NESRGB board available now

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flex
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by flex »

Soundwave GI wrote: Perfect l, thanks! I’ve got some work to do I see. Is the board completely trashed if any of the copper from the through holes got pulled w the PPU. Seems like a dumb question, but if they connect to where they need ultimately I should be ok?
Yeah that is basically it, If there is anything not connected because of damaged traces or pads then you can just run bodge wires instead (you will definatley need to add one to the PPU pin that is missing 5v you pointed out for a start). The other issue is if everything checks out ok but you are shorting anything out with another trace / pin it is not supposed to connect to, this is the issue I experienced personally and is a bit harder to find!

Good luck!
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

flex wrote:
Soundwave GI wrote: Perfect l, thanks! I’ve got some work to do I see. Is the board completely trashed if any of the copper from the through holes got pulled w the PPU. Seems like a dumb question, but if they connect to where they need ultimately I should be ok?
Yeah that is basically it, If there is anything not connected because of damaged traces or pads then you can just run bodge wires instead (you will definatley need to add one to the PPU pin that is missing 5v you pointed out for a start). The other issue is if everything checks out ok but you are shorting anything out with another trace / pin it is not supposed to connect to, this is the issue I experienced personally and is a bit harder to find!

Good luck!
I’ll post back with my findings as soon as I can. I did jump the 5V to the CPU and was getting 5V to the PPU atop the NESRGB, so my problem lies elsewhere. I do have a retro access SNES cable w csync AND a 75ohm resistor. I know that caps had to be removed in that scenario on the v1.4, but my NESRGB is v2.0 and I can’t find if/what needs to be removed or shorted. But my thinking is that I would still at least have sound.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

flex wrote:
Soundwave GI wrote: Perfect l, thanks! I’ve got some work to do I see. Is the board completely trashed if any of the copper from the through holes got pulled w the PPU. Seems like a dumb question, but if they connect to where they need ultimately I should be ok?
Yeah that is basically it, If there is anything not connected because of damaged traces or pads then you can just run bodge wires instead (you will definatley need to add one to the PPU pin that is missing 5v you pointed out for a start). The other issue is if everything checks out ok but you are shorting anything out with another trace / pin it is not supposed to connect to, this is the issue I experienced personally and is a bit harder to find!

Good luck!
Looks like I have everything traced out and I need to bridge a few connections. One of the pads/rings that pulled up was the EXT0 (pin 14 on PPU). I can’t figure looking at pinout or schematics where I would be able to jump that to. Any idea?
flex
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by flex »

Soundwave GI wrote:
flex wrote:
Soundwave GI wrote: Perfect l, thanks! I’ve got some work to do I see. Is the board completely trashed if any of the copper from the through holes got pulled w the PPU. Seems like a dumb question, but if they connect to where they need ultimately I should be ok?
Yeah that is basically it, If there is anything not connected because of damaged traces or pads then you can just run bodge wires instead (you will definatley need to add one to the PPU pin that is missing 5v you pointed out for a start). The other issue is if everything checks out ok but you are shorting anything out with another trace / pin it is not supposed to connect to, this is the issue I experienced personally and is a bit harder to find!

Good luck!
Looks like I have everything traced out and I need to bridge a few connections. One of the pads/rings that pulled up was the EXT0 (pin 14 on PPU). I can’t figure looking at pinout or schematics where I would be able to jump that to. Any idea?
Yeah I believe pins 14 to 17 (the EXT ones) all go to ground so bridging it to Pin 15 would probably work!
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

flex wrote:Yeah I believe pins 14 to 17 (the EXT ones) all go to ground so bridging it to Pin 15 would probably work!
Well, I used the schematics and pinout and got everything communicating under the board properly. Next step was to plug the NESRGB back in and test from PPU. Turns out after all of this that the IC socket on top isn't passing all continuity with the board itself. All of pins 21-40 are good top to bottom, but only about 3 or 4 of the first 20 pins test out with the pins right next to it. The solder job is clean and everything seems in order. I wonder if I have a bad board. I e-mailed Tim at support about it. Would be crazy after all of this if that is the case...crazier that I didn't try that sooner!
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Kez
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Kez »

Not sure if I am misunderstanding your point here but it seems very clear from looking at a picture of the NESRGB that pins 21-40 are directly connected from the PPU to the board, whereas many of the signals on the 1-20 side are routed through various ICs before arriving at the output pins (i.e. would not show continuity).

