LED mod on Duo R

COUNT SMRIFNACK · 05/07/2008, 05:17 PM

Well I had a go at it today. I have been wanting to have the LED in my Duo R changed to blue since before I even got one! I went by Radio Shack today and picked up a blue 2600mcd LED. Now I'm sure this has been covered here before and it's no big deal to most, but I'm not exactly an electronics wiz....so I was proud of myself. Up until Saturday when I fixed the controller port,my soldering experiences were strictly with automotive stuff, so this was kinda new to me.

Anyhow, here are the results. The LED is alot brighter than it appears in the pic, but not alot brighter than the standard red one. It's light totally fills the clear lens, just perfect!

BTW, thanks for the help Zeta!

Ceti Alpha · 05/07/2008, 05:58 PM

Nicely done!

turbokon · 05/08/2008, 09:18 PM

Bravo my Friend

the haze · 05/17/2008, 05:55 AM

Something about blue LED's just makes stuff look cooler. Nice job man.

COUNT SMRIFNACK · 05/17/2008, 08:38 AM

Thanks

I also changed the red led in one of my NES's so I didn't have to always see that damned red blinking light when trying to get a game to run. But then I popped the region lockout pin and now she don't flash anymore....but the blue still locks cool.

the haze · 05/19/2008, 08:26 PM

There is something about that red blinking light that can be very aggravating... not sure what it is.

Then Nintendo when't on and made a entire console that had many blinking red LED's... that damn Virtual Boy.

COUNT SMRIFNACK · 05/19/2008, 09:23 PM

Even the damn xbox360 has blinking red lights!!!

Ceti Alpha · 05/20/2008, 09:25 AM

My Xbox now has an orange led instead of the green. I think I'll change it to blue at some point. I'd also like to pimp the casing out some more.

the haze · 05/21/2008, 03:20 AM

I say to hell with RED led lights! Go blue!

grahf · 05/21/2008, 05:16 AM

Nice job. I've got that same Radioshack blue led in my duo. Its too bad they didn't make cheap blue leds back then, i'm sure they would have built them this way from the factory. It just matches the whole white/light blue scheme perfectly.

atr3yu · 07/12/2008, 07:53 PM

Is there a guide for this mod?? I would like to do so that I know when mine is on so I don't forget to turn it off

Duo_R · 08/31/2008, 04:41 PM

my one minute guide (not responsible for any damage to your system. Use at your own risk).

Blue LED in your Duo

Essential tools:

1) Solder Iron - with fine tip - radio shack, or other source (I use a high end model personally)
2) Desolder iron - about $15 from Radio Shack
3) Blue LED from ebay (don't bother with the overpriced garbage at Radio Shack) - I paid like $5 for a bag of 50. I can link you guys the one I have if needed (and will update the specs)
4) Needle nose pliers
5) spool of solder
6) small flathead screwdrive (like the watch repair type)
7) rubbing alcohol - 50%

1) get the security bit to open the duo (you should know that by now, do some searching)
2) remove the metal sheild plate on your Duo - first remove the screws holding it down. There are two I believe. If this is your first time you might have to desolder the plate from the controller port
3) if plate is soldered to the controller port go to a, otherwise skip to 4
a) Plug in your desolder iron, let it warm up. While that is heating up you are going to use your solder iron and heat up the old solder. This stiff was made almost 20 years ago, so heat that sucker up. I also sometimes add some solder and make some globs
b) now you will use your desolder iron that was heating up. A suggestion is to add a little solder to the tip and "tin" the iron. Squeeze the ball on the desolder iron (note be very careful on following these instructions) put the tip to your solder glob that is connecting the controller port shiled to the main shield. As you see the solder liquifying, slowly let the ball expand - this acts as a vacuum and sucks up the solder. Only do this one time, move the desolder iron away from your duo, and then give the ball a few "pumps." This spits out the solder that you sucked up, takes a few tries sometimes. What you don't to do is try to pump up the solder more than once over your Duo since that can spit out solder onto your system (not good). So do as I say and just take it slowly.
c) if this doesn't work, you can also try to use your main solder iron and just heat and lift the shield (but note the shield can get how)
4) Ok - now the shield is off you should notice a screw on the right side of the hucard slot. Remove this. Ok all screws holding down the Duo motherboard should be removed now.
5) Remove the wires connecting the Motherboard to the laser lens assembly. Carefully disconnect (small flat heads can help). Just go slowly. If you have a U.S. Duo there will be a Ceramic capacitor holding some wires down, you can carefully bend up to move these wires (I am not sure the function of this capacitor, if it is just there to hold down wires).
NOTE - my mod tip is I actually didn't disconnect because to me it is kind of a pain, I actually hold teh system on the side carefully, and lift the MB from the bottom plastic. I do the following step by lifting the board slighty up and sticking the desolder iron under the MB. Not for the faint of heart but it worked for me.
6) - ok let's take a look at the LED. Take a look at the location of where your Red light indicator is on the outside of your duo case (surface LED is in the same position on the board). The light is mounted to the right of the controller plug. You can't miss it - the ugly red LED. NOTE - notice the direction of the pins that are inside the LED. It should look something like this:

