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/vr/ - Retro Games


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2631856 No.2631856 [Reply] [Original]

Resurrected this general just to ask a question edition

Mods, repairs, and technical questions go here. What are you working on?

http://www.gametechwiki.com/w/index.php/Main_Page

The majority of problems with cartridge-based consoles can be remedied by cleaning the cartridge slot and the contacts of your games even if they are not visibly dirty. Consult the Game and Console Cleaning guide here:
http://www.gametechwiki.com/w/index.php/Game_and_Console_Cleaning

If you have any questions about a non-/vr/ console, try posting on the forum ( http://forums.gametechwiki.com/ ) and letting us know here that you did.

>> No.2631873

OP here, my question is this

I'm a total newbie to this whole modifying retro consoles thing but since I got a NES, Genesis, SNES and N64 for free with cables and controller, I want to ask about flashcarts because god knows that I won't be finding any legit games.

I know that they're used for ROMs to be played on game consoles, but how the fuck do I do this? Is there some special transfer? Also, what's the best for each console I mentioned

>> No.2632379

>>2631873
Most use an SD card. ED's are generally the best but aren't cheap. With it for NES though. Massively over priced in the case of consoles that are easy to make flash carts for, Genesis, N64 and TG.

>> No.2633051

>>2632379
What's an ED?

>> No.2633094

>>2633051 Everdrive, was originally a certain brand of flash cart made by one guy or team. Now its a generic term used for all retro console flash cards because the Chinese always steal a brand name rather than create their own and build up it's brand recognition themselves.

>> No.2633120
File: 1.12 MB, 1144x652, PAL Nintendo Scart.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2633120

Pics of one Nintendo SCART cable I want to use on my SNES.
pics aren't terribly clear but tried to show what is currently on the pins.

I'm guessing this is missing the 75ohms termination to ground?
Are the caps and existing resistor the correct ratings?
Do I need to add extra resistors for the RGB lines?
If I understand right each of the R G and B need their own individual resistor that goes between their own PIN and a ground pin/line.

I have great soldering experience, but it's mostly like metal lego to me and little knowledge of actual setup of fine electronic components.

Any help is much appreciated. The patient guys with some expertise who have advised me so far are awesome.

>> No.2633185

I have recently purchased a Famicom that has yet to arrive. I'd like to know it is possible to AV mod it, since the default output is RF. I am aware of the AV Famicom, but I decided to purchase the original one anyways.

>> No.2633390

>>2633051
An everdrive

>>2633094
No. It is not a generic term for flash carts used by anyone except maybe a few silly kids that only you know.

>> No.2633496
File: 721 KB, 446x251, 379ch.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2633496

>>2633390
Right, in the same way that all 3ds flash carts are legitimately an R4...

>> No.2635134

I saw another way to disable the CIC chip in the NES by jumping two pins.

Anyone have any information about this mod?

>> No.2635148
File: 848 KB, 3264x2448, image.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2635148

Here's the end product of my mod. It had an nesrgb but expansion audio was overriding everything making my nes produce shit sounds. I've separated CPU1 (square1/square2), CPU2 (triangle/pcm/noise) and CART46(expansion) to 3 different jacks, and feed these individually to a mixer where I can control those channels individually. Gimmick! Finally sounds great, as does Akumajou, etc. I'm working on an nes controller to famicom mod (using a neo geo extension and 2 nes extensions), and once that is done I think I will be able to play famicom at its prime (through rgb on a pvm with my audio mixer).

>Black: Expansion
>Red: Treble
>Red: Bass

>> No.2635154
File: 95 KB, 640x1136, image.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2635154

>>2635148

Whoops. Meant to say 1 red and 2 blacks. Here's the mixer.

>> No.2635174
File: 82 KB, 366x631, image.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2635174

>>2635154

Better pic. I mainly did this to be able to control and enhance bass over treble, as well as fix the annoyingly loud overwhelming exp audio. It all works great! Maybe I'll upload a vid later.

>> No.2636441

I have a Dualshock controller thats in really nice condition, but the X button is very unresponsive. You really need to push it in deep, which is really annoying.

Should I just swap the shell with my other one that is beaten to all hell, but works perfectly?

Or does anyone have an idea of how to fix it? I'll probably open it up at some point.

>> No.2636583

>>2636441
Open it up and clean the contacts on both the pcb and the rubber thingie, see the wiki for greater details

>> No.2636623

>>2631856
I just had very great success installing a TDA1308 in my DMG Gameboy and GBC as headphone amplifier.
5V is used for supply and as non-inverting amplifier.
The gain is set at 0dB, just 3,9K or 4,7Kohm as feedback resistance.
I don't remember what resistors I used to form a voltage divider for biasing to couple the wiper of the volume pot to the input, but I think it was 47Kohm and 470nF.
On the DMG I just wired the output to the headphone jack PCB, on the GBC I removed EM2 and EM3 used 220µF.
Additional 470µF on the 5V supply is need to reduce voltage ripple, on the GBC I didn't had a 470µF cap small enough to fit so I just used 2x 220µF.
Both sound very similar.
Very clear when connected to a line input and (on volume at max.) very loud and quite distorted on 8ohm headphones with a mild amount of the voltage supply ripple.
Turning the volume to the middle makes it sound nice and less loud, the ripple can be still heard but overall it's way better than the stock amp.

>>2635134
http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10091

>> No.2637080
File: 1.35 MB, 1400x3000, Unofficial_Flashcart_and_Modchip_List_Rev_1.1.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2637080

>>2631856
Usual OP here. Thanks anon for starting a new thread. I've updated the main page of the wiki to link to this thread.

Others in this thread have already addressed the ROM transfer issue, but this image (not created by me; I don't know shit about flashcarts) might be helpful in shopping around. It can also be found on this page:
http://www.gametechwiki.com/w/index.php/Flashcarts_and_Modchips

Perhaps some kind anon with expertise on this topic could flesh out that wiki page?

>> No.2637202

>>2635148
>CART46(expansion) to 3 different jacks, and feed these individually to a mixer where I can control those channels individually

I just used a 200K pot on the expansion audio line. Clearly I wasn't thinking big enough.

