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[Console Repair/Mod Center / IFU-30 (Briefcase) Full Component Guide]

Everything needed to know about the components when in need of repairing the Briefcase.

Components Text File:
http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/IFU-30/IFU-30%20Components.txt

PDFs for circuits and special components:
http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/IFU-30/IFU-30%20PDF.zip

Manual: in Japanese (PDF)
http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/IFU-30/NEC%20IFU-30%20Manual%20(Japanese).pdf

IFU-30 Main Board PCB:

Large: http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/IFU-30/IFU-30%20Main%20Board%20PCB.jpg

IFU-30 RAM Board PCB:

Large: http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/IFU-30/IFU-30%20RAM%20Board%20PCB.jpg

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Re: The Light Gray "TurboGrafx System."]

Hate bringing up such an old thread, but it's on the right subject, there a few threads about Turbografx (EU), any how the conclusion is that it has a crystal giving the PAL timing (frequency) making the games 17% slower, meaning that the EXT connector is actually putting out the composite in NTSC50 (that's damn unusual, PAL60 is nearly common) only the DIN socket has the true PAL output, changing the crystal would mean that you could get the normal NTSC in 60hz just like all other TG16/PCEs out there.

If anyone ever wondered why there is black borders on PAL games, it's not because it's crappier, but it's the programmers that were lazy, difference between PAL and NTSC is Hz, Colour Table and Resolution, they simply just took NTSC games (480 Lines) and not changing the frequency but Colour Table, meaning the tv stabilized the picture in the middle of the screen giving the black borders up and down and PAL having 525 or even 625 Lines but only 576 contains picture (PAL LaserDiscs could have 625 Lines where NTSC has 425 Lines, NTSC DVDs have 480 Lines... meaning good PAL LaserDiscs were like HD... nearly).

Optimized PAL games run at full speed but has 20% higher resolution, NTSC outputs 30 (29.97) frames per second (60hz is just two same looking frames after each other, yes 60fps is 60 different pictures after each other but that's another thing) PAL has 25 frames per second.

This will also result in that movies have different length in PAL or NTSC countries, all the frames are laid out and fit into its frame per second and the audio has to be stretched to fit them, and no Hollywood does no make films in NTSC, frame rate might be the same (not any more though) but it does not share any colour table and resolution.

When in RGB colour table can be ignored.

To get back to what I started to say is that optimized PAL games running in 50/60hz modded machines that are being run in 60hz, then the games runs 17% faster then the normal NTSC 60Hz game were intended to run in...

If any Turbografx EU owners out there would like to run in 60hz we could take a look at it.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: PC-Engine Duo-R - a few issues]

Bend the crack apart just a little and attach some light running super glue from behind, press the crack together, holding it until it dries, about 10min, if there's any visible glue coming out of the front while your holding it have a paper prepared with alcohol ready, and with a fast wipe just removing it, wipe it from the crack and down so you don't smear any glue out on the rest of the plastic.

After an hour or two, take some hotglue on the backside of it reinforcing it, if the console ever were to be dropped this would probably be the place it'll crack again, but the hotglue might just save the day.

Making this good can nearly make it invisible.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Question about CD audio on a Japanese IFU30+White PCE+cdrom2]

We discussed that some time ago here.

I brought up the old info about that only CoreGrafx and CoreGrafx II took in audio to it's standard DIN socket from the IFU, this turned up wrong, as when I tested it with an unmodded white PCE, it came CD Audio and ADPCM threw the RF, but all (White PCE, CG1, CG2) just do it mono as there is only one pin in on the EXT connector, so taking the audio from that socket modded or not should be avoided at all costs when running in the IFU, normal game sounds get stereo on CG1 and CG2, the White PCE with RF is everything in mono.

There might be a revision (White PCE) that does not input CD Audio or ADPCM on the EXT connector but that's pretty undocumented, actually we haven't look into what pin is inputing the audio at all.

So take the audio from the RCA on the IFU if you want stereo from all three audio sources.

Should be noted that the IFU is filled with components, and nearly all is for mixing audio.

As you are from PAL territory maybe this might be of interest.
http://www.retrosampling.se/Temp/JapanSpel/Bilder/Nec%20PC-Engine%20IFU-30%20(RGB%20Scart%20Mod%202).jpg

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: PC-Engine Duo-R - a few issues]

Better get that 9V battery, fixing anything relies on a working multimeter, if voltage is coming in, and the fuse is ok as you say, and if there is nothing wrong with the 7805, then there might be something wrong around the DIN socket, microscopic tears in the traces, as you said it was loose too, meaning it actually works you just can't hear or see that it is, you have to have a controller to start a cd game so that the busy light can indicate that anything is happening under the hood when you'r blind in the dark so to say.

