Snes 60 hz mod problem..

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 11:14 am

I've done a 60 hz mod for my Snes but it doesn't display correctly. First there's a messed up start up screen with sound, then it goes black without sound. But when I flip the switch it clearly changes between 50 and 60 hz. Does anyone know what went wrong?

I've followed these guides:
Text guide
Guide with images

Here's some images I took of the screen

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 11:59 am

Perhaps it's a dirty cartridge/ cartridge connector.

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:43 pm

tried cleaning the cartridge connector and game cartridge with some alcohol, but it didn't help.
i noticed when trying other games that there's no response at all, all black with no sound from the beginning.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 12:46 pm

Try taking some fine grit sandpaper and rubbing the cartridge with it.

Or perhaps you dropped some solder on the board.

Or it could be a poorly/wrongly wired wire.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:03 pm

Kurt_ wrote:Try taking some fine grit sandpaper and rubbing the cartridge with it.

ARG bad idea lol. That would wear and reduce the life of your games. Try an eraser instead.

Jongamer · Post by **Jongamer** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:18 pm

Did you read this at the Bottom of the guide?

"Some games check for a 50Hz system at startup - but you can get around this by turning the console on in 50Hz mode, and switching to 60Hz mode once the game has started."

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:56 pm

Try taking some fine grit sandpaper and rubbing the cartridge with it.

I'm a little sceptical about the sandpaper technique, think I'll skip that one

Alcohol should have done the trick, right?

Or it could be a poorly/wrongly wired wire.

I took em all out and rewired. Same problem still.

"Some games check for a 50Hz system at startup - but you can get around this by turning the console on in 50Hz mode, and switching to 60Hz mode once the game has started."

Yeah, I tried starting every game in both 50 and 60 hz mode.

Hmm, the only thing that is starting to bug me now is that maybe I messed up with the resistor.. I'm new at this and I've read a lot about the resistors but I'm not fully comfortable with them.

I have limited amount of resistors at home right now, the highest being 820 ohm. What's the rule of resistors in series? Like how many can be soldered in series, is it as easy as combining them so they have desired ohm?

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:08 pm

sdh wrote:I have limited amount of resistors at home right now, the highest being 820 ohm. What's the rule of resistors in series? Like how many can be soldered in series, is it as easy as combining them so they have desired ohm?

Resistors in series (one after the other, end to end) add their resistance together, so a 5 ohm and 5 ohm equal 10 ohms. There isn't really a limit, but its better to keep it simple and use as few as possible.

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 6:16 pm

so two 820 and one 560 resistor which is exactly 2200 ohm should have worked fine. well, it seems this one is going to be unsolved

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:00 pm

Maybe your TV can't accept the signal. The guide says your TV has to be compatible. Tried it on any other TVs yet?

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 7:37 pm

But I have another PAL Snes that works well with the tv, so it could not be that?
Can quality of the wire or dirty solder affect anything?

Lorelis-san · Post by **Lorelis-san** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:31 am

Have you broken the traces as the guide says?

Have you got the wires on the correct chips?

Has stray solder shorted out a connection?

Try to check for those, those are common problems which could happen

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:06 am

Your TV must be able to display a PAL60 signal for this mod to work (most TVs with SCART sockets will be ok).

To mean, that means your PAL TV must be able to RECIEVE 60 Hz that's being put out by the SNES. I don't know if this mod would affect the playability of the system on normal 50HZ mode.

If I were you, I'd work backwards. Take out the switch, and disconnect the wires from Pin 28 to Pin 30, and see if it will run a normal PAL game on your TV. But don't touch the chips on the board, that could be damaging if you mess with them too much.

Also, did you check if one of the pins from one of the ICs is touching the pin next to it? Use a multimeter.

sdh · Post by **sdh** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:33 pm

I have tried to search for the problem for so long now that I'm losing interest in it, the wiring seems fine. I guess I've damaged it or something

well, anyhow, I decided to mod my other Snes and that went just fine! No poblems at all. It's modded with a 50/60 hz switch, lockout fix, widened cart slot and a blue led. And I think I'm going to do a paint job on it some day, probably white or black.

Btw, about the lockout mod.. I've read that some PAL games won't run this way, requiring a switch for the lockout as well, does anyone know if this affects many games and maybe even which ones?

Also I'm wondering if anyone knows good spots to draw some power off for some leds in the Snes? I want to make the cart slot glow blue like on the Wii

Here's a pic of the Snes

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:33 pm

Like I said, it really seems like something touching a place it's not supposed to. But if you got one working, good job. Looks great, and all that jazz. Unless that isn't yours.

As for where to draw LED voltage, try the regulator. It provides a nice 5 volts.