>> No.2637227

>>2636583
I'll add a forewarning that opening DualShocks -- particularly reassembling them -- is a major pain in the ass due to the way the L1/R1/L2/R2 buttons are positioned on the inside. Any time I put one back together, whether it's the 1, 2, or 3, one of the shoulder buttons loses that tactile response when you press it down, then you open it back up, fix it, close it up, and then it happens to another one.

>> No.2637463

Question for everyone who works on mods or repairs:

Do you guys buy all your tools online? I'm looking into sound modding my model 2 Genesis but I have no idea if there are any current stores that would sell the proper items needed since Radioshack is dead.

>> No.2637476

Looking at getting an AV famicom.

I heard the expansion audio is too loud or the orgional audio isn't loud enough. How true is this?

Also, if I fix the pin adapter I get for my NES games work work on it, will those games support expanded audio or will it have to be the Japanese release? I have castlevania 3 on NES and I was wondering if it had expanded audio on it.

>> No.2637482

>>2636623
I imagine these points are the same on all revisions of the board, right?

>> No.2637491

>>2637080
Someone should add Rhea (Saturn) and GDEMU (Dreamcast) to that pic.

>> No.2637509

>>2637476
Expansion audio is too loud on the AV Famicom. There's a way to add a resistor to balance it out.

However, if you're planning on using an EverDrive it has settings to adjust the loudness of expansion audio. I mostly use an EverDrive, so I decided not to do the mod.

As for your games, none of them will have expansion audio. You'll have to get Japanese games to hear it.

>> No.2637516

>>2637509
Alright. I just found that out about the expanded audio on American games.

I plan on getting a pin adapter and playing NES games on it. I heard I need to cut a few pins on the adapter? What's that about?

Also, do you have any information on modding the audio so it doesn't come out too loud?

>> No.2637556

>>2637516
I'm not sure what you mean by cutting pins on the 72 to 60 pin adapter. I have one and it works just fine with NES games on my AV Famicom, but I have no clue who the maker of my adapter was.

I don't recall exactly where the info was, but I know that somewhere in this thread about the NESRGB mod they were talking about how they were fixing the audio balance issue.

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=47617&p=1115508

>> No.2637576

>>2637556
Well, I have an article I can't link because 4chan is being dumb and thinks its spam.

But it says

"1. Fixing the Cartridges that use advanced Nametable Mirroring methods

Most Famicom cartridges tie pins 48 and 49 together. Similarly virtually all NES cartridges tie pins 57 and 58 together. When they are tied together, regular nametable mirroring methods are available. Nametables are the name given to the tile maps for the backgrounds and the NES has enough internal RAM for two. When separated, the cartridge can add additional nametables with RAM inside the cartridge or map Character ROM directly to nametables. The following NES cartridges have the hardware that can or does take advantage of this"

And goes onto list some games that use the extra pins, which includes Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and a few others.

And thanks for the information. It'd be pretty neat to just be able to replace some resistors and have that fix it.

>> No.2637749

>>2637227
I usually remove all shoulder buttons, reassemble the controller and put them back into place when everything is screwed back properly. I have a nearly 100% rate of success when assembling back.

>> No.2637784

>>2637227

If you get that issue then you really haven't been taking much care in the reassembly process.

You just have to pay attention to the rubber flaps and how they sit in their grooves. If you're getting the squishy shoulder button problem, it's because one of the flaps came loose and it's not sat properly in place, meaning it just gets squashed each time you press down on the button instead of popping in and out like it should.

The best way to avoid this is either to leave the shoulder buttons out and pop them back in after re-assembly, or if you don't like such brute force, reassemble the controller upside down, taking care to hold it at such an angle that gravity keeps the shoulder button pads in place whilst stopping the actual plastic button pieces from falling forwards and catching them as you slide the casing over.

>> No.2637903 [DELETED] 

>>2633496
>anyone anywhere has ever called a gateway an r4
Legitimately retarded

>> No.2638305

I have ps1 scph-9002 (PAL), what is the easiest way to mod this to play burned games?

>> No.2638352

>>2637476
somewhat late but :
you need to rebuild the circuit in a similar way to the original famicom to get proper mixing. This is because the IC that replaced many others generates a wrong voltage level. But sound generated by Everdrive and powerpack is still too low compared to real carts.

If you have a NESRGB you can take advantage of it's audio amp to mix the expansion audio as described here >>2637556, although what I did was use a 100k pot and mark positions for 22k, 47k and 100k.

>> No.2638374

>>2637491
yeah, and remove that shit PSIO that will never happen as they promised.

remember hearing about it first? plug and play with no internal modification, aiming for 100% compatibility.

such a fucking joke

>> No.2638380

>>2638305
a 4 dollar mod chip from a million different websites or that vrmodfag guy here. i got a chipped psx from him a year or so ago and it's solid.

>> No.2638415

>>2638374
I was pretty fucking pissed when I found out that the devs lied about it just working from the parallel port.

Any good places online to guy PSX modchips?

>> No.2638445 [DELETED] 

Visit this page

http://geeks-on.com/

>> No.2639809 [DELETED] 

>>2638415
>I was pretty fucking pissed when I found out that a kid with a long history of bullshit lied.
I hope you don't get pissed because the sun rises on time when you were hoping to sleep in, because you were pissed.

>> No.2641817

>>2637482
I dunno but the audio circuits of all 8bit Gameboys aren't that very complicated, it shouldn't be so hard to find out where the points are.

Also bump.

>> No.2642702 [DELETED] 

>>2638415
>I was pretty fucking pissed when I found out that some kid on the internet lied
it happens

>> No.2642829

>>2641817
I meant the NES CIC chip mod.

>> No.2643218

>>2642829
I don't know about this but AFAIK the changes in the revisions were usually extra protections (diodes) against the CIC stunners used in unlicensed cartridges.
This trick is just about to override the ceramic resonator with the reset signal directly from the button to the CPU+PPU and has not much to do with this.