There might also be a need of replacing all the capacitors too, that can also make a console look dead.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: HELP: Turbo CD Board Swap]

They're soldered in, either desolder it or switch the board WITH the lcd/button board intact.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Super CDROM2 Console no sound music]

Are there any voice samples? (ADPCM), used for certain fx and voice samples only, theres a mixer circuit that mixes regular sounds with ADPCM and CDDA.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: DIN 8]

There are plenty of them from out there (ebay), I can sell you one cheaply, you just switch the front pins (only for stability, no electrical connection) from the one that is mounted there already and puts it on the new one, ready for RGB modification. got the cable connector too...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Help: TG CD clicking noise]

As it reads sometimes the gear is not broken, even if it will break soon, they all are.

And as the clickings is constant it can't be the gear giving the sound as the gear only moves every now and then,
the only thing moving all the time is the disc, meaning it's someting with the motor for it, the holder for it could have gotten pressed
down to much on it's axel, making woobly discs hit/scratch something while spinning, the holder (spindle?) can be pressed up if that
were the problem.

The motor for the cd could be on it's last leg... extremely unusal but, could be something physical in it, perhaps...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Short lived GT video fix]

If you take an extremely bright light and look closely on the screen while taking the contrast to both its ends, do you see any movement? Something underneath showing its actually working and that it's just light that's gone!

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: REPAIR GUIDE - TurboDuo: Sound Fix]

Thats correct

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: REPAIR GUIDE - TurboDuo: Sound Fix]

Well C323, the minus side connects to the ground, which can be connected a little here and there, and the plus side goes to leg 3 of IC506 (4558).

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: White PC Engine sound problem]

You could easily have shorted the output, if you'r lucky you haven't burned a chip but just some OP amp.

usually when in mono only left channel is used, so I guess thats whats used for the RF but cant say for certain.

get any audio when used in RF?

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: So I added a new port on the Turbo Express]

For my upcoming component guide of the GT/TE I have this:

If the conductive part of the rubber fails to be conductive even after being cleaned with alcohol,
Conductive Wire Glue can be used (www.wireglue.us) try to avoid conductive ink as it flakes off in time.

This can also be used for the pcb in the circular pcb pads as it's actually related to what nec used when they made
the pcb, you just have to be very careful as the circular pads are very fine and small, if done with care you may never notice
a optical difference upon inspection.

This is also used on some of the controllers for autofire (a couple black square parts) and some other controllers from this era,
some use circular pads in tin/copper and some use goldplated, but a lot of them use this very type of conductive pads.

Cheap pirate controllers conductive pads is dissolved with alcohol, both on the pcb and rubber pads but never seen it happen
 on the big companies controllers (nec/nint/sega.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Duo R sound glitches but works flawless when standing on one side]

yeah I was assuming it was on the ADPCM and HuCard audio aswell, but if it's only cd audio it could probably be one or both of the coils controlling the laser that are burned or damaged, they are non repairable, more or less, and placing it on the side might give the laser the focus it needs and therefor working. So bad laser then it's digital jitter, if it's overall audio it's more bad sound/distortion.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: REPAIR GUIDE - TG-CD: Total capacitor replacement chart + useful info]

Should also note that don't trust your DMMs to death, there are several ways of measuring capacitors depending of what they are for and their specs, they send out a voltage for testing and some use high or low voltage, it also sends it out on different frequencies, standard is 1Khz, expensive capacitor meters have tons of different settings, sometimes even expensive testing equipment show the wrong value even if the components value it's actually spot on, it's a whole world of know how just to know how to measure components correctly.

It's as confusing as for trying to explain to non electrical people that electrical outlets just gives 110v at 60hz, and that it gives other voltages at other frequencies (yes not intended), a little voltage at every half or double the frequency, or triple for that matter, and that bad sinus deformed voltages can be found all over the spectra, it could contain a gazillion voltage with 1mA at 1Ghz, yeah line filters are needed.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: REPAIR GUIDE - TG-CD: Total capacitor replacement chart + useful info]

