Topics

[Buy/Sell/Trade / FS (Florida) Region+RGB modded white PC Engines]

http://www.retro-access.com/ourshop/cat_150586-Modified-consoles.html

Just had an order fall through on these so I've put them on my site. Usually the site has a backlog with orders with everything apparently "out of stock", but as I say - this order fell through.

This mod uses the NJM2267 ICs which after heavy testing of various methods I find to be the best mod possible. Really cuts down the vertical banding visible on transistor mods.

There's a video of the mod method here.

I had a couple requests a while back for a white PCE but we were so heavily backlogged with orders I couldn't find time to do these jobs, if you needed a console and have requested previously please let me know. They do sell out fast because of the good condition they are in and lack of white PCEs on the market.

International postage is $13.95 on these light consoles.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Modder and PC Engine in Florida now taking orders]

I'm a modder of 15 years experience, used to be based in UK, now based in Florida. I can source PC Engines from Japan as I have contacts there.

Here's an example of my work http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160636593885

This is my website: http://www.retro-access.com/

I am also looking to buy up broken Duos and I can repair your broken consoles.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / A switchless mod for a core grafx/Duo - anyone tried?]

I've posted this before but I still don't know if it's possible and I don;t have time to faff arround sadly, I am snowed under with orders/mods to do.

But there's a pin on the EXT port for PCE that resets the console.

To make a switchless mod, you need the IC circuit for the mod and some way to tell the cartidge to reset itself to use the new setting.

Now if that pin exists (and it's not just a software reset as I assumed select+run might be) might it still be possible to not cut holes in the Core and Duo?

If anyone has tried/wants to try I'd appreciate the info if it works.

I'm still using white PCEs as best candidates for mods as you can simply rag out the RF and use a nice new DIN and a switch in place of the TV out switch for the US/JP (hint: don't use superglue for the DIN as mmmonkey's site suggests! I'm not nice enough to give away my super strong glue solution that has NEVER come lose for customers in 10 years or so, but I will say "epoxy" and take it from there.)

http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/pce/rgb2.htm - I use 9 pins as customers might plug the joypad into the TV out, I don't want that as it could cause damage/blow fuse at very least.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / I have 8PDT switches available, anyone need them for the region mod?]

I've bought a whole truckload of some SCART switcher boxes to sell on eBay but they ain't selling. On taking them apart to potentially strip for components, I have discovered the 8PDT switch inside, the switch that is needed by many for the region mod. I've heard of power issues with the IC mod, saying that I have never had the power issues, however if you've had such issues I guess this is some solution for you.

These would of course be salvage parts and be desoldered off the board but I'm guessing this is no issue to most. They are off new, unused boxes so no wear and tear. I have over 100 of them available. Anyone interested? These are coming of course from the UK but if I have enough demand I can ship a box over to the USA to be redirected - less shipping costs for you. I'll probably put them on eBay too.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Getting 60hz from PAL TG (and can anyone tell me what's in the US model?)]

This is nuts.

Tried to replace the crappy PAL crystal in this, result: NTSC 50Hz video, console still clocked at 50Hz. Pulled up pin 10 of the processor (OSC input as stated here http://www.archaicpixels.com/index.php/HuC6280) wired the output of the 21.44727mhz crystal to that, still the console runs at 50Hz (what the hell?)

I completely turned the 50Hz crystal OFF as well as the adjacent crystal (I removed a jumper giving power to the whole circuit they were involved in.)

There's a chip taking input off the crystal and it appears to be what's giving the signal for the output video (well obviously.) And it's a chip that's definitely not in the original PC Engine. It appears to be a Z80 variant? Marked PCZ80-119. If it's a processor it could be taking over operations from the HuC6280. As giving the HuC6280 the correct crystal for 60Hz is NOT speeding up the system, it appears this PCZ80 chip is somehow forcing the whole board into 50Hz. The only thing that forcing a 60Hz crystal does, is turn the video colour encoding to NTSC. The output of the new crystal is fed to both this weird new chip AND the HuC6280. It does nothing to help.

Can anyone tell me if this chip is in the original TG-16? And the crystals, what are they and what do their output pins go into? What pin of PCZ80-119 does pin 8 of the D74HCU04 go into (if present?)

SOMEBODY TELL ME WHY THIS IS HAPPENING IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS. 50HZ MUST NOT BE ALLOWED.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / S-video from Sony CXA1145 - how good is it?]

