PCEngine / Duo RGB modders in UK ?

[rtyper]

Hello guys and welcome to my 1st post 
Have done a search of the site concerning PCEngine hardware modders in the UK and have found a couple: pcenginesales and console passion, but these posts are quite old, around 2008.
Console Passion don't appear to do PCEngine modding anymore, if you visit their website they still do Sega hardware along with others and pcenginesale have dropped off the radar.

Does anyone know of any UK based PCEngine / Duo modders ?

For a stock PCEngine I could get a NEC RGB AVBOX which looks great, unfortunately this doesn't solve RGB modding a DUO R / RX or using a briefcase setup.
I could attempt it myself and the PCEngine ones do look quite straightforward as you can use the EXT bus or hardware connected to it. But, the DUO RGB modding
requires soldering to the chip legs ? Have tried soldering in the past (scart sockets and edge connectors) but suffer from the dreaded collywobbles (hand-shakes).

Any information would be appreciated, thanks.

[sunteam_paul]

Try Raven Games perhaps? http://www.ravengames.co.uk/

[turboswimbz]

Welcome!  Glad to see ya! Enjoy the craziness.

sunteam, (who already answered) superplay, or soop would be the best to answer your question as UK obeys.

apologies if I left ya out fellow UK members.

[Tatsujin]

Hi R-Typer and welcome to the obey farm

did you clear r-type?

[rtyper]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

@Tatsujin : Sorry, never cleared it on PCE or any other format as I don't like credit feeding, think I got to level 5 at most and I've lost my shmup abilities along with a lot of my hair.
However it was the 1st game I ever saw on the PCE at a guys house, the same person who used to produce the Electric Brain/PCEngine Fanatic fanzine in the UK
(used the name Black Marker) which I still have most copies of. I remember thinking it wasn't up to much as I was an Amiga fanboy at the time (I apologise) but picked up
a PCE when I saw a review of Kyukyoku Tiger in one of the UK mags. Needless to say the Amiga didn't last much longer after experiencing the PCE shmups.

@sunteam_paul : Thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately I've already experienced 'raven games' (spits on floor) modding botch jobs in the past on a stock PCE.
Sent them one to rgb mod and they sent it back 'hard-wired' at the back so it wouldn't go into my briefcase setup. When I returned for alteration it looks like they just
melted a hole in the side with a soldering iron and shoved it through there, leaving the other exposed hole, looks a right mess. Definately a last, last, last resort.

@turboswimbz : yeah, there's a lot of PCE love going around at the mo, pity it never saw a release in the UK (Although there seem to be official (?) PAL versions of the
Turbo Grafx 16 listed on some web-stores) as it showed how half-assed most of the 16bit computers 'arcade conversions' were. Street Fighter 2 on a 1 button controller?
I don't think it was because the hardware wasn't capable, I very much believe it was because the programmers were not skilled enough and because the original developers
Capcom etc did not provide any documentation for reference puposes. You only have to look at the x68000 versions considering that the Amiga specs were very similar.

If I have trouble locating a modder there are lots of tutorials on you-tube etc so I may chance my arm, so look out for a botched console for sale shortly. 

[esteban]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

@Tatsujin : Sorry, never cleared it on PCE or any other format as I don't like credit feeding, think I got to level 5 at most and I've lost my shmup abilities along with a lot of my hair.
However it was the 1st game I ever saw on the PCE at a guys house, the same person who used to produce the Electric Brain/PCEngine Fanatic fanzine in the UK
(used the name Black Marker) which I still have most copies of. I remember thinking it wasn't up to much as I was an Amiga fanboy at the time (I apologise) but picked up
a PCE when I saw a review of Kyukyoku Tiger in one of the UK mags. Needless to say the Amiga didn't last much longer after experiencing the PCE shmups.

First, welcome comrade.

Second, if we don't have it yet, please consider scanning any and all fanzines!
http://archives.tg-16.com/magazine_database.htm?col=reg&val=uk

 

[wildfruit]

try console goods by a guy named rob webb
he sells modded consoles sometimes dont know if he does them himself though but couldnt hurt to ask

[rtyper]

thanx for the contact wildfruit, shot an email off and apparently he did mod the consoles himself.
but, (there's always a but) he doesn't mod them anymore due to time constraints, the search goes on.

[Bardoly]

2 New UK members on the same day.  Cool.

Welcome to Pcenginefx!

[peasoup]

Hey rtyper, I'm in the UK too unfortunately I don't know anyone personally. I did my own Duo and am about to do my other Duo-R not sure I would be comfortable doing someone elses, would hate to break it. It could be worth shooting an email off to retro gaming cables or genkivideogames they might know someone.

The actual soldering is quite trivial if you take your time, the most annoying thing is finding a Din8 that fits and piecing the rgb amp together. Though I might be able to help with that if you decide to go the DIY route.

[rtyper]

Hi peasoup, thanks for the reply and offer regarding the pcengine rgb amp.
Well, picked up one of the nec avboxes from otakus store via ebay to use on the pcengine. Very nice picture and it should work on my supergrafx as well, which was hardwired when I got it spanking new from a shop in nottingham (supervision?) when they were released. Otakus also sell the amps pre-built so you only have to solder it between the chip / 8pin din and the other modding bits as a kit.
Also picked up a doujindance modded duo-r (rgb/svideo + region switch + new laser) off ebay which is excellent, so I'll put off modding the duo-rx for the time being. (damn my pce ocd) but as you say it's probably something i'll have to have a go at myself.

[peasoup]

No worries. I've got a doujindance duo-r as well The man does lovely work I hope you enjoy it!