Yeah it's an old capacitor trick used for audio back in the day, SMD/SMT today are made out of ceramic and porcelain inside, and what usually sounds best is polypropylene and a few other plastics (different plastics combined is actually best) but plastic was not invented until the 60's so then there was only paper in oil and other electrolytic capacitors, and heres the why, when plastic capacitors were discovered they were high in price and and relatively low in value, and here's the real deal, audio is AC, the signal goes up (plus), threw zero, and down on the minus, and then it had to be non polarized otherwise only half the sinewave would come threw, well in theory... as it will try to come threw on the other half but deformed creating huge amounts of distortion, so thats why this was pretty common back in the day, it was just impossible to find a ceramic/plastic 100uF capacitors for line filters in loudspeakers... nearly all old loudspeakers had bipolar electrolytic caps, the danish capacitors company Jensen was enormously famous for them, but sounded like crap compared to when plastics came around.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Duo R sound glitches but works flawless when standing on one side]

Try flexing the console while in operation, if the audio goes between good and bad there could be a small crack in the board somewhere or in a via hole.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: REPAIR GUIDE - TG-CD: Total capacitor replacement chart + useful info]

mg You can make a bipolar cap by using two polarized caps in series, but it will be half in value, so to make a 10uF you need two 20uF, put them plus to plus or minus to minus and they will become bipolar.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / REPAIR GUIDE - Super CD-ROM² Pot Adjustment]

Hi all, I was fixing a Super CD-ROM² and it seemed to just need a pot adjustment. I searched the forum for any pot adjustment, but I wanted one with a resistance chart, ended up with nothing.

I found this japanese site http://pcerepair.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-87.html
and started from scratch.




The pots had been tampered with wildly prior to my attempts and the site shows where they approximately should be when it's new, I then tuned it in, and measured it and made my own chart.

Following the usual chart tradition =)

Borrowed from "Duo_R"

It would be nice if others would report their exact values as these are not the original even if they are working very good.

Values in K (Kilo Ohm)

Sometimes potentiometers crack with age and if so
All of them should be 20K (24J) except VR105 thats 1K (13J)
They are also top adjust and single turn and hole threw.
Example Kingtronics RKT-3329-H-203 and RKT-3329-H-102

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: CD Music Modded PCE[SOLVED] Now discussing PCE Vs.CG-I/II CD music mixes in IFU]

Well lets rewrite history again, it's a little complicated to test even it's fairly easy, the thing is that it's japanese RF... the video signal is NTSC but a different way of modulating the RF signal, but european tvs can still accept the signal even if it looks a little shit and actually lays in the FM radio frequency, but the audio on the other hand, is modulated on an even weirder way, so how to test an unmodded white PCE, well take the signal into an GT via it's TV Tuner (has to be the jap one, the tuner that is, GT or TE doesn't matter) and I can say first hand that the white PCE does send out CD Audio via the RF Output, which makes the question a little a little harder why doesn't people who mod their consoles get cd audio with their 8pin miniDIN, maybe it doesn't get send out with the EXT connector and people connect their mod there, if they would take it at the RF module they would get CD Audio, but... the audio at the RF module is mono so thats probably why people take the signal from the EXT pins that probably doesn't have CD Audio mixed in, if now someone just could find which pins send in the audio via the EXT connector.

A little thought, there would be a nasty feedback if the EXT connectors audio output would send out CD Audio as it's where the IFU takes it's signal to mix with the cda+adpcm, so if it would send it in threw the "secret" pins if would mix it again on the output, and again, and again, and again, well I think you get the picture... so if rerouting the audio to the DIN or modded miniDIN it would make it complete, but we need to find the secret pins and it might need amplification, and it might also be in mono as suspected, maybe not just the CD audio but also the ADPCM and the normal HuCard audio, as it might just be one pin sending in the signal, and one pin would mean monaural...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Graphics Glitch - DUO]

I just thought I should give you all a crash coarse in VIA fixin.

From the picture you seemed to fix it by just finding where it leads and then taking a simple wire, while it works terrific, when doing other stuff while it's open you might get stuck in the cable and rip something apart and the pro way is also so much nicer, anyway this is how, no astronaut stuff but here it goes.


Heres a VIA thats not working


Here it is again, a little closer =)


Take a scalpel and scrape some of the pads surrounding it, do it on both sides.


Take a single wire, theres lots of different diameters for vias, take one that fits.


Bend the wire over the scraped part, on both sides.


Solder it, both sides, DONE! check for continuity, it should now work.
Note that it may only work on PCBs 2000 and older as newer ones can have
like 16 layers and be connected at several places inside the via, but for PCE
stuff no worries. Take a cottonstick and some alcohol and take away some
of that flux.


