I Region and AV modded my TG16

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08-02-2011, 03:25 AM
Guntz

I Region and AV modded my TG16

I have had an insatiable appetite for modding stuff and using my soldering iron (and getting to know desoldering), just a couple days ago I added an S-Video jack to my personal SMS Model 1. The jack is ever so slightly tilted, but it works great. I used jeweler's glue, so that jack is permanently bonded to the plastic shell. I do have a photo of the mod itself, but not the jack, or the SMS being operated:

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/4954/dsc03251f.jpg

My TG16 on the other hand, looked like an easy target for some fun modding. I've added RCA jacks to the right side of the unit and have already wired up a Region switch, done up with the old method. The IC-based region mod is too complicated for me, so I just went with an 8PDT instead. If that method turns out to not work for whatever reason, it'd be easy to replace it with an IC-based switch, though about $7 for parts would go down the drain. Here's some pics:

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9176/im004395.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7251/im004396.jpg

http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/6619/im004397.jpg

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/7749/im004398n.jpg

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1972/im004399.jpg

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/1236/im004400.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8118/im0043999.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/6284/im0044009.jpg

The big question is though (as before), does it work?

Yes, it does.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/9347/im0044019.jpg

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7070/im0044029.jpg

However, due to the fact I do not own a single PC-Engine HuCard game, I am pretty much unable to test the Japanese side of the region switch. I figure it works though, since for every US wire I connected, the JP equivalent went to the opposite pin (like say, pin 23 to pin 15).

Also, unfortunate as it is I seem to be having difficulty getting the region switch somewhere comfortable where the two halves of the console shell can fully close. Perhaps the wire was a bit too thick, but sadly it was all I had, and lots of it too. At least the console still plays TG16 HuCard games, so that's what really counts here.

Oh yeah, I thought those RCA jack holes were expertly dremeled. The Yellow jack is ever so slightly farther away than the red and white ones, but it's almost as if it aesthetically works anyways. Also, the hole for the yellow jack is a touch too big, so it can move around a little bit, so if it is vertically not center with the other jacks, that can be fixed. All those jacks screw onto the case with nuts, so they aren't going anywhere. :D

Thoughts on this project so far? Does anyone want me to take a picture of the console re-assembled?

P.S.: Square-head screws were made by the devil himself. I'm gonna throw out those pieces of garbage and get some star-head ones instead. At least those have less of a chance of stripping.
08-02-2011, 03:34 AM
villahed94

Great job Guntz. Seems that the disciple is starting to superseed the master :P
08-02-2011, 03:43 AM
Thunderblaze16

GUNZ! where did you buy those gold av's!?

I really want to buy those cause I wanna make genesis mods with mostly gold av's
08-02-2011, 03:46 AM
Guntz

@Villahed: Heh heh, this disciple has much to learn yet. In fact, we are probably both padawan learners in comparison to certain other modders here.

I have another question for TG-16 modders/repairers. I'd still like to have working RF on this unit, but when I tried to reflow the RCA jack inside the RF modulator AND re-route what I thought was the RF signal wire + ground, all I got was mostly static and sometimes the game and sound. What am I doing wrong? Do TG16 RF modulators just simply break over time?

EDIT:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderblaze16

GUNTZ! where did you buy those gold av's!?

I really want to buy those cause I wanna make genesis mods with mostly gold av's

Ask and ye shall receive:

Yellow:

http://ca.mouser.com/Search/ProductD...ey568-NYS367-4

Red:

http://ca.mouser.com/Search/ProductD...ey568-NYS367-2

White:

http://ca.mouser.com/Search/ProductD...ey568-NYS367-9

Mouser has other colors from that same manufacturer. The jacks are kind of expensive when buying a bunch of em, but they are definitely full of awesome.
08-02-2011, 04:06 AM
Thunderblaze16

There so SPARKLY! but I don't fully understand the price order,

Pricing (CAD)
1: $2.14
10: $1.82
25: $1.54
100: $1.39

does it mean, I can get 10 rca's for only $1.82?

EDIT: jesus, wth, there charging $20 for shipping for one av!?

fuck that.
08-02-2011, 04:06 AM
villahed94

But I have to admit you´ve done a great improvement. Other than recapping a VA2 I haven´t done anything else.
08-02-2011, 04:13 AM
Guntz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderblaze16

They're so SPARKLY! but I don't fully understand the price order,

Pricing (CAD)
1: $2.14
10: $1.82
25: $1.54
100: $1.39

does it mean, I can get 10 rca's for only $1.82?

