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The High Definition Retrogaming Thread (Including CRT/BVM/PVM Chatter)

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I would expect nothing less from you to spend £200+ for the finest Alfred Chicken on Game Boy experience possible
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I have a basic wiring question. First, here's what I'm looking at:

nesrgb.png


I only want s-video out for this mod. My main question is, see where I've circled some connections in red? Uh... what does that mean? lol does it mean connecting multiple wires at that point, and splitting them off to the audio/1st and 2nd pins on the s-video?

Also does anyone know of a YT video that shows only an s-video install, not a freaking rgb out one?
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Yeah it looks like for whatever reason it wants 2 pins of the S-Video (and the one from audio) tied to ground, presumably via whatever splitter you can wrangle. And I'm guessing the audio split is sending a mono signal to both L/R channels of an audio out jack.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Okay, thank you. My plan is to just pull mono audio from the stock composite out connection by plugging that cable into the s-video port, so I'll probably just ignore the audio out jack. Since I'm not also installing the RGB video out connector, I should be able to skip the external voltage regulator, because it seems that's only necessary for the RGB connection according to this diagram, yes? Or should I just install it anyway, ignoring all the RGB connections on that diagram?
 

John

(he/him)
I haven't done the deep dive on this, but I know some mods like the HDMI one end up disabling the composite video and potentially the audio, which may be why they are feeding it to a 3.5mm jack here.

Edit: on the Voltage Regulator, I think you're correct, looks like it's just for the RGB circuitry. I read something about it being used for multi-out cables that output to RGB, S-Video, and Composite. If you're just doing the separate S-Video circuit, keep it out for now.
 
Last edited:

lincolnic

can stop, will stop
(he/him)
Since I'm not also installing the RGB video out connector, I should be able to skip the external voltage regulator, because it seems that's only necessary for the RGB connection according to this diagram, yes? Or should I just install it anyway, ignoring all the RGB connections on that diagram?
Since that's just a wiring diagram and not schematic, it's not clear if there's anything else in the circuit that needs the +5V coming out of the voltage regulator. Unless you know for certain that there isn't, it's probably worth erring on the side of caution and installing (NB I am coming at this from a purely electronic standpoint, I don't know anything about modding an NES). If you're really unsure, whoever makes that board can probably tell you whether or not you should install it if you're not planning to use an RGB out jack.

As for your circled junctions, Kirin had it right that you want pins 1 and 2 of the S-video out jack connected to ground. If you don't end up needing the voltage regulator board, you can use the extra ground pad below the PPUV pad to make things neater (one wire from each ground pad to the S-video out jack instead of trying to splice multiple wires to the same pad).
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Gotcha, okay. I figure I'll try to use the mono audio out of the composite connection and if that doesn't work, mod in the audio out bit, though I have no idea how I'll connect that to my TV (an adapter I suppose, but that's why I don't want to use it lol).

As for the 5V regulator, I'll do some more research before committing, as I'm seeing various people say that even for the RGB out connection it's unnecessary, and that the stock NES regulator works fine.

I appreciate all the help, I will definitely post about how it all goes. Worst case scenario, I ruin this NES, but I have another one stock that I'd just keep using lol
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I drilled the holes into the NES last night, and glued in the s-video port and screwed in the palette switch (put it under the cartridge flap like I've seen in a couple videos, that seems like a nice place for it). Glue should be cured by the time I try to solder everything together tonight (it already seems solid now, but I can't do it while working anyway), so cross your fingers for me, everyone lol
 

John

(he/him)
I'm cheering from the sidelines! You've already done the hard part of removing the PPU, so the wiring part should be cake.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'm done for the night. I really wish someone would have written a fucking guide to s-video only, since I don't own a PVM or whatever the fuck you'd need to connect this to RGB.

These are some pictures I took before I put it all away until next week out of sheer frustration. There are multiple points of potential failure, which is why I'm so frustrated. First, soldering the pin connector thingies to the RGB board was difficult, and they ended up being connected at a weird angle, which means after I soldered in the PPU, it kept falling out. So, I soldered two legs of the pin connectors together, which seemed to have solved the issue. I never got S-video out, though I did still get composite out, that is, until I tried soldering in the 5v regulator, which is what you see here, and now the NES won't turn on. I assume if I desoldered the new 5v regulator I'd get something, but who knows. My soldering looks shit, too. I knew this is where I'd fuck up, since there are no clear instructions for s-video only, it's all RGB only. This sucks.

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg
 

lincolnic

can stop, will stop
(he/him)
I soldered two legs of the pin connectors together
Unless those pins are already connected internally, you've almost certainly bridged some things that shouldn't be connected by doing this. Whatever else you do, you've gotta fix this first.

If you've soldered something to a PCB and then it falls out, then it isn't soldered to the PCB.

Is it possible you have the regulator in backwards? That would prevent voltage from getting to the board and keep it from turning on.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Unless those pins are already connected internally, you've almost certainly bridged some things that shouldn't be connected by doing this. Whatever else you do, you've gotta fix this first.

If you've soldered something to a PCB and then it falls out, then it isn't soldered to the PCB.

Is it possible you have the regulator in backwards? That would prevent voltage from getting to the board and keep it from turning on.
Well, to be clear, I just put solder on the leg of a pin connecter on the little slot... thing. It's not bridging two different spots, I was basically using solder to hold the rgb board in place. Does that make sense?

