change something and short on materials i went with a tiny cut of the pci connector
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado9.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado8.jpg)
as as you can see reusable:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado13.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado11.jpg
peachboy!!!!!
Having the contacts go all the way to the edge of the card i think is a mistake and will adjust it so it barely covers the pins.
But you all get the idea. Someone should design a even thinner and smaller design and make them in china for like 25 cents a sticker.
Post your designs of home made converters here. Be creative maybe something better and easier can be made.
It can be designs on paper or a rough proto.
And remember always be careful with soldering and placing of pins. Don't want to short out your console. Triple check everything.
ps# chopsado 1 is still being made but i ran out of materials :oops:
update june 5:
heres a pic of a chopsado#1 proto:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado1proto.jpg)
just a ribbon from a floppy drive. thats was the plan but with longer ribbon but i ran out of ribbon. This proto i never got to get working. the cuts on the ribbon end are too curved to make proper contact on the hucard slot and need to be cut or filed flat. but you all get the idea :mrgreen:
others have used the PCI connector's as you can see in this mirai converter so it can be used on an express:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/9313_1.jpg
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Not sure I'd trust my games to any of those, but definitely cool hacks! :clap:
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thats cool dude! :)
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Great photos man!
I want some chopsado stickers for sure!
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I think that this is quite a creative endeavor. Sure, it makes MacGuyver look like a top quality manufacturer of polished goods, but who cares as long as it works.
And now I feel like a fool for not sitting down and playing with this stuff myself. Maybe I'll have to get off my ass and get to it.
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This is a interesting idea that could be fabricated into something sold en-masse. Basically slap on labels that cover the data area and reverse the needed pins at the same time. This should seriously be looked into by someone with the right funds,and hot ladies to model/demo said product.
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This is a interesting idea that could be fabricated into something sold en-masse. Basically slap on labels that cover the data area and reverse the needed pins at the same time. This should seriously be looked into by someone with the right funds,and hot ladies to model/demo said product.
haha. I think you just uncovered NEC/TTI's marketing mistake - they didn't have hot models. :P
Seriously though, nice work chop. :clap:
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This is extraordinarily brilliant and totally ghetto at the same time. I love it.
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This is pretty cool; primitive, but cool. :clap:
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Are you familiar with Hackaday.com? you might send this their way.
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So, I don't know if I'm using the wrong search terms or what, but apparently the thin film-style cables are not considered consumer parts of any variety, because I can't find a place to buy any. Anybody else have any thoughts?
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Thanks guys for the kind words :D
Il give a rundown on materials for the chopsado 3.
The cable has many names,foil ribbon,flat cable,flex cable or just plain ribbon cable. But i think the technical name for it is ffc (flat flexible cable) or fcc (flat conductor cable)cable. I got mines from a old cd lens.
Theres also fpc ribbon cable (flexible printed circuit) but its made of different material and i suspect even thinner. Probably what the finished chopsado 3 will be made of.
www.avx.com/docs/Catalogs/ffchist.pdf (http://www.avx.com/docs/Catalogs/ffchist.pdf)
They go by pitch,the space between the pins. The one i use was slightly off pitch to the hucards pins but when cut up in pieces of 5 it was barely noticeable.
The pitch is so small i can barely measure it. I think the hucard pins are like 0.40 mm and the ribbon i used was maybe 0.35mm. I don't have accurate measuring equipment. If someone can measure the pitch of the hucard pins that would be great.
I took 4 pieces of the ribbon i had,two pieces of 5 and two of 4.
Taped them back to back with the contacts out. This particular ribbon had plastic mountings on its ends so it can slide off easy from its cd lens and its motherboard. I used that part to connect to the piece of pci connector. The other end of was cut off so it would be just thin bare cable and i scraped off its insulation with a razor blade. I could of done that with the other end but it saved some time.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado15.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado18.jpg
Theres only 8 pins that need redirecting on a hucard. I redirected 9 so there wouldn't be a space between them,make it even.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado16.jpg)
In this pic they look a bit raised but there not that protruding from the card. They get flatter if you press down with your finger. Like the thickness of 2 pieces of paper. I don't think it will effect the card slot at all. But i would like thinner ribbon if i can find it.
Held down with a piece of tape at the end:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado19.jpg)
Can barely even see the ribbon.
Its better to position the contacts on the pins instead of over the pins and around the card like i did at first:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado14.jpg
The way the tg-16 slot pins are made the ribbon cant get caught between them or raised out of place.
They would get raised up on the plastic part of the connector first but the would have to really be protruding.
But just in case a small piece of tape on the end keeps then down.
The pci connector has 2 rows of pins. To redirect the ribbons contacts from the side touching the card from jap to the side touching the slot usa. Lots of kynar wire to do this.
I could have soldered directly to the ribbon cable but wanted it this way in case i changed something.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado17.jpg)
The pci connector is really unnecessary.
I will probably make one with the pieces of ribbon cable i have left with the wires soldered on the ribbon cable making it even smaller. Probably a inch high with smaller wires connecting them. Not solder on the side of the ribbon with the plastic mountings. I would cut that off and scrape off the insulation then solder onto it. Then cover the wires with a smiley face sticker or just a piece of black electrical tape.
I think thats it. Just common stuff i had laying around the house. I'm cheap. If i had to order special stuff this project would of taken forever and be costly.
I just wanna play 8)
update,june 18
a more compact without the pc1 connection:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado3proto2pic1.jpg)
tried to glue it in place but glue wont hold for some reason so had to use tape again. also i need to get a thinner gauge of wire:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado3proto2pic2.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsado3portotypepics2.jpg
still not the way i want it. il scrap this one and try again. works good though
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Hmm... If I want 500 ft of that flexicable I'm OK. Otherwise I'm screwed short of pillaging other devices.