Here is just another PIC with a ballpen to get the feeling of how small
they can be, even if this was a fairly large via.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Middle Gear for CD-ROM² (Chops) Europe Division]

Hi, You all, thought I bring you guys up to date, I will be handling/selling Chops gears for the Europeans, that will mean faster shipping if you live in Europe, might be as low as 1-2 days for the Nordic countries and 2-7 days for the rest of Europe, otherwise it will be no difference ordering from me then Chop, other then I will take PayPal, Chop will still be available for the rest of the world and can answer most questions, so this is authorized and approved by Chop, and I'v gone to Chops Gear Academy and graduated top in class =)

PM me for all inquires or info needed.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: No CD Music from RGB Modded PCE [SOLVED ADDED PORT]]

Even if this is solved I tried tracking the signals from both the IFU and the CoreGrafx to see which pins are sending the signals back, when looking at this also http://www.gamesx.com/misctech/pcebp.php it's not much that can, but it does, had to try it, so I wasn't lying or remembering wrong, and yes playing audio CDs on the CoreGrafx does come out of the AV, however... it's only in mono, the CD audio that is.., didn't check the ADPCM Voice channel to see if it that was in stereo, but... it's both cd channels in mono, tried a left/right test disc, my guess is that the it's probably sending in stereo and it's mixed sometime before the C358C Amp in the CoreGrafx, so the CoreGrafx are sending audio out threw the EXT, getting mixed with CD Audio+ADPCM and getting sent back amped and then threw DIN socket (that would mean the mixed cd audio would be mono before getting into the CoreGrafx...), if it is stereo when getting into the CoreGrafx it would be possible to just reroute the pins directly to the DIN socket or into the C358C Amp. going threw the pcb trying to decypher what goes where is little to much even for me and I do stuff like that for a living, so the safest and easiest way if stereo is being sent in, is to go threw gamesx list and check every suspicious pin with a par of headphones, one ear only, connect one end to ground and then other connecting to each pin with a probe while being in the IFU playing CD Audio, the higher ohm on the headphone the safer if you would connect to any important data line or video bus, but at least one of these pins will be the correct one. Then the White PCE could be sending out CD audio in either mono or stereo or a CoreGrafx could be sending out cd audio in stereo instead of mono.

Another thing that hits me when into CoreGrafx is that there is two different IFUs, well only a color difference, it's the grey plastic upper/backside,
both are IFU-30A (never seen a non A) the CD-ROM2 can often be seen with both A and non A revisions, ground connections on the inside and the outside is the difference in that case, and this is not a discoloration, it seems more that the standard dark grey IFU was made for the CoreGrafx I, nearly exactly the same color, while the more lighter grey were made with CoreGrafx II in mind, as those are very close in color and making the CoreGrafx I look a little bastard when in the lighter one, I prefer the white PCE in the briefcase myself, coolest console ever made... hands down...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: IFU need to be RGB modded when the PCE is already RGB modded to get CD Music?]

The audio mixing from the IFU is not sent back into the original white PCE.
However the CoreGrafx and CoreGrafx II when used in the IFU are getting the mixed audio signal back.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Graphics Glitch - DUO]

This is because of moisture in the air, when the pcb manufacturer makes the circuit board out of laminate (glassfiber) and copper they are blowing liquid solder over the whole board so that the copper don't corrode, sometimes this doesn't get everywhere and the copper is exposed, especially in the vias, usually a green varnish is covering the parts that are suppose to not get soldered, time and the elements will corrode exposed copper in time

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Issues with my CD-ROM2 unit]

We should note that when running cd in a briefcase setup it's pretty picky about the Ampere rating, there are people having problem that runs the setup with 9-10v negative center pin and just using 1A, going less then that it might not even start spinning. the briefcase says on the back 10W, 9V 1450mA (9*1.45=13.05W), personally I run with original MD1 10V 1250mA (10*1,25=11.25W) and never had any problem, so taking those 10W around it gives us 10w/9v=1.11A

I once tried running the setup with a power adapter giving 9v 600mA and it runs the PCE and or Briefcase with hucards, but would run cds, and trying a few times it sometimes looked like it worked but would stop working at the intro screen.

So always see that the voltage adapter can give enough ampere.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: PCE GT Burning Q900 - Backlight problem.]

The PDF you refered to does not have any one with a compatible pin configuration.

it's got 9pins, 5 on one side and 3 on the other, the middle on of the 3 is NC (Not Connected)

There might be a, or should be a working transformer out there, but as we have no specifications, it's a no go.
We can however measure them to some extent.