Possibly. I should take more pictures and may do so over the next few weeks. I haven't fully given up, but I don't even know where to start. Worst case scenario, I guess I take it all apart and start over.
 

ArugulaZ

Fearful asymmetry
I'd consider thinner wires as well. Those things are practically ropes. Thin wires won't necessarily work any better than thick ones, but it will make cable management less troublesome.
 

lincolnic

can stop, will stop
(he/him)
I'm not as concerned about the wire gauge as I am with the sheer amount of solder on all of those joints. I wouldn't rule out cold solder joints for any of those either.

Well, to be clear, I just put solder on the leg of a pin connecter on the little slot... thing. It's not bridging two different spots, I was basically using solder to hold the rgb board in place. Does that make sense?
Not to me, only because I don't know what the RGB board is soldered to or where those pins are. Pictures would be helpful!

To be clear, I'm not trying to criticize -- like I said before, I only know about electronics work in general, not NES mods! My non-specific troubleshooting advice would be to take a look at this tomorrow with fresh eyes. Try to retrace your steps while following the diagrams again, and take another look at the voltage regulator. There's a good chance it might just be in backwards. I've done that plenty of times!
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Thanks. Sorry if I came off as pissed off last night - it's because I was, but not at anyone here lol. I was just really frustrated for whatever reason. The more I think about it, the more I need to take it all apart and start over. I'm pretty sure it's the socket situation that is the issue - none of the guides or videos mentioned the RGB board just... falling out like that, so me having soldered those in at a weird angle is probably what was causing me to get nothing from the s-video connection. I won't have the time to look at it until Sunday, possibly, so it'll be a bit.

Thanks again.
 

John

(he/him)
I completely understand your frustration. I had the exact same when I tried to remove the CPU/GPU on my top loader for the Hi-Def NES HDMI mod without using a desoldering gun. I was prying up a bit with a chip puller, with my iron on the ground pins, and heard a nice crack. Saw two immediate issues, one pin leg broke off, and another one came out with the through-via from the board.

Then when I tried to fix it all, I forgot the stands for the interposers, so soldered the board about 2mm too low. This crunched a resistor on the NES as I forced the board down.

Unlike my mishaps, I think yours are salvageable. I would reach out to Tim Worthington on the specific S-Video questions, especially with the voltage regulator. I've seen other people get quick responses.

You got this!
 

lincolnic

can stop, will stop
(he/him)
Oh no worries! I absolutely know what it's like to be frustrated with a project, and I never thought for a minute it was directed at me. I just wanted to be clear that I wasn't trying to kick you when you were down!
 

Yimothy

Red Plane
(he/him)
hoping I’m in the Q1 2022 group

Well, I got my email from Analogue: group B, Q4 2022. According to my initial email my order was placed at 8:17AM (though my bank account was charged at 8:11). When I was trying to order, I was on the website as soon as it opened but the shopping cart function wasn’t working for me on my computer - I’d click add to cart and nothing would happen. After a couple of minutes I gave up on the PC and placed my order on my phone instead, now I’m wondering if those couple minutes fiddling cost me nine months extra waiting. Oh well. Maybe the NGPC adaptor will be out by the time my order ships, and if it is maybe they’ll let me add it to my existing order instead of paying another $89US to ship it separately.
 

Sprite

(He/Him/His)
Yeah I’m also waiting a year. Aw well, it’s not like I’m prevented from playing my games through other means.

I would also like it if I could add the NGPC adapter to my order, though if it ends up stripping stickers like the Game Gear adapter imma skip it.
 

lincolnic

can stop, will stop
(he/him)
Group B here too, which gives me plenty of time to cancel if it doesn't turn out to run other cores well.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I haven't had the time to properly have a go at it again. It probably will be after Christmas at this point... And if you're referring to the Analogue Pocket, I didn't preorder one lol
 

Phantoon

I cuss you bad
I haven't had the time to properly have a go at it again. It probably will be after Christmas at this point... And if you're referring to the Analogue Pocket, I didn't preorder one lol
I was referring to soldering time. I understand wanting to build up to it!
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Yeah, I'm still a bit mad at it, and also we don't have a ton of room in this apartment for my little projects, so I'll probably get around to it soon.
 

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
I ended up in Group B as well. The positive is that there will be time for them to work out kinks and I'll be able to evaluate whether it fulfills what I hope it does by that point. (I really want SNES/Genesis cores on there.)
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
So, part of the reason I was so mad that I (possibly reversibly) screwed up that NES last week was because a few weeks before that, I fucked up my Sega Nomad by reversing the polarity of a new battery pack I put together and fried a chip. I was so mad/sad about it that I couldn't even post about it here lol. That might be fixable, but I'm waiting on the guy who made the battery pack to get a custom part to test on one of his own fried Nomads, and if that works, he'll send me the extra part he ordered and I'll try to fix my original board.

Luckily... I was able to buy this today. It completely replaces the Nomad main board, and comes with an IPS screen to boot - better than the composite mod I did when I first got my Nomad! It also has an onboard rechargeable battery installed, so I don't even have to use my modded battery (though I still can to extend the battery life, if I'm confident I put it together correctly lol). I'll definitely post my impressions when I get it (supposedly in late January 2022).
 
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