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I found out the hucards pitch. its 0.05 inch or 1.27mm.
same pitch as a pci 120 pin connector bus and an old floppy drive cable.
The ffc ribbons on ebay are really small pitch and some dont give the pitch in the description but look like they might be close. il buy a few and let you all know.
A ribbon of the same pitch would be ideal so i can make it from a 2 single pieces instead of 4 like i did with mine.
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I found out the hucards pitch. its 0.05 inch or 1.27mm.
same pitch as a pci 120 pin connector bus and an old floppy drive cable.
The ffc ribbons on ebay are really small pitch and some dont give the pitch in the description but look like they might be close. il buy a few and let you all know.
A ribbon of the same pitch would be ideal so i can make it from a 2 single pieces instead of 4 like i did with mine.
So, will you be able to make these converters not only functional but for sale to folks interested in purchasing? How much would you sell these things for?
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Bump,anymore news on this?
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Wow, this is fascinating.
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Could you post a Tutorial, With all the material and which pin need to be exchanged with which?
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Yeah, I would be interested in a more step by step sorta thing, with the right details for which pins are to be switched and all.
I had an idea of taking the HuCard slot out of a broken TG16, and then you plug the game to be converted into that, some wires run along it, flipped where needed, and then reconnect them on a spare hucard (I know! trashing a HuCard! ><), so you could then stick that into the system and play away.
Or rather then trash a hucard, just use something the same size, and make solder traces where it connects to the system.
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i will make a step by step tutorial soon,like in a few days. im still working on an alternative to using ribbon from a printer lamp. If im successful it will make this method look like crap.
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When i finished this tutorial i realized im terrible at explaining things. basically repeating what i said in the rest of the thread. Im sorry but i think this will be of little help. The only way i can do better is if someone films me making one.
From now on chopsado3 will be just chopsado.
heres the best i can do.
First you need some ribbon. The best source is old scanners and old cd players that you put in entertainment centers. The pins on the end of the ribbon have to be as close as possible to the width of the pins on a hucard.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/variousribbon.jpg
There are numbers and serials on the ribbons but i found them to be useless as a ribbon with the same serial can still have a different pitch. The long white ribbon you see the pic was from a old samsung dsl box and is the perfect pitch and spacing but the ribbon is a bit to thick possiblly for higher volatge. Need to use as thin as possible.
The ribbon i have chosen is from a cd player. Once the pins get passed 5 it starts to overlap over another pin on a hucard so i cut it at 5 and 4 pins. Finding a perfect spaced pitch or pins to a hucard means that the ribbon only needs to be cut in 2 pieces,front and back. I wish i had some "perfect" ribbon.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/ccc.jpg
a little over 2 inches in length. I'm sure you can cut the length shorter and to your liking but im happy with 2 inches
On the end of the ribbon is a hard plastic connector that was used to hold it firmly in its device. this will be removed later. Again this is my choice you can cut the ribbon pieces from the middle and not use the ends with the plastic connectors but then you will have to scrape both ends. This is just a time saving measure for me. Yup im lazy.
The 4 pieces have a natural curve to them and you want to make sure that the curve is up against the hucard when its all completed. like a curve of a hill on a flat plain. This is hard for me to explain but you will understand when cutting. This helps so that the ribbon will stay flat against the pins and not stick out. But even if the curve was reversed it wont matter with the tape on the bottom holding the pins. This is just my preference.
Now start scraping the insulation from the 4 pieces of the ends on one side only. I scraped about half a centimeter.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/razorscrape.jpg
Don't scrape between the pins. Ive made many mistakes here.
Now that thats done remove the plastic ends carefully:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/pullplastic.jpg
and cut the exposed ribbon about 3 mm or to a comfortable length that you can solder on to.
Now cut 8 or 9 wires a little over an inch long. I used kynar wire from radio shack 30 awg. Its very thin. Again its my preference you can use other gauges of wire and length.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/cutwires.jpg
Now the pin layout is a difficult one to explain. Ive done it so many times its burned in my soul. I can wire the chopsado or a region switch in my sleep. I just remember it as numbers. the hucard slot or the hucard is from right to left,looking straight at it is 1 thru 38. you want to change pins 15 thru 17 and 19 thru 23. leave pin 18 alone. Im sure you can find the diagram that all modders use either on this site or the web. if not heres a crude pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/pinsdiagram.jpg
For the chopsado you have the set of 4 and 5 piece of ribbon on the hucard for a total of 9 and you have the other pieces of 4 and 5 that will be reversed on top of it. It will be crystal clear when you have the pieces in front of you.
Lets start soldering the wires. I placed the 5 count ribbon with the scraped off parts facing up and soldered to the cut ends:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/solderingthestrips.jpg
solder the wire to its opposite end to the 4 count ribbon.
front pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/bridgeingthe4pieces.jpg
back pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/otherside.jpg
you can see where i scraped away some insulation for the 18th pin. Again this is my preference. You can solder the 18th pin wire just like all the rest or have it exposed with no insulation like on here so it makes full contact with the other one or completely cut it off leaving a small gap. Do what you like.
Soldering can be difficult. I used a small piece of foil to protect the other ends when i was soldering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/morewelds.jpg
My method of soldering is probably different from yours. I would place the ribbon flat and put the foil seperator and use a toothpick to apply a tiny amount of this soldering paste to the ribbon and wire:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/wires.jpg
It helps make the solder flow to exactly where i want it to. All i have to do is melt a tiny bit of solder on the iron and place over the wire and the ribbon and like magic it forms a weld thats super strong.