I would like to kill a myth right here thats been circulating for some years that the Game Gear uses the same transformer.
it's spot on, except for that gamegear uses yellow tape around it for isolation and TE/GT uses a red one, and it's the same
pin configuration the the same dimensions and the same pin pitch, so what to to, just now I unsoldered one on both a GG and GT
and started measure what I could, having no henry meter around me I used a single ohm meter just trying to see what pins
goes where and compare them, one pin didn't seem to be connected the same way, but one of the best ways to tell the difference
is between Pin 2 and Pin 9, the gamegear has 42 Ohms and the TE/GT 200 Ohms (ohm can be good for measuring coils and to some extent transformers too as it's a certain ohm per length, which means a certain amount of linings).

But hey I had to try it to, it could burn the transformer or another important component, but it's a spare unit with only the backlight working so..
Of coarse it didn't work, that we could already tell from the simple ohm difference, but it had to be tried, because if it would work (might be bad in long term though) a new supply of transformers would suddenly appear, and a lot of butchered gamagears...

Another myth is that you could use the GameGears light for the CCFL tube in the TE/GT and with this I think we can rule that out too,
not necessarily but highly probable as it should use another voltage (might be off with several hundred volts) and using another frequency.
I'm not saying it wont work but that it probably shouldn't, and if it did it could blow up in everything from a few seconds to a few days use.

So if just everyone out there would take their loose CCFL transformers with 9pins and get a 200 Ohm reading between pin 2 and 9 we might just
find the equivalent some day....

Now towards what you do have...
A transformer missing a leg
it might be fixable..

Probably it isn't rust you see, it's more likely the big electrolytes fluid that has eaten the leg a little (copper with tin on it and some lead), sometimes when fixing "GameGears" it's the fluid that has corroded the via holes, and measuring both sides of the via hole you will find the dead spot, it's an easy fix really, battery acid on GBA SP sometimes does the same thing, and battery and capacitors are cousins so, the electrolyte fluid eats threw iron, unplated copper, and even gold (I thought gold was so high up in the chain nothing eats on that except Chlore)
So the leg can be easily replaced but what about the little wire that was once attached there?
if that's ok there is a chance your transformer can be fixed...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: hmm, video troubles...]

Hi, I have a Briefcase giving me exactly this, if I change everything except the briefcase it still shows (CD-ROM2, PCE, CDCard), and if I change the briefcase it goes away so it's definitely the briefcase, all around it's bulletproof built but it has a weakness, the briefcase is mostly circuits for audio mixing, extra memory (ram), and memory for storage (saves), there are extra ram in your arcade card and it could be the one gone bad but less likely (easy test by trying another System Card), so I would guess it's the ram in the IFU that starts to deteriorate,
It would only need one or a few internal transistors failing to create it, and these circuits are getting old, other more mass produced
circuits are less likely to fail, most of the standard ones are still in production today while these ram circuits are long gone in production.

IC102 M5M5256BFP-70 (Mitsubishi) SO28 SMD / 262144-Bit 32768-Word by 8Bit S-RAM
IC103 M5M5256BFP-70 (Mitsubishi) SO28 SMD / 262144-Bit 32768-Word by 8Bit S-RAM

Located on the RAM Board.

I can only see it as giving me weird distorted pixels in the cinema sequence of Rondo X, so it's not that annoying, none in gameplay.
The circuits are probably storing the data parts of the cinema sequence in a certain part of the ram not usually used in game and therefore
not seen otherwise, if a game would use those bits the information would probably get distorted too.

One day I will see if I can't get any NOS circuits and install and see if that fixes it and then we'll know for sure.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Turbo Express Backlight problem]

Hi, yes I noticed, but it just means "up to", some components are made specifically for negative voltage like the 79XX (7905) voltage regulators vs positive 78XX (7805), but as for transistors in AC, the sinus wave gotta go threw the 0 at some point, negative voltage isn't equal to negative energy but as your edit shows you already figured that out, otherwise I would like to know what exactly -2A would mean, negative ampere that would be a new one =)

Have you fixed some BCX56 or would you like me to send you some?

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Turbo Express Backlight problem]

Hi yes it's a match, the R and H could have been production code (week/batch), as of mid 90s and later nearly all transistors have it/should have it, but it means ROHM, it's the manufacturer.

this line will be added:
Q502 2SB1182 SMD SC-63/TO-252/DPAK (PNP 32V 2A) Manufactured by ROHM, Equivalent 2SD1758 or 2DB1182 Manufactured by Diodes Inc

PDF here:
./PC_EngineGT/2SB1182.pdf

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: PCE GT Burning Q900 - Backlight problem.]