Image

I suppose it's not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that there is something wrong with your NESRGB board, but it is incredibly unlikely considering how many other issues you have had along the way.
flex
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by flex »

Yeah I agree with the above the connections all change when they go through the components of the RGB board.... This is expected.

Does the console work if you place the PPU chip back into the console directly? (Obviously u will need to ensure the composite video out circuit is still connected to see anything). That's how I sorted my one make sure it works in this configuration first and then test the RGB board afterwards.

One other thing you could do without video output is use an Everdrive as when you switch it on you should see activity from the SD card light regardless of any video output so that would show you if the machine was starting up / running.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Kez wrote:Not sure if I am misunderstanding your point here but it seems very clear from looking at a picture of the NESRGB that pins 21-40 are directly connected from the PPU to the board, whereas many of the signals on the 1-20 side are routed through various ICs before arriving at the output pins (i.e. would not show continuity).

Image

I suppose it's not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that there is something wrong with your NESRGB board, but it is incredibly unlikely considering how many other issues you have had along the way.
There may very well not be anything wrong with the board...I hope that's the case. I did not test with everything back together yet only because I wanted to pose the questions here first. Crucial to know on the continuity, but it would be nice to know where I could test from the PPU out to RGB board...some things are labeled and some aren't. It was certainly a worth-while crash course going through pin by pin on the schematics.

Another question...one of the pads from the through hole that lifted was the VOUT on pin 21. If I want to hook up composite from the NESRGB itself, then I can just leave that as I'd route from the RGB directly to the Multi Out? I'm going to do and suggested and plug the PPU into the first IC and just see if I get composite before going back to the board.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Soundwave GI wrote:
Kez wrote:Not sure if I am misunderstanding your point here but it seems very clear from looking at a picture of the NESRGB that pins 21-40 are directly connected from the PPU to the board, whereas many of the signals on the 1-20 side are routed through various ICs before arriving at the output pins (i.e. would not show continuity).

Image

I suppose it's not entirely beyond the realms of possibility that there is something wrong with your NESRGB board, but it is incredibly unlikely considering how many other issues you have had along the way.
Good point, better to look at it before the IC is on there...for whatever reason, I though the moved out toward the middle, ignoring the obvious traces. There may very well not be anything wrong with the board...I hope that's the case. I did not test with everything back together yet only because I wanted to pose the questions here first. It was certainly a worth-while crash course going through pin by pin on the schematics.

Another question...one of the pads from the through hole that lifted was the VOUT on pin 21. If I want to hook up composite from the NESRGB itself, then I can just leave that as I'd route from the RGB directly to the Multi Out? I'm going to do and suggested and plug the PPU into the first IC and just see if I get composite before going back to the board.
daskrabs
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by daskrabs »

Voultar wrote:A couple of people have asked me how I bypass the Twin Famicom audio circuit and properly mix expansion audio into the NES RGB sound circuitry.

This isn't a tutorial, but a very crude picture coupled with a brief explanation that should thoroughly explain the concept and process.

Image

Simply tap into pins 1 and 2 of the 2A03 and terminate to the A and B inputs of the NESRGB board.

Cartridge expansion audio is also cake: Tap into pin 46 (expansion audio out) of the cartridge connector and terminate it to the NESRGB (depending on PCB revision) with a 100K resistor.