----
|I 7|
|| ||
-----
From viewing from the front of your duo - you will notice a long skinny single pin onthe left side (looking inside the LED) and then on the right side a thicker pin that looks like it is forming a 7 (you will see what I mean). Remember how this is oriented, you are going to mount the new LED in the same way. The thicker leg is the + terminal, and you can even see the board is marked +.

In the pic above it will be to the right of the Orange Capacitor (yours is going to look different, that was a replacement). You can see the holes where my red LED used to be. We are going to desolder that sucker and lift it out!

7) - ok so now we will go under the board. You will see two legs from the LED popping out. First I suggest adding a little extra solder to each leg. This makes desoldering it easier. Now take your desolder iron and suck that solder up. You can tell when you sucked it up good (if you don't see a hole or space near the leg, there is still solder holding it in. You can't just lift this thing out, you risk damaging the PSB preventing you from having an LED at all. Keep soldering / desoldering until you see a nice gap next to the leg.

-8) Besides the two legs being soldered to the board, there are two plastic clips holding this LED down. Use your tiny flathead screwdrive and carefully push them back a little so when you lift it will come out. There are two other things you can do here:
Use the needle nose pliers (this might provide better control) or you can use your solder iron and carefully melt the plastic. If you use the solder iron to melt make sure you really clean your solder iron before laying down solder again.

9) ok now back to the top part of the board - we are going to wrestly with this LED until it comes out. Grab your needle nose pliers and try lifting the LED up from the board. I grabbed it from the top and just slightly twisted left then right then up. It took a couple of tries - the main thing is make sure that you got almost all the solder removed from the bottom of the board. If there is a little left that is fine, but if one of those legs is soldered good it won't come out easy. I destroyed the LED while removing but it doesn't matter, I won't use this one again. You can also break the plastic on the bottom of the LED and then cut the legs (this makes it easier to remove and then you just have to yank the legs). Now you can see the holes where the new LED will go:

10) - ok so see the first pic originally shown - now use some rubbing alcohol and swabs to clean the area up. Use 50% rubbing alcohol (if you have 70%, make sure you water it down, too strong can start damaging the board). If you want to play it safe you can add a little water to the 50% (but it should be fine). Just clean up, then use a swab to dry.

11) So now you mount your new LED. LED's are directional. Step 6 you should have taken note on the LED orientation (if not, go back and read 6). Ok now the pins on your LED are probably too long - you need to cut the legs off, you don't want too short, and not too long. Cut them a little bigger than 1/8" and then test fit. You don't want it hitting the metal sheild under the duo, but you want them long enough that you can solder below.

12 ) solder the suckers!

13 ) enjoy

Disregard the missing caps - I was multi-tasking

MasonSushi · 05/15/2011, 08:19 PM

Nice. I would like to have a tutorial on how to the switching LED's depending on what region Hu's you are playing. There is a way that will put a green for US purple for Jap and a blue for access. That's what I would like. There is a member on the forum that does it. So i know it can be done.

Ceti Alpha · 05/16/2011, 12:17 AM

Oh man. The blue LED looks super sexy on the US Duo.

termis · 05/16/2011, 08:05 AM

The blue doesn't look bad on the black duos -- but like a few others have mentioned already, it really makes the white duos look a lot better. It actually seems that the Duo-R's LED was meant to be blue.

PunkCryborg · 05/16/2011, 08:42 AM

purple leds look great on the r and rx cause it matches the existing color scheme

Duo_R · 05/16/2011, 09:09 AM

agreed that is what I have on mine

My favorite schemes that I have done:

TG16 - orange
US Duo - blue
JP Duo - blue or purple
DUO-R(X) - purple

MasonSushi · 05/18/2011, 08:46 PM

I couldn't find purple led at Radio Shack when I did my mod. I decided to go with blue instead.

Duo_R · 05/19/2011, 04:15 AM

yeah you won't find it there, LED's from ebay is your best bet. It's a ton cheaper and the LED's are brighter than the RS ones.

