Sega Nomad Modding

Here is the thread to gather all needed pics to make Nomad mods...

SMOD: The MEGADRIVE Jeroi Single swith eu/us/jp mod

I expect here that you have experience how to open your Nomad. Disassemble the bottom motherboard where are the sega IC chips and jumpers.

Here is what you solder to there:

http://i7.aijaa.com/b/00228/10808132.jpg

Then assemble motherboard back to its place and then we attach nice place the Ground wire needed for SMOD:

http://i3.aijaa.com/b/00748/10808134.jpg

More pictures soon...

Then you just instal ON-OFF-ON switch with green-brown-red in respectable pin order.

50hz/60hz MODE button mod in courtesy of gamesx:

Open up your nomad up and look for this area. There are two jumpers here, labelled JP3 and JP4. Cut the trace running between the two pads on JP3, and on the JP4 pad closest to JP3 attach a wire as shown.

http://www.eijanpalvelut.fi/images/nomad/nomad1.jpg

Now run this wire to the center wire of the MODE switch connector. This will allow you to use the MODE switch to force the unit into either 50Hz PAL or 60Hz NTSC. This will also mean you won't be able to use the mode switch for placating 6-button intolerant games, but the writer of the mod says he's had no problems with it at all.

http://www.eijanpalvelut.fi/images/nomad/nomad2.jpg

One disadvantage is that games that are remodelled to run faster on PAL 50hz like Sonic 3, will run at 70hz "like" because when you hold mode you enter 50hz mode and you can then play region locked PAL games, but when mode is released, game will go utterly fast as mentioned and include glitches and such. The real deal is to mod with 50/60hz switch. That is for later...

Replacing OLD screen with NEW LCD mod:

For this mod you will need to remove the old screen first, then you use one of CAR monitors LCD like this:

http://www.eijanpalvelut.fi/images/nomad/nomad7.jpg

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20415
It is $50 shipped.



Best feature of this mod is that a stock battery pack lasts 2 hours longer because the new lcd takes that much less power to run.

The MEGADRIVE Jeroi battery mod for Nomad Rechargeable battery pack:

Here is in development pictures of my Nomad Battery pack mod. Basically I am modding 4 18500 1600mAH LI-Ion cells in 2 series 2 parallel (2S2P) giving 3200mAH strong battery pack that lasts longer than 2S 18650 3200mAH LI-Ion (Sony cam battery 2600mAH 2S) configuration would last.

Here is schematic for my battery mod:

http://i7.aijaa.com/b/00906/10835527.jpg

DISCLAIMER:

1. If you are already lost, don't bother to read/do more.
2. If you don't know how to open the battery case or know how to solder then STOP and find a new hobby! I am not responsible of you exploding your batteries or any other mishaps.
   
3. Further more DON'T EVER LET THE + TO TOUCH - OF A LI-ION BATTERY or exploding mishap may occur!!!!
4. You can't, simply can't and don't do it, charging LI-Ion cells without protection circuitry or -board. They will explode.

The rest of you who knows or may think to know enough then here we go.

Here are the current photos of the mod:

1. Cut some plastic from both cases like these images:

http://i10.aijaa.com/b/00445/10888067.jpg

http://i7.aijaa.com/b/00278/10888068.jpg

2. Prepare your 18500 LI-Ion cells like this:

http://i8.aijaa.com/b/00809/10888069.jpg

3. Put some Flux (I used liguid flux) and add solder to batteries and then add more flux on top of tin and insert your metal slide and hot it and result is here:

http://i9.aijaa.com/b/00334/10888070.jpg

4. Do same to other side:

http://i2.aijaa.com/b/00734/10888071.jpg

5. Then solder BALANCE cable to first 4 slot metal slice (I soldered directly to battery solder spot) and add some electric tape and result looks like this:

http://i9.aijaa.com/b/00314/10888111.jpg

6. Solder power cables and result like this:

http://i11.aijaa.com/b/00511/10888112.jpg

7. Wrap couple rounds electric tape around the batteries and here is the battery assembled to bottom piece of battery case:

http://i2.aijaa.com/b/00192/10888113.jpg

8. I needed to sand with utility knife 1mm more off from bottom supports so that the lower supports are in same level so that upper case fits nicely.
Also I filed more support from right wall so that battery has now lengthwise stopper/support for last battery.
The battery is now very solid when case cover is installed and I have no worries that battery would move in the case.

http://i10.aijaa.com/b/00839/10889355.jpg

9. It's alive!

http://i7.aijaa.com/b/00005/10889819.jpg

I will post more pictures when I get my controller board how to wire everything so that we have fully working really strong battery... Stay tuned.

there is no Euro/60Hz mode... on MD(or nomad or Xeye or CDX or other derivates) you got 4 modes :

50Hz + English = Europe, some of Asia
60Hz + English = USA, Canada, some of South America
50Hz + Japanese = unused/illegal setting
60Hz + Japanese = Japan

if you want to play PAL games in 60Hz, a nice solution could be a switchless mod, cut the original JP3 trace,
then from "mode" button output a wire to JP4 like this
http://www.gamesx.com/importmod/gen2nomadbutton.htm

Mode is much better than Start for this mod imho, I never used it on any game, so it's perfect as a switch.

with this mod, if you hold Mode button Nomad turns in 50hz, when you relase it, it works to 60Hz again, so you can bypass PAL region lock when the game starts, then play it all at 60hz .

note: some pal games will glitch at 60hz, because they were converted to 50hz running fast as 60hz games (like Sonic3), so it will go faster than supposed to be if forced to 60hz (like a sort of 70hz) and odd things will happens. like awful framerate and sprites artifacts :p

I collected now 2 mods to here, I have 2 mods coming also more but not for now.