Once all the wires have been soldered it should look like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/morepic.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/morepics2.jpg
again you can solder the 18th wire of not.
the top part is the jap side and the bottom part is the usa side.
here you can see that curve a bit i mentioned earlier:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/curvesontheribbon.jpg
Now bend that mother! right in the middle so it reaches the other end. Make sure the scraped pins are outwards. Only the insulated ends will be back to back. Add a bit of electrical tape in between the soldering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/tapejob.jpg
And use scotch tape to make the cut ribbon merge nice and together and your done.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/alldone.jpg
I did this one today as some of you on the shout box heard me complaining. Total hours to make was 2. I was distracted by escape from new york and other shows on tv :mrgreen:
I hope this explained a bit. let me know if you have any questions.
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I am strangely drawn to the ghettoness of this product.
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I am strangely drawn to the ghettoness of this product.
that explains your vanilla ice avatar.
WORD TO YO MOTHA!
:lol: heh.
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I found a scanner at the thrift with what i think is perfect ribbon. Its the same pitch and i think even thinner than what ive been using.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/scanner001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/scanner002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/scannermodel.jpg
its a nice long piece of ribbon in it over a foot long:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/perfectribbon.jpg
you can see the model numbers and stuff if it helps any.
it was hard to get it to stand still on the scanner with a hucard to show the pitch of the pins:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/ribbon.jpg
But i was able to make the chopsado out of 2 pieces of ribbon instead of 4. I also did some other different things to it like solder the 8th wire without scraping both sides of the 8th pin and soldered directly to scraped off ribbon instead of exposing it. also soldered all the wires on one piece first instead of one at a time. Since its extra thin it would need more testing to see how it holds up. The length of it is for if the contacts get worn out or bent you can scrape off a little more of the insulation and cut off the frayed end with scissors. Giving the chopsado some longevity. I dont think i mentioned that before in other threads.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/prchopsado.jpg)
left side is usa pinout right side is jap pinout
But if it passes all the tests this model is suitable to be given to others.
to me its perfect enough to be my new sig :mrgreen:
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keep up the great work chop were all pullin for ya! :dance: :dance: :dance:
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This is really cool, it's the adapter the russians would have come up with :clap:
You need to post the pics of it taped to a hucard, those look nice too.
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Man thats crazy. You've got some skills. I'd say you pwned kisado right there for the Mcguyver factor. Thats awesome. Chopsado in nice on the wire tip. props
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I want my chopsado! Spitoooioo! on the kisado!
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Yeah, this is awesome stuff. *Applause* :clap: :clap:
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Have you given any thought to making a reverse converter? So US hu cards could be played on a Japanese Duo-RX, PC Engine GT, or PC Engine LT.
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Have you given any thought to making a reverse converter? So US hu cards could be played on a Japanese Duo-RX, PC Engine GT, or PC Engine LT.
Converters work both ways - they simply reverse the order of some pins. The chopsadoTM should work, as long as the Japanese console is modded to be region free by the grounding of pin #29. If you're looking for a converter that wouldn't require any interior modifications, sorry, but there's no such thing.
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yeah the pin in the pc engine still has to be grounded before a reverse chopsado can be used.
I have found out something testing the new ribbon. The new ribbon passed all the stress tests and can probably last 100 years. But all this time Ive never used it on a tg-16 because my duo's and express are my primary consoles. So i dragged out my typerwriter like case that has my tg-16 and cd attachment and was surprised that my chopsado wouldn't fit. You can see the tape jammed up in the razor thin insertion canal or whatever its called:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/razorthin002.jpg)
The duo and express have a very generous opening and can allow one or two layers of tape easy and more but the tg-16 will only allow the ribbon and no tape.
So the chopsado has to be built a little different for tg-16 owners.
First no tape can be in the insertion zone. The 2 pieces of ribbon have to be held together by glue. For this proto i used rubber cement but i think elmers glue can do. Only tape is by the solders and the tape that holds it in place. You can barely see the tape cause of the picture but look closely by momo's boot and hair, The tape on the other one is on the black area:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/differenttapepositions.jpg)
Not glue to hold it in place but the 2 pieces of ribbon after you soldered on the wires. Like in my sig.
And the anchoring piece of tape is no longer on the black part of the hucard but on the art. I'm afraid of the tape lifting off the paint so dull the tape a bit like run it on your shirt. Make it a bit weak but not too weak so it wont hold the chopsado in place. The small piece of tape holding down the ribbon on the pins is unaffected by the thin slot and wont get caught.
And still when you insert all of this in the hucard slot its still tight. As tight as a **** on a *** with a pickle.
So be careful not to shear off the pins on the chopsado.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/differenttapeposition2.jpg)
I should probably use glue on all my chopsados instead of tape. I kinda like tape cause of i can always take it apart easy if i need to. But i don't think i will need to. And yes i need a manicure.
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question - is there a risk that the middle pins are going to get bent slightly more and eventually cause issues with playing non chopsado games? I know that sometimes aftermarket converters or carts there are risks with that happening - such as using the old Gameshark on the Saturns made the controller port less and less likely to read the 4MB carts.
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question - is there a risk that the middle pins are going to get bent slightly more and eventually cause issues with playing non chopsado games? I know that sometimes aftermarket converters or carts there are risks with that happening - such as using the old Gameshark on the Saturns made the controller port less and less likely to read the 4MB carts.
yeah but i believe the risk is small or non existent. the ribbon is extremely thin. the chopsado is probably thinner than a sheet of paper. But still ive always kept that in mind and the way the pins are made its possible to bend them back into shape with a needle. The tg-16 slot is very sturdy and repairs possible.
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Michael Helgeson wanted a region converter for his son and had these materials laying around. A busted hucard and slot from a busted pc engine.
I always wondered what i would do if i ever got my hands on a hucard slot.
