NESRGB New Firmware Palette Updates:

[Voultar]

oh .. that is an old one. Forgot how the first few looked like.

She's very old. The 1st revision. It's just a test jig now that gets poked and prodded.

[FBX]

might not be a good idea:

- In top loader installation, no space between the NESRGB and slot.
- In installations that have the component adapter, no space in front of holes. The component adapter almost sits on top of the holes!

How often do you think the firmware will need to be updated? 1.7 seems to be the final / stable version and has now been shipping for a long time. Now that your palette is also stable again not needed.

I typically solder a header into that port and have a custom ribbon cable I made that plugs into it for programming. The 1 customer that wanted to do their own future upgrades, I soldered the blaster ribbon right into the NESRGB. Now, they can open the NES, plug the adapter into the blaster and program it. No need to take apart the Front Loader to get to the NESRGB. The programming cable is sitting right there on top of the shield.

Well to be more specific, this board idea was based on the original Front-loading consoles. It's not meant to be a permanent fixture on the board, but rather I was thinking just a temporary hookup done only when updating the firmware. I did think about permanent solutions like you described, only I was thinking wires from the JTAG terminals would then go to a male 10-pin ribbon socket that's say mounted on the back of the console shell. Although as you say, there's not likely to be much need for it very often.

[Ripthorn]

Damn... my NES RGB install has already the component board installed, any other way to install the new pallets?

[darcagn]

Damn... my NES RGB install has already the component board installed, any other way to install the new pallets?

I'm confused by you post... The component board doesn't prevent you from updating the firmware on the NESRGB

[xadox]

Updated my Firmware also with your great New Palettes.
Big Thx @FBX

[Ripthorn]

Damn... my NES RGB install has already the component board installed, any other way to install the new pallets?

I'm confused by you post... The component board doesn't prevent you from updating the firmware on the NESRGB

Well, the board sits above jtag holes, kinda hard to solder something with little to no space.

I could remove the board, but I really do not want to mess up my installation right now.

[leonk]

What are you talking about!? I can see the programming holes in your picture!!! They're the ones above the component board.

You got more than enough space to solder to those pins. Or remove the NESRGB and install a header into it. No big deal.

[yxkalle]

...and the PCB got a backside.

[Ripthorn]

What are you talking about!? I can see the programming holes in your picture!!! They're the ones above the component board.

You got more than enough space to solder to those pins. Or remove the NESRGB and install a header into it. No big deal.

Man, I completely forgot that the board can be removed
Thanks for reminding me Now it will be lot easier to install a JTAG interface.

[FBX]

So I figured out why slot #2 and #3 seemed reversed in order for so many of us, and it has to do with how the toggle switch is wired. Mine is wired like the first one in Tim's diagrams:

http://etim.net.au/nesrgb/switch/

This means slot #3 is going to the middle switch position, and slot #2 is going to the 3rd switch position.

[Ripthorn]

Any other suggestion for a "plug 'n play" solution?
I know, could just follow FBX's instructions, but I have other boards here and I don't want solder the wires every time.

[FBX]

Any other suggestion for a "plug 'n play" solution?
I know, could just follow FBX's instructions, but I have other boards here and I don't want solder the wires every time.

My own temporary solution was to splice the ribbon wires to larger gauge wires that were less flexible, but could still be bent with enough pressure. Then I stripped about 1/4 inch off the other end of the larger wires' shielding, and twisted the wire ends into tight bundles that fit snugly into each JTAG terminal on the NESRGB board. After making absolutely certain there were no shorts (wires touching things they shouldn't), I fired up the NES and the programming software, and everything worked perfectly. I've done this 3 different times now.

[yxkalle]

My own temporary solution was to splice the ribbon wires to larger gauge wires that were less flexible, but could still be bent with enough pressure. Then I stripped about 1/4 inch off the other end of the larger wires' shielding, and twisted the wire ends into tight bundles that fit snugly into each JTAG terminal on the NESRGB board. After making absolutely certain there were no shorts (wires touching things they shouldn't), I fired up the NES and the programming software, and everything worked perfectly. I've done this 3 different times now.

I used a couple of breadboard patch cables myself. I just applied a sliiight pressure to them while programming to make sure they made good contact.

