/vr/ - Retro Games

Haven't needed to solder anything in a while since I basically completed everything I needed to do. Recapped a few old consoles that were malfunctioning or experiencing issues like audio hum. Did an RGB mod for my N64. Made an entire set of my own RGB cables for everything I needed, etc.

Most proud of actually successfully doing the NESRGB installation, something I had been putting off for a while beforehand. I don't have a desoldering gun but by some miracle I was able to take out the PPU without damaging the fucker. I also desoldered/disassembled the power/RF-modulator daughterboard, took out the RF circuitry, and repurposed the hole for the RGB mini-din port, as well as repurposing the channel select switch to now turn the NESRGB on/off.

Maybe at some future point I'll recap my spare 24" trinitron. It has some weird geometry issues and the red values can't ever get quite right, and slowly creep up or down depending on the drive setting. I assume it's a capacitor issue somewhere.

Well by some miracle I was able to do the NESRGB mod successfully. Somehow I didn't fry the PPU or tear any traces. That was despite my piece of shit 5 dollar soldering iron not being able to clear the traces attached to the thick-ass ground plane. Actually had to resort to using a heat gun to finish it. Lined everything but the PPU pins with aluminum foil and placed the board against the flat side of a 45 iron plate, yanking the PPU out through the hole where it goes on the barbell. I'm both incredibly stupid and incredibly lucky that it worked after that.

Also took apart the power/AV module to do a recap, and decided to remove the RF circuitry and put the RGB connector there, as well as wiring the channel select switch between the NESRGB mod and the stock console functionality.