TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine / Express / GT Region Mod Chips for sale!

SMF · 02/10/2012, 02:49 AM

I have to agree, if i was handy with the iron i would giv it a shot but sadly im not and have way to much on my plate with fixing up 2 houses.

Ill gladly ship my Duo to you to get a complete overhaul. just let me know when lol

HercTNT · 02/10/2012, 11:39 PM

I'm sending my gt out to get region modded, to all that are on the fence, do it!! Seriously, the new screen (i already had that done) makes a huge difference, and a region mod is just icing on the cake. Steve has done work for me and a friend of mine and all is top quality. The tantulum caps in my friends Japanese turbo duo are a thing of beauty.

Alt-Nintega · 02/10/2012, 11:42 PM

Quote from: HercTNT on 02/10/2012, 11:39 PMI'm sending my gt out to get region modded, to all that are on the fence, do it!! Seriously, the new screen (i already had that done) makes a huge difference, and a region mod is just icing on the cake. Steve has done work for me and a friend of mine and all is top quality. The tantulum caps in my friends Japanese turbo duo are a thing of beauty.

man, it just gotta be amazing having that on road trips or camping trips.

one day i wish i had a TE or GT...oh well...i will wait

HercTNT · 02/10/2012, 11:46 PM

The Express/gt had an active matrix lcd that was far superior to any other console at the time. It was hard to read text in some games though and the screens a tad small. Some people dont like the idea of modding an original system, but once you see the new screen you wont go back. I dont care if the system is original, i just wanna play it as best as possible. Steves work improves the experience a ton. I like to play alien crush alot on the new screen.

blueraven · 02/12/2012, 01:50 PM

Quote from: HercTNT on 02/10/2012, 11:46 PMThe Express/gt had an active matrix lcd that was far superior to any other console at the time. It was hard to read text in some games though and the screens a tad small. Some people dont like the idea of modding an original system, but once you see the new screen you wont go back. I dont care if the system is original, i just wanna play it as best as possible. Steves work improves the experience a ton. I like to play alien crush alot on the new screen.

Quoted for truth.

thesteve · 03/06/2012, 03:35 AM

bump

DavidJake · 04/01/2012, 03:22 AM

Hi
Am interested in buying a region mod chip for a turbo express , are these still available shipped to the UK

Thanks
Dave

thesteve · 04/01/2012, 05:30 PM

im sure we still have more
PM BlueBMW for them

BlueBMW · 04/01/2012, 05:32 PM

Yep, we've got tons left

Shoot me a pm!

BlueBMW · 05/19/2012, 10:18 AM

These are still available. BUMP

annuvin · 06/23/2012, 02:16 PM

Quote from: BlueBMW on 05/19/2012, 10:18 AMThese are still available. BUMP

sell me one!

BlueBMW · 06/23/2012, 06:08 PM

Quote from: annuvin on 06/23/2012, 02:16 PM
Quote from: BlueBMW on 05/19/2012, 10:18 AMThese are still available. BUMP
sell me one!

Did you already PM me about one? If not, shoot me a pm!

annuvin · 06/23/2012, 06:51 PM

pm sent.

annuvin · 06/30/2012, 11:08 PM

I just got mine installed today, works great!

Duo_R · 06/30/2012, 11:22 PM

do these work ok with the Neo Flash cart for Turbo Express?

thesteve · 06/30/2012, 11:29 PM

mine works fine with it

GohanX · 06/30/2012, 11:45 PM

Dunno about the Turbo Express, but installing the chip actually fixed Neo Flash compatibility with my TG16 for some odd reason.

Duo_R · 07/01/2012, 01:46 AM

Did you guys ever build these to sell? I have built some but don't have the time as of late to build new ones.

Quote from: BlueBMW on 07/24/2011, 11:17 AM
Quote from: CGQuarterly on 07/24/2011, 12:39 AMIf you make RGB amps with that same level of quality, I will definitely be buying a few. Which design are you going to use?

Chris
I had planned on using this design:

I made a homemade one a few weeks ago and it worked absoulely fabulous on my Laseractive...

If we make these though, I wont use nearly as large of components. We'll probably go surface mount on everything to make it as small as possible!

/RGBAmp.jpg

BlueBMW · 07/01/2012, 11:56 AM

Quote from: Duo_R on 07/01/2012, 01:46 AMDid you guys ever build these to sell? I have built some but don't have the time as of late to build new ones.