>> No.2644789

my dear old red GBA SP has grown a dreadful mold behind the screen, hopefully it's on the plastic in the front rather than the screen itself, and I've been wanting to clean that shit up as I still want to play on it, and still works fine like it did 6 years ago.

What I want to know is if I just need to take the screws off the top part or if I actually need to tear my GBA down just so I can clean the screen

>> No.2645463

>>2643218
Ah, alright. Well, I was more interested where to attach the two wires on each board revision.

NTSC of course.

>> No.2647058

Question to you fellow repair guys. I've got a Sega Saturn MK2 that doesn't spin up and read discs.

I've replaced the laser and cleaned all the contacts I can on the wires and whatnot. Not sure if the spindle motor is bad, or if it's not getting enough voltage. Any ideas?

>> No.2647478
File: 592 KB, 522x521, reset switch.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2647478

Was wondering if anyone has any good leads on replacement switches for the reset button on the Sega Genesis.

I need this style switch, rubber dome type, for several systems.

What are they called? And where could I buy a few in bulk?

Picture related

>> No.2648397
File: 841 KB, 3264x2448, IMG_20150827_142946.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2648397

Wanting to mod one of these so that I can use it for either PS1 or Saturn. I bought one on the strength of this http://www.theisozone.com/tutorials/saturn/hardware-and-modding/mod-a-hori-fighting-stick-ps-psx-for-the-sega-saturn/ tutorial but mine has different chip inside (pics to follow)

>> No.2648404
File: 1.13 MB, 3264x2448, IMG_20150827_142909.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2648404

>>2648397
This is the chip inside. I am guessing the 8 holes in a row in the bottom left are the same as the saturn contacts referred to in the isozone tutorial in my last post. Anyone done this before?

>> No.2649132

>>2648404
dude, bust out the DMM and start checking continuity.

>> No.2649341

A couple questions:

1) Are there any known mods/carts that allow you to play games over LAN? In other words, instead of putting a microSD card in the cartridge you would connect it to a network via ethernet or wi-fi and read games from a shared drive. I know this can be done with the PS2, but has it been done on any other console?

2) I've seen tons and tons of mods which turn ordinary consoles into handhelds, but what about the reverse? I'm personally not a fan of handhelds, so I'd love to play handheld games on my TV. I already own a Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player and was thrilled when Nintendo announced DS emulation on the WII U (I was always hoping they'd do that), but I want to play Game Gear/PSP games on my TV. I have the PSP component cables, but having to use the PSP as the controller makes for a mess of wires if you also plug in the charger. If I could use a PS3 controller or something that would be perfect.

>> No.2649402

>>2648404
That 9-pin empty connector indeed looks close enough for the contacts on a Saturn pad. At least the rightmost GND and VCC pins seem to be identical. Take a cheap spare Saturn pad, open it up, desolder the connector from it, and solder it to that connector (keep in mind the GND and VCC pins so you know which direction to solder to). If you are lucky, it'll work. If it doesn't, just remove the plug and do not experiment any further, so make sure you do not accidentally damage the PCB.

>> No.2649452

>>2649341
Really sucks sthat something happened and killed the BenHeck forums for a while.
LovableChevy was doing this, she was converting a PSP into a home console using the component cables and adding an external controller.
http://benheck.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=72480

>> No.2649456

>>2647058
Nevermind I'm a dumbass. I forgot to remove the anti-static solder joint on the laser.

>> No.2649534

>>2637080
Why not the Everdrive 64 V3?

>> No.2649580

>>2649534
much more expensive and only real difference is not having to reset after playing for saving, and two-three more games working(japanese animal crossing, some random game and pokemon stadium 2 IIRC, and even when for latter two its only saving that doesn't work, and for AC its the real-time clock thing).

>> No.2649609

>>2649580
Yeah. That's understandable. I chose the V3 because I just want it to save like an original game. I feel like it's sort of ridiculous to have to reset it to save. That convenience was worth the extra cash to me.

>> No.2649726

>>2647478
Thinking of just replacing the reset switch with a tactile switch.

Has anyone had any success with this?

>> No.2649891

>>2649341
A lot of old copiers let you load games from a PC instead of a floppy. With the v64jr that's the only way. Since the entire library for most cart based console fits on an SD that costs a few bucks there's no rush to make alternative ways of loading. I considered using wifi floppy emulators when I modded some of my copiers but the prices were silly. And everything I want fits on a 2G SD except N64 which I used CF.

I've consolized GGs and GBAs. Never done a PSP. I figure with a GO, component cable and DS3 it's pretty straight forward.

>> No.2650074

>>2649891

>A lot of old copiers let you load games from a PC instead of a floppy. With the v64jr that's the only way.
Those tend to use obsolete cables/interfaces though, and even if it was USB that would still mean the console has to be near a computer. I guess that's not a big deal though since my TV is right by my desktop.

>Since the entire library for most cart based console fits on an SD that costs a few bucks there's no rush to make alternative ways of loading
This is suitable for most users but there are a few reasons I'd prefer network loading. Those huge ROM sets are still occasionally updated with prototypes, alternate versions, and ultra-rare games, and being able to just store all your ROMS in one centralized location without having to periodically update your SD cards would be nice (not to mention translations, homebrews and ROM hacks by the way). More importantly though, I would want to use it for homebrew development, but I suppose USB would suffice for that since I'd probably want to be actively sending commands to the cart anyway.

>I've consolized GGs and GBAs
That's really cool, but why GBA when you could just buy a Game Boy Player?

>> No.2650209

>>2650074
I suppose if someone made a flash cart with built in wifi you could avoid the cables. Come to think of it you could probably use a wireless parallel device with an old copier. I just plug my computer into the copier for homebrew. Most of the tools don't work on a modern computer anyway and a P3 running 98 is fast enough.

I guess the main reason for consoliziing GBAs was just to do it. Thinking about it though there are some advantages.

>> No.2650771

I dont know if this the right thread to ask this question about but Which will give me better picture the Official PS3/2 component cables or the cheap 2.00 ones?
same applies for the wii I have DragonPad or should I fork over the money for official nintendo branded ones?

