General Arcade & Retro Chat' Special Championship Edition

Jack burton · 08-01-2022 10:26am

That looks fantastic!

Be excited to play that when it's finished

o1s1n · 08-01-2022 11:48am

That looks absolutely amazing!

DaveyDave · 08-01-2022 2:21pm

Covid is rampant at the moment, every other person in the office getting sick, friends of friends getting it. Hopefully everyone has a speedy recovery and looks after themselves!

Andrew76 · 08-01-2022 4:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118438836#Comment_118438836

Thankfully everyone in this house has managed to dodge it so far, just a few of the youngsters waiting on their vaccinations now. It's impressive how it manages to adapt and become more transmissable though, crap for us humans ofc. 😊

Jack burton · 08-01-2022 7:20pm

Literally just back from getting pcrs for the whole family myself.

Can't wait to get back to normal now

CiDeRmAn · 09-01-2022 10:43am

We seem to be seeing most people picking it up, but I think people who are asymptomatic are in the majority, which is good news.

As long as we see it being as transmissible as Omicron but not as lethal as Delta, we'll be okay, though there is no guarantee that this will persist with future variants, certainly one that combines the two would be devastating.

Fingers crossed we will emerge from the worst of it all over the Spring, though I wonder how long it will be before large gatherings in pubs and clubs feel safe again

Retr0gamer · 09-01-2022 12:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118442821#Comment_118442821

It will be endemic at this stage, we will probably end up getting flu and Rona shots from now on. The good news is that evolution favours more highly transmittable but less dead diseases so hopefully this is it having engineered itself to being less lethal.

CiDeRmAn · 09-01-2022 1:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118443130#Comment_118443130

Yes, the discussion here in the Health Services is a duo shot of Cocid/Flu each year, and my sense is that anti-virals will take the lethality out of it.

Fingers crossed Omicron is the way forward too, the only thing that can out compete it is a more transmissible variant, hopefully the mortality rates will be even lower.

Inviere · 09-01-2022 7:58pm

What solder are folks using for general repairs/work on older consoles etc? From what I see, 60/40 leaded 0.5mm multicore seems to be recommended....but can't seem to see anywhere (on mobile anyway) that sells this type...

Colonel Panic · 09-01-2022 8:09pm

I use RS Pro stuff from RS electronics and they do 60/40 0.5mm as far as I remember.

I think I’m using something a bit thicker for through hole soldering on older consoles.

Inviere · 09-01-2022 9:05pm

Cheers I'll take a look at the RS Pro stuff :)

Doge · 09-01-2022 10:50pm

I'm using Kester and more recently bought a wider guage of solder from Farnell, MULTICORE / LOCTITE branded. Kester is great but it's mainly sold from the US so can be tricky to buy.

Be sure to RTFM for the solder you buy to see how you go about cleaning flux, it may not need to be cleaned at all.

I used to think I needed to clean off the flux on my Kester solder and it always left a chalky residue when cleaned which was annoying but one day I learned it didn't need to be cleaned after asking in a Facebook group who pointed it out in the datasheet!

Did you get yourself a desoldering station yet inviere?

Inviere · 10-01-2022 8:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118446542#Comment_118446542

Cheers Doge. Yep I've been buying up equipment bit by bit over the weeks. I went for those Proskit ones you mentioned a while back, a desoldering station & a soldering/hot air rework station too. I want to get all the ancillary bits right though, flux, solder, etc. I got by with low end stuff for long enough, I want to step up a bit now and improve things all round.

o1s1n · 10-01-2022 11:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118447443#Comment_118447443

Does this mean you're back in the modding game? :D

Not that I've anything left that you haven't modded already...!

Inviere · 10-01-2022 12:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448182#Comment_118448182

I probably will yep, maybe more repair/servicing based though. I won't hit the level of The Last Bandit in terms of fault finding/diagnosis etc (logic analysis and so forth), but I want to be able to move beyond simple through hole stuff and onto more complex jobs like surface mount chips/components etc. I used to get by with the most basic of basic tools like a plug in soldering iron, spring loaded solder sucker etc...it's just so off putting using basic crap that makes jobs x10 harder than they need to be.

