User avatar
obitus1990
USA

Posted Fri Jan 11, 2019 11:45 pm

I finally got around to modding my NES frontloader model with Tim Worthington's NESRGB. It's nice to be able to connect the NES to a modern television, with something other than crappy composhit video!

I recapped the machine, including the caps inside the power/RF unit (tricky to disassemble from the mainboard without damaging plated through holes if you're not careful), changed the voltage regulator, desoldered the PPU very carefully, and installed the NESRGB kit.

I run it through an OSSC to promote it to HDMI, via an SCART connector. Instead of using the default 8 pin RGB port the kit includes, I got a nice PCB and 3D printed replica of the SNES multi-av out port, and wired it to that instead. I had to modify the case of the NES to use this connector, but, it came out very cleanly, and, it allowed me to use my already existing SNES SCART cable.

Next, I recapped my Colecovision (which I've had since '83, I think), and modded it to use composite video (it only had RF out). Not the greatest video output, but, tons better than RF. Once I get an oscilloscope, I'll build one of the RGB mod boards for it, as the CV has a weird way of generating colors, and doesn't have native RGB. It requires the use of potentiometers to adjust color signals to get the RGB.

Next up was recapping and replacing the voltage regs on my Japanese AV Famicom, USA SNES, and Japanese Super Famicom. Thanks to Console5.com for their convenient recap kits.

Finally, I modded my original Playstation to use the PS-IO, which is an optical drive replacement. It requires installing a switchboard via 8 wires to the mainboard, and cutting two traces that are hella close to other ones you DON'T want to cut. It took over a year for this product to arrive on my doorstep...I pre-ordered it in December 2017 from the Australian guys who make it. I can now load .bin/.cue backups of my games from the PSIO cartridge, instead of the increasingly unreliable and heat-generating CD drive. While I was at it, I also swapped out the old modchip I had in there already that I installed back in '95. I upgraded it to a stealthier model, as some of the last games made for the PSX could detect and disable earlier modchips.

So much retro, so little time...

User avatar
Mr.Toast
Roseville, CA

Posted Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:04 am

That is a lot of work you've been up to. Got any pics of your work and process?

And agree, props to Console5's kits. I recapped an NTSC 1084 a few months ago and they saved me a fair bit of having to order larger quantities to get price breaks from the major component distributors. They did have an error in their wiki on the part lists which they resolved when I identified it to them. I'm really not a fan of working on CRTs but the end result was a restored and functional 1084.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:45 am

Major props to both of you. @obitus I especially liked that mod you made to your Colecovision. I'd think your upgrade would look fantastic on a small CRT. I remember playing my Coleco BITD on a regular 13" TV using an RF switch. Back then I thought it looked great!

@Toast I, too, have some monitors that need new caps. One of my 1080's has started to flicker the white over to yellow and back. It's nerve wracking. But I fear I'd either zap myself or make matters worse trying to replace caps on the thing. Taking off the case alone is a major PITA. I have got to see Mr. Carlsen this year before he retires from...well, retirement. He keeps telling people he's going to hang it al up soon.





Return to “Retro Corner”