Gentlemen behold.......the WH-1 ultimate converter!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/protoMH1pic1.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/protoMH1pic2.jpg
in action on a duo:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/WH1inaduo.jpg)
this project took many weeks to finish. And at first was to look similar to one of my other converters using the thin ribbon on a card and wires soldered on the pins.
But all that changed when i noticed the ribbon was out of pitch and michale showed me a pic of this other members creation:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/Sys3Card.jpg)
The pins are better aligned and would mean less solder points and less chances for something to go wrong with it.
So first i started with the hucard. I was shocked to learn that the chips are on the little black thing. i thought they went all through the card on some ultra thin like membrane:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/openhucard2.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/openhucard1.jpg
Started to hollow out the hucard with a dremel so it can make room for the wires. Decided on using pc floppy cable for the nice order there in. Was gonna do smaller wires:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/picd.jpg
but it looked terrible.
dremeled the rest of the chip area to about half way through:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/dremeledcard2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/dremeledcard1.jpg
set that aside then cut a floppy ribbon to about 6 inches. removed 2 wires to make 38 then used a wire stripper on the ends.
Then removed the traces and chips:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/guttedhucard.jpg)
now the hard part,soldering to the pins:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/mproto9.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/mproto8.jpg
the ribbon was painted black.
then to solder on the hucard slot:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/almostdone2.jpg
and glue it all together.
The gluing was a major obstacle. i tried may epoxies and glues and the ribbon would just rise up off the hucard. A different way had to be found to hold it in place and stop it from wiggling.
Drilling small holes near the top of the hucard seemed best and then weaving wires inside and out to hold the ribbon firm.
*i did not take a picture of this but you can see the wire in the top finished picture*
Does anyone have an idea how i could of held down the ribbon better?
the glue on the chip portion held good. followed the same groves that held the chip on the card with nec's original greenish glue. Pic where glue was placed and not:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/protoMH1pic3.jpg
Everything held strong and worked on the first try on all 3 consoles. Should last a hundred years.
if i get another slot i will mount it the floppy cable connector like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/itfits.jpg
its a perfect fit and conducts easy.
So many more ideas can be made. I think i may even be possible to alter region inside of the hucards nice and neat.
I am known in some regions as the full turbo alchemist :P
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Do you have a job?
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Do you have a job?
of course he does!
Makin' Macgyver'd HuCard stuff!
Im workin on a converter too... but with a board, and stuff..... >_O
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How's work on the reverse Chopsado coming?
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:shock: wow, i'm jealous dude, that's badass...which one of these has been the easiest/best to work with?
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Just a update on this, that Chops work on the WH-1 ultimate converter was wonderful. The thing worked great. My son used it on Bloody Wolf and Street Fighter 2 the other day, no probs. Very nice work indeed.
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good to know PC-ENGINE HELL that one of my babies is doing ok.
I have completed what i thought would be a reverse chopsado to work on a pc engine or japanese console. Found out that the pins on the chopsado are symmetrical and will work without any wires being repositioned or turning it backwards.
So the chopsado will work on both consoles as long as you have that 1 wire soldered inside the japanese console as described here:
http://www.gamesx.com/importmod/necjapmod.htm
dual use chopsado :mrgreen:
And for those that have one of my babies a new instruction sheet has been made:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoinstr1copy.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoinstr2copy.jpg
older instruction sheet
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopinstrctfrontpage.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopinstructbackpage.jpg
the instruction sheet is for the new models that have the piece of scotch brand double stick tape on the back to better hold on the hucard and prevent tape jams when inserting.
If you have an older chopsado model follow the instructions on the back page of the instructions to add a piece of double stick tape to the back if you want.
The new instructions also address the tarnish issue thats happening to many models and how to prevent and fix.
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Gentlemen behold.......the solderless chopado! :shock: :shock: :shock:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoperfect.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoperfectback.jpg
Now even more easier to make with just a piece of ribbon,double sided tape and safety scissors.
First you get a piece of ribbon about 5 inches. Scrape the edges either all the way as in this picture or short of the end so the pins are held down with some of the insulation like in the top picture. Cut out 9 pins from the rest of the excess ribbon,better to scrape first then cut it away from the rest.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/shavedribbon2side.jpg)
scrape opposite sides
Now take a razor blade and gently cut the center about 1 and a half inches along the separations not cutting into the metal:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/ribboncutsforflex.jpg)
I left the 2 pins next to the ground pin in a single piece of 2 on the top picture,you can also do this for the others and cut them in twos instead of single pieces. Up to you.
Before you twist and bend it you have to cut the middle 3 pins of the back side only all the way to middle part.
The ground pin is cut by itself and the 2 pins next to it are a cut together in one piece.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/backcuts.jpg)
Now twist them and bend it till the exposed pins are back to back
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/thetwist.jpg)
Now hold them together with scotch brand double sided tape in the middle and when you connect the 3 middle pins you reverse them. You can see the arrangement better in this picture as you can see where the number pattern on the ribbon is different:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/solderlesschopsadoback.jpg)
Only put the tape above the exposed pin line for maximum thinness in that area.
You are done,works as good or better than any other model i have made. Almost zero chance of failure.
Cant get any better than this even if it were to be made commercially by a factory with the sticker that i first envisioned,the ribbon wouldn't get any thinner or the contacts.
So that ends it for me,8 months of working on this and Ive reached the limits on improving it.
If anyone wants one pm me and il make you one for a trade of any single loose cart game(atari thru n64,even handheld carts) or pc engine loosey common i don't have.
:D
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WTF do you want with old carts? "trade of any single loose cart game(atari thru n64,even handheld carts) or pc engine loosey common i don't have"
I'll send you an assortment of goodies just to be able to gaze upon this delightful bit of creativity...