This takes care of everything, except for the FDS RP2C33 audio channel. You can not wire it directly into pin 46 as you did with the cartridge audio. FDS audio needs to be disconnected from pin 46 while in cartridge mode.

The connection from pin 54 of the 2C33 (FDS audio out) to pin 46 of the cartridge connector needs to be active only when the Twin Famicom is in FDS mode.

I mapped out the existing cartridge/disk system switch, and wired the audio-out from the 2C33 to the switch, and from the switch to pin 46. When you slide the switch to FDS mode, the connection will be live, when you flip the switch to cartridge mode, the connection is disconnected, thereby not interfering with cartridge expansion audio.

EDIT: I entirely missed this on the picture diagram. In order to keep the 2A03 audio-channels from premixing and outputting on pin 46 (expansion audio out), either entirely remove or lift a leg on the resistor cited in the picture above. Normally the audio from the 2A03 is pre-amped and fed into pin 45 and mixed with expansion audio, outputting on pin 46. The NESRGB will be handling all of the sound mixing, it's important to do this.
Just wanted to add that the expansion audio should terminate on the NESRGB here:

Image

Thanks, Voultar and Apolloboy.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

I’m having trouble finding best practice for NESRGB v2 expansion audio in a US front loader. I’m guessing it’s better to do expansion through the NESRGB than just doing it on the console as there doesn’t seem to be any agreement on the best resistor to use. Either way, what’s the best way?
edd247
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by edd247 »

Hi guys, I am planning to install the 2.0 board into my twin famicom. I will be wiring up the 8 pin din so I can use a neo geo scart cable. My question is, since the 2.0 board removed the caps on the rgb lines, does my scart cable need to have them? Retro-access and RGC do not mention the caps, so I assume they are not installed on their cables?
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vol.2
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by vol.2 »

Is it ok to use a cable with output capacitors inside the scart connector with NESRGB?
I bought a cheapo multiport to scart cable and i got curious about what's inside, so i opened it up and found caps in line with the RGB lines.
I've been using that into my sync strike and it seems to function ok, but I don't know if it could potentially harm something.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

I've been up and down the forums and still not seeing a definitive answer on the consensus best method to get Famicom Expansion Audio running through the NESRGB on a Front Loader NES. Is it a matter of running CPU pin 1 and 2 into the audio in pads on the NESRGB like normal and then pin 9 from the NES expansion port to the hole next to J5 on NESRGB? What resistors/caps are to be used, if any, to appropriately output the audio at correct volume? Also, what about a 100k linear potentiometer on the line going from pin 9 to the hole on the RGB? I've seen this mentioned as a way to be able to adjust due some games being slightly different in the output. I know I have to mod the Fami -> Nes convertor cart, so that's no big deal. I just want to get this right on the first try. Most front-loader discussions and videos I see kind of gloss it over. Maybe I'm blind? By the way, this is all going to an SNES style multi-out, not the included DIN. Thanks in advance for the help!
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

I'm doing the dejitter mod to the NESRGB, but I'm very confused about this step:
Isolate the PPU pin 18 (clock) from the NESRGB board. I recommend cutting the small part of the pin off so it no longer makes contact with the socket. I DO NOT recommend bending the pin away from the socket at that causes the pin to fatigue and possibly break off. Solder a wire between the isolated PPU pin 18 and palette pad 2.
Is that on the actual PPU itself I should cut the leg, or on the pins of the NESRGB that connect to the actual NES?

I assumed the latter since it's the only socket and cut that pin, but I just want to make sure before I move on.

https://etim.net.au/nesrgb/background_f ... itter.html
nmalinoski
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by nmalinoski »

Konsolkongen wrote:I'm doing the dejitter mod to the NESRGB, but I'm very confused about this step:
Isolate the PPU pin 18 (clock) from the NESRGB board. I recommend cutting the small part of the pin off so it no longer makes contact with the socket. I DO NOT recommend bending the pin away from the socket at that causes the pin to fatigue and possibly break off. Solder a wire between the isolated PPU pin 18 and palette pad 2.
Is that on the actual PPU itself I should cut the leg, or on the pins of the NESRGB that connect to the actual NES?

