exxos's Atari, Amiga & retro forum

These consoles are known to suffer from SMT caps. Are you going inside while it is working? There is a nice, easy RGB mod to do at the same time.

https://8bitplus.co.uk/your-consoles/ne ... -upgrades/

alexh wrote: 06 Jun 2023 11:42

rubber_jonnie wrote: 06 Jun 2023 10:43 Ahh, yours is the R model, what's the difference, other than the obvious casing differences?

It's a cost-down. They removed the headphone jack and drive lock switch.

Ah, the old 'let's make it cheaper, with less stuff, give it a cooler name and charge the same for it' plan.

Not that the drive lock switch is particularly spectacular, it's just a mechanical lock for the CD open button. I think the headphone socket is useful though.

alexh wrote: 06 Jun 2023 11:51 These consoles are known to suffer from SMT caps. Are you going inside while it is working? There is a nice, easy RGB mod to do at the same time.

https://8bitplus.co.uk/your-consoles/ne ... -upgrades/

Yeah, I already replaced a bunch of SMD caps in the video circuit, and will probably do the rest at some point in the near future, as I don't trust them.

I may do the RGB mod, but for the short term the composite out is actually not bad, though my opinion may change once I try a game on it. That CD-ROM fix is interesting too.

In fact that site has some interesting info on it, will have a proper look later.

My Japanese parcel has arrived :)

Ooooooo........!

And here it all is, R-TYPE, a controller and a CD to test with :)


R-TYPE works lovely :)


And I think the CD problem is that the hub has dropped, as the CD is touching the case as it spins, so thanks to @alexh for the pointer to that :)

And lifting the CD drive hub about .5mm now has the cd spinning properly and not catching on the case - and it works!!!

These from a Super CD called PATLABOR - Chapter of Griffin:






I'm very pleased with todays arrivals and efforts :)

Ahh, R-TYPE is such a classic!!


I have to say, the image quality via my Dragon 32 composite/audio cable fed through my Retrotink to HDMI is really rather better than I could have hoped for.

That is a cracking Composite picture.
I only have 1 CRT (out of quite a few :? ) that accepts a 60Hz composite signal and displays in colour. I suppose that is one of the main reasons for me RGB modding.
Your picture looks so good it goes not look worth fiddling about with.

Higgy wrote: 06 Jun 2023 15:51 That is a cracking Composite picture.
I only have 1 CRT (out of quite a few :? ) that accepts a 60Hz composite signal and displays in colour. I suppose that is one of the main reasons for me RGB modding.
Your picture looks so good it goes not look worth fiddling about with.

I don't think I'll do the RGB mod, as you say it's a cracking picture, and the Dragon 32 cable also works fine for the sound as well.

I have to say, I struck lucky with that TV. It was a temporary fix for a dead TV in our bedroom years ago, but it will do 60Hz no problem and has a load of inputs. I got a similar one for £10 off ebay and that is good too, similar number of inputs, though a different aspect ratio. Both also have built in DVD players too :)