PM me an address to ship to, I'll get a nice care package out...
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can you post a picture of the like, schematics?
What gets flipped and all that?
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Arkhan,
it's the same swapping that a region switch would flip flop. You can see a schematic here:
http://www.geocities.com/duo_r@sbcglobal.net/files/switch.install.txt
can you post a picture of the like, schematics?
What gets flipped and all that?
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hey that the doc i was trying to find all day!
thanks :)
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I have made this topic sticky, as well as changed the thread title for better classification.
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What kind of PCI slots were used in the original Chapsado? The ones I have don't fit a HuCard.
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How exactly do you make a solderless Chopsado? I don't understand the instructions...
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requires vertical cuts on the ribbon down its seams and then sandwiched in place with double sided tape.
I no longer make them this way as the cuts are very hard to make. Made my eyes hurt. I know just cut the 3 ribbons on the top and solder them.
New instruction use sheet:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoinstr1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/chopsadoinstr2.jpg
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Man with all the hours of work being put into making a converter I'd rather just mod my system with a region switch instead.
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Has anyone seen the official PC Engine converter? The one that was originally for the white core PC Engine?
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Has anyone seen the official PC Engine converter? The one that was originally for the white core PC Engine?
I've never heard of such a thing. Seems silly, since no matter what you'd have to do an internal mod.
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H
Has anyone seen the official PC Engine converter? The one that was originally for the white core PC Engine?
I've never heard of such a thing. Seems silly, since no matter what you'd have to do an internal mod.
He's probably thinking of the "Barny", which has a sticker with a picture of a PCE on it.
The internal mod is pretty simple, doesn't require a switch, etc, but I seriously doubt the thing was ever used this way*. I can't imagine why anyone in Japan circa 1990 would want a US release. There are very few exclusive US HuCards, and even fewer worth playing. It's for Americans. I assume they just didn't communicate their design intention to the guy making the sticker very well.
* I actually used a white PCE with this converter to play a copy of Chew Man Fu. The system only had the one wire mod, which I had done myself. I can't imagine this is very popular though.
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this should be done with printed ribbon.
printed ribbon can be double sided and the conductors dont peel.
its also thinner.
can be custom fabbed.
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heres some info on printed flex circuits.
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Flexible-Printed-Circuits/
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ebay listings
170630457570 $12 three sheets one sided
370502312135 $16 etching salt
etching tutorial http://www.bramknaapen.com/?p=404
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Chop5: If you decide to give this a try, I've been playing with the laser printer / toner / HCl etching method. Once you find the right paper, it's easy and cheap to do. Would love to see a custom etched chopsado....and if I remember right, they have double-sided film available. All you would have to do is run wires from one side to the other :-)
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with strategically placed holes 8 drips of solder no wires
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im working on another pce related project that im not proud of and its soaking up all my cash and time like a sponge! but im almost done and as soon as im finished i will look into this. right now i can only concentrate on like 3 or 4 things at a time.
but so far from running it thru my mind if i cant make vias to connect to the other side no way i can solder 18 points again,thats why i reduced it down to 3 with the current design and able to practically give them away. if i start actually spending money on making them it will only drain customers pockets.
but i think i can find a way around this. il start designing a proto soon.
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Hey all!
As a sign of appreciation to Chop5 for his unbelievable contribution to this community, I designed a little CD case for your chopsado to fit in. Here are links to print out your own case:
http://www.joyfulartsstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chopsadomanualcover.jpg
http://www.joyfulartsstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/chopsadobackcover.jpg
I'm not very good at spell-checking, so please let me know if you see any errors. :wink: Also, any feedback on how to improve it would be appreciated as well.
Thanks, Chop5!
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wow looks fantastic roflmao!
its like a store bought :D
thanks for all your hard work. i will enclose one of these with each new chopsado order.
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good job roflmao!
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Awesome. I'm glad you guys dig it!
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IT SUCKS. I HATE IT.
just kidding.
:D badass.
One day I may actually make a chopsado. I dont have a ton of use for one right now though!
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does anyone still make these? as long as it works im good.
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Yeah, PM chop. He can get ya one. You could always just get your system region modded as well.
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wow im learning some new stuff here. is that possible with an express as well? ill check it out.
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yep work on the express
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yep work on the express
regarding the region mod?
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yep work on the express
regarding the region mod?
Yep, steve and another member here came up with a chip that after installed in your express, Duo, or TG16, you can play any region HuCARD. :)
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tho i was referring to the chopsado working on the express
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yep work on the express
regarding the region mod?
Yep, steve and another member here came up with a chip that after installed in your express, Duo, or TG16, you can play any region HuCARD. :)
Plus with another extra chip, your TE can region switch without a physical switch. Just hold down one of the control buttons when you turn on your system, and PRESTO! Instant region switch. BlueBMW did the region mod on my CoreGrafx and did a fantastic job. Thanks again for that Blue, still works like a charm! :mrgreen:
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any updates on getting more materials for the chop converter?
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Thought I'd add the PCE adaptor I made to the gallery. Looks like it's similar to the idea Chop5 had in the first picture of his first post.
I made it out of an original 32bit PCI extension cable (not PCI-E), something like this:
(http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/1918/pcicable.jpg)
I removed all but one ribbon cable, cut the bottom PCB to the size of a hucard, removed the pins from one side of the PCI slot and widened the slot a bit with a dremel so a hucard could fit in. Then I cut the traces on the top PCB for the 8 data lines to rewire. The bottom PCB needed a little plastic or tape since it was too thin to make contact in the cartridge slot without it. It's been working great for my use in a Duo. I don't have a TurboExpress to try it with, but it holds the hucard and plugs into the system snug enough that neither would fall out, although the ribbon cable may be a bit long.