I'm thinking of s-video mods using various chips but this one seems to be the easiest to get hold of at the moment. You can rag the CXA1645 out of a Saturn but the price of a broken saturn+postage off eBay pretty much defeats the object of this (postage cost being the main issue.) I have the Sony CXA1145 on hand and I wonder if there is any difference in image quality? Does anyone have a schematic for the 1645 mod - I assume the 1145 is the same pinout, same circuit.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Buyer says a console I sold him broke 2 briefcase CD units]

Specifically the console works, it's running my regular RGB mod, never a complaint to date. I tested the console on a briefcase CD myself, not the same model (he says IFU-30) but he says it's broken the video out on two of his units. Now the video out on the white engine works, as does the RGB out and all that's been altered is the amped RGB to the SCART on the white engine. Non amped RGB going to the CD ROM unit as per usual, but I'm not sure it even uses it. If the video out from the white engine is fine, how can the video out from the CD ROM be broken? And the same mod as all the other consoles I've sent out, proven and working on briefcase CD ROMs time after time.

Not that I've got any specifics from him as yet but, well I'm posting here I guess before he does.

Now am I right in thinking he must be mistaken? There's not a thing I can think of that would cause this. A bad connection sure could wreck the visuals but not cause a permanent fault. He says it's specifically *broken* it. I've had many PC Engines and briefcases in my time, we're talking in the several hundreds and I've had many faulty ones, video errors, RAM errors, HuCARD connector errors, I've plugged faulty into non-faulty purely to isolate causes of problems (ie a console green screening on HuCARDs but running fine on a Super CD ROM means a problem with cartridge reading) and one's never broken the other. Not that this console displayed a single fault nor has he even mentioned any other fault since getting it. Just another kick in the teeth for me I guess, got a feeling no matter what I'll lose out badly on this one.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Modded White PC Engines, Core Grafx I, II in stock in UK from £55]

http://www.retro-accessories.co.uk/ourshop/cat_150586-Modified-consoles.html - just added new stock.

The Core Grafx II is not on there but it's the same price as the Core Grafx I. I will post overseas, cost varies from £10-£18 to do so.

These are the best prices you will find on or off eBay given the top condition of the consoles.

[Off-Topic / So apparently I send cable "mended with tape"]

I've just about HAD it with eBay, and this ID's had too many low DSRs as it is this month from lost in post items combined with low sales that I think eBay are also about to decide I've had it with eBay, and kick me off.

I'm just furious about the feedback and low stars this guy has left. And terrified for this account. And all my accounts as a direct result of this one being suspended. I don't have long left.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=shirubania&ftab=AllFeedback

[Off-Topic / Can anyone help me out with this scammer on eBay?]

I'm having serious problems with a guy on eBay who keeps undercutting my prices. If I dropped lower, he would drop lower to a ridiculous level, I could make no profit, he could feasibly make no profit.
That is fair enough you might think, but check this guy's feedback.

http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=mikes-hobbies-zone

Yep, he just plain stopped posting out. He scammed a lot of buyers, got booted from eBay. My sales went back up.

Fair enough? Oh no, he came back: http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=reid8036

Note: DON'T put his stuff on your watchlist, don't visit his listings more than once (don't anyway as there's no proof any more to be found in them thanks to his listings on banned account being deleted) as all this will do is bump his interest levels and push my own items down in eBay's search.

Now I've lost a large bulk of sales to the scammer in the past fortnight because he came back with his lowest prices EVER, and he seems to be posting out OK at the moment so has built up some OK feedback. It's probably a blessing I had low sales this week as I was on a gruelling training course, but now I REALLY need to protect my future interests.

I'm working at only a little over minimum wage on these cables. I pay taxes, insurance, fees on a business account. He's not tax registered, sells OK for a bit then runs off with the money of anyone who doesn't know how to claw money back on Paypal. So obviously he can afford to undercut me.

When he came back he used the same pictures in his listings (though for a while he stole chaoticjelly's, probably to hide his identity, but cj reported him and the listings were pulled.) He uses the same large point comic sans font in blue, same listing layout, is selling from the same English county (small state like boundaries of England that are no bigger than a medium US city) sells the same items, etc etc which I reported to eBay. They have utterly failed to ban him. Now they've pulled all his past listings on the banned account (happens when you are perma banned on eBay) so buyers can't even compare and see that reid8036 is definitely the old scammer. Result of this is his sales have shot up.

THe only proof I have to you guys bar my word is this:

http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=mikes-hobbies-zone&ftab=FeedbackLeftForOthers
http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=reid8036&ftab=FeedbackLeftForOthers

Now as you can see he leaves the same bizarre phrase in feedback on both accounts. Both with blatant misspelling of "Carlsberg" too. I reported him again today to eBay with this fresh evidence but they won't do squat of course, this cheeky, brazen git is plainly selling on a friend's old account and IP.

