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

eddhorse

I go for the hand in the pocket method.

Best of luck MrVestek

KeRbDoG

First time I did 'it', I felt so nervious - but after a few times, it becomes second nature...the monitor discharging I mean :)

MrVestek

Speaking of mods I've been working on other stuff too. After Xbox 360 number 3 I finally managed to get the RGH3 hack working on a phat elite model. Xbox 360 s was a write off as I ended up destroying the pads. Xbox 360 2 was a success for 2 seconds until it rrod.

So... Third time's the charm with his elite. Thankfully I managed to not spend too much money on them by picking them up cheap off of Adverts. More consoles on the way to the weee recycling!

Anyway...I just spent the last two hours messing with the on board firmware to install a very important modification. Check this out:

https://youtube.com/shorts/bfS40eu4HYI?feature=share

80s Synth Pop

Mr Vestek welcome to the highs and lows of arcade collecting :D

You may have sent a higher than 31k horizonal signal to the chassis for a time. We're you using emudriver and vmmaker to force 31k in the pc? It's never happened to me and I've done it lots of times but I've read sending a higher than rated horizontal signal can damage them. You also have to use atom-15 software to force the card bios to 31k otherwise there will be a period of time during boot up where it will be too high before windows kicks in and the drivers take over.

If sending items over for repair and back to Grant in the uk you have to pay customs in both directions and arrange you own courier for sending and collection. I couldn't find any form to avoid the customs but set a low value - it's worthless when not working anyway.

With the repair costs, courier and customs fees it's going to be expensive. Maybe cheaper to buy a new chassis unfortunately. Gone are the days of cheap uk parcel motel and cab on a pallet deliveries.

What happend to all the old tv repair and arcade engineers in Ireland?

MrVestek

I do have my graphics card locked to 31khz as I've modified the firmware on it.

I think the chassis was on the way out in any case as there were times when it would click off and back on.

Once or twice when reseating the control panel on the front the flicker would happen so I reckon the vertical IC was on the way out anyway.

MrVestek

Shat a brick today trying to discharge the CRT in the blast but I've had to bottle out as the screwdriver seems to be just a little bit too small and I don't want to run the risk of my arm hitting off the other side of the cage as I'm trying to discharge it.

I think I'll just pick up a bigger screwdriver to be on the safe side.

MrVestek

Managed to not kill myself!

MrVestek

What a sorry sight to behold.

I'll start disassembling the chassis tomorrow.

Steve X2

Do you need to remove the actual monitor on the Blast City to get at the chassis?

MrVestek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119730985#Comment_119730985

No not really as you can see the back access panel but... would be awkward as feck without doing so, figured this was the easiest way. The access panel at the back is fairly restrictive.

This way I can remove the back panel, all cabling etc related to the tube and then just remove the chassis itself. I'll set it back into the unit once I've done that. Just makes it easier to work with I think.

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119730997#Comment_119730997

I get you. I'm not that familiar with the Blast City internals. The Egret 2/3 has a hinged front and door on the back, although its still a bit awkward to discharge the monitor as you have to reach up from the door, or in from the side.

Old pic of my Egret 3 open from Oct 2011(first pic I could find).

MrVestek

Here's hoping that I never have to do this again in any case! 🤣

eddhorse

Great work, might as well giving everything a good scrub when you have it out.

o1s1n

Fair play! Didn't realise you were going to take the whole monitor out. I'd be way too freaked about necking the tube doing that by myself. 😂

geotrig

ah blasts monitors are in a frame so is protected some bit ,its always the putting it back in im more worried about in general!

Steve X2

Grant got back to me on my Chassis repair. In the end it was just the width control cap that was gone. So a simple fix this time, but still glad i sent it over to him as he could look over the whole board and let me know if anything else needs doing.

80s Synth Pop

Nice. One of the few times a cap kit would have fixed an issue. Steve how did it go with shipping and customs etc? Did you have to pay in both directions like I had to with UPS?

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119748169#Comment_119748169

I sent it over with An Post(tracked, signed for etc) but will have it come back with DPD as I don't trust An Post with receiving anything from the UK or US.

No duty going over, but I expect I will be hit on the way back. Grant does everything by the book these days, so bank transfer for payment so he's covered for the tax man and true value of goods on packages so he's covered there as well.

I guess I'll know at some stage next week when the package comes back to me.

Steve X2

So, just had to pay Customs/VAT on that chassis coming back from the UK via DPD.

For those wondering:

€30.64 in total.

€24.49 VAT, €5 brokerage and €1.15 brokerage VAT.

Could be worse, could be better.

Colonel Panic

Im still trying to get my head around paying VAT on something you didn’t actually buy. It’s such a stupid system.

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759407#Comment_119759407

The VAT is due on the repair costs and parts I guess.

Colonel Panic

That would make sense. But is that the VAT you paid?

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759590#Comment_119759590

They don't give a breakdown of the VAT on the email or payment page. But it is about €5 or €6 higher than what I would expect the VAT to be on what I paid for the repair and parts.

KeRbDoG

Its possible it seems to avoid repaying import duty on reimported items into the EU...somehow https://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/businesses/relief-duty-vat/reimported-into-eu/index.aspx

CathalDublin

I argued this before and didn’t have to pay when I sent a Dji drone back to the factory and DHL returned it, I had to show proof I owned it already and that I sent it back to them.

It wasn’t easy and I spent a good day making phone calls and I can’t remember but I think I had to prove the repairs didn’t cost me. I’m sure I still have the email thread.

it was all very weird, the DHL guy even wanted a couple hundred from me and I’d to call someone in DHLs mobile and put him onto the delivery guy to get him to hand over the package.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119761940#Comment_119761940

Steve X2

Its less hassle and all around easier to get stuff delivered from China than the UK these days. I had a PCBWay delivery from Shenzhen sent via DHL last Friday evening Irish time and it arrived Monday around 11am. All VAT sorted on checkout without issue so no surprises when they knocked on the door.

Even the bits I get from AliExpress arrive with zero issues. Sure there's normally a 2-4 week wait on delivery, but you might get that if you order from some Irish websites anyway :0)

Colonel Panic

The lack of surprises from Chinese sellers is great. I’ve given up on UK purchases for the most part, which is a shame as I use a few forums with great deals I’m locked out of! 😤

Ive got some Famicoms arriving today that cost very little to ship, got here in less than a week, and no customs charges because I paid the VAT and the customs data is correctly recorded.

MrVestek

I've just wrapped up all of the screen's internals in bubble wrap and popped it into a spare box that I had from a previous Amazon delivery. The fit is just about right but I put a TON of bubble wrap in there just to be on the safe side.

Waited a bit to send it over to make sure that I had the funds spare.

Going to send it over tracked and signed for as Steve did, then going to ask him to send it back to a friend up mine living oop north so that I can avoid all that customs bollocks. They're just going to send it back on down to me and I'll pay for the delivery costs.

Really can't wait to get it repaired. I miss being able to flick on the machine and having a quick go of something. Curious to see what has actually gone wrong with it too.

Inviere

Has anyone any recommendations for replacement Saturn PSU's? It's for a Jap model (white)...

Steve X2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119829067#Comment_119829067

The ReSaturn PSU has worked a charm for me. I've had one installed for nearly 2 years now and its not had any heat, noise or other problems. It includes a +5v block connector on the PSU for possible mods or connecting to the MODE ODE directly.

My original post: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/116269806/#Comment_116269806

https://rexusnexus.com/product/sega-saturn-resaturn-psu/