TurboGrafx-16 - for those of you who don't know about it...

[bacteria]

In your first post you mentioned using 4 DPDT switches. I would ditch those and use a DIP switch.

Have you got a pic of what you mean? Needs to switch 8 wires from one set of contacts to another.

[jperryss]

In your first post you mentioned using 4 DPDT switches. I would ditch those and use a DIP switch.

Have you got a pic of what you mean? Needs to switch 8 wires from one set of contacts to another.

I've seen it done with an 8PDT switch, which isn't easy to find. There's also another method involving (I think) an IC combined with a 2PDT switch. I don't know much about it honestly, one of the forum members over at pcenginefx.com region-modded my Duo-R for me. There's lots of knowledgeable folks over there, you might wanna ask or search around a bit over there.

I'm pretty sure the guy that modded mine used the IC method, as I don't think an 8PDT switch could fit in this spot (region switch is to the right of the AV port in this pic):
http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i246/ ... witch1.jpg

[eurddrue]

wasn't there a portable turbographix made that you could just buy?

[grahf]

Yeah, as was already mentioned. The Turbo Express, or PC Engine GT in Japan. (See my avatar). I have two (maybe 3) of them. One mint, and one i've modded. When using modern batteries, such as your average 2000-2500mAh nimh rechargables, you can get way more than 3 hours. Its probably between 6~7 hours. The system itself doesn't draw much power. It was just the screen really.

Good luck on this Bacteria, but I would highly recommend starting with a Japanese PC Engine or Core Graphx system. Immensely smaller that the TG16, and can be region modded simply by switching 8 wires between the hucard slot and the board.

[schmellyfart]

In your first post you mentioned using 4 DPDT switches. I would ditch those and use a DIP switch.

Have you got a pic of what you mean? Needs to switch 8 wires from one set of contacts to another.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dip_switch

[bacteria]

Looked into this, DIP switches are only single pole which isn't of use - I need double pole so it switches between one set of 8 connections to a different set of 8 connections.

I had thought about using normal switches, 4 double pole or 8 single pole, small switches (I have some anyway), and making a larger slide so they move together; although that will probably have too much resistance to work well.

Looked on e-bay, again, single pole although have 8 terminals; again, not what I need.

Instead, thought I might use an old IDE cable and male connectors from an old CD drive (useless!), to make a set of connections; not easy to describe what I have in mind, you will see how the project develops. I have a similar idea for when making my Retro Duo project in order to make one cart slot work for both systems.

grahf - from what I see, the Japanese systems (PC-Engine) can be converted to work with USA HUcards by lifting pin 29 on one of the chips, some games work like that, some need the pin to be wired to ground; to make it region free however you then also need a converter to make USA games work.

I personally prefer games I can read, so am not too keen on Japanese games; so it makes sense for me to have got the USA version. I am modding my system to work with Japanese games however, as some games like Bomberman run mostly in English so are fine. I bought Break-In which is Japanese but mostly in English (a pool game).

Anyway, done a fair bit of research before, and again now:

To make a Japanese system take USA (not needed for USA systems BTW):





Below is only correct if you don't do the above!



Pinout - highlighted the pins which need to be reversed to change between USA and Japanese games.



RGB - if I go that route, however might need a circuit made to make the video signals brighter - or perhaps the PSone screen contrast will do the trick instead? Worth trying!

If you take composite from the normal output you get composite, if you take it off the chip you get C-Sync.




This is why I wanted a "Other retro console" forum. I am sure i'm not the only person who will mod unusual systems; and there are several systems out there in this category. I am sure when someone makes such systems portable, like I am doing, others will follow and make their own - especially if the projects are well documented. After all, if systems like the N64 weren't documented here, it is unlikely that there would be so many portables made to date.

Looks like however I might not get my wish; never mind, if it isn't implemented here, it will be (and is being) on my site. I wanted however it to be on the BenHeck site! Nevermind, "Plan B".

If you want to see my build thread for the TurboGrafx, (after all, nowhere suitable to post it here), please visit my site...

[XCVG]

Can you give us links to your sources, instead of links to your image host?