Now reporting this guy is going to do squat. Sabotaging him would be stupid and put me in jeapordy.

If you can help, one way you can do it is find the listings of other legit sellers for these cables. Put them all on your watch list. If this is annoying, just put the four on that this guy is also selling (megadrive 1 and 2 SCART cables, Neo Geo SCART cables) What this does is pushes the scammer down in search. It doesn't stop him selling of course, but it might alleviate some of the damage done to legit sellers who rely on this for a livelihood.

Another way you can help of course is to never buy off this guy when you need a SCART cable, don't be fooled by the low prices. Spread the word as far as you can. 

I sold THREE cables yesterday. I usually sell 4-5 times that on Saturday. NONE were the same cable the scammer is selling. He has literally run off with all of my sales. Lowering my price is not an option and woud put me in the same position he put himself in (so many orders he has to run off with some money to break even.)

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Lots of PCE in Florida]

OK all this is at my fiance's house:



And it is going on eBay, as we want to bolster an account up with feedback to sell PCE from Florida. But if there is anything anyone wants in that picture please mail me with an offer and hopefully I can set up a sale on eBay for it, I am looking for nice feedback for our new US selling account.

Now most things in the pic are in B condition apart from stuff that's missing the case etc, and I think Dracula X had the spinecard too. Of course, we can check over the stuff and I have instructed my fiance how to judge condition.

These are things I bought from Japanese sellers and made them post to the USA not the UK because I do not like paying 50-80% in customs and import tax tariffs, nope not at all. Just in case people were wondering.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Anyone interested in RGB SCART>S-video converters?]

I am thinking of selling these. It would be contained in a cable with a SCART line socket on one end and an S-video plug plus 2x phono on the other end.

This would be aimed at buyers outside Europe.

The price for these would be considerably lower than an RGB>YUV box and the postage lower too, as it would be all inside a cable.

I am thinking about $30 for these cables. If demand is high enough and I can buy the components for less it'll drop to about $22. But demand would have to be seriously high for that.

Now this is similar to the work involved in making an s-video TG or PCE, except I put the entire thing OUTSIDE of the console, and you can use any RGB SCART cable with it. Genesis, SNES, you name it.

I generally find s-video to be an acceptable signal and if you don't have a component TV or you want it for a CRT or video digitiser that only has s-video and composite in, this would be a nice budget option.

What do you think?

[Buy/Sell/Trade / White Engine, Core Grafx with RGB SCART £55 - www.retro-accessories.co.uk]

Edit as I have bulked the site up enough now, will add advised changes when I find time.

www.retro-accessories.co.uk

White Engine with SCART (detachable type) - SOLD
Core Grafx with SCART - £55

Discount coupons of £6 available to remove the power supply if not needed and lower postage costs. Power supplies for US, UK or Euro regions are provided otherwise.

The Paypal facility is fully operational and I'm waiting for orders on this stock.

See my eBay ID - pcenginesales for feedback credentials.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / RGB modded PC Engines for sale - eBay banned my mods]

I'm in a right mess and hope you can help out.

So basically some piece of scum is reporting all my listings (ALL my RGB and AV console mods, not just PCE) under the word "mod" just because he sells modded Famicoms (sans mention of mod) and UN modded PCEs (though I expect not for long, as a 0 feedback newbie regged in the same area as him bought one of my white engine mods last month.)

The listings do not contravene eBay policy, but I can't persuade eBay of that. And if I relist the items as just "SCART cable supplied" this scum artist will report me again.

And I was about to register the modded consoles and cables thing as a proper business. Was doing quite nicely.

Ebay are taking freaking FOREVER to respond over this and I don't trust them to EVER respond. These systems weren't even import modded either.
The SCART cables were detachable on both the white engine and Core systems.

I'm in a really bad mood at the moment as you can probably guess but if anyone wants a console I guess they go £5 cheaper now til we see if eBay will ever give me my livelihood back.

I might start a site up or something but I still do not know anything other than basic HTML so bear with me.

This is the mod for the white engine (cores are obvious)

https://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l291/adolchristin_2006/whiteenginesocket.jpg

All the consoles are in white unstained condition if white engine, good overall used if the other two (some are very nice.) All come with original pad and SCART lead. There's an option of a US/JP or UK power supply too, if you don't want that, please discount £6. They all have an internal amp.

The price is £55 for white engine, £50 for Cores. £15 extra for white engine US/JP mod, £20 extra for Core US/JP mod (requires a hole cut in console, uses a small black slider switch at side of console. White engine US/JP uses existing switch, no holes made.) I hate cutting holes in consoles so you pay extra for my mental stress, oh and a bit for the switch.