Hope this helps anyone looking to make an adaptor. I think it cost me about $6~7.
(http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/4751/huadaptor.jpg)
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Wow, that's pretty slick!
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Wow, that's pretty slick!
That's really good! Got any photos of the creation process?
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How did you get the Game card into the white connector end? I have tried this before and even when I push really hard the game will not go into the slot. Did you grind it out a little?
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How did you get the Game card into the white connector end? I have tried this before and even when I push really hard the game will not go into the slot. Did you grind it out a little?
I removed all but one ribbon cable, cut the bottom PCB to the size of a hucard, removed the pins from one side of the PCI slot and widened the slot a bit with a dremel so a hucard could fit in. Then I cut the traces on the top PCB for the 8 data lines to rewire. The bottom PCB needed a little plastic or tape since it was too thin to make contact in the cartridge slot without it. It's been working great for my use in a Duo. I don't have a TurboExpress to try it with, but it holds the hucard and plugs into the system snug enough that neither would fall out, although the ribbon cable may be a bit long.
:lol: :lol:
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Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the process, but it's pretty simple, just cutting it to fit and rewiring.
How did you get the Game card into the white connector end? I have tried this before and even when I push really hard the game will not go into the slot. Did you grind it out a little?
Yeah, I used a dremel to cut/grind out a little extra room. Unfortunately the PCI connector is just slightly thinner than a hucard.
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Ha sorry, I somehow just passed right over that part when reading. I must have messed up and ate a bowl of stupid for breakfast today. Oh and by the way...Nice work!
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Helloooo. Ok, I got a PCI thing the exact same as Jugbug's, and I have a couple of questions.
First, is there a schematic for the pins I need to swap? I want to play US games on a PC Engine (not sure it will work both ways?)
Secondly, Jugbug, I've noticed that the curve of the HuCard means I'll either have to dremel the inside of the PCI slot, or maybe go to the second pin and dremel the connector end accordingly. What method did you use?
Hope you can help!
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I don't have a PC Engine myself, but as I understand a hucard converter will work for you, but in addition you'll also need to lift and ground one of the pins on a chip inside the system. A quick search brought up this page which explains it clearly: http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/pce/region.htm
There is also a schematic for which hucard pins you need to flip on that same page, here: http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/images/pce/original.gif
At first I was thinking of seperating the ribbon cable and doing the flip there, but I thought that might lead to problems with the wires getting pulled on, or being a bit too short, so I cut the eight traces on the PCB just below the PCI slot and rewired it there.
As for the PCI slot, I widened it so that the edge of the hucard goes right up against the PCI slot's edge. So the first two pins of the PCI connector are not doing anything, the third pin is the first that makes contact, to pin 38 of the hucard in my case. This works out well because when cutting the bottom PCB, leaving two dummy pins on each side of the actual 38 hucard pins makes the PCB almost exactly the same width as the hucard. I'll post a picture of the slot with the hucard half-out so you can see how mine lines up.
Widening the PCI slot right against the side was a bit difficult since I couldn't really get my dremel down there without cutting through the slot's side, which I accidentally did a little. I ended up sort of chiseling that part out with a small screwdriver and a hammer.
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/2766/hupcislot.jpg)
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Excellent! Thankyou very much!
*edit* didn't realise you have to lift pin 29 on a japanese console, that's a pain. And I'm not sure why he's using those chips in the MMMonkey mod?
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no need to lift it,just ground it
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You are talking about the Duo-R console correct because the standard Japanese Duo or PC Engine does need it lifted. I have a tutorial video on my YouTube page if anyone needs a guide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUrJ7D-d7Io&feature=youtube_gdata_player
no need to lift it,just ground it
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i too have seen the tutorial.
i have also checked the pin on the black PCE DUO
the pad under pin29 goes nowhere
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Then you will be shorting 5V to ground
http://www.interlog.com/~daves/pce_info/jpncnvrt.txt
Only Duo-R and RX had no connect on pin 29. Did you try running a US game like that on a PC Engine by chance?
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yes i have
its also true of the GT
i had read that it was +5, but a meter proved it wasnt
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Thats crazy, the biggest modding myth for PC Engine, that info is everywhere
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Ok, thanks guys - so ground it. I'll be using a white PCE. I can't find my dremel at the moment though :|
*edit* just FMI, the same converter would work on a TG16 right? if you're just swapping pins around, I don't see why it wouldn't.
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yes the converter works both ways, as long as the pin is grounded
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How does the converter work anyways..
Do you put it on the card contacts??
Any Vids on youtube about it??
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chops yes
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Cool thanks..
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Ok, been working away at my own converter. I've already made some stupid mistakes;
Firstly, I didn't remeove the pins from the bottom first. Additionally I didn't have needlenose pliers, which is pretty much essential for this job. Second thing I did was to cut the extra 2 pins off, so I've glued them back on, but I'm considering starting again with a better understanding.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MkeFYzYWzrM/UCuYEkpqrzI/AAAAAAAAA38/bFw1Y_ok9a0/s640/WP_000864.jpg)
Here's the data-pin jumpering (currently unfinished) using the spare ribbon cable from the PCI thing. I may have cut the ground trace, but I can fix that. I used a craft knife - will that do the trick for trace cutting?
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FcdFLytyiWQ/UCuYHiq0mhI/AAAAAAAAA4I/Yt42BCckDoo/s640/WP_000865.jpg)
Here's my pigs ear of a butchered PCI slot. Some pins I could't extract after they broke in half at the back, so I just bent them to the back.
(https://picasaweb.google.com/110230170791344573454/August152012#5776878200734975234)
And here's the other end with the 2 "extra" pins glued back on
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A craft knife should be fine for cutting the traces, but make sure you're cutting deep enough, maybe make two separate cuts to be sure if you don't have a multimeter/continuity tester to check.