It'll be nice to be properly able to replace chassis caps etc with the desoldering gun, remove/replace chips and forth. There's still a few bits and pieces I need, and I want to do a few jobs of my own first (couple of Amiga's here need cap kits, DMG-01 IPS kit, C64 cap kit, etc etc.)

Retr0gamer · 10-01-2022 12:14pm

Could you microsolder a messiah ship on my PS2? 😋

Inviere · 10-01-2022 12:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448422#Comment_118448422

Maybe in due course, I need to get back up to speed with small stuff like that. I had a quick look there at an installation video....it'd probably be easier to just import a Japanese PS2!

KeRbDoG · 10-01-2022 3:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448422#Comment_118448422

With the FreeMCBoot, is there a need to modchip a PS2 anymore?

Retr0gamer · 10-01-2022 3:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118449721#Comment_118449721

To break Inviere's heart and soul?

o1s1n · 10-01-2022 3:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118449983#Comment_118449983

This is why we can't have nice things.

Retr0gamer · 10-01-2022 4:01pm

I've my Modded PS2 modded again with free McBoot so I'm fine :D I'll leave Inviere alone. I just know from trying to get someone to mod my PS2 back in the day that it was a pretty gruelling job.

KeRbDoG · 10-01-2022 5:15pm

From watching videos of it, yea - looks a little crazy. I only used a modded PS2 last year for the first time and that was using FreeMCBoot. Before that I just used a 'test' console for my 'Tokyo Bus Guide' madness :D good times

o1s1n · 10-01-2022 5:30pm

Are there any old consoles left that are still difficult to mod I wonder, or is everything bypassed with ease now?

I suppose things that can't be easily modded with a proper 50/60hz switch or RGB like the PAL N64 and NES are still a bit of a pain.

How about the Gamecube? With the Wii being so easily softmodded kind of removes the need to get a working solution for that. I think that's probably the only console I have left which is completely untouched.

Colonel Panic · 10-01-2022 5:43pm

NTSC GC region mods are easy enough. Small pads though and pulling off the heat sinks is a pain.

I think the Xeno mod chip is pretty easy to install, but the soft mod trick using save game exploits works on the GC so it’s easy to boot Windwaker, load a save and be dumped into a game loader menu.

NES is all about tools and patience.

Jack burton · 10-01-2022 6:10pm

I think I'm the only person who doesn't have a heap of modded consoles. Lots of mine are stock. Just bought NTSC models instead of modding.

I do want to get one of my MDs fully modded with that RGB Chip I saw a while ago. Looks fantastic when it's done

KeRbDoG · 10-01-2022 6:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450707#Comment_118450707

NTSC GC - the easy mod just allows US/JAP switching, you'd still need the Xeno mod (very easy to install) if you wanted a way to spin -Rs but at this stage. I'd say anyone anyone still using the GC would just pop in a GD-ROM emulator right?

Colonel Panic · 10-01-2022 6:21pm

Aye, @KeRbDoG, an ODE is the way to go with the GC these days. Literally plug and play!

I thought booting Swiss then using a burned disk would work, but maybe not!

80s Synth Pop · 10-01-2022 7:42pm

Yes the GC loader ODE is great. Such simple install and no need to region mod the switch.

Can you believe mmmonkeys console modding website is still going after all these years. It must have been 20+ years ago I modded a SNES following his guides. https://mmmonkey.co.uk/

Ended up doing lots of console mods a few weeks ago while in covid isolation. Not sure if the toxic fumes were a good idea at the time :D

Gamecube: GC-loader ODE. Also have the HDMI adapter too but that was just plug and play at the back. Didn't bother with the region mod as swiss boots from the ODE and bypasses it.

SNES 1-chip: super CIC, 50/60hz switchless mod with coloured LED mod to show the region it is currently in.

NES: RGB mod

N64: RGB mod

Dreamcast: genuine GDemu ODE installed, Dev bios, silent norturna fan, resetting controller pcb fuse, rechargeable Cr battery, pico psu.

Fixed a few arcade PCBs too. 3x Naomi's with bad RAMs/Fans and a Bad Dudes. I actually find SMD stuff so much easier than through hole now and soldering is a relaxing hobby.

@Inviere have a look as enamel coated copper wire. https://ie.rs-online.com/web/p/copper-wire/7790690 The stuff saves tons of time as there is no need to use wire stripper.