If you want to back me up on eBay please ask, I will give you contact details and details of my case, would really appreciate if people tell eBay that they are wrong on this because most my consoles on there do go to people who've been either out of the loop on PC Engine for ages and don't know this site, or new retro connosieurs brought over by Virtual console and stuff. Besides, the other seller is a scum artist.

Ebay have flagged my account over this so I can't just reword and relist, they'll know, meanwhile the other seller looks innocent. Even though he sells "AV Famicoms." I can't win this one til they just realise that RGB mods are not piracy enablers, or import enablers.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Dracula X, Jackie Chan, Gunhed, PC Genjin on hand in Florida]

Hi guys,

Just trying to build up my PC Engine business again. My dispatcher in Florida is taking on the receipt and shipping of games as thanks to eBay UK price hikes+our ridiculous importing duties, I've decided that bar consoles the UK side of things is right out of my hands for now.

I can vouch for the dispatcher, as you are buying from my fiance. This will be our first batch of games sold on the US side. We will plough all the money from this (complete sale price after shipping) back into buying more games, so this is a small foot in the water.

STOP READING HERE IF NOT INTERESTED IN MY LIFE STORY

I intend to move to the USA at some point so you guys are really helping me with these console and games sales as I need to make the funds to move there and the UK is junk and won't give me a full time job as yet.

If these go on eBay the ID will quite likely be not one of my old ones (pcenginesales, shirubania) but "therealsomguy". And the reason for this is more cretinous eBay behaviour, as to get fee discounts from keeping star ratings high you have to be originally registered in the country you are selling from. You cannot change what eBay record as your ORIGINAL country either, even changing my address from the UK to the US I will still be billed in £ and receive zero fee discounts for anything sold in $. So we need to bump up this US regged ID. You are talking about $60 or so a month of fee discounts based on my prior sales that I have always missed out on. Passing on such savings to buyers and remaining competitive on eBay is a priority.

READ FROM HERE IF NOT INTERESTED IN MY LIFE STORY

The condition and price is as follows. Price include US shipping for continental states, if you are outside the continent or international please ask for exact costs. If I have to put the games on eBay the price will be bumped up a bit to reflect what things sell for there. Usually what this means is I will charge shipping on top of the cost below but in the case fo more expensive games I might bump the price up too because eBay plain ask for too much % of the deal these days.


Dracula X - Case: B, Manual: A-, CD: A, Spinecard: missing - $100 shipped.
Jackie Chan - Case: B, Manual: C, HuCARD: A-, - $30 shipped.
PC Genjin - Case: B, Manual: B, HuCARD: A-, - $17 shipped.
Gunhed - Case: B, Manual: B, HuCARD: A-, - $32 shipped.

Guide to condition (based on same ratings scale used in Japanese stores):

Mint=Mint in packet.

A=excellent, what most sellers call mint.

A- = some very minor flaws like dust on the CD or a small indent in manual.

B= Good, the usual condition sold in such stores.

C=not terrible, but there may be small tears and stains, scratched paint on picture side, yellowing, etc.

I don't sell anything lower than C unless it's super valuable. The flaws on C condition items should be minor, I have instructed my fiance to rate as C if flaws are minor but if you require a picture please let us know. Also I tend to rate every single case as B as the clear plastic parts are almost always covered in very fine scratches that are visible when tipped to the light.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Source for MC14551B chips for US/JP mod?]

I brought 20 of these back from Japan but I'm clean out (well, got enough for one more mod) and the only people selling them on the web appear to be wholesale "mail for quote" people. I'm not a big business, I just want these chips for the consoles I sell.

I'm not interested in any preprinted boards with the chips integrated because I need to keep the costs of my mods down.

Does anybody know where I can find these?

Thanks in advance.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Anyone in the USA interested in JP/US switchable PC Engines?]

I'm not getting enough interest in the mods I have been doing to justify my time taken on them so I am considering shipping the ones I have left to a contact in the USA. When I was in Japan the bulk of my console sales were to the USA so they might move that bit faster.

If you would be interested in a white PC Engine or Core Grafx modded to either AV or RGB (I know your TVs over there do not accept RGB as readily as ours, so I can't guess as to the demand for the latter) plus US/JP switches please let me know. The consoles will be shipped out to my contact in the states sans power supplies, as we will have to buy the power supplies over there. Then they will be sold from that location with the power supplies.