Hi if install a new batch of BCX56 and don't connect the CN900 connector! Do they still burn?

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Turbo Express Backlight problem]

Hi, you all, this comes as a surprise as I'v been working on some Complete Component Guides for a bunch of the PCEs, but been focusing on
TE/GT, and Keith and Steve were the first ones to see it (Test Drivers), anyway this is nearly a schoolbook example of when Q900,901 are bad.
I mean it's not so often this comes up technical questions about Q900,901

And don't even think about BF621/623, it's way off, first the Q900,901 (2SD1898) is NPN and BF621/623 is PNP, Collector Base voltage should be 120v and BF is 250/300, Collector Emitter Voltage should be 80v and BF is 250/300, Emitter Base Voltage should be 5v and BF is.. well 5v, lastly Collector Current DC should be 1A and BF is 50mA!!!!!!, well we should have stopped at the NPN/PNP issue... as other values can still be a little off and working but NPN/PNP can't be mixed... the correct Equivalent of today is..... bigdaddabom.... BCX56
It's common, easy to find and cheap, and a correct replacement.

Drop me a PM and I will send you some BCX56 for free.
These should be removed and/or mounted with a reflower (hotair), but it can be done without, just a regular solderiron, you just have to know
how, I will tell you later..

Of course there can be other components that have gone bad but when it's working with both Audio and Video with dead backlight it's 90%
that it's the drivers, one for each of the half of the high voltage that powers the backlight, even more funny then that I'v
been working on this right now is that I changed both Q900,901 on a GT today that fixed it.

Big parts of my guides are done but been working on different parts on different PCEs, There will be a Complete Text file with all components
, their equivalents, tons of other info, PCB drawings that has never been done in this scale before (Except NECS own secret drawings), there will be PDFs of all the Transistors, ICs, Resistor Networks and other important components and connectors, excluded (PDF wise) are standard capacitors, resistors, electrolytes.

So here is a piece of whats to come,

http://d2069331.u51.surftown.se/Temp/PC_EngineGT/
http://d2069331.u51.surftown.se/Temp/IFU-30/

The drawings of TE/GT is done, Text half assembled and PDFs not up.
The drawings of IFU-30 is incomplete, Text are done and PDFs not up.

They will be in their own Topic when fully complete.
There will also be Complete Components Guides for PCE(White), CoreGrafx I&II, CD-ROM2 and Duo-R but they will take some more time.
If some one were to donate a working or non working PCE that I don't have they will be done too.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Re: RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

The connector is handbuilt by me, 5-10 hours of labor, there is sawing, clipping, glueing, soldering, lots of stuff that has to be bought and custom made to make this connector... There is an amp inside yes, working on a possible S-Video converter to be at the end, one day, but never forget RGB makes S-Video look bad... there is always Scart RGB to HDMI converters =)

As SuperGrafx have a 69Pin connector it will work with those too.

If an PVM 2530 has the 25DSUB CMPTR connector and you have the right connector for it, it should work as it inputs RGB....
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/PVM2030.pdf

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Need some advice from some of the modders]

Lets not forget to get the workstation ESD safe, like ESD mat, connected to a water running radiator or a special ground mains adaptor,
even a connector to be able to connect a wristband for extra safety.

Maybe something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/400421799529
or http://www.ebay.com/itm/120803897831

And this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/390525252903

Or lets go for the Full Monty http://www.ebay.com/itm/111019040456 =)

Some like to clean their soldering tips with wet sponges and some with metallic sponges.
Some like like lead solder (PB) because it's tried working for the last 100 years and gives the nicest solderings
but it can be bad for you and the enviroment and some like the RoHS solder, it's starting to get almost as nice
as leaded and contains (usually) e few procent silver, but it will never give as sparkling solder joints as leaded.
and all retro consoles are leaded, and nothing bad happens if you mix them, the law to use it for 95% of everything
to be sold in Europe came around 2006 (life sustainable products/military equipment excluded), China didn't have too
but began before the law in 2005, there are no restrictions in the US as I know, but as China wants to sell
everywhere there are still lot of modern stuff with RoHS in the US, XBOX360 was the first console to use
RoHS/PB Free, the handheld market is a little unknown...

A real microscope is always good too, but expensive and a little over the top maybe, and most people dont need it,
but for real delicate work it's good to have, and don't forget not a real microscope (1000x)
but stereo one with 10-20x with light illuminated from above and not threw/below, big difference,
here it's called (roughly translated) stereo magnifier but the rest of the world just calls it a microscope.