>> No.2653240

>>2650771
official, the cheap ones have zero or very little shielding.

i just went through this when getting component cables to play psx on my ps2fatty

>> No.2653874

I know this isn't retro, but I'd appreciate input:

I have an opportunity from an acquaintance to get one of the "rarest" and definitely the most notorious games on the Original Xbox: Metal Wolf Chaos.

I have an NTSC-UC Xbox, and the game is NTSC-JP. Will it work? Or will I need to mod it? The guy I'm buying it from is a Collector to the Nth degree and doesn't even own an Xbox console so he has no idea.

I've considered modding it but I really had no need to do so as I have most of the games I want to play, and emulators on an xbox isn't really appealing.

>> No.2655989

bump

>> No.2655992

>>2653240
They're still cheap so I'll grab a pair asap thanks !
What about the wii official ones vs Other components cables can anyone vouch for those?

>> No.2656024

>>2653874
Softmod it, yes.

>> No.2658307

bump

>> No.2658729

does anyone know if the gamecube's internal battery is the same as the batteries used in NES & SNES games? the battery in my gamecube is dead I guess and I'd like to replace it.

>> No.2658841

>>2658729
Yes, it's a 2032

It's found on the back of the board that holds all the controller ports.

>> No.2659803
File: 222 KB, 1000x1000, Retro-bit-Universal-AC-Power-Supply-Adapter-for-NES-for-SNES-for-Genesis-1-US-Plug.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2659803

I just bought one of these without thinking. It has an output of 9V/350MA, the NES says right on the bottom it needs 850MA. This causes problems like wavy lines and audio issues right?

>> No.2659963

>>2659803
Those things are crap. Either find an official adapter or one with similar specs to the real ones. Thrift stores and garage sales are good places to look.

>> No.2659992

>>2659803
I use a 9VDC 300mA adapter with my NES fairly often and don't observe any problems in particular.

The 7805 voltage regulator in the NES (and many other retro consoles) is quite robust and can handle a wide range of voltages. Generally you'd rather go lower than higher than the spec, because using a higher voltage can result in excessive heating damaging the chip. If you find that the 300mA adapter isn't performing, you might try any old adapter you find that happens to fit the plug and see if it does better, as long as it's rated for less than 15 volts or so (ideally 6 to 9 volts). Polarity doesn't matter on a NES because it contains a rectifier.

>> No.2659997

>>2659963
the ebay listing said 9v/850ma, which is what the NES says is needed. Returning for 6 bucks is to much of a hassle. I don't know why in the world they don't just make them with a full amp like the real ones.

>> No.2660005

>>2659997
You can draw more current than the rated amount on cheap AC adapters. The voltage will just start to drop, but that's not a problem for an NES which operates on TTL voltage anyway.

>> No.2660549

I have this Japanese Mega Drive model 1 that displays garbled graphics, i can play any game but the sprites and texts are all fucked up.

What do you guys think this could be? Bad vram?

>> No.2660723

>>2659803
>>2659997
Dude, this is shit.
You should buy some modern random noname switching supply with an output of 9-12V >1A with a plug that could have fit the NES (5.5x2.5mm). If it's says "for use with information technology equipment" then it's even better because that's what the NES is.


>>2659992
>I use a 9VDC 300mA adapter with my NES fairly often and don't observe any problems in particular.
Very impressive anon, I actually get problems with lightgun games (screen doesn't flash) and some other games (graphical glitches, jumpy screen) if powered by small universal power adapters that weak.
>(ideally 6 to 9 volts)
There's a ~0.7V voltage drop by one diode and being a full bridge rectifier means 2 diodes.
Going lower than 8.4V (desired output of 5V + 2V min. dropout of the 78xx/79xx series + 1.4V of these 2 diodes) could work but likely can cause graphical glitches and crashes, especially of random nature which are temperature dependent.

>>2660005
>The voltage will just start to drop, but that's not a problem for an NES which operates on TTL voltage anyway.
That's a lot of shit, if the voltage drops too much then the OAM (sprite memory) DRAM can't work reliably and all sprites are going to glitch up but the rest of the NES still works to some degree.
Many official cartridges contain 74HC (CMOS) chips and the CPU and PPU are NMOS, giving these a unstable supply on purpose just to save on a proper power supply is foolish move which is gonna cause more trouble than it's worth it, especially when most people on this world don't know how exactly the NES operates and can't tell apart what could be just a bad contact or what could be caused by a fault in the NES.

>> No.2660742

>>2660723
But do you at least agree that it isn't particularly harmful or risky to try a power adapter that doesn't exactly match the spec of the official NES adapter? Maybe you'll get glitches, maybe not. When it comes to the really cheap adapters, the actual output could vary quite a lot from the marked specs anyway.

What I'm saying is that you're most likely not going to blow up your NES by plugging in some random adapter you found at a thrift store that happens to fit. If you see glitches, fine, try another one. But maybe you won't.

To be fair, I went and checked and the adapter I have been using with my NES is actually rated 400mA, not 300 like I said above. Maybe I'm just barely squeaking by above the limit where glitches with lightgun etc. start to appear. Maybe I just don't have carts that are particularly sensitive to dropping voltage. Who knows.

>> No.2662246 [SPOILER] 
File: 362 KB, 1379x668, 1441412672950.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2662246

>>2638380
Well my mod chip finally arrived and got it working, kinda looks like mess but it works.

>> No.2662527

Anyone have any idea for a drop in replacement for a 7805C +5V regulator that doesn't require a heat sync?

>> No.2662671

>>2658841
yep, spotted it last night when I opened it for an unrelated reason, wasn't sure if it was just a normal 2032 or some rechargeable bullshit.

thanks!

>> No.2662673

>>2659803
350 mA? Holy shit, throw it in the garbage and do not use it.

Voltage doesn't matter (as long as its >5V), because the voltage regulator in the console will just convert it to 5V anyway.

Ampergae MUST be 850 tho, I'd recommend at least 1000 mA if you're going to use flash carts.