Keith Courage · 05/19/2011, 05:09 AM

I was wondering if anyone here has made themselves a Power led. Meaning a light that is on even if the CD drive is not running. I am thinking about putting one in the power switch.

grahf · 05/19/2011, 06:55 AM

Quote from: Duo_R on 05/19/2011, 04:15 AMyeah you won't find it there, LED's from ebay is your best bet. It's a ton cheaper and the LED's are brighter than the RS ones.

I kinda like the lower power LEDs because it looks stock. The super bright ones look out of place to me, like it's obviously modded. To each his own though.

hoobs88 · 05/19/2011, 09:04 AM

Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/19/2011, 05:09 AMI was wondering if anyone here has made themselves a Power led. Meaning a light that is on even if the CD drive is not running. I am thinking about putting one in the power switch.

Red Ghost modded mine so that the LED is Blue when the region switch is set for US, Red when the switch is set for Japan, and Purple when a CD is loading.

Duo_R · 05/20/2011, 11:06 AM

I did for a TG16, and as for the brightness resistors allow you to control that if you don't want a light show coming from your Duo. I hear ya on not wanting too bright.

Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/19/2011, 05:09 AMI was wondering if anyone here has made themselves a Power led. Meaning a light that is on even if the CD drive is not running. I am thinking about putting one in the power switch.

PunkCryborg · 05/20/2011, 01:33 PM

If you change to a different color do you have to put in a resistor to get in the right voltage range

blueraven · 05/20/2011, 01:51 PM

Not that I'm partial, but EVERYTHING looks better in shades of blue

Thank you Duo_R for this guide!

Keith Courage · 05/20/2011, 09:56 PM

I just finished my Power switch Led mod. I re-used the red bulb that was originally for the CD drive light. I may change the color later. The CD drive bulb is now purple. The purple and red together look pretty cool. I will post a tutorial on the power switch led if anyone is interested.
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MasonSushi · 05/21/2011, 08:09 PM

Quote from: Duo_R on 05/19/2011, 04:15 AMyeah you won't find it there, LED's from ebay is your best bet. It's a ton cheaper and the LED's are brighter than the RS ones.

I looked and I diet see any. I am probably bind or something.

Quote from: hoobs88 on 05/19/2011, 09:04 AM
Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/19/2011, 05:09 AMI was wondering if anyone here has made themselves a Power led. Meaning a light that is on even if the CD drive is not running. I am thinking about putting one in the power switch.
Red Ghost modded mine so that the LED is Blue when the region switch is set for US, Red when the switch is set for Japan, and Purple when a CD is loading.

This is the mod I would like to see on the site.

Keith Courage · 05/21/2011, 08:17 PM

To find leds on ebay look for 5mm led. I just bought like 50 Purple/UV ones for $2.50 from China.

MasonSushi · 05/21/2011, 09:02 PM

Quote from: Duo_R on 05/19/2011, 04:15 AMyeah you won't find it there, LED's from ebay is your best bet. It's a ton cheaper and the LED's are brighter than the RS ones.

Thanks I just ordered 50 for $2.50. I am set with purple less for life.

Keith Courage · 05/22/2011, 04:10 AM

I would also like to know how to do the multicolor led mod for US/japanese games.

MasonSushi · 05/23/2011, 07:14 PM

Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/20/2011, 09:56 PMI just finished my Power switch Led mod. I re-used the red bulb that was originally for the CD drive light. I may change the color later. The CD drive bulb is now purple. The purple and red together look pretty cool. I will post a tutorial on the power switch led if anyone is interested.
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can you show us where you pulled the power from on the board? Maybe take a close up pic??

BlueBMW · 05/23/2011, 08:08 PM

Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/22/2011, 04:10 AMI would also like to know how to do the multicolor led mod for US/japanese games.

If you do an IC mod switch, you just use a DPDT switch instead of a SPDT. On the second switch circuit, run 5V to the center pole, and run each switch pole to a different LED (with appropriate resistors) That way when the switch is one direction, one LED illuminates, and the other way the other LED illuminates. Really pretty simple honestly

I may do this to my Duo-R when I finally region mod it.