EDIT: jesus, wth, there charging $20 for shipping for one av!?

fuck that.

No, you are looking at bulk ordering. If you order 10 RCA jacks, each will cost you $1.82.

Mouser's $20 shipping charge always gets re-adjusted before you pay for your order. I bought roughly $65 worth of stuff and shipping was $8, for this rather large box. Mouser rules for big orders.
08-02-2011, 10:26 AM
GohanX

Nice work, that region mod is a PITA, so I've never done it. I love those jacks as well, so pimpalicious.
08-02-2011, 11:59 AM
xelement5x

Good job on the region mod! I'm waiting for the chip version from BlueBMW since it also has the option of being switchless if wire it up that way, I'll be doing the reverse though, PCE to TurboGrafx :)

Oh, and welcome to the world of PC Engine gaming, it's like TurboGrafx gaming but only a fraction of the price! Have fun finding a PCE game you like, there are a ton of games out there :)
08-02-2011, 12:07 PM
Lastcallhall

Looks REAL good, Guntz! I may have to try this on my spare TG-16.

Where did you get the 8PDT switch? Mouser as well?
08-02-2011, 01:10 PM
Robivy64

Looks great. You may want to consider using thinner wires for your HuCard address lines. I would recommend an IDE cable.

This will make it easier to install.
08-02-2011, 01:20 PM
Thunderblaze16

They should make a Pc engine ever drive already, The device should be a micro sd card with the Hue card being pretty much a sd card adapter look alike.
08-02-2011, 02:39 PM
villahed94

Guntz, did you actually drill a TG16 case???

BTW, I´ll be online at 2pm cst.
08-02-2011, 02:46 PM
Guntz

Thanks for all the nice comment everyone. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by GohanX

Nice work, that region mod is a PITA, so I've never done it. I love those jacks as well, so pimpalicious.

Yes it is. Damn you NEC/Hudson for designing a smart region lockout!

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelement5x

Good job on the region mod! I'm waiting for the chip version from BlueBMW since it also has the option of being switchless if wire it up that way, I'll be doing the reverse though, PCE to TurboGrafx :)

Oh, and welcome to the world of PC Engine gaming, it's like TurboGrafx gaming but only a fraction of the price! Have fun finding a PCE game you like, there are a ton of games out there :)

This world still looks expensive to me. In fact I only did this to increase the value of this TG16 if I ever decide to sell. Those AV jacks definitely turned out nice, so that should help.

Now the hard part of this whole procedure is finding a cheapo PC-Engine game. Anybody know of something that's cheap? I don't care if it's a sports game or card only or whatever, anything will do.

Sucks being broke.

But then again, I've always been a cheap ass. That's why I'm doing this mod myself in the first place!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lastcallhall

Looks REAL good, Guntz! I may have to try this on my spare TG-16.

Where did you get the 8PDT switch? Mouser as well?

Yes.

http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/C...qRYc8CcTpEZ8i2

This was the only 8PDT I could find on Mouser, after doing a decent amount of searching. Unfortunately the jack doesn't appear very case-mountable. I'm gonna have to go over things carefully so I don't eff up the case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robivy64

Looks great. You may want to consider using thinner wires for your HuCard address lines. I would recommend an IDE cable.

This will make it easier to install.

Yeah I should probably do that. It'd make mounting easier for sure. I didn't think this wire would be too thick until I started doing the bottom lines. I don't want to ruin a perfectly good IDE cable (also since I have only a few), so I'd have to find something else. I thought thicker wire would mean the address signals wouldn't degrade from extra wiring... Then again, the wire inside those DB-15 cables was pretty damn thin and it's all several feet long. Maybe I underestimate electricity.

I don't think stability is much of an issue here. I've tugged a bit on each signal wire (all 24 of them) and they are all rock solid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by villahed94

Guntz, did you actually drill a TG16 case???

BTW, I´ll be online at 2pm cst.

Yes, I did. I wasn't feeling like hooking up a Sega-style multi-av port where the RF box goes (besides, I still wanted to fix it), so I just broke out the dremel and drilled that expensive bitch. One more hole is needed for the region switch. Unfortunately though, it'd be square.
08-02-2011, 05:40 PM
xelement5x

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderblaze16

They should make a Pc engine ever drive already, The device should be a micro sd card with the Hue card being pretty much a sd card adapter look alike.

It's not really an everydrive, but I've heard lots of good stuff about the Neo Flash for PCE.

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