>> No.2662675

>>2660742
It won't blow up, but you will see various issues crop up due to the console being underpowered.

>> No.2662676

>>2662671
No problem.

Nintendo weren't special snow flakes and made their systems battery hell, unlike Sega.

>> No.2662679

>>2662246
looks decent! i've seen FAR worse. wires are cut to length pretty well.

that wire near CL706 (?) looks like it might need to be trimmed and soldered better on the pad, but what the fuck do I know.

>> No.2662680

>>2662676
oh man don't get me started on sega bullshit.
luckily there's a cheap holder on ebay for dreamcast so you can use 2032's, it's like five bucks.

>> No.2662681

>>2662680
I just got some 3 prong vertical battery holders and got my hands on some ML2032s

>> No.2662685

>>2662673
Although I agree that flashcarts change the whole game, you don't know what you're talking about.

As already discussed in this thread (and in reply to the same post you replied to), a 5V adapter would not be nearly enough because silicon diodes cause a 0.7V drop, and there are two of them in the full wave rectifier. TTL components have a certain tolerance and will typically continue to perform with peak voltages as low as 3.5V or so, but some things, like the CPU, won't operate reliably at that point.

On the other hand, the maximum rated current is not nearly as restrictive as you have claimed. As I said earlier ITT, power adapters will put out much more current than they are rated for, but at the expense of the supplied voltage dropping below the rated quantity. In other words, if you overdraw from a 9V adapter, it will probably still work, while if you overdraw from a 6V adapter, which barely supplies enough potential to perform in the first place, your system will not operate reliably.

I really don't know what to tell you other than "Try it." It's certainly not true that "Amperage MUST be 850." That doesn't even make sense, if you think about it. 99% of the time the console would be drawing far less than its peak draw.

>>2662675
And that's why I said "try it." In my experience, many under-spec'd adapters work just fine. If you try one and find it glitchy, forget about it and try another one. Buying a couple $2 orphaned plugs from a thrift store costs a lot less than ordering an original NES-002 on ebay and shipping it.

>> No.2662836

>>2662685
i do knwo what i'm talking about, i kept it simple to not sound like a pompous ass, ie. you.

while you're correct that >5V is ideal to compensate for voltage drop, it's probably okay for most people who are buying new power supplies in 2015

moreover, what you're saying about putting out more power than what they are rated for is true if the supply is unregulated. this is true for a factory NES power supply, not so much for a regulated power supply you'd buy on the aftermarket. does it say 10V? plug a DMM into the thing, it's going to output a hair over 10V. Not 12, not 15, 10.

It MUST be 850mA because that's the spec Nintendo calls for. did you engineer the fucking thing? no? then it makes perfect sense. the amperage draw increases too if you factor in bullshit like flash carts, NESRGB mods, etc.

remember: the factory PSU is _unregulated_ which is why many people don't have issues when they slap a bunch of shit on the console

in most cases all you'll notice from underpowering is buzzy sound, random resets and some noise in the image, but this is probably more due to cheap power supplies than underpowering, but I've seen it happen in both cases.

>> No.2662840

>>2662836
also, for clarity's sake, I should have said >=850mA in both cases. Of course, if you're a smart as you think you are, professor, you'd have realized that's what I meant (I certainly implied it)

carry on

>> No.2663878

>>2662836
>>2662840
Why do you keep saying "it must be (>= implied or not) 850mA?"

I can prove that's not true just by turning my NES on with the power supply I have and playing a game. I have done so. You are objectively wrong. This is a reproducible experiment.

I agree that not all power adapters will work properly. Some will work very poorly, others less poorly, and others will work indistinguishably from the NES-002. I agree that mods and flashcarts can change things significantly as they might be engineered to assume much more power available than the NES typically draws, due to the designers' knowledge of the fact that the NES-002 can supply more power than is usually necessary.

I'd prefer not to fixate on meaningless details, but I think your chances of getting flawless gameplay using a 9V supply rated for, say, 400mA, are much higher than your chances of getting a 5V supply to work. A full wave rectifier means a 1.4V drop right off the bat. If you're plugging 5V into that, you're already barely on the threshold of what many TTL components will recognize as a "high" signal (3.5V or so).

>plug a DMM into the thing, it's going to output a hair over 10V. Not 12, not 15, 10.
I'm not sure what that has to do with what I said? My claim is that if you draw more than the rated amount of current from a cheap 10V supply, it will continue to supply power but the voltage will begin to drop as the current drawn increases. I could be wrong about that. However I'm pretty sure that what I'm talking about has nothing to do with "regulated" vs "unregulated" supplies. An unregulated supply provides power using a transformer that steps down mains voltage by a fixed ratio. Thus, if the mains voltage were, say, RMS 100V instead of RMS 120V, an unregulated supply designed to provide 12VAC would instead provide 10VAC. What does that have to do with current?

>> No.2664169

Hey guys, been trying to get our two SNES working on an old CRT we don't have the remote for and I don't want to buy a universal unless I absolutely have to. When I connect them via RF and set it to 3 or 4 I just get a straight up black screen. If I use composite there's no "input" button so I can't switch over to a channel that would work with it, and putting it on 3 and 4 gives me nothing.

Contacts are clean, though dusty, and I've used three different cables with the same results. Should I conclude that both SNES are dead at this point, and if so what should I do to fix it?

>> No.2664234

>>2638374
>>2638415
Then:
>Check it out folks, we're making a flash cart that will plug into the parallel port of the PS1, allowing you to play games off a flash card, no modifications required! No more damaging your PS1 to play copied games!
Now:
>Ok, so you need to install a small PCB, no biggies right? Oh, and you need to do some fine soldering work...and cut some traces on your PS1's motherboard, making this far more invasive than a modchip. So, rather than spend that $150 on the modchip, install, and some blank CDs, you can give it to us!
>http://ps-io.com/images/switchboard/example.JPG
I get a laugh out of how hard they are pushing the "This is the only replacement for the CD drives!" argument to give their project some kind of reason to exist. Thanks to the high jew price, now that is the only reason to bother with this shit. Still makes more sense to just buy another cheap PS1 if your PS1 has the laser die. They are $20. This shit is $150. Spending $150 to replace a part you can get for less than $20 isn't normal, unless you are a PSIO dev.

