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Arcade & Retro Repairs & Mods, all new recipe, with no added MSG...

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Antex 25watt iron from Radionics is about €25-30 iirc, best budget iron you can buy

    edit here you go linky to iron

    Want to practice soldering, get some stripboard here and practice soldering/de-soldering, just remember stripboard is easier and stronger than most boards, you are far more likely to lift a trace/track on an actual circuit board than on stripboard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    Think thats the iron I got, works a treat! I got mine on amazon and got the .3m tip aswell. Very handy


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Antex 25watt iron from Radionics is about €25-30 iirc, best budget iron you can buy

    edit here you go linky

    I'd second that, perfect for learning on, a good budget iron to boot, and is cheap to buy. I've used basic Antex irons for mods like this right up to building a supergun.

    Regards your question about bringing two wires from each point, yeah that's fine to do so long as you get a good solder connection & the point itself isn't too small physically. A weak solder connection could lead to wires breaking away & shorting etc.

    I'd find a cheap broken pcb from something & practice on that first too, just until you get a good idea of how solder flows, what heat you need, how long to apply heat for, where to apply heat et.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    Great advice there, cheers. I've a couple of broken ps1s I can practice on first Alright.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    Decided to give my Amiga 1200 a CF backplate extension and some new clean feet.

    The A1200:
    JHrUVtD.jpg

    The backplate and CF HDD extension:
    gtYtrMe.jpg

    Installed:
    XZdA5a5.jpg
    9klfHGN.jpg

    New feet next to old stinky feet:
    kZmIz8H.jpg

    Easy access to the Amiga Hdd will be very handy when doing stuff in WinUAE and moving it across the the real Amiga hardware.

    Backplate: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1216
    Feet: http://amigakit.leamancomputing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1017


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    Speaking of PS1, any worthwhile mods to do to them? Hardly

    I have about 5 of them lying around.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,633 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Speaking of PS1, any worthwhile mods to do to them? Hardly

    I have about 5 of them lying around.

    Region
    Make it read CDR
    That's all I can think of, unless there is a ssd solution out there that I don't know about.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,277 ✭✭✭KeRbDoG


    Speaking of PS1, any worthwhile mods to do to them? Hardly

    I have about 5 of them lying around.

    Depending on the model(s) you can also;
    • Audiophile it (unsure if its is just a fools-gold thing)
    • Mod a PAL PS1 to output an NTSC signal in colour over composite, but who uses composite these days? RGB'4'LiFe!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    Right, let's give this soldering lark a go

    36BA8ED9-1EDF-48F3-9B2C-5A45F25B13A6_zpsi9e74imx.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Get a little damp sponge to clean the tip as you go

    Oh and
    700b99d4afcf33bd51fd6a0902bba5b86004528dc2bf40f286ead132b3a923c5.jpg


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    Not sure if heat is conducted down into that metal stand, might be worth putting a coaster under it just in case...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,725 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    Star Lord wrote: »
    Not sure if heat is conducted down into that metal stand, might be worth putting a coaster under it just in case...

    Best place for that 'stand' is it the bin. Pick up an Antex ST4 stand if you can.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,633 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    Right, let's give this soldering lark a go

    36BA8ED9-1EDF-48F3-9B2C-5A45F25B13A6_zpsi9e74imx.jpg

    Don't forget this

    burn_kit.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,790 ✭✭✭Jack burton


    CiDeRmAn wrote: »
    Region
    Make it read CDR
    That's all I can think of, unless there is a ssd solution out there that I don't know about.

    On my phone so I cant get the link now but I saw something last night about a SD card mod for ps1. Ill post it up when I get home


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    On my phone so I cant get the link now but I saw something last night about a SD card mod for ps1. Ill post it up when I get home

    http://ps-io.com/





  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    Seems to be going ok so far (with minimal burns :P) but I'm having one issue. I can't get the solder to stick to a trace or get a wire to stick to a trace. I'm tinning the wire and tip of the iron, scraping back to protective coating on the trace, cleaning the area with the alcohol and adding a little flux. When I try to add some solder to the trace it just seems to be attracting to the iron and collecting all on the tip of the iron and not the board. Any tips?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Give the trace a good scrape, are they copper traces?


  • Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    sugarman wrote: »
    No need to do that, could damage them or pull them away/off the pcb.

    He just needs practice.

    Place the irons tip on the edge of the pad when soldering and just feed in plenty of solder in until it looks good.