If you're planning on rewiring the data lines entirely on the one pcb like I did with mine, the ribbon cable wire might be too thick with the wires all crisscrossing each other. I used individual strands of 30 awg wire on mine.
My PCI slot looked similar to yours. Just the nature of hacking/grinding/melting away at plastic at a weird angle I guess. I tried to clean mine up a bit after with a file.
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How does Chops converter work anyway??
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How does Chops converter work anyway??
Just read the first few pages of this thread. If that's too much work, you can jump to this point. :wink:
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Thanks....
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Thought I'd add the PCE adaptor I made to the gallery. Looks like it's similar to the idea Chop5 had in the first picture of his first post.
I made it out of an original 32bit PCI extension cable (not PCI-E), something like this:
I removed all but one ribbon cable, cut the bottom PCB to the size of a hucard, removed the pins from one side of the PCI slot and widened the slot a bit with a dremel so a hucard could fit in. Then I cut the traces on the top PCB for the 8 data lines to rewire. The bottom PCB needed a little plastic or tape since it was too thin to make contact in the cartridge slot without it. It's been working great for my use in a Duo. I don't have a TurboExpress to try it with, but it holds the hucard and plugs into the system snug enough that neither would fall out, although the ribbon cable may be a bit long.
Hope this helps anyone looking to make an adaptor. I think it cost me about $6~7.
thanks a ton for the information, im going to attempt to make one of your adapters after seeing that the only adaptors made sell for $200+ which is ridic (i wish krizz the maker of the everdrives would make a nice converter pcb, and it would be a reasonable price too, problem is getting slot connectors)
i ordered the adapter from ebay for like $4.57
http://www.ebay.com/itm/32-Bits-Flexible-PCI-Riser-Slot-Extender-Cable-Adapter-Extension-Converter-Cable-/300639632092?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45ff84badc
im going to be using it on a laseractive pac-n10 system so i have additional problems with it being a mostly enclosed slot
i dont think the ribbon cable is sturdy enough to push the connector all the way in
ive got some funny ideas that will make this work with it, ill post a pic after im done
all this just to use a pce arcade duo card
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region mod it
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would be easyer
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its not homemade but works fine
bit cheaper than a kisado and fits quite snug
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its not homemade but works fine
bit cheaper than a kisado and fits quite snug
If you read this, when did you get that adapter?
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Hi all,
I'm working on starting up a side business selling various homebrew video game accessories for consoles from the 80s and 90s, and the "chopsado" idea caught my eye. I've been working on developing a Kisado-clone (with some added bonuses thrown in) for a couple of months now, but I need some seed money. I work for an engineering company that could probably order some custom, somewhat professional "chopsado" flex PCBs on the cheap, taking away the work of making them out of ribbon cables and carefully soldering wires. I think I could probably get the price down to a few bucks per (something along the lines of $4 each incl. shipping for qty. 1, and 10 for $30?), but I'm wondering if there are people out there interested enough in this idea to commit to buying a few before I take the monetary plunge here to get them fabbed. I have high confidence that they will be a great compromise in terms of robustness and reusability.
Just curious if people were interested in the idea. My current plan is to put them on eBay for something around 5 bucks a pop, and then sell them to members of this forum for less directly.
Does this seem like something worth doing? It would help fund my development of the full-blown Kisado-clone, which will require some significant efforts on my part to complete.
Anyway, let me know your thoughts on it :)
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Hi all, new to this forum - was recommended by a few users to come join the discussion!
On the topic of homemade converters, I recently made this:
http://www.db-elec.com/home/pc-engine-to-turbografx16-converter
My converter allows to play both PCe and TG16 games on a TG16 console - so far tested on NTSC and PAL variants. There is a switch to convert between the two different databus configurations.
I'm looking for input, suggestions, and what not, to help improve the converter!
Thanks...
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Looks neato, db. What's the socket made from?
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That's the difficult part isn't it? I couldn't find anything on the market (without going custom) that matches the PCe/TG16's weird 38pos 0.050" spacing and 0.093" thick edge connection.
I mounted two 20pos spring-loaded connectors upside-down and side by side to make the connection to the HuCard - the two outermost pins are unused but that's not an issue. The two Pin Headers which serve as interconnect between my two boards also serve as alignment guides for the HuCards. Lining up the whole thing is kind-of a pain but it's well worth it (I'm getting better at the process). I've made about 30 thus far.
I will be posting a youtube video of the process in the next couple of weeks.
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Any chance you could talk prices?
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Bulk pricing? Or just a one off?
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Bulk pricing? Or just a one off?
Would be interested in knowing both. Thanks!
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Send me an e-mail and we'll discuss it further...
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I just read this thread, consulted website and watched the video: awesome!
(http://junk.tg-16.com/images/pcgs.png)
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Just out of curiosity, why is the switch desirable? Is it to reduce wear and tear on the connector inside the TG16 from pulling this out to play TG16 games?
Very cool design, by the way, I like it! Mind if I ask where you get your PCBs manufactured? The places I've used in the past have a fit if it exceeds 100mm, which that clearly does.
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Yeah I'm also beginning to wonder if I should just remove the switch and have the user pull out the converter when you play a US game. Either way, the switch and ICs to reverse the databus are not contributing much to the cost.
I get my PCBs made at http://smart-prototyping.com/index.php?route=common/home. I've ordered over 1000 boards of different designs from them without a hitch. Turnaround is pretty quick too, I think 3 weeks is the max it ever took to get a batch of boards at my doorstep.
The one drawback from Smart-Prototyping, when it comes to the TG-16, is that they don't make 0.093" thick board (which is the thickness of the HuCard).