>> No.2664270

>>2664169
Why would you assume two different consoles are dead because they both didn't work on a barely-working CRT you can't control properly? Surely you have some other kind of TV you could test the SNESs on (through composite, even!), and maybe you even have another known-working console with RF out that you could use to test the TV. You could also try hooking it to a VCR and see if you get anything that way.

Finally, if your CRT has composite inputs and no panel button for it, you might be able to program the TV to show the inputs as a channel in the regular channel up/channel down scroll. On some TVs, pushing vol+ and vol- (or ch+ and ch-, or some other combination, just try everything) brings up the menu, and from that menu you can sometimes choose which inputs to show as channels. This is often in the same submenu as the "scan" function that hides channels with no signal.
You may also not need to buy a universal remote. If you have cable, your cable TV remotes can likely be programmed (even temporarily) to control your CRT, and even if you don't, your cell phone may have an IR blaster that can be used as a universal remote.

>> No.2664274

>>2664234
>still makes more sense to just buy another cheap PS1 if your PS1 has the laser die. They are $20. This shit is $150.
Right now it does. Playstations are perhaps the most common console I see in thrift stores etc. around here (although for some reason there are a shit ton of original xboxes too), and I think part of the reason for that is the fact that PS2s and even some PS3s had backwards compatibility with PSX. Thus, today there's certainly no shortage of Playstations and Playstation parts for repair. However, in ten, 20 years, will that still be the case? A few consoles of any generation are in the hands of collectors who will take care of them and treat them properly, but the vast majority of them are treated like junk that will eventually be destroyed. Discontinued hardware is not "sustainable" unless someone is making parts to repair or replace it. Right now, there isn't much point in using that kind of thing, but at least it exists and can be improved through subsequent generations of design.

There's a lot of anger about this whole fiasco, and I think it's just because of the broken promise of convenience. If they had never promised to make something as simple to use as they did, but had just announced a project with exactly the capabilities of the current device, there would have been a lot less interest but also a lot less anger.

>> No.2664290

>>2664274
According to Wikipedia there were 102 million Playstation systems shipped. It's safe to say there will be plenty to go around for years to come.

>> No.2664298

>>2664290
>>2664274
Yeah but most of the PS1's are junk.

The lasers go out fairly regularly, and the early model had parts made out of plastic.

Tbh I'm more worried about my more modern consoles (Fat PS3 especially) since they seemed to have a much higher failure rate, and then things like games requiring firmware updates, and how long is Sony going to have the updates available? I know someone will eventually have a workaround for things like that, but you know, its a very valid concern in maybe even as little as 5-10 years when the PS4 is on the way out and the PS5 is coming.

I really hope Sony makes like a limited edition "Playstation" that just plays every single generation of games. That would be something really great I feel. Its readily apparent that theres nothing wrong with old games, especially for the people who grew up with them, and even the younger generation is playing some of the classics via the PSN and such.

>> No.2664304

>>2664270
I have tried using it with a VCR/DVD player, it wouldn't let me actually switch over to the composite input and would only stay on the DVD/VCR no matter what I chose. Using it on an HDTV with Composite inputs doesn't have it actually showing up when I switch to composite. I'm going to take the consoles home to try them on the TVs I have there, so I have hope, but who knows.

The TV I currently have them set up to wouldn't let me connect to any sort of composite channel even when scanning, and I don't have cable.

>> No.2664323

>>2664298
>and then things like games requiring firmware updates, and how long is Sony going to have the updates available?
Im sure most games has frimware install on the disc, at least they did that on psp

>> No.2664751

>>2664304
Okay, so trying them on another one of my TVs pops up with a black screen again. Both RF and composite this time. It's just a black screen that I can flick on and off. No sound, no video, just a black screen.

From Googling it seems that this happens when one of the capacitors rots after years and years, is this true?

>> No.2666552

>>2663878
Because he can't into math or electronics. Accept it and move on.

>>2664274
In 10 years I will still have boxes of spare playstations and flea markets will still be using them to hold down tarps when it rains.

>> No.2666841

>>2666552
>In 10 years I will still have boxes of spare playstations and flea markets will still be using them to hold down tarps when it rains.
You know, you might be right about that. Now that I think about it, it would be interesting to attempt to model the number of units of a given model of console that still exist over time. We know there were tens of millions of playstations sold, but how many were ever "alive" at one time, and how many are still working now? It would be impossible to measure, and difficult to predict.

You could try to estimate the failure rate of a known model, I guess. Perhaps some of the components have known shelf-lives. What is the design life of the laser assembly, for instance? You could do the same for any console. Some notoriously failure-prone consoles could be comparatively much more rare today than their slightly less popular, but more long-lived competitors.

>> No.2667128

>>2666841
You could try but I don't think you'll get accurate numbers. I just have a few boxes of everything. In 10 years I expect some of the playstations and dreamcasts will have bit the dust. I'm going to be stuck with extra saturns for at least 200 years. Cart based systems probably longer.

>> No.2667208

>>2667128
>I'm going to be stuck with extra saturns for at least 200 years.
Sell me one. Or at least sell me a working disc assembly.

>Cart based systems probably longer.
Certainly. As long as you're willing to lovingly maintain the 72 pin connector and maybe swap a cap or two every few decades, a toaster NES could probably keep working for a hundred years. And with all the famiclones out there, the world supply of NES-compatibles will probably outlive the metal on the contacts of all the carts in circulation.

That's why I think it would be interesting if only there were some way to get a halfway decent estimate of the "half-life" of different consoles. For instance, you could predict when surviving NES consoles will outnumber Playstation consoles, despite the fact that ~40 million more playstation units were sold overall.

>> No.2668329

The analog stick on one of my N64 controllers isn't as sensitive as it used to be. For example, I can't turn as far in racing games. I have to push the stick HARD to its left- or right-most position to get it to the farthest point. Is there anyway I can fix this without replacing the analog stick? Maybe WD-40 or Vaseline will work?