I assumed the latter since it's the only socket and cut that pin, but I just want to make sure before I move on.
If it says you need to isolate the pin from the NESRGB, and you have a socketed PPU (toploader), then yeah, you can just remove the pin from the socket between the NESRGB and the PPU.

If you instead have a frontloader, where the PPU is soldered into the NESRGB, you'll need to either desolder and pull the pin or snip it, depending on how you want to preserve the pin. (Both approaches are detailed in voultar's videos for converting NES and SNES games to English translations respectively.)
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

Okay thank you. Then I did it wrong, because I snipped the pin between NESRGB and NES, since this is the only socket in my install! I can repair that easily, but that guide should be updated to be more clear :)
nmalinoski
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by nmalinoski »

Konsolkongen wrote:Okay thank you. Then I did it wrong, because I snipped the pin between NESRGB and NES, since this is the only socket in my install! I can repair that easily, but that guide should be updated to be more clear :)
Agreed; the instructions would be clearer by simply dropping "the" from "Isolate the PPU pin 18".
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

So I managed to get the pin soldered back on. It doesn't look too hot, but it works and there is a nice connection through.
https://i.imgur.com/ddK7V2v.jpg

Unfortunately my NES doesn't work anymore :(

The guide says to connect the lifted PPU pin 18 to the palette pad 2. But it also says to connect #CS to palette pad 2. So two wires to that same pad. So that's what I did :/ But the guide also says that palette pad 3 is PPU clock output. Shouldn't that connect to the PPU pin 18 instead?

https://i.imgur.com/KXA7DzS.jpg

The board programmed fine according to the software. I used version 1.9A.
Last edited by Konsolkongen on Thu Apr 25, 2019 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Konsolkongen wrote:So I managed to get the pin soldered back on. It doesn't look too hot, but it works and there is a nice connection through.
https://i.imgur.com/ddK7V2v.jpg

Unfortunately my NES doesn't work anymore :(

The guide says to connect the lifted PPU pin 18 to the palette pad 2. But it also says to connect #CS to palette pad 2. So two wires to that same pin. So that's what I did :/ But the guide also says that palette pad 3 is PPU clock output. Shouldn't that connect to the PPU pin 18 instead?

https://i.imgur.com/KXA7DzS.jpg

The board programmed fine according to the software. I used version 1.9A.
I haven’t done this, but after reading through the instruction, your logic seems sound. The PPU pin 18 looks like it should go to pad 3.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

I tried that as well. But the NES still doesn't work. I fear that the PPU is fried :(

I have sent Tim an email about this. I realise that he says in the guide that he will provide no support. But I'm hoping he can make an exception if the guide was wrong :)
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Konsolkongen wrote:I tried that as well. But the NES still doesn't work. I fear that the PPU is fried :(

I have sent Tim an email about this. I realise that he says in the guide that he will provide no support. But I'm hoping he can make an exception if the guide was wrong :)
Maybe, but you if you removed it carefully I doubt it. I had a nightmare with an install due to having crap tools. I replaced the PPU and it wasn’t the issue, but I had more issues. Did you remove the specified resistors and jump them? Otherwise maybe something w that pin you originally cut? Grab a multimeter and make sure it checks out.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

Yes I removed and bridged those resistors. And I’ve checked continuity on that pin too :)
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Konsolkongen wrote:Yes I removed and bridged those resistors. And I’ve checked continuity on that pin too :)
Did you cut the CS# trace as you are bypassing that now? It’s the last pic in the instructions. Also, I assume you are going out a multi out for RGB now? I think pad 1 would end up on pin 3 for composite sync on the multi out.