Not really sure if it's worth all the effort though as to date I have only sold 4 modded units this month. I think the price might be putting people off, but I think I'm being pretty fair as not only is it only producing a little over minimum wage for my time but I'm charging less than other modders I've seen here and adding that price on top of what I used to get for the consoles unmodded in Japan.

Anyway let me know. And if you would be interested in trading in your console for a modded one I could also provide this service, but my contact in the USA cannot mod the units so trade-ins woud be the best I could offer.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Modded consoles in UK - base units+Duos]

These are my prices outside of eBay, if you make an offer for these prices on eBay I can't accept them because the fees on there are too high to go this low. Typically the costs incuding postage are £11 less than eBay and for EU citizens even more as I will trust non eBayers with cheaper international postal services.

White PC Engines - All current white PC Engines are perfect white with no yellow marks. There will be very slight signs of wear. All consoles are supplied with pad. It may be an original pad or autofire, if you have a preference please specify but note that I might run out of one or the other at any point.
Console costs INCLUDE postage but if you are outside the UK I will have to charge more. For example, EU citizens please add £5.

White PC Engine with UK or EU power supply, US/JP switch, plus RGB boosted SCART and pad: £72 shipped.
White PC Engine with UK or EU power supply plus RGB boosted SCART and pad: £57 shipped.
Core Grafx (I or II) with UK or EU power supply, US/JP switch, plus RGB boosted detachable SCART, replaced 8 pin DIN and pad: £79 shipped.
Core Grafx (I or II) with UK or EU power supply plus RGB boosted detachable SCART, replaced 8 pin DIN and pad: £62 shipped.

Note that for white engines I will use the ANT switch as the US/JP switch. That is why the mod is cheaper than for Cores. If you would like a bigger switch which does not need a pen or something to flick it this will be £2 extra.

I can do detachable SCART mods for white Engines but this is considerably more work than a Core Grafx detachable mod. So I will have to charge more. Please make offers and I will consider it based on how much time I have.

Please take off £5 from price if you do not require power supply. I order these in at cost, and you might not need one.

I will also throw in 5 unboxed games into every pack, note they aren't really worth much and effectively I am giving them away. If you do not require them then let me know, but I can't discount prices because of the lack of them as I really can't sell them seperately.

I will update this post with more consoles as I have them converted and available. I'm not sure what to charge yet for modded RGB or US/JP switch Duo Rs, but I have 2 in stock ready to convert. If you would like one please let me know.

I can mod your own console or if you prefer you may trade it in for a premodded one and therefore a faster turnaround time. Please see the console mods section for prices. If you trade your console in it will be the same price PROVIDED your console is in the same condition, but if your casing needs bleaching it will be £3 extra.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / PC Engine modder offering mods in UK, North of England]

I just had to come back to the UK after 4 years in Japan and I'm looking for some extra cash while I look for a job.

I've been modding PC Engines, SNES, Saturns and basically anything else I could find the components for for 13 years or so, and have an 8 year old account on eBay where I have been a seller almost solely of PC Engine for years now. Perhaps people here can vouch for me - account name is same on eBay.  Unfortunately interest is waning and Im not sure I can persuade my Japanese suppliers to ship to me at prices I can afford these days. I was the cheapest seller for a long time and I can't live off the hobby any more thanks to increased fees.

So I'm turning to these mods. I have a few consoles to sell as well as offering the service for existing consoles, on here alone though because I would REALLY like to shift these consoles. If you are looking for a console outside of eBay I can discount quite a bit. Fees are insane these days, between 15-20%.

If you are after a modder for your console I can offer the following jobs, with RGB booster built in for the SCARTs:

White PC Engine JP/US switch using the existing ANT switch on the side of the console: £15
JP/US switch for other consoles: £17
RGB mod for white engine with SCART added to side of unit (undetachable): £20
RGB mod for AV port consoles with detachable SCART, 5 pin DIN replaced with 8 pin: £25
RGB mod for white engine, detachable SCART - 28

*delete - no mr ebay sabotager, you can't have info on how I do my mods!*

These prices are based on my time and the fact I have chips for the US/JP mods left in stock. They might rise a little for components costs in future.

I can also do other jobs but really I prefer to concentrate on PC Engine.

Please note I have not been selling the mods often on eBay. This is because while in Japan, I had a job that paid better than doing mods, and it took up too much time. However there is some mention in my feedback of recent Famicom AV mods that I did basically to clear some spare consoles I had. I do not like selling Japanese RF consoles on eBay as it results in Paypal chargebacks when buyers can't tune their TVs to the signal. The Famicom AV mod is rather similar to the PC Engine RGB mod, it uses the exact same transistor.