Not quite, the project stalled out when I got busy working on x68000s lol. I have a nearly complete PCB design, but there were a few changes I'd still like to make to it:

/RGB%20Test/NewRGBamp3.jpg

BlueBMW · 08/18/2012, 04:55 PM

Bump, plenty still available.

Todd Gill · 09/27/2012, 10:03 PM

Installed one of these chips into a CoreGrafx and works fantastically.

Pretty easy install. I used a slider style switch instead of a rocker.

adolobe · 10/29/2012, 08:03 AM

pm sent

1475bpl · 11/28/2012, 11:39 PM

Do you still sell the region mod chip that you advertised can i gert an address to send payment for one?

audiopants · 12/18/2012, 04:50 PM

Hi, I am not familiar with how to mod this stuff on my own. I would like to put a switch on in my PC Engine Duo to play TG16 games, but I don't want to mess anything up. Would anybody be willing to do this mod for me? I would be more than willing to pay for your time.

Thanks!

BlueBMW · 02/17/2013, 09:34 PM

These are still available. Just got parts in for more switchless chips.

tpivette · 02/17/2013, 10:17 PM

Nice, I was wondering if these were still availible. Been meaning to region mod my spare TG16.

PM coming your way...

BlueBMW · 02/18/2013, 12:27 AM

I need to remember to bump the thread every now and then. It gets buried five or six pages back and then people dont see it.

Bernie · 02/18/2013, 12:31 AM

This thread really should be one those frozen threads at the top. Y'all call it a sticky right?

. Well, at least that is IF you and Steve plan to keep producing these chips.

chipperkwah · 03/11/2013, 07:32 PM

Thinking about getting one of the region mod boards. I'm also very interested in the RGB amp you were working on, has any progress been made? I'm good for one if you get a few made.

BlueBMW · 03/11/2013, 07:58 PM

Quote from: chipperkwah on 03/11/2013, 07:32 PMThinking about getting one of the region mod boards. I'm also very interested in the RGB amp you were working on, has any progress been made? I'm good for one if you get a few made.

We havent yet. There were several design changes along the way and we havent finalized what we want to do exactly.

chipperkwah · 03/11/2013, 08:07 PM

As soon as they're done I'll take one of those and a region board as well. How much do you charge to install a region board and the rgb board w/din? I have a duo r.

compil3r · 04/07/2013, 08:42 PM

I'm also interested in your RGB amp board, please make sure to let us know when these are ready, thanks!

FiftyQuid · 04/07/2013, 11:54 PM

I need one of these. PM sent.

dead_man94 · 04/10/2013, 09:24 PM

pm sent =)

chipperkwah · 05/31/2013, 05:34 PM

BlueBMW, I'm wondering if there have been any new developments with the RGB amp. Just curious.

compil3r · 06/03/2013, 11:59 AM

Also interested on the RGB Amp, please let us know BlueBMW!

soop · 06/04/2013, 05:50 AM

Yeah Beamer! RGB! RGB!

BlueBMW · 06/04/2013, 07:37 AM

Rgb!!

Let me see what I can do... ;)

FiftyQuid · 06/04/2013, 11:01 AM

Blue, I received a security bit from turbokon yesterday so I cracked open my TG-16 last night and started this mod. EXCELLENT instructions! I've only completed half the mod (started late in the evening), but it's been fun! Well, fun and stressful! Cutting those HUcard pins sent "holy shit" thoughts through my brain with each pin I cut (except pin 18

). I'll take pics once I've completed the mod. Hopefully tonight.

For the TG-16 do you have any recommendations for placement of the region PCB? I would like to put the RF shields back on and I want the region chip somewhere safe.

BlueBMW · 06/04/2013, 08:35 PM

I usually just double-sided tape it to either the top of the hucard slot or nearby on the system board. There's so much room inside the TG16 that there shouldnt be much trouble making it fit!

Just watch your wires and the edges of the RF shielding. At times I've cut away some of the RF shielding to make more room for wires coming and going. I always tape the edges of cut RF shielding with some felt tape to make sure it doesnt cut anyone should the unit be taken apart again.

FiftyQuid · 06/05/2013, 10:25 PM

Quote from: BlueBMW on 06/04/2013, 08:35 PMI usually just double-sided tape it to either the top of the hucard slot or nearby on the system board. There's so much room inside the TG16 that there shouldnt be much trouble making it fit! Just watch your wires and the edges of the RF shielding. At times I've cut away some of the RF shielding to make more room for wires coming and going. I always tape the edges of cut RF shielding with some felt tape to make sure it doesnt cut anyone should the unit be taken apart again.