Platinumfungi · 05/26/2011, 12:48 PM

Keith Courage - Nice work on that LED mod! Very stock looking

As per the region LED mod question, BlueBMW said it word for word - that's the exact same method that I came up with awhile back for region modding mine. Works like a champ

Just FYI, I'm not around the forums nearly as much as I used to be, but if any of you guys need anything just PM me and I'll reply

Keith Courage · 05/31/2011, 05:09 AM

Okay, here are a couple pics of what it looks like inside my duo-r with the power led switch setup. The ground wire is just soldered to the power switch which holds it in place nicely. Then run the positive to the point on the board circled in red. What I did to the switch so you could see the light was drill out the area needed and then fill in with some clear drying epoxy. You could just leave it with a hole in it but I think it looks much better with the epoxy so you can't just see strait into the system. The epoxy looks yellow-ish in my pic but it is pretty clear in person. I used Devcon 5 minute drying epoxy. To get the epoxy to dry without dripping out of the switch you cover the back of the switch with some tape and lay the switch on its back. Then after about 8-10 minutes of drying you remove the tape slowly. Don't leave the tape on too long or it will stay stuck to the epoxy. Then let the epoxy dry until it no longer feels tacky before putting back in your duo-r.

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MasonSushi · 06/03/2011, 07:42 PM

Thanks for the pics Keith. I might drill out a small hole so the light can shine through.

When you mounted the LED, is the tip facing down, into some hot glue? Thats kinda what i am getting from the pic.

Keith Courage · 06/04/2011, 04:53 AM

The light is just facing down. No glue needed. The solder holding the light bulb to the power switch is very solid.

Duo_R · 06/04/2011, 10:59 AM

A suggestion, if cutting a hole for a light try using some clear plastic instead of using glue or leaving a hole:

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Keith Courage · 06/04/2011, 12:43 PM

Yeah I was thinking about using plastic on mine but then I thought about how hard it would be to find some plastic and how hard it would be to cut it the correct shape. The epoxy I used looks really good in person and it just as hard as plastic. So I suppose if you have the patience for putting plastic in there instead then by all means go for it. I assume it would look very good.

Duo_R · 06/04/2011, 04:28 PM

I like your idea though i might try that with plastic. I actually just used a jewel case with mine, not hard.

Duo_R · 06/04/2011, 04:29 PM

What is the Voltage from the spot you tapped?

PunkCryborg · 06/04/2011, 06:39 PM

This came in handy for me when I added some LEDs recently. This simple calculator tells you the correct resistor to use for an LED when you are tapping voltage from somewhere or changing colors. You just put in the values of the LED and the voltage you are tapping from. It even shows you a picture of the color bands so picking one out of a assorted pack of resistors is easy.
http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

unclebugspayton · 06/07/2011, 01:42 PM

Excellent Job! I wonder what it would look like on the US duo?

GameFreak · 06/08/2011, 07:59 AM

Wow you guys have made your systems look really nice. I like em.

I like the idea of using clear plastic on the lights hole. The big-box-craft stores have all different colors of transparent film paper for fairly cheap (also silkscreen stencil plastic comes in variety of colors). That way you could put a WHITE light bulb in there and try different color film paper such as purple or red or blue or.... And you could also change the brightness by stacking 2 or 3 layers of the film paper until you got your desired brightness. Also if you ever got bored with the color you wouldn't have to order different color bulbs and install a new bulb but just swap the colored window. Just a thought!

I would like to change the green light on the briefcase when I get one set up. I'm leaning toward the color blue.

Duo_R · 06/14/2011, 03:29 AM

There are several ways to do it. For orange i actually took a white LED and dipped it in Tamiya transparent acrylic paint. It shined a nice orange through the clear plastic that i installed.

MasonSushi · 06/16/2011, 08:39 AM

i just re-did the LED mod i had done changing it from a round blue LED to a wide angle purple LED. I also removed the black liner inside the clear shell, that way the whole thing fills up purple.

I did the power LED in red by drilling a hole where Keith put his. I installed it the same way but didn't fill the hole with epoxy.

SuperPlay · 06/18/2011, 06:14 PM

Nice mods :-)

GameFreak · 06/20/2011, 11:20 PM

Not mine, but this one on ebay has the blue LED light switch for the region mod. I really like that. One light for the US and one light for the JPN mode! The button is HUGE but the LED look cool the way they stick out like that. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEC-PC-Engine-CORE-GRAFX-PCE-TG16-model-Cheap-EMS-/200622392484?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb606c4a4

Duo_R · 06/21/2011, 12:44 AM

Hey its a Emo Core Grafx, all pierced up!

PunkCryborg · 06/21/2011, 06:37 AM

It's Rudolph the red-nose CoreGrafx

pceslayer · 06/22/2011, 11:56 AM

Quote from: MasonSushi on 06/16/2011, 08:39 AMi just re-did the LED mod i had done changing it from a round blue LED to a wide angle purple LED. I also removed the black liner inside the clear shell, that way the whole thing fills up purple.

I did the power LED in red by drilling a hole where Keith put his. I installed it the same way but didn't fill the hole with epoxy.

What kind of purple LED did you use? Is it an ultra violet?