    He's not soldering to a pad.
    Try cleaning the iron when it's cold. Even rub it lightly with fine sandpaper to get all the crud off.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    The trace isn't hot enough for the solder to stick to it Atavan, try getting a little more heat into it first & then apply the solder


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    sugarman wrote: »
    No need to do that, could damage them or pull them away/off the pcb.
    It's only a scrap PCB;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    Finally getting the hang of it, slowly but surely getting there!

    87509AC3-E522-4D28-8E53-13E7C365DA0F_zpsj5agazjn.png


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    50/60hz mod complete!

    https://instagram.com/p/1WJ5migBMe/

    81800183-477D-4456-9FD9-765EE46AEAA2_zpszkfg1r7s.jpg

    Wires need to be shortened a bit but it works and I'm happy! :) region mod is next.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 34,633 CMod ✭✭✭✭CiDeRmAn


    My Gods, that Megadrive is naked!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    CiDeRmAn wrote: »
    My Gods, that Megadrive is naked!

    Relax, it's just casual Saturday night nudity.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,599 ✭✭✭BGOllie


    nice one. well done. the first mod is always the hardest.

    ... you'll get braver with your second mod and most likely will destroy an otherwise fine system on your third mod :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    Good job that lad! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,277 ✭✭✭KeRbDoG


    Finally getting the hang of it, slowly but surely getting there!

    A tip would be to use tinner wire :)
    also when soldering to traces
    • strip the wire (1cm~ish) best to prep both sides of the wire now, have it cut to the length you will need to attach it to whatever you want.
    • use a flux on it and 'tin' it by applying solder to it
    • trim the now tinned end of the wire down to the length that works best for what you want to solder it to
    • have the trace prepped for soldering, a fiberglass pen in your friend - then tin it using flux to aid the solder to attach to the prepped trace
    • lay the tinned tip of the wire over the trace, running in the same direction of the trace and apply a little heat from the soldering iron. A little heat is important, no need to over heat the solder/trace you might just lift/break the trace


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    Region mod done!

    DE159006-2D78-4EB4-A9BB-97C786A0CAD6_zpsn1ksdz8z.jpg

    Took a few tries to get the connection to the trace right but seems to be ok now. Not 100% sure it's a good connection but I don't want to risk breaking the trace if I keep at it. Just need to mount the switches and all set!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,183 ✭✭✭✭Atavan-Halen


    And one last pic for completion sake!

    BB4ABC2B-87A3-437F-A1CC-665C66B92B71_zpspr783kl4.jpg

    I won't be using a mega cd with this console so mounted the switches to that side as there's a nice space to do it.

    Big thanks to all you guys who helped me out! And more mods to come hopefully! :D


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 3,184 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dr Bob


    Had bugger all to post in aaages
    (New job and college projects mean feck all time)
    Anyway got a few retro pi's cheap
    I also have some knackered consoles
    putting them together gives me...
    Bionic NES!
    345081.png
    345079.png
    The NES was knackered and I'd stripped it for parts ages ago, so it was just a case.I went in with the idea of minimum soldering , so made use of USB/ HDMI m-f cables and a fair bit of dremelling and hotgluing.The Ninty logo was taken from a ripped NES cart sleeve,which also also created some panels to hide dremeling marks) and thats an old USB led and a square of yellow masking tape acting as the new power light (which saved me a lot of unneeded soldering)
    Ok so firstly yeah ..dirty dirty emulation.And its a 1st gen Pi so it cant handle Ps1 era onwards emulation.
    But! Output to composite or HDMI! up to 4 USB controllers (have a NES adaptor and also a few repro NES usb pads on the way)Netplay! Powered off a usb adaptor so it'll even work powered by the TV's USB port.
    It's running retropi as an OS so on loading you get a really slick menu with emulators listed (NES/SNES/MEG/SMS/C64 ..plus Doom , Quake etc)
    345082.png

    345080.png
    I've a few other totally dead consoles so I'll probably do something similar for a meg1 and possibly something else.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,599 ✭✭✭BGOllie


    great idea. I've two dead Megadrive1 and a dead famicom... I might try this at some point!


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 3,184 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dr Bob


    LongZ wrote: »
    great idea. I've two dead Megadrive1 and a dead famicom... I might try this at some point!