And as Professorson said a desolder is just a must have... good ones are very expensive thou..
You usually don't see the difference until you hit one of those holes that are connected to ground with 16 layers PCB,
when you hit that You'll know the difference between an expensive and a cheapo one.
It's not in the temparature but in how much heat it can transfer.

Desolder Wick s good to have around too.

Solder cleaner paste can be good to have around too, when that junk on the tip just won't come off, but it shortens the tips life...

Extra flux can be useful..

And stay away from the fumes, there are two major professional ways, either a big hose above the workstation (10")
or the small ones attached to the solder iron that just sucks away it at the tip, but Keiths way is much easier and cheaper.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Turbo Grafx PC-Engine circuit baord cable connector]

This is a so called Wire-to-board Receptacle, it's 9 Pin with 2.5mm Pitch, Unfortunatly Molex doesn't make 2.5mm but STC does.
These connectors probably comes without crimp connectors and has to be bought beside the connector (SCT2511T)
The Connector itself is an SCT2511H-09P, You should have crimp tool for it but can be done without, you could solder them instead.
If you'r going to put an PCE controller cable on it those can be found here

http://gamedoctorhk.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=225

For the PCB connector it's an SCT2511WR-09P

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: Duo R ac adaptor]

A little off but an answer to tggodfrey, we in Sweden actually had 220V now 230V but should at all circumstances be fully operational at 240V,
Translated with google translate from the Swedish Wikipedia this is what is says:

Voltage:

With voltage refers to the voltage that is normally found in a standard electrical outlet.
Voltage is sinusoidal and down with respect to the effective value and the frequency .

In Sweden voltage always an alternating voltage and the frequency is 50 Hz .

Sweden has three voltages: 230 V +6 / -10% 50 Hz. [1] [2] Standard voltage in any standard wall socket.
This is termed the phase voltage and the voltage between each of the three phases and the neutral conductor (and the earth wire )
at the distribution terminal to the incoming line.  Until 1988 this voltage was 220 V, and therefore, you hear sometimes that figure
to be mentioned in connection with the supply voltage, and some older appliances and outlets can also be labeled with 220 V.
They are nevertheless permitted for use at 230 V.

115 volts.  Half the regular power supply, is permitted in wet areas.
Accomplished by means of an intermediate transformer that transforms the voltage by half to reduce the risk of injuries because
the risk of electric shock is greater in damp / wet environment.  The same plug that fits in standard sockets in most cases.
Nevertheless, one should only use equipment suited to this tension in their application, such as some razors and curling irons.
Previously (before the increase in 1988) was the thrill of these outlets 110 V and some older appliances and outlets can also
be labeled so.  These outlets have recently been increasingly replaced with sockets for standard voltage 230 V supplemented with RCD.

400 volts.  This voltage is called the main voltage and the voltage between two phases of a three phase system.
They are phase shifted 120 degrees relative to each other.  Until 1988 this voltage about 380 V, and therefore, you hear
sometimes that figure to be mentioned in connection with the supply voltage, and some older appliances and outlets can also
be labeled with 380 V. They are nevertheless permitted for use at 400 V. This voltage occurs only in three-phase power,
and in some permanently installed equipment, such as certain types of cookers, heaters and washing machines.

In most countries in Europe used voltages as above.  In many other countries, including the United States and large parts of Asia,
the line voltage is 120 V, 60 Hz.



Heres also a list of the worlds all line voltages (in English non translated) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity_by_country

The world is mixed soup of voltages and frequencies but most is so close together that they seldom give any problem, on the other hand
this is on the high voltage side of the transformer, on the low side that 10V or even 20V difference JAP/US will be transformed into a few millivolts,
with another word they will work just as good in the states as in japan, but if we were to put it in a european socket on the other hand.... =)

Fun thing is that half of Japan runs 50Hz and the other half 60Hz, so most original PC-Engine adapters says both... but the PCE doesn't care as the rectifier bridge and the capacitors (hopefully there is some capacitors or it will be pulsating direct current) will straighten that AC into DC.
Remember old cheap Gameboy adapters were they had very small or no capacitors and made the audio sound smattering and garbled.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: What is this part?]

You are spot on, 1M Ohm is ridiculously high as this is only there to dampen some RGB signals, 500 Ohm it is...

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Re: What is this part?]

Hi, it's actually 1M Ohm.