Also, on my other controller, the C up button isn't sensitive enough. You have to press it somewhat harder than usual to get it to register.

>>2638374
I'm surprised someone hasn't made something like the Rhea or GDEMU for the PS1 yet.

>> No.2668347

>>2668329
>Maybe WD-40 or Vaseline will work?
Petroleum-based lubricants will break down petroleum-based plastics.

Your best bet is to shop around for a newer model replacement, since it's extremely hard to repair the damage the stick does to itself.

>on my other controller, the C up button isn't sensitive enough
Clean it. Alcohol and a cotton swab on the contact.

>> No.2668586

>>2668347
I tried alcohol and cotton swab. It's still not as sensitive as the other C buttons.

>> No.2668594

>>2668586
How does it look? Any damage on the contact or cracking in the rubber?

>> No.2668846

Needing information:
If you leave a nes not pushed down without any games in it, does it blink grey?

If you push it down with no games in it, is it black?


would like this information as I have no games right now to test my nes with.

>> No.2668852

>>2668846
meant the descriptions to be switched.

>> No.2669197

>>2668852
My NES blinks colors.

>> No.2669206

>>2669197
Pressed down?

>> No.2669875
File: 753 KB, 2560x1440, IMG_20150908_174516.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2669875

Performed my first ever mod today. Made a single switch mod for my Mega Drive. The switch has three positions, EU/50Hz, JPN/60Hz and US/60Hz.

Works great.

>> No.2670506

>>2668594
It looked fine. Maybe I'll clean it harder when I get home again (I'm in college again).

>> No.2670880

Is it possible to find brand new LCDs for the original Game Boy? I'm not doing a repair, but I really want to get one for a embedded project I'm working on. I could just rip apart an old Game Boy, but the used displays tend to be kind of shitty from age in my experience.

>> No.2670963

>>2670880
No. You can only find cheaper higher quality displays if you want something new.

>> No.2673165

What's the easiest way to mod a PAL N64 to output RGB?

>> No.2673351

>>2673165
http://etim.net.au/n64rgb/

>> No.2673558

>>2673351
Thanks much.

>> No.2674294
File: 22 KB, 500x375, controle-turbo-p-mega-drive-843301-MLB20312636511_062015-O.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2674294

I have a pair of mega drive controllers that are completely dead, one is a normal model 1 3 button controller and another is a no-brand turbo controller just like pic related, healp someone

>> No.2676093

Got a game gear that turns on and I can hear faint sound but nothing comes on the screen.

Would a total re-capping help this video issue? I know about the bad audio issues but not about video.

>> No.2676101

>>2676093
That sounds like a cap issue. It affects both audio and video.

>> No.2676106

>>2676101
Alright. Should be a cool little project for me.

>> No.2676171

>>2674294
Could be the plug ends that are loose or corroded.

>> No.2676176

>>2676093
Typical bad capacitors, replace all the surface mounted caps and the sound will need them at some point so it's good to do them while you've got it open.

>> No.2676186

>>2676176
Yeah, I plan on doing all of them.

>> No.2676565

>>2662685
>but at the expense of the supplied voltage dropping below the rated quantity

Also, a short life expectancy from running the components inside the supply way out of spec.

Fortunately modern switching supplies just up and stop working when they fail, as opposed to oldschool transformers which tend to short straight to mains when they go.

>> No.2676796

Weird thing with my PCE CD-ROM.
I have been burning about 60 (or 70) cd games
about 7 or 10 of these don't work whatsoever.
The interesting thing is that one of these games. I also have a legit version of, and they have the same problems. I have tried ISOs from other sites and tried other blank CDs aswell as different write speeds. Nothing worked.

>> No.2677473
File: 213 KB, 800x589, 1434433543.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2677473

HELP!
I was (rudely) trying trying to change the battery of one of my cartridges and end up ripping one of the traces completely. It was conected to something like shown in the red circles in this picture. If I solder the battery direct to that would it work?

>> No.2677641

Does anyone know if there is a way with Snes9x to set it to default to a certain directory when I want to load a new rom?

Like, when I try and load a new one right now, it by default goes to all these folders like Owner, Computer etc. so I have to wade through like 15 folders to get to my rom depository, and I want to change that.

>> No.2677728

>>2677473
A picture of the damage would be great. It should work as long as nothing came off the board with the battery.

>> No.2677729

>>2677473
those look like capacitors.

you may want to get us pictures of the actual board so we can figure out where you need to run a wire to in order to repair it.

should be possible to fix.

>> No.2678076

>>2676176
>>2676101
Well fuck. For some reason, part of the shell broke around the game gear near the D-pad. I don't have any more for spare parts.

>> No.2678476

>>2678076
Anyone got a good replacement for the brightness control wheel on a game gear?

>> No.2678578

this isn't /vr/ but this board is my home, so I'd like to get advice from some /vr/others.

today I bought an OG xbox at a garage sale (along with a gamecube which has a brand fucking new controller and also top quality smash/double dash discs, $50AUD for the lot), which I'd like to softmod if I can. Are there any essential mods I should be doing, or things I should check for? I noticed that the controller had 2 slots up the top, what goes in them? etc etc. I have never owned a microsoft console at all, and was caught off guard when I found it so I'm really not sure what to do.


Also, do you still need the hotswap trick to softmod an xbox without any games? it looks kinda risky, though I really just clicked on the first tutorials I found, which are years old.

does xbox hueg even have anything worth playing, all you ever hear about is halo this and halo that

>> No.2678797

>>2677728
>>2677729
Nevermind, I was able to find the trace just before the the capacitors and I was able to solder the battery to it.

>> No.2678952

>TFW literally the only retro YouTube channel that has any clue about console modding is My Life In Gaming

I'm pretty impressed. Pretty much only retro autists know about this kind of stuff.

>> No.2679729
File: 941 KB, 1456x2592, IMG_20150913_201752548.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2679729

I'm trying to open a SNS-005 controller, but the screw is like in the pic. Any way to take it apart?