Anyway, from what I heard the Japanese version is considerably smaller.

[Triton]

This is why I wanted a "Other retro console" forum. I am sure i'm not the only person who will mod unusual systems; and there are several systems out there in this category. I am sure when someone makes such systems portable, like I am doing, others will follow and make their own - especially if the projects are well documented. After all, if systems like the N64 weren't documented here, it is unlikely that there would be so many portables made to date.

are you going to whine about this in every post you make from now on? until we either do or do not make a new section if you are making something that doesnt fit into a specific section just post it in F42 or something

[bacteria]

are you going to whine about this in every post you make from now on? until we either do or do not make a new section if you are making something that doesnt fit into a specific section just post it in F42 or something

It took that to get a response... - I wasn't whining I was putting a valid argument forward. No, I have put my case forward and will leave it up to you to make a decision about a new section or not, end of.

No, i'm not putting my latest pride and joy in with the spamming threads in Forum 42, any more than you would. If a suitable section goes up here, I will use it; otherwise I will just use my own website and just post some final pics in News here when I finish the project. Anyone who wants to see my project can click on the link in my sig in the interim. Thanks for your understanding Triton, wow: just trying to improve the knowledge base here - at least I was asking for a relevant forum, not a spamming forum as some have here...

[Triton]

you sent the mods a message about another forum and we have been discussing it, it is not necessary to bring it up repeatedly on the forums in general. instead of complaining in a large font about the lack of a section you want and saying you will just post it on your website because there isnt a section that fits your needs you could post it in F42 or tech Q&A or any forum section IN THE MEANTIME. just because a forum section doesnt exist doesnt mean you cant make that portable

[eurddrue]

besides, your the second person on here to make a turbo graphix and there have probably been under 10 projects that include systems that we don't have labeled

[jperryss]

Bacteria, most of your info is spot-on.

TG16 - Need to flip 8 pins to play JP hucards.
PCE - Need to flip 8 pins and ground pin29 to play US hucards.

As far as I know, grounding pin 29 works 100% of the time for playing US hucards.

The size difference between the TG16 and PCE is insane. Here's a pic of the PCE next to a CD case:
http://www.asoq93.dsl.pipex.com/PCE.jpg

But I don't think the original PCE had composite outputs on it (the CoreGrafx did).

Anyway, good luck with the project.

[XCVG]

Bacteria, do you have links to those pages? When I click on the pictures all I get is your photo host.

[bacteria]

Triton - Sorry, I was getting impatient (you know how it is when enthusiastic!).

eurddue - Didn't know that - someone else made one? Have you got a link please - interested to see what they did, and which version of the system they used!

jperryyss - I like to spend time researching on a project before jumping in, always best policy. A fortnight ago I didn't know anything about the differences in the systems, let's face it, there are quite a few variations of the systems; HUcards, USA/Jap, CD, sizes, etc - it isn't like other systems here when the only variations are a Chinese copy. I was quite confused when I initially bought my TG-16, all I knew was I had read that you could play Japanese games on the USA boards by swapping pins, but not USA on Japanese; until I researched further - by then, I already got my system. A sweetner to the system was the seller sent me two games included, and sold me Galaga '90 for only £3 - a game I really wanted.

Yeah gods, the PCE is really small. To put this into context, the board I am using is about 280 x 170mm out of the box, and I am having to make it under 210/180mm x 130mm to fit in my casing! The PCE would have just fitted right out of the box Oh well, never mind - more points to me when I get this done!

Wish I knew this when I spent my money on the board initially!

XCVG - Don't have links to them now, although easy to locate - I Googled things like "turbografx RGB" "turbografx swap" "pc engine region" "turbografx pinout" "turbografx controller pinout" and worked through the sites. Found some stuff on forums and other sites of interest.

One site I found, but can't find now, was someone who made a NES controller work as a TG-16 controller, by using a chip. Handy as these controllers are quite expensive to replace.

[eurddrue]

he's already posted in this thread, Grahf put a casio pocket tv on one. (but I something tells me he took the tv off of it but I can't find where he posted )