    Im working on a meg1 one right now. .looking at a mod to keep the original controllers too ..ill post up some pics tonight


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,725 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    Dr Bob wrote: »
    Im working on a meg1 one right now. .looking at a mod to keep the original controllers too ..ill post up some pics tonight

    Seems to be a good option when retaining the original pads

    https://github.com/petrockblog/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/Db9_gpio_rpi


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Done a cps2 conversion on a board(already converted to SF2AE) with corrupt audio, assuming the corrupt audio was a rom issue (to mars matrix) but the audio was still corrupt, I found the solution this evening though. Here it is for anyone who may run into the same issues, funny thing is the G Pal that's in there was done by someone with some crazy solder skills, I wonder why they didn't know about the jumper wire needed when they did the original conversion.
    B-board qsound routing error
    93646B-3
    93646B-4
    These earlier boards have what is suspected to be a PCB layout error affecting games that use the G PAL. Instead of routing the high address line of the qsound samples to to pin9 of PAL3, it instead routes a low address line. This results in garbled sounds.
    To fix this, lift pin9 of PAL3 out of socket and solder a jumper wire from it to pin C13 on connector CN3.

    excuse the one handed gameplay, its just to show all audio is now working


    Next up a cps1 daimakaimura conversion, I just need to figure which board the fault on my current cps1 boardset lies before I start.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Nice job! Apparently this was a factory fix on some earlier revision cps2 boards also.

    http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30349&p=421056&hilit=cps2#p421056


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Nice job! Apparently this was a factory fix on some earlier revision cps2 boards also.

    http://forum.arcadeotaku.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30349&p=421056&hilit=cps2#p421056

    It looks like your board originally had that factory conversion but someone removed it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,725 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    Replaced the battery on the CPS2 board I got from Kerbdog.

    Went with a decent battery holder instead of a soldered battery, I know some folks have fears about the battery falling out but with the top cap on there is no way that battery is coming out accidentally.
    Original battery had a '93 date code so due a refresh :) Unless of course the board is phoenixed already ? Anyway to tell without dumping the roms ?

    17000131940_c7dde8c6a1_z.jpg


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    'Phoenix edition' shows on the boot screen unless its been patched out which is very unlikey all my phoenixed boards use razoola's roms. Do ya have a link for the batteries, might do a couple of mine.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Phoenix edition roms won't work with a battery, so I'd say yours is stock for certain :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,725 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    Cool beans :)

    I got the bits from ie.farnell.com - part numbers: 1650673, 2293263, 1365935


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    That battery holder is the job, gotta pick me up some of them!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,146 ✭✭✭CathalDublin


    Can anyone recommend a good(cheap) GAL programmer
    I think this was recommended before


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    Can you just buy acetone in hardware stores in Ireland? Or is it restricted in the amount you can buy?
    It's basically just nail polish remover, but I need about a gallon of it. Don't fancy buying up 20 or 30 small bottles in Boots :)

    I use it to treat ABS plastic and am now doing a lot more, so stealing some from the GF's makeup bag is no longer an option :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Steve X2 wrote: »
    I need about a gallon of it

    Steve's house shortly

    4e84d1541b070.image_.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    Myrddin wrote: »
    Steve's house shortly

    4e84d1541b070.image_.jpg

    Haha, the kitchen does be like a meth lab when I'm treating the plastic. So if they did come in, it wouldn't look good for me :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,725 ✭✭✭The Last Bandit


    Any decent fibreglass supplier will have it.

    http://www.glassfibre.ie/index.php/our-products


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    Any decent fibreglass supplier will have it.

    http://www.glassfibre.ie/index.php/our-products

    Cheers, that looks like my best bet. Cheap as well :)

    Only discovered acetone vapour treatment on ABS plastics recently, works great if you do it right.

    Edit:
    Image on the right is a pretty high res 3D print, left is after an acetone vapour bath. Not suitable for every print, but works well on some.
    HCAbxta.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,123 ✭✭✭✭Star Lord


    Yeah, I was reading up about those before, has a nice smoothing effect which works great so long as you're not going for fine detail.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,885 ✭✭✭Steve X2


    Star Lord wrote: »
    Yeah, I was reading up about those before, has a nice smoothing effect which works great so long as you're not going for fine detail.

    Yeah, even a very quick bath will smooth it a bit and keep the detail (mostly).


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,059 ✭✭✭Doge


    Steve X2 wrote: »
    Cheers, that looks like my best bet. Cheap as well :)

    Only discovered acetone vapour treatment on ABS plastics recently, works great if you do it right.

    Edit:
    Image on the right is a pretty high res 3D print, left is after an acetone vapour bath. Not suitable for every print, but works well on some.
    HCAbxta.jpg

    It makes the owl look very Dark Vaderesque! :)


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