Otherwise, hopefully Tim or someone on these forums replies. I went with a v2.0 board to keep with the palette switch and dejitter. Doing front loader next week. My issue has been finding proper way to add expansion audio w NESRGB. Everything I see always references expansion audio using everdrives or direct without using the NESRGB audio, which I want to use.
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Kez
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Kez »

Soundwave GI wrote:My issue has been finding proper way to add expansion audio w NESRGB. Everything I see always references expansion audio using everdrives or direct without using the NESRGB audio, which I want to use.
Check this post by Tim. In the circuits he provides you can toggle between cartridge, Everdrive or off using a switch.. so if you don't want to use an Everdrive you could omit that part of the circuit. However, if you're using a NES not a Famicom you will still wanna have a toggle to prevent noise when not in use.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

Soundwave GI wrote:
Konsolkongen wrote:Yes I removed and bridged those resistors. And I’ve checked continuity on that pin too :)
Did you cut the CS# trace as you are bypassing that now? It’s the last pic in the instructions. Also, I assume you are going out a multi out for RGB now? I think pad 1 would end up on pin 3 for composite sync on the multi out.

Otherwise, hopefully Tim or someone on these forums replies. I went with a v2.0 board to keep with the palette switch and dejitter. Doing front loader next week. My issue has been finding proper way to add expansion audio w NESRGB. Everything I see always references expansion audio using everdrives or direct without using the NESRGB audio, which I want to use.
I did not. The guide says that if I only use RGB output I can skip step 8.
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Kez
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Kez »

Konsolkongen wrote:The guide says to connect the lifted PPU pin 18 to the palette pad 2. But it also says to connect #CS to palette pad 2. So two wires to that same pad. So that's what I did :/ But the guide also says that palette pad 3 is PPU clock output. Shouldn't that connect to the PPU pin 18 instead?
I think you are right here - the PPU normally receives the clock frequency from the board. Currently you are sending CSYNC to that pin? Makes no sense. PPU Clock Output sounds like exactly what it should be receiving.
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Konsolkongen
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Konsolkongen »

Exactly :)

Doesn’t work though. So I fear that the Csync has ruined the PPU as I just can’t get it to work.
Soundwave GI
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Soundwave GI »

Kez wrote:
Soundwave GI wrote:My issue has been finding proper way to add expansion audio w NESRGB. Everything I see always references expansion audio using everdrives or direct without using the NESRGB audio, which I want to use.
Check this post by Tim. In the circuits he provides you can toggle between cartridge, Everdrive or off using a switch.. so if you don't want to use an Everdrive you could omit that part of the circuit. However, if you're using a NES not a Famicom you will still wanna have a toggle to prevent noise when not in use.
I’ve seen that. I didn’t think I’d have to add a million resistors and wire up a fuckin bomb. I thought the idea was to make it all easier. I’m fairly new to modding all the stuff myself, but there are a lot of instructions out there that seem to assume you know a fair amount. Hard to learn when you don’t have easier instructions to do it on the first place and then help others. I prefer actual visuals of an assembly to schematics. I’ve learned infinitely more from Voultars videos than anything else. He just has a knack for translating to people that don’t do this every day and easing you into actually understanding.
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Kez
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Re: NESRGB board available now

Post by Kez »

Soundwave GI wrote:I’ve seen that. I didn’t think I’d have to add a million resistors and wire up a fuckin bomb. I thought the idea was to make it all easier. I’m fairly new to modding all the stuff myself, but there are a lot of instructions out there that seem to assume you know a fair amount. Hard to learn when you don’t have easier instructions to do it on the first place and then help others. I prefer actual visuals of an assembly to schematics. I’ve learned infinitely more from Voultars videos than anything else. He just has a knack for translating to people that don’t do this every day and easing you into actually understanding.
It's not a million resistors, it's three. I suggest you learn how to read simple schematics like this as it will make it all easier. Not everyone who has information to share wants to make a video or take a bunch of pictures when something like this contains all of the required information. Which part of it are you having trouble with?
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