Are the pictures missing for anyone else? Kind of need them soon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by soop

Are the pictures missing for anyone else? Kind of need them soon.

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Yes it's because I need to attach the images. it was using my HTTP server but too much traffic so I did shut down it.

Can you use Photobucket or some other free image hosting site? I don't know what options are available in Finland, but I personally use Photobucket for such things.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MEGADRIVE Jeroi

Yes it's because I need to attach the images. it was using my HTTP server but too much traffic so I did shut down it.

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SIMPLY: NO.

BECAUSE: Photobucket deletes images in short amount of time.

CORRECT: Upload images to site that hold images lifetime and has images uploadable with zipped OR have a http server that can host some images.

Let's PIMP my Nomad!

I will soon post my mod for Nomad courtesy of KillerBean who sold me Broken Nomad. Will be modding 50/60hz mod aswell as New LCD and installing Lithium paraller rechargebale batteries into old Nomad rechargeable battery. I will also attmept to look if there is is encoder that support rgb input, so I could input sega rgb to encoder and output rgb on the LCD. Stay tuned!

Admins: Could you edit the topic title as I cannot change the Noman into Nomad?

Be very careful what monitor you use, you could end up in a worse situation. I tried to locate the dealextreme "type" on ebay (as I only wanted the monitor, didn't need the power supply etc) and it failed badly (b/w snowy image) I even asked the question of the seller if it was a "redguard" branded monitor and they said yes (in their images it showed a redguard box in the background), boy I was pissed.

Another monitor I tried to use, sucked more juice than the original screen!

I found a monitor that I was happy with and have modded 2 Nomads so far. Unfortunately I had a look at my ebay history and that seller doesn't have them anymore.....

I wish you luck finding a monitor that accepts RGB though, will be a great find! Even finding one that accepts s-video would be tops, I have heard rumours that there are ones out there, but finding the data sheets for them are bloody hard.

When popping open the battery pack, use a couple of credit cards and I also found toothpicks came in handy. When you pop it from a "clip" stick a toothpick in the little hole, so when you pop the other side it doesn't pop back in.

Also adding a reset is kinda handy as well.

Isn't it hard to find even a screen that size accepting both PAL and NTSC? I think usually you end up with b/w on one or the other, if not having to settle for Nomad's TV out.

good list of mods. Too bad the nomad has such small parts and limited space to work with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lumclaw

Isn't it hard to find even a screen that size accepting both PAL and NTSC? I think usually you end up with b/w on one or the other, if not having to settle for Nomad's TV out.

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Not really almost all will accept PAL/NTSC, where it falls over is as you say getting the B/W image because the frequency doesn't match up the region (hopefully someone else can explain better, I can point and grunt that's about it). The Nomads I have modified have been able to play in NTSC (USA and JPN) as well as PAL via a small 3 way switch. Why? Because there are PAL games that won't like being played in 60Hz, Sonic 3 and Lemmings come to mind (why you would play Lemmings on a Nomad though....).

When modifying my initial Nomad, I found the first monitor wasn't a fan of PAL60 (ie PAL oscillator on NTSC setting-again my explanation is poor). But setting the video encoder so that when it is NTSC mode it runs off the Nomad frequency, when switched to PAL it runs off an additional 4 pin oscillator the monitor works fine.

Ooh ooh I just thought, perhaps you refer to the resolution? Since the Nomad is 240p, some of these monitors aren't keen (ie my 2nd choice of failed monitor) and try and show it in 480i or similar...... Again it is fun trying to find the good monitor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by omp

Not really almost all will accept PAL/NTSC, where it falls over is as you say getting the B/W image because the frequency doesn't match up the region (hopefully someone else can explain better, I can point and grunt that's about it). The Nomads I have modified have been able to play in NTSC (USA and JPN) as well as PAL via a small 3 way switch. Why? Because there are PAL games that won't like being played in 60Hz, Sonic 3 and Lemmings come to mind (why you would play Lemmings on a Nomad though....).

When modifying my initial Nomad, I found the first monitor wasn't a fan of PAL60 (ie PAL oscillator on NTSC setting-again my explanation is poor). But setting the video encoder so that when it is NTSC mode it runs off the Nomad frequency, when switched to PAL it runs off an additional 4 pin oscillator the monitor works fine.

Ooh ooh I just thought, perhaps you refer to the resolution? Since the Nomad is 240p, some of these monitors aren't keen (ie my 2nd choice of failed monitor) and try and show it in 480i or similar...... Again it is fun trying to find the good monitor.

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I am installing single switch eu/us/jp. It will never play any games as 60hz/pal. I dont have any worries. If you installed 2 switches that can play 60hz/pal then you made something that is not supported by SEGA.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MEGADRIVE Jeroi

I am installing single switch eu/us/jp. It will never play any games as 60hz/pal. I dont have any worries. If you installed 2 switches that can play 60hz/pal then you made something that is not supported by SEGA.

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Um where did I say I installed 2 switches please? What I meant by Pal60 was like the Mega Drive (either model) colour fix where the CXA video encoder has an external crystal oscillator fitted bypassing the consoles frequency circuit. So when the console is played in PAL it will be PAL50, in USA/JPN the console will play in PAL60, which a lot of TV's (in Australia anyway) will acknowledge. Whereas if you try and play it in NTSC50 the TV will go WTF? and give the B/W image. What I was getting at was the initial monitor I used for my first Nomad didn't like PAL60 as an output frequency, so I had to do a small re-wire to have to colour burst frequncies that the monitor would acknowledge.

Kinda like this http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthr...t=nomad+colour

Note that was my first monitor I used, the current one being used is a lot better that one (in image quality and power consumption).