Region Mod PCBs available and Online Guide completed!

[D-Lite]

9/26/07 UPDATE:  I have finished a thorough guide for installing this PCB!  Please visit my website at www.multimods.com and click on the "New! PCE Region Modification" link on the left side of the page. 

First off, let me spend the top of this space thanking Ben Moran for designing and printing the first run of these PCBs months ago.
 
Although others had outlined the PCB method, he was the first I know to step up and get the damn things printed.  With that he opened the door for modding more system such as the CoreGrafx and Turbo Express due to the small size of the PCB.  And for that, as I mentioned previously, the "Moran 1.0" is still there on the PCB itself.  Thanks Ben, for designing this and allowing me to continue with the PCBs by sharing your layout.

OK, now the good stuff.

As the below picture shows, the new PCBs are identical except for the mask and screen now since I went with a production run of the boards.  Very nice quality and works great.  What these boards will do for you is allow you to switch the HuCard slot region on any NEC system.  Yes, ANY system, including Duo, DuoR, DuoRX, TG16, CoreGrafx I/II, PC Engine, Turbo Express, PC Engine GT, and SuperGrafx.  Even the LT?  Probably, but I'll let you do that.  Same for the LaserActive.  Note that with japanese systems you'll need to ground pin 29 on the processor, which if you're good enough to do the mod anyways, should be easy for you. 

Cost per board:  $15 +shipping ($4.60 for Priority mail, $1.50 for regular 1st class)
To install it, you'll need:
- SPDT switch (available readily at Radio Shack)
- wrapping wire (30 gauge stuff, also at the Shack)
- wire cutter, wire stripper
- drill and file for cutting and shaping the hole for the switch
- proper bit for opening whatever system you have

Oh, and I've decided to give back to Ben on this stuff.  Every board sold is $1 for Ben for just being a great member of the community.

Sound daunting to do yourself?  Send me your system and I'll do it for $35 shipped for the small guys (PCE, Core, Core II), $40 for the bigger ones (Duo, SGx, etc).  I'm not yet doing the Turbo Express/GT mods myself yet due to a couple of factors, but probably in the future.

Best bet to reach me:  dean@multimods.com
I will be listing a ton of games later today/tomorrow and also some modded PCE/Core systems.  Stay tuned.

Now, here's a pic of the new board, next to the original board, next to an 8PDT switch that I still sometimes use:

[SignOfZeta]

I'll be sure to add one of those little guys to the next order I get from you.

[grahf]

Looking good Dean, and thanks for the kind words.  It didnt make sense for me to just "sit on" this stuff while I was away.

[Michael Helgeson]

Ahh silly me thought it was switchless,still, a spdp is worlds more manageable then the original switch,and a radio shack ready item. Good you guys worked it all out. Oh yea,Eric was pleased with the MVS carts too,was not sure if you knew or not.

[D-Lite]

Ahh silly me thought it was switchless,still, a spdp is worlds more manageable then the original switch,and a radio shack ready item. Good you guys worked it all out. Oh yea,Eric was pleased with the MVS carts too,was not sure if you knew or not.

Switchless would be great but impossible.  It's an actual physical difference between the cart pins, so unless you built in logic to the system itself to detect region, you're stuck with a switch.

Yep, got a message from him, thanks for setting it up again.

[Michael Helgeson]

Yea I don't know what I was thinking there,I got stupid for a day.Old age starting to set in.

[Michael Helgeson]

So I am to gather you two have just taken this old mod:http://mbrandel.vizionaires.net/?page_id=48
and streamlined it for everyone with better instructions?

[D-Lite]

So I am to gather you two have just taken this old mod:http://mbrandel.vizionaires.net/?page_id=48
and streamlined it for everyone with better instructions?

Exactly.  In Ben's original thread on this, he cited that page for the design.  I'm going to mod a Core and take pics of the progress on it to post.  It'll be an online guide for it.

[Michael Helgeson]

Awesome,thats what I thought,visually it looks like you 2 have worked wonders with it,I really hate radioshack stripboard,streamlined is much nicer. You should try to cover a method of doing the pins,try to come up with a easy method for people new to soldering and cutting pins,not that there is a real "easy" way for this particular mod,but since your set to do a guide,try to come up with the "easiest" method for someone who never has done this before with up close shots. I bet alot of people would like that,help reassure them that they can do it without messing up.

edit:
A side note,I have a very small pair of medical scissors that I use for thin pins or anything like that that is in a tight spot and needs to be cut. Its the same type they use to cut stitches. If you search you can find that kinda stuff and it really helps. Also small toe nail clippers that are new and sharp. I use those when I want to clip a leg on a chip,works well and fast and gives me pieces to solder onto with less risk to damaging the leg completely or having to desolder it.

[grahf]

If the PCE stuff had a reset button, it would be possible to incorporate a latch that switches regions on reset.. But ahh well. 

[Michael Helgeson]

Wow,lol I was thinking the exact same thing,but since we have to use run and select......

[chaoticjelly]

So does Markus Brandel's region mod not fit in a GT? Looks like there's quite a bit of space at the back, where the HuCard slot is.. I haven't tried it yet but I have a beat up GT I got for cheap.. maybe...  :-"

[TR0N]

Check your pm please d-lite.

Got the modded coregrafx but some select u.s titles won't play on it 

[D-Lite]

Check your pm please d-lite.

Got the modded coregrafx but some select u.s titles won't play on it 

PM'd you back.  I think it's just a readjusting they need as those played fine here and there's little reason to think some HuCards would play and others not, but let me know!

[D-Lite]

9/26/07 UPDATE:  I have finished a thorough guide for installing this PCB!  Please visit my website at www.multimods.com and click on the "New! PCE Region Modification" link on the left side of the page.