Blue have you ever just left the thin RF shield off? I can see putting the fat RF shield back on without any issues, but the thin one won't fit without cutting it (like you said) with region chip mounted on the HUcard slot or PCB. Dat shit is tight!

I had to solder the wires for the Motherboard on the opposite side and wrap them back around. There was no way the soldering gun was going to fit under the HUcard pins without me undoing all the wire work I had done on the HU pins or melting the shit out of my shrink wrap.

BlueBMW · 06/05/2013, 10:35 PM

The RF shielding is not critical. It was to meet FCC rf emissions rules. Note that the pc engine models dont have such shielding and operate fine without them. The one exception is the Super CDROM2 models which have grounds linked by rf shields and wont work right without them installed.

Bottom line, if you need to cut some of the shielding to make room for your mod, by all means do it! Just watch the sharp edges when you do.

FiftyQuid · 06/05/2013, 10:43 PM

I finished soldering up everything 5 minutes ago. All the connections look good. H goes to the HUcard side and P to the PCB for all the pins. I didn't have a SPDT switch so I ripped up an old clock radio and reused a switch from it. Then I carefully put the motherboard into the housing and slid the TG-16 into the expansion for my TG+CD docking base. I tossed in a spare Keith Courage and flipped the power switch. The TV screen went white. So I flipped the switch for my old clock radio. No change.

I'm thinking the switch is no good. It's a 2 position switch, but it has 6 solder connections. It was only ever meant to be temporary. I just wanted to test my install and it was the only thing I could find.

BlueBMW · 06/05/2013, 11:15 PM

You can temporarily just connect A to B or B to C to test without a switch.

FiftyQuid · 06/06/2013, 12:12 AM

Quote from: BlueBMW on 06/05/2013, 11:15 PMYou can temporarily just connect A to B or B to C to test without a switch.

Yeah, I tried A to B and B to C, but I get the same results. Just a white TV screen.

I measured pin 38 just to make sure I was getting voltage. This is the pin I used to power the region mod chip. I'm getting 5V so power is getting to the region mod chip. I also triple checked the wiring just to make sure I didn't have pin 19 going to 20, or an H going to a P. Solder connections look good so I'm a little stumped at what to try next.

I also took a volt meter and measured A, B, and C. I get 5V on pin A, but 0 on the others. I'm going to take some isopropyl alcohol and clean everything up next, but after that I'm not sure what to do.

Any advice?

FYI, I'm confident with my solder work. I went to college for an Electrical Technician course where 50% of our grade was lab work involving soldering. I've done mods like this before, and have to work with PCB's quite frequently. I'm trying to tell you I'm competent.

BlueBMW · 06/06/2013, 12:40 AM

Hmmm... It sounds like youve verified each line is correct and youve got good 5v and ground.... I can see no reason why it wouldnt work... I havent had any chips come back bad yet, though I suppose it is possible. Kf you are certain all the lines are connected correctly then I can only suspect it might be a faulty chip. I can send you another one asap if youd like. Though Id hate to make you have to solder another one.

FiftyQuid · 06/06/2013, 01:30 AM

Quote from: BlueBMW on 06/06/2013, 12:40 AMHmmm... It sounds like youve verified each line is correct and youve got good 5v and ground.... I can see no reason why it wouldnt work... I havent had any chips come back bad yet, though I suppose it is possible. Kf you are certain all the lines are connected correctly then I can only suspect it might be a faulty chip. I can send you another one asap if youd like. Though Id hate to make you have to solder another one.

I'll keep you posted. I plan on resoldering the entire thing this weekend so I'll find out if it's me or the chip. I would have done it tonight, but I ran out of desolder braid.

Have you ever tested the region mod chip using a TG+CD docking base? Also, I read something about grounding pin 29 back in the first few initial posts of this thread. Maybe that was for a Duo?

BlueBMW · 06/06/2013, 08:02 AM

Pin 29 is for japanese systems to disable a hardware region lockout. Shouldnt matter if youre using the system with a cdrom base or not.

FiftyQuid · 06/06/2013, 08:34 AM

Quote from: BlueBMW on 06/06/2013, 08:02 AMPin 29 is for japanese systems to disable a hardware region lockout. Shouldnt matter if youre using the system with a cdrom base or not.

Thanks for clarifying. I will keep you posted.

thesteve · 06/06/2013, 04:07 PM

with the cart removed the mod can be tested with a meter
it works just like a switch (with a few ohms in the chip)
so you should be able to measure the continuity from the motherboard to the slot

TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine / Express / GT Region Mod Chips for sale!

Alt-Nintega