>> No.2679731

>>2679729
you might have to drill the head out. Find a bit smaller then the head and drill directly down.

>> No.2679759

>>2679731
Something less extreme?

>> No.2679761

>>2679729
try a different sized phillips screw driver and apply a lot of downward pressure while turning. also try a flathead, depending on what you got, you might be able to fit in the hole & catch the teeth.

>> No.2679767

>>2679759
if it was on the surface (IE, level with the plastic) you can melt some solder and push a screw driver in the solder long enough to make a new head to remove it.

But, its recessed into the plastic so what >>2679761 said would be the best bet.

>> No.2679769

I'm trying to finish up refurbishing a 72-pin connector for the NES and I'm having a slight problem. The carts read around 90% of the time now, which is way better than when I first bought it; however, the audio will abruptly stop a few minutes into any game I play. This problem is being caused by the pin connector right? I've tried raising all the pins up to the same height and have cleaned them to a mostly silver color, but I can't seem to fix this issue.

>> No.2679770
File: 969 KB, 1456x2592, IMG_20150913_204435798.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2679770

>>2679761
I think it got more fucked up with the little one

>> No.2679776

>>2679729
>>2679759
>>2679770
Dude, dude, wait, did you try the rubber band trick?

Just take a thick rubber band and hold a flat segment of it between the screw and your screwdriver. Gets more traction that way.

>> No.2679781
File: 1.04 MB, 1456x2592, IMG_20150913_205155366.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2679781

>>2679776
Like this thick?

>> No.2679846
File: 52 KB, 1024x768, 2j4cao4[1].jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
2679846

>>2679781
Sorry, I mean thick as in width, not as in depth. The "sheet" of rubber should be thin enough that you can press it into the head of the screw, but the "band" itself should be wide enough to cover the screw.

I just specific "thick" because some rubber bands are like a tiny little piece of string and you wouldn't really be able to sandwich that between the screw and the screwdriver.

Pic related is an over-exaggeration of the kind of "thick" I mean.

>> No.2679952

>>2679761
This. It's amazing how well using the right sized driver works.

>> No.2681103

>>2679952
And once you've learned that all phillips heads aren't the same, it will amaze you how easy it is to avoid stripping screws in the first place by using the right bit.

>> No.2681125

>>2681103
Doesn't really help when they're stripped when you get them.

>> No.2681225

>>2633120
Polite bump... I have waited 3 weeks.

>> No.2681236

Someone link me to a psx modchip
don't know which one I should use/where to get them from.
NTSC modchip please

>> No.2681274

>>2681236
http://www.eurasia dot nu/shop/product_info.php?cPath=52&products_id=276
I bought PAL modchip here and it works fine, installation itself depends on the model but it shouldn't be that hard.

>> No.2681281

>>2681274
alright thanks, probably going to need help if I pick it up and install it. 6-8 wires is a lot of soldering for me.

>> No.2683642

bump

>> No.2683849

Got a simple question here. Most Dreamcast games are said to work with VGA, is unplugging the VGA and putting it back in. Sure to work? Also do you really need a VGA box for it or would a VGA cable work too?

>> No.2683852

>>2683849
You do need a VGA box to take advantage of VGA from my understanding.

And Dream cast games would say on the back if they support VGA.

>> No.2683854

>>2683852
>You do need a VGA box to take advantage of VGA from my understanding.
Why? I see tons of things marked "cables" with no boxes on ebay and such. Presumably they do something, even if not as much as the boxes. Is it just that more games will work with boxes than cables or what?

>> No.2683873

>>2683854
As far as I know the box does the video out put and conversion for VGA. If you get a cable, it most likely isn't going to be increased in quality, just able to display on a VGA monitor.

Now if those cables have the hardware to convert the signal, then that's different.

http://segaretro.org/Dreamcast_VGA_Box

>> No.2683881

>>2683873
The dreamcast outputs VGA natively. There no difference between the box and cable.

>> No.2683885

>>2683881
Well, then by all means get the cable then.

Can't say they're going to be hooked up right like the SNES S-video cords though.

>> No.2684110

Anyone know of a UK based site that sells AV kits for the Famicom?

>> No.2684283

>>2683852
>>2683854
>>2683873
>>2683881
>>2683885
Okay, but what about unplugging and replugging either the VGA box to switch to 480p mode, does that work?

>> No.2684982

>>2681125
It actually does. Unless they're stripped completely round using the right driver will almost always still provide enough grip to work.

>> No.2685424

So I'm looking to get better video signal out of my SNES, but I don't want to dick around with SCART. I know that's the superior output and so on, but I'm looking to settle for S-Video and do it cheaply. The only problem is the official cables are about $65, and all the 3rd party cables I see have terrible reviews.

So I'm looking to make my own S-Video cable, by buying a decent S-Video cable of some kind, chopping it up, and soldering it directly to the multi-out of the SNES. Can anyone give me any reasons this would result in poor quality video, or recommend some cheap SNES S-Video cables that don't introduce a lot of noise?

>> No.2685478

>>2685424
>So I'm looking to make my own S-Video cable, by buying a decent S-Video cable of some kind, chopping it up, and soldering it directly to the multi-out of the SNES.
That's a really silly way to go about doing things.

Buy a decent S-Video cable and just install a normal S-Video connector on the back of the SNES. Lets you use the Multi-Out as you normally would for what ever you might want and gives you the freedom to use any S-Video cable you might want. A normal set of SNES cables will give you audio or you could put in Stereo RCA jacks/TRS jack.

>> No.2685486

>>2685478
But I don't want to bother drilling a hole and mounting a connector, when I can just solder the cable to the port directly. I have no plans on using any other cables, so why would I need to change anything?

>> No.2685490

>>2685486
Well, you'd still need a way to get audio somehow.
And while you'd still need to mount it, you could hypothetically place the connector where the RF connector is.

>> No.2685502

>>2685490
Yeah, I got a spare composite cable for the PSX laying around, I'm planning on cutting off those and soldering them to the multi-out as well. Better than composite quality video for about $10-$15, not to shabby. It's a poor-man's hacky solution, but it'll do.