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Hey db, I was checking out your YouTube video and it dawned on me: Does your converter accommodate thicker HuCARDs such as the Arcade Card Pro? Street Fighter 2?
Thanks
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I have Street Fighter 2, it works in the converter. I can make an updated video if you'd like?
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Oh awesome, so does the converter accommodate the thickness as opposed to where the raised part begins?
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I added a couple of pictures of the converter with SF2 on my website to better answer your questions. Check it out:
http://www.db-elec.com/home/pc-engine-to-turbografx16-converter
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Just found out about this. Looks awesome, congratulations and thanks for the hard work DB.
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Awesome.
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Does chop still make/sell these? Someone in one of the NEC Facebook groups might be interested. If you see this chop and wanna reach him, the name's Stephen Hawkey.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4169358687544&set=gm.722230097844770&type=1&theater
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Hello everybody,
I am a pretty new Turbografx-16 collector. So I just heard about Chop and DB-Elec who make homemade converters to play import games. Obviously, import converters are quite expensive on Ebay these days and just plain hard to find. I'm just looking for a cheaper alternative from Chop, DB-Elec, or anybody who still make and sell these converters. Thanks so much.
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I'm going to have more for sale very soon, I like to think that my converters are not outrageously priced!
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Sounds good, DB-Elec. I have seen your converters on Ebay before. Your prices are much lower than the red converters on Ebay right now (looks like Kisado?), which is great for folks who want to get a converter without using their gold bars. lol. However, your converter price is still a little bit high for me. But I'll probably grab one when I got the money. I still appreciate your hard work for making it possible.
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I have tried one of the convertors DB is making and it worked awesome for the import games, but my friend and I had no luck with Super System card 3.0 or Arcade Pro card. Decided to go full region mod on mine after we determined this
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I have tried one of the convertors DB is making and it worked awesome for the import games, but my friend and I had no luck with Super System card 3.0 or Arcade Pro card. Decided to go full region mod on mine after we determined this
That's odd because I've heard from numerous other clients that the Super System Card 3.0 was compatible with my converter. No one, to my knowledge, had tested with the Arcade Pro Card yet - though if I remember correctly it also doesn't work with other converters.
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its not homemade but works fine
bit cheaper than a kisado and fits quite snug
If you read this, when did you get that adapter?
April 2013 I think
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Just in case someone's looking here for info on converters, there is a mod that can be done to the db converters with the switch that involves removing the switch and rewiring a few things (the data lines) to make it work with the Super System card. It's not that hard, really -- I'm pretty crappy at soldering and I got it done.
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DB, do you still have plans of refining the Henshin build process, or are you going full bore on the Turbo at this point? I'm debating between Henshin and region MOD and just wanted to know if they'd be available again!
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DB, do you still have plans of refining the Henshin build process, or are you going full bore on the Turbo at this point? I'm debating between Henshin and region MOD and just wanted to know if they'd be available again!
Not sure what you mean by refining the build process? But yes I will keep building more as time permits...
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I thought I read that you said the creation process for the PC Henshin took too long and was a pain to complete. i thought you were working on an easier process to make them.
Good to know, I'm certainly interested.
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I thought I read that you said the creation process for the PC Henshin took too long and was a pain to complete. i thought you were working on an easier process to make them.
Good to know, I'm certainly interested.
Oh! Yes they are absolutely a pain to make. I use two 20 position connectors which I machine in house in order to meet the specs of the HuCard pinout. It's lengthy work but I find it relaxing to work in my shop...
An alternative would be to have a custom connector made but I would need to buy at least 500 up front plus a hefty tooling fee - so obviously this is not a viable solution for the small TG-16 / PCE market...
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Hey DB,
I got a converter from one of your approved sellers, but I'm having issues. I'm trying to use a japanese SSC3 to play CDs that require 3.0. I can access the card, but any game I try still says I need the "super system cd-rom2". Any clue what's going on here?
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Hey DB,
I got a converter from one of your approved sellers, but I'm having issues. I'm trying to use a japanese SSC3 to play CDs that require 3.0. I can access the card, but any game I try still says I need the "super system cd-rom2". Any clue what's going on here?
do you have the PC-Henshin or Turbo PC-Henshin because only the Turbo is supposed to work with those...
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It's from Retro Towers, and I think it's just the converter (unless you made some new PC-Henshins). Maybe the converter doesn't work with SSC, but the PC-Henshin should, right?
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It's from Retro Towers, and I think it's just the converter (unless you made some new PC-Henshins). Maybe the converter doesn't work with SSC, but the PC-Henshin should, right?
I made a table to address this:
http://www.db-elec.com/home/products/pc-engine-to-turbografx16-converter
Basically, I have three versions:
TG-16 Converter (PCE on TG16)
PC-Henshin (PCE on TG16, PCE system cards on TG16)
Turbo PC-Henshin (PCE on TG16, PCE system cards on TG16, TG16 on PCE)
Edit: I believe the last time I sold to Retrotowers it was still only the TG-16 converter...
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Yeah I saw that chart, even before I ordered with them. I just assumed I was ordering the henshin, though looks like I may have wasted $55. Do you know if there are any Henshin out there anywhere for purchase?
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Yeah I saw that chart, even before I ordered with them. I just assumed I was ordering the henshin, though looks like I may have wasted $55. Do you know if there are any Henshin out there anywhere for purchase?
Yeah Retrotowers.co.uk doesn't have the PC-Henshin and they don't advertise it as such on their site either. Tell you what, I actually didn't bother keeping an older model (like the one you have) - how about you PM me and we'll do a switch-a-roo for a PC-Henshin?
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This might not be the appropriate place to bring this up, but I have one of db-elec's SMS Power Base Mini carts and it works great with the Retron 5, in place of the official Power Base Converter. Good stuff!