antron wrote:I guess it still provides sync, right? What do you think of the theory that the PPU video might provide the best sync possible?
Sync is just a pulse after every video line to say the line ends here. The sync signal for all parts of the NESRGB comes from the PPU video output. The original video output or the PPUV signal has the least amount of stuff in the processing chain, but it shouldn't make any real difference which one you choose.
robneal81 wrote:Hamburglar wrote:What's the recommended way to do the "stereo" mod for the toaster NES if also using the NESRGB?
Right...and how should we route Famicom expansion audio to work through the stereo mod, when using the NESRGB?
Don't use the audio section of the NESRGB if you want "stereo" audio becasue it only has a single channel mixer-amplifier.
Hamburglar wrote:
The one thing I found fairly difficult was the pin-headers. Soldering them in is easy. Soldering them in so they are perfectly straight and not on a slight angle was very difficult. But I got it in the end.
I had a step in the guide explaining how to solder the headers in straight. I cut it out when eiditing becasue it seemed obvious to me. I'll put it back in the next time I revise it.
leonk wrote:As far as I understand it, Tim added the extra regulator as to not burn out the existing system one (probably under rare circumstances it's possible to draw more current than the stock regulator can supply). Well, I was wondering, Tim's solution for adding the extra regulator for his custom board is one solution but why has no one explored another - replace the stock regulator with one that still outputs 5v DC but is rated for higher current? Wouldn't that solve the problem (in a cleaner install)??
Not quite. The current (load) is increased by the addition of the NESRGB board but it's not current I am concerned about, it's power dissipation in the form of heat. I don't want the regulator to melt! The important variables are the size/thermal properties of the heatsink and the input voltage from the AC adapter. The actual regular part makes no difference. The votlage from the original Australian AC adapter is rather high but this may not always be the case.
I think the external regulator is probably not necessary on the AV Famicom or NES top loader due to the size of the heatsink but this should be tested with a calibrated finger after running the unit for an hour or so.
cr4zymanz0r wrote:My RGB NESicom is done!
http://imgur.com/a/GgxdF
When I added the Famicom cart slot I was getting some sprite corruption on FDS games. Some pulldown resistors to CPU pins 21 through 25 mostly fixed the issue but every once in a while I'd get a tiny graphical glitch for half a second.
HOWEVER, with the NESRGB board installed the sprite corruption issue on FDS is completely eradicated even without pulldown resistors. It's even gone when I have the NESRGB board set to off and I'm using the default PPU generated composite. I don't know what voodoo it's doing but I like it!.
The level translator ICs on the NESRGB are buffering the CPU data bus between the PPU and the rest if the system at all times. Perhaps they have a differenct logic threshold to the PPU which makes them more immune to noise on the bus.
cr4zymanz0r wrote:I also did figure out how to mix Famicom expansion audio into the NESRGB sound circuit. It's very similar to the regular front loader Famicom sound mod but the last part is slightly different.
I like this method. It's the easiest way to do it.
markfrizb wrote:Question to VileTim: will the next batch be exactly the same as the first? Or will it have any new features?
The only thing I will add is an extra resistor + solder pad for Famicom audio mixing. Everything else will ramain the same.
loopyeddie wrote:Ok, yes, I get it. I fucked up with the scratches. Now I'd like to fix it.
I doubt you actually severed a track with your screwdriver. You just scrached the solder resist.
The only thing that immediately comes to mind is that you may have a plated through hole when removing the PPU. The PCB holes have a copper plating which joint the traces on the top to the traces on the bottom. If you damage the plating you could possible have a pin which is soldered to the pad on the underside of the board but makes no connection to the trace on the to side.