Doge · 11-01-2022 1:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450621#Comment_118450621

The PS1 is still a little tricky. Even with PSIO you need to solder that switcher IC and you have to file off the silkscreen in order to expose the traces and solder onto them.

Retr0gamer · 11-01-2022 10:07am

Is PSIO still the best solution?

The Last Bandit · 11-01-2022 10:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118453870#Comment_118453870

Xstation is supposed to have better compatibility overall, you do lose the cdrom drive though which is probably a plus.

As for mod difficulty, I'd say the NES and PS2 are still the most time consuming, the work isn't particularly difficult but there is a lot of it to do.

N64 can be trivial to RGB mod if you find the correct version.

CiDeRmAn · 11-01-2022 12:04pm

I bought a PS2 with a pre-installed modchip, which was handy.

It comes with a disc to alter settings, at boot, should it be required.

Otherwise it is simply a matter of popping in a game for PS1 or 2 from any region and it just works... which is nice

KeRbDoG · 11-01-2022 3:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118454087#Comment_118454087

If self installing and new to it, PSIO would seem to be an easier install than the Xstation but then as noted it might have lower compatibility. Active dev on the PSIO side fixing/improving game compatibility for the few which might have issues

As of 05/SEPTEMBER/2020, out of all official 2,435 software titles PSIO is so far 99% compatible (only 1 game does not work at all which is “Vib Ribbon [PAL & NTSC-J]”).

The Last Bandit · 11-01-2022 4:07pm

Ya the Xstation is definitely the more complex install alright, not for the beginner but its cheaper and available to buy.

Actaully think this was the last mod I've done, haven't really much retro stuff in a while. Hopefully get into a bit more this year.

Doge · 11-01-2022 8:22pm

I didn't even know the xstation existed until you mentioned it. How long is released?

The Last Bandit · 11-01-2022 9:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118457500#Comment_118457500

Over a year anyway, still coming out with firmware updates as well, on github so no faffing about with serial numbers & registrations

Jack burton · 12-01-2022 12:29am

Just started watching the new Splash Wave video

Always enjoy their stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=226Nwq2CN5c

Retr0gamer · 12-01-2022 5:03pm

So I was reminded of the totally forgettable horror of Lone Soldier on PS1. It was a launch window game on the PS1 that sold really well despite having stinking review scores because there was so little on the system at the time.

I remember warning people in school not to buy it.

Anyone remember it or have experience?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-wSdqN5iOw

o1s1n · 12-01-2022 5:20pm

I bought it when it came out :(

Actually, funny story, I mainly bought it back then as both myself and a mate in primary school had a comic we drew called 'Violence' and the lead story was 'Lone Soldier'.

We were absolutely raging when we saw that game on shelves, were convinced we'd been ripped off. If I remember correctly, the booklet in the game even had a comic in it!

Double horror when the game also turned out to be ****.

bugs · 12-01-2022 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462560#Comment_118462560

While working in GameZone many years ago, a short lived and highly unliked employee recommended that to a local lad for his kid. He returned a few hours later, gave said employee some recommendations of where he could stick it along with some other things which were very entertaining.

I let him return it and gave him something that wasn't awful.

Jack burton · 12-01-2022 11:29pm

Never even heard of it. Looks woeful....I love it! 🤣

Inviere · 13-01-2022 5:26pm

Has anyone tried the Pi-storm Amiga expansion? Seems interesting....

CiDeRmAn · 14-01-2022 10:08am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462560#Comment_118462560

Such a lousy game and everyone knew it, and there were so many good games to choose from.

As people came in to buy a new PS and a game or two, I never sent anyone out the door with this one.

Destruction Derby, Loaded, Battle Arena Toshinden no problem, not to mention Wipeout, but Lone Soldier was pitiful, like Rise of the Robots pitiful

Retr0gamer · 14-01-2022 10:23am

Eh, Battle Arena Toshinden was Rise of the Robots bad. I guess at the time we were all fooled by the graphics.

KeRbDoG · 14-01-2022 5:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468795#Comment_118468795

I've been looking at that project for awhile, the only game I'd end up playing would be Frontier Elite :D I'll await a A600 version which fits inside the case. Don't think one exists yet?

Also, makes my strange dream of an Amiga1000 more of a reality as it will allow for more chip RAM