[xadox]

Quick and Dirty (soldered the Pinheader from Top):

[Guspaz]

What's that replacement for the NES RF box you've got in that photo?

[Ripthorn]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

It seems to be easier make the update process with Dupont cables and 90 degree pins.

[leonk]

What's that replacement for the NES RF box you've got in that photo?

That's the NES IGR. I got one in my top loader.

[xadox]

@Guspaz:
It is a german invention by borti4938, srdwa and ArcadeTV.
It complety replaces the IO Ports of the Frontloader in combination with the NESRGB in combination with IGR.

Here you could find some information about it:
http://circuit-board.de/forum/index.php ... ontloader/

[keropi]

^ it's the best companion for NESRGB + flashcart , comes also in toploader version:

[leonk]

Yeah. Love the NES IGR. Here's the last batch I manufactured and put together:

[Pasky]

Big globs of solder on the ground plane are a bad idea, you can't really get the entire plane hot enough for solder to get a good surface tension, you risk that falling off if it decides to crack, it also looks awful.

[leonk]

Big globs of solder on the ground plane are a bad idea, you can't really get the entire plane hot enough for solder to get a good surface tension, you risk that falling off if it decides to crack, it also looks awful.

My Hakko professional soldering station can burn a hole through that PCB, if I wanted to. I assure it it's very secure.

If you pay close attention, you will notice some of the points are actually not required. They are there as "insurance policy" incase the NESRGB shifts for any crazy reason. Most installers do not add the extra grounding wires. I do it just out of habit.

For points "where it matters" I'm a lot more conservative with my usage of solder.

[ApolloBoy]

you can't really get the entire plane hot enough for solder to get a good surface tension

Only if you have a crappy iron.

[leonk]

you can't really get the entire plane hot enough for solder to get a good surface tension

Only if you have a crappy iron.

I was thinking about this, and realized that is was actually very common manufacturing process "back in the day". Anyone that has done a cap kit on TG16, Turboexpress, Atari Lynx, etc will recall that all these have their RF shields either soldered to the back side of the PCB, or another shield.

I think this is where I got this idea a while back from.

[Guspaz]

Yeah. Love the NES IGR. Here's the last batch I manufactured and put together

I was more thinking of it as a better replacement for the RF box that I removed from an NES to serve as the power supply and output source of a raspberry pi NES. I wanted the Pi NES to appear as close to an NES as possible, including using the original power adapter and RCA plugs.

Unfortunately, while it worked, there was a nasty ground loop on the audio output.

EDIT: Power for the Pi came from taking the unregulated DC off the NES RF box and running it into a switch-mode 5v power supply. Way less heat, and the 7805 seemed to have rather inaccurate power output.

[yxkalle]

I like waffles.

[BuffaloWing]

I didn't want to solder anything permanent on to NESRGB for programming so I took a dual row header and pulled out all the pins from one row. Then I slightly bent each remaining pins in opposite direction so when they are inserted on to the NESRGB they simply latch on through friction. The empty side provides stability that single row header lacks. And yes the wires were soldered, hot glue was used only as strain relief.




I'm also using a customized borti4938 NESRGB-IGR. I changed the layout a bit to accommodate my stand-off.

[leonk]

BuffaloWing: Very nice. Those are your custom 3D printed stands, right?

I also noticed you removed the 220uF caps off the NESRGB. I used to do that a year ago, but never noticed a difference between them there and not there (when there are caps in the SCART cable). Are you removing them because of an issue?

[BuffaloWing]

BuffaloWing: Very nice. Those are your custom 3D printed stands, right?

I also noticed you removed the 220uF caps off the NESRGB. I used to do that a year ago, but never noticed a difference between them there and not there (when there are caps in the SCART cable). Are you removing them because of an issue?

Thanks, yes I made them. I also did a set for my American NES.

I originally did my NESRGB install before I purchased a Frameister. I removed them because I remember reading the discussion about them in the main NESRGB thread (about a year ago). Once I got the Frameister and had the chance to hook it up and seeing it run fine that I just kept it as is. Is the new consensus is to not remove them now?

[leonk]

Yeah.. It seems they make no difference between being there or being removed.

Tim designed the NESRGB to be used by SCART cables with no extra components in them, hence why the 220 caps are there.