IC based region mod. TurboExpress sized

grahf · 06/02/2007, 11:18 PM

After getting inspiration from Moosmanns (on gamesx) website: http://mbrandel.vizionaires.net/?page_id=48
I decided to design my own region circuit with surface mount chips. The main goal was to make it as small as possible, and I'm happy with the results. I didn't want to use those ridiculously long 8pdt switches because moving parts eventually wear, and they're too long to fit in a TurboExpress or regular PC Engine. (Its doable, but its TIGHT).

I broke my camera, so forgive the shitty pic. The traces are shiny, so the scanner I used made the board look like garbage.

nat · 06/02/2007, 11:48 PM

Now this is a mod I'm interested in.

I've always avoided modding my GT because, as you said, those switches are way too bulky for my fat fingers to try to fit inside a TE or GT case.

Of course, in the case of a GT you'd also have to do the CPU mod for USA games to play.

Would you be interested in doing this mod for other people?

GUTS · 06/03/2007, 01:48 AM

That's cool as hell, so you can make the actual switch whatever size you want?

Turbo D · 06/03/2007, 08:02 AM

I'm interested as well, please keep us posted.

termis · 06/03/2007, 02:02 PM

That's pretty cool. I really like the boards you've been making grahf. They look about 10billion times more professional than what I could do.

And yeah, you'd be able to use any common on-on radio shack switch with this ic board.

I did manage to squeeze in the 8pdt pole in a coregrafx, but it was _tight_.

Seldane · 06/03/2007, 03:59 PM

Will you sell these fantastic boards? If so- awesome. I'd totally buy one right away.

grahf · 06/03/2007, 09:27 PM

Thanks for the compliments guys. Its really nothing too fancy. I currently have 17 of the boards made. MrFulcis Duo got one installed yesterday night.

I didnt intend for this to be a sale thread, but I can sell these for $20 shipped. Before I start moding other peoples handhelds, I want to open up my personal Express to figure out the best place to mount the board and switch. Duos of course are no problem as there is plenty of room.

nat · 06/03/2007, 10:56 PM

I suppose I can do the mod myself if you want to figure out a good mounting place for these things and get back to me.

Can you hold one of those boards for me? I'll purchase it from you shortly.

MrFulci · 06/04/2007, 03:40 AM

Yes, I'm looking forward to receiving the Duo-R back and trying out some US games on the machine. I'll post pictures somewhere when I receive the system back.

It's a much smaller board than I thought it would be.

I recall grahf being concerned not many others would be insterested in the region-switch boards. Glad to see it looks as though there won't be much trouble with him finding homes for these boards!

grahf · 06/04/2007, 05:02 PM

Yeah, its a little prices having these things made in small quantity. I'm glad it looking like i'll be able to find a place for all of these guys though

MrFulci, i'm sure you'll be happy with your system.

Like a lot of folks, I only collected PCE stuff so far. I only own one US hucard, Davis Cup Tennis (cant remember who I bought it from on this board, sorry). I dont even like it, but Ive been using it as a US test card. Most of the hucards I own are shooters, but now I can pick up a few of those text heavy TG16 games for my collection.

2X4 · 06/06/2007, 07:56 PM

I'm not good with this stuff, but this should work with a U.S. or Japanese system, right? If so I might snag one from you if possible.

grahf · 06/06/2007, 09:07 PM

Yeah, it will work on any PCE system. You just cut the 8 pins, and feed them all to the board. On japanese systems you will have to ground pin 29 on the hu6280. Its my understanding that a small handful of games dont work on a region modded SuperGrafx, but so is life.

termis · 06/06/2007, 09:15 PM

As Grahf said, the Japanese system will need one extra bit of work (lifting one pin off an IC board and connecting it to a ground point), but that's not that big of a deal.

The royal pain in the ass is the part where you have to solder 16 thin-ass wires (plus +5v and ground for this board) from the switch/above board. It gets pretty hairy with all those wires flying around everywhere. If you don't have a lot of experience with soldering, I suggest you pay someone to do that for you.

Quote from: grahf on 06/06/2007, 09:07 PMOn japanese systems you will have to ground pin 29 on the hu6280. Its my understanding that a small handful of games dont work on a region modded SuperGrafx, but so is life.

I figure with your mod, you can also put a switch on the ground point with the same switch that controls the board, so that should theoretically work on ALL games, supergrafx or not, no?

grahf · 06/06/2007, 11:38 PM

From memory, I thought it was a couple of US releases that don't work on the supergrafx, even when its region modded.. Somebody who knows for sure feel free to chime in.

Also, some info about pin 29: on the Duo R/RXs, pin 29 is NC. It doesn't go anywhere, so there is no need to life it from the PCB like is usually suggested. You can just solder your ground wire to it as-is. I'm going to verify this on my coregrafx as well, but I suspect its the same on all models.

nat · 06/06/2007, 11:59 PM

The only game affected by grounding pin 29 is Aldynes. That is the only game affected, period.

Space Harrier never works on the SuperGrafx, modded or not.

termis · 06/07/2007, 12:21 AM

Quote from: nat on 06/06/2007, 11:59 PMThe only game affected by grounding pin 29 is Aldynes. That is the only game affected, period.

Space Harrier never works on the SuperGrafx, modded or not.

Are both US and JP versions of Space Harrier affected?

nat · 06/23/2007, 04:28 PM

So grahf, you ready to try and take on modding a GT yet?

grahf · 06/23/2007, 04:36 PM

Send me a PM nat.

Duo_R · 01/12/2009, 05:32 AM

sorry for the revival, but I think this info is interesting. So Pin 29 does not need to be lifted on Duo-R and RX? Why wasn't it connected to 5V on those systems????

Quote from: grahf on 06/06/2007, 11:38 PMFrom memory, I thought it was a couple of US releases that don't work on the supergrafx, even when its region modded.. Somebody who knows for sure feel free to chime in.

Also, some info about pin 29: on the Duo R/RXs, pin 29 is NC. It doesn't go anywhere, so there is no need to life it from the PCB like is usually suggested. You can just solder your ground wire to it as-is. I'm going to verify this on my coregrafx as well, but I suspect its the same on all models.