TG16 region mod...

[Ayce]

I purchased my first PC Engine game... One that I dreamed about as a child. Street Fighter II' 
I picked up the Avenue 6 pad and adapter so that I will be ready to play the game ...  on my Everdrive. I know it's not the last Japanese Hu that I want to buy so my question. How difficult is the region mod to install? I've added s-video to my brothers 7800 and Ultra mode to my AES so I do have skills with a soldering iron.

The other question is ... Is there someone on the forums that is experienced in doing this mod who can do it for me, and how much?

[ishiyakazuo]

If you have a TG16, why not just use a passive converter?

[ApolloBoy]

If you have a TG16, why not just use a passive converter?

Because a region mod is cheaper and far more reliable than a converter?

[crans]

I also can do the mod and have them in stock. (USA Based)

Since you have an Everdrive why would you not want to use it to back up your originals and not hack your system?

[ishiyakazuo]

If you have a TG16, why not just use a passive converter?

Because a region mod is cheaper and far more reliable than a converter?

How is opening up your console, breaking and soldering up a bunch of connections "more reliable" than sliding in something HuCard-shaped into the HuCard slot?  I can't even fathom the logic.  (The cheaper part is undeniable, though.)

[GohanX]

Many converters are pieces of shit that don't make proper contact half the time.

[ishiyakazuo]

Many converters are pieces of shit that don't make proper contact half the time.

That's a fair statement.  At least you qualified it with "many" -- I was mainly objecting to the fact that ApolloBoy made it like it was a 100% always true fact.  In theory, a converter could be made by desoldering the HuCard connector from a TG16 or PCE and slapping it on a PCB with the right thickness, and if the PCB isn't designed like crap, it'd be just as reliable as any internal mod that can be done.

[ctophil]

If you have a TG16, why not just use a passive converter?

Because a region mod is cheaper and far more reliable than a converter?

How is opening up your console, breaking and soldering up a bunch of connections "more reliable" than sliding in something HuCard-shaped into the HuCard slot?  I can't even fathom the logic.  (The cheaper part is undeniable, though.)

I definitely agree with this sentiment.  As I said before, I dislike making any changes internally to a game console, including the Turbografx-16.  I like it the way the system was originally designed.  It's a Purist way of thinking.  Plus, there is always a risk of damaging your system no matter how skilled you are.  I know this because I installed modchips for people back in the day for PS1, Dreamcast, Xbox, and PS2.  And as time goes by, a short in the solder connection(s) can also cause the console to just stop working altogether. 

A converter acts as an external source, and if it breaks down, just go buy another replacement.  I believe there will always be somebody who will be making a converter somewhere in the world.  They don't make Turbografx-16 or PC Engines anymore.  The systems will get harder and harder to find as time goes by due to people holding on to them and heavily broken consoles that get thrown in the trash, especially when the TG-16 was less known.  Therefore, a shortage is more likely than say the Atari 2600 or NES. 

You ask, "What if somebody makes a clone TG-16?"  I say, so what?  A clone system is not a TG-16 in my book.  It wasn't made by NEC and will not have the same quality and antiquity.  Have you ever heard of Clone systems of NES, SNES , and Sega Genesis that had the EXACT same video/audio processing as the real thing?  It's always this or that...the audio is terrible.  The video is blurry.  The plastic is cheap.  It can't play certain games.  etc., etc. 

[Necromancer]

How is opening up your console, breaking and soldering up a bunch of connections "more reliable" than sliding in something HuCard-shaped into the HuCard slot?  I can't even fathom the logic.  (The cheaper part is undeniable, though.)

You've obviously never used any of the various region converters available.

[ishiyakazuo]

How is opening up your console, breaking and soldering up a bunch of connections "more reliable" than sliding in something HuCard-shaped into the HuCard slot?  I can't even fathom the logic.  (The cheaper part is undeniable, though.)

You've obviously never used any of the various region converters available.

ANY of them?  Have you sampled them all?  If not, then you've obviously made a completely baseless generalization.
See, this is why I commented in the first place.  You absolutely cannot say that it's more reliable, because (a) there are people out there who really suck at modding and (b) some adapters are worse than others.

[Necromancer]

ANY of them?  Have you sampled them all?  If not, then you've obviously made a completely baseless generalization.

I don't have to physically use each and every version to be aware that others have reported various problems with them, with some versions not surprisingly being more troublesome than others.  And here's another baseless generalization: you implying that ALL converters are more reliable (nothing in your statement limited it to just the mythical perfect converter).

See, this is why I commented in the first place.

Because you wanted to argue semantics?  Bravo.  Anyone with half a brain could see that ApolloBoy was saying that mods are better than region converters in general.

(a) there are people out there who really suck at modding

When someone talks about a mod, it's implied that it's properly installed.  If you're going to include human error, you might as well include someone inserting a converter (or the HuCARD itself) upside down.  'Tis a pointless argument.

[ishiyakazuo]

ANY of them?  Have you sampled them all?  If not, then you've obviously made a completely baseless generalization.

I don't have to physically use each and every version to be aware that others have reported various problems with them, with some versions not surprisingly being more troublesome than others.  And here's another baseless generalization: you implying that ALL converters are more reliable (nothing in your statement limited it to just the mythical perfect converter).

If I implied that, I apologize.  What I meant to convey is that both methods can be equally reliable.

(a) there are people out there who really suck at modding

When someone talks about a mod, it's implied that it's properly installed.  If you're going to include human error, you might as well include someone inserting a converter (or the HuCARD itself) upside down.  'Tis a pointless argument.

You could make that same argument about secondhand info about converters sucking, too.  How do you know the person was using it properly?  It's a matter of taking someone at their word.

In the end, all I'm saying is that converters maybe shouldn't be written off quite so fast.  Personally, I'm not a fan of the idea of modifying classic consoles, and the converters do allow for the playing of a game without a lot of hassle (if the converter doesn't suck and is used correctly).  I just wanted to point out that, for a TG16, such converters do exist, and for some people, it's less about the money, and more about keeping a console pristine.

[ApolloBoy]

and more about keeping a console pristine.

You know it's totally possible to mod a TG-16 without making any holes, right? Hell you can mod a TG-16 for RGB along with a region switch and still not have to make a single mark on the console.

[ishiyakazuo]

and more about keeping a console pristine.

You know it's totally possible to mod a TG-16 without making any holes, right? Hell you can mod a TG-16 for RGB along with a region switch and still not have to make a single mark on the console.

Keeping the case pristine and keeping the console pristine are two different things...
Some people just don't like the idea of having messed with something that isn't in production anymore.

[Ayce]

I also can do the mod and have them in stock. (USA Based)

Since you have an Everdrive why would you not want to use it to back up your originals and not hack your system?

A couple reasons... First of all I'd rather play the real deal and not on the Everdrive. The Everdrive is a cool little device, but I just don't like using it unless I really have to.

The other reason is because the Everdrive cannot emulate the arcade card to play games like Fatal Fury Special or Art of Fighting.