There are different physical sizes but they have a standard and this would be either 10mm in diameter but I think it's the 6-7mm version as it looks like it relatively to the solderings. any how, it's "top adjust" and "single turn" and also of course "a hole throw component" (obvious but likewise, as important)

I would say this one is a very good alternative
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260979479197

You can choose 1M Ohm in the list there.

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Scart RGB mod for IFU30/Briefcase]

Just thought I share a picture of a modded briefcase for you, I like modded things stock looking! What do you think?


Full Size: http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB_SCART/DSC_0609.jpg


Also modded a Ten No Koe 2 for Japanspel www.tradera.com/butik/Japanspel


Full Size: Full Size: http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB_SCART/DSC_0544.jpg

[Console Repair/Mod Center / Help identifying failing part - Turbo Express/PC Engine GT]

Hi, I'v just exchanged all electrolytic capacitors for SMD Tantalum, but this very unit doesn't work as it should after that.
Now I usually have as an hobby repairing Game Gears and their capacitors are way worse then any of NECs consoles,
then usually the surface traces are nearly gone and the electrolytic fluid goes threw the via holes eating up the connection from
Pri and Sec side, so I'v already traced nearly all via holes back to front for connectivity.

I have measured the voltage on the capacitors and heres something a little wrong, there has been a nearly identical thread like this before, acting just the same where the ground was lost somewhere but this isn't it.

Heres the voltages that dont add up.

CC503 0v (-24v on the negative side) positive side connected to ground, I guess this is the way it should be but differs a little from "all caps should have 5v exept one that has 24v"
CC101 0.6v
CC102 0.6v
CC103 2v
CC104 2v
CC703 2v
CC501 7v (this one is a little different as it's not directly connected, but threw a transistor)

The rest has 5v as they should

So anyone what to check next? one failing or halffailing component spliting up from the 5v regulator to nearly all of these?

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Re: RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

Here are some pics, the photos don't make the picture justice, like shooting at the moon, a small white blurry uneven dot... the Composite looks washed out in comparance, and the RGB looks more crisp and sharper.


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9965.JPG Composite


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9966.JPG RGB


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9967.JPG Composite


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9968.JPG RGB


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9970.JPG Composite


http://retrosampling.se/Temp/PCE_RGB/IMGP9971.JPG RGB

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Re: RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

Taking away the AV would make it cheaper but only about 5$, so it wouldn't be worth it, I mean better to have that option available.
The scart has audio too, but modern flat TVs today have pretty bad sound so alot of people take it threw their surround system, and then it's
pretty much easier when the AV is there...

It's using the 3x Transistor for amping, there is a lot of different amps out there but most is made by people who don't have any knowledge in video circuitry, and they put capacitors and resistors hi and low "to make jailbars go away" claiming their circuit is the best and that you couldn't live with out it, a little voodoo I would say, so the 3x transistors works mostly fine....

Ok here's the real banger, expect about 75-80$, just the parts goes for about 45$, and then about 15$ for the tracked shipping, so thats about 60$ add to that it takes up to 10 hours just to make it, so theres no real profit.

Pics will come later.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Re: RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

Should also say that you can make or buy RGB Scart to S-Video converters, but it's messy to build and expensive to buy. There is even RGB Scart to HDMI, which is the best modern solution since it can be used on nearly all modern TVs around the globe (LCD/TFT/'LED'), but some of us do like to play on CRT =)

[Buy/Sell/Trade / Re: RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

Yes it does, the picture is way to dark without it! I'v seen most LED holder mods there is and none looked as pro and easy to use this and I wanted something like this my self the only thing was it didn't exist so I had to develop it myself.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

I'm making a small batch of these.


They will be pricey as the parts are not that cheap and making them are very time consuming, especially making the EXT Connector...
Probably they will only be interesting for Europeans as Scart for the rest of the world is non existing, and why not MOD the consoles instead you think as you won't be able to use the CD-ROM2 when this is connected, true but this is made for purists and collectors that don't want to mod their precious jewels.

For any PCE/TG16 with full 69Pin EXT connector.

If any one just want AV that works too... Any lengths too.

[Buy/Sell/Trade / RGB & AV Scart Cables for EXT Connector PCE/TG16]

I'm making a small batch of these.


They will be pricey as the parts are not that cheap and making them are very time consuming, especially making the EXT Connector...
Probably they will only be interesting for Europeans as Scart for the rest of the world is non existing, and why not MOD the consoles instead you think as you won't be able to use the CD-ROM2 when this is connected, true but this is made for purists and collectors that don't want to mod their precious jewels.

For any PCE/TG16 with full 69Pin EXT connector.

If any one just want AV that works too... Any lengths too.