Gamecube mod. RGB cable question

[The Raeven]

First off:
Welcome everyone!
I'm new here.. and decided to ask for some help.


I own a modded JAP Gamecube (thus playing JAP and US games).
Since I live in the Netherlands I decided to buy Datel's freeloader in order to buy some games in local stores.
All went well, untill I bought Mario Party 4. It was in Black & White... *shrugs*
Then I stumbled upon this place and found out that I needed a modified DV cable to output true & perfect RGB. And that cable, I bought.
And yes, Mario Party works!!!

My problem:
The modded DV. cable is Japanese... And regardless of what the switch on my Gamecube is set to, when the DV/RGB cable is plugged in: My Gamecube boots up in Japanese *shrugs*
No prob, I could use freeloader for both my US and PAL games.. (one could say).
BUT when I boot SSMB:Melee (US) I get the "Memorycard is corrupted, format?" question! HELP!

(When I put in my JAP mem.card, it doesn't give the error but simply creates a new savegame....
...which I don't want. I simply want my US mem.card to work.)

[Keith]

I really don't understand why the RGB cable is effecting the region mod...I've got a modded Jap Cube myself, with the modded RGB cable, and I've had no problems. Are you sure it isn't a problem with the mod itself? (Of course, I know nothing about that so there's probably a perfectly reasonable explanation! )

The memory card one though; the Freeloader doesn't change the region of the Cube as much as it fools the Cube into thinking that the game is a different region. Since US and Jap saves won't go on the same memory card, and your Cube is thinking that your US games are Jap ones, you won't be able to retrieve your old saves unless you can get the US part of your Cube working properly. Does it work when you use your old cable?

[The Raeven]

The mod. switch works with my old cable.
Even better (or worse): If I use the new cable my PAL saves simply work on my US mem.card. It think it is Freeloader which fails to fully switch somehow.

Well... If I hook up my old cable, the mod switch works as usual.
If I use the new cable and unhook the DV plug, power the cube and then replug it: The Gamecube has true RGB and is in US mode (as it should).
But if I power the Gamecube with the DV plug in, it is in JAP mode. Always. *sob, sob*

Somehow the DAC in the DV plug can be read, I guess.
If only Freeloader would work 100%, I wouldn't even complain that much.
But now... I have to either unlpug the damn thing everytime I need to, OR play Melee all over again to get a 100% US save on a JAP mem.card *shrugs*


So, your JAP Gamecube can still be switched with the mod. DV/RGB cable??
Did you have a US DV cable modded or a JAP one??

Sigh... perhaps the cable isn't modded 100%. The mod on the cube, did work, so I think that ain't the prob.

[Keith]

Well, at least the Cube mod works.

Yeah, my cable is a Jap one...what I had failed to notice though was that you were using PAL saves too. Don't know how that slipped by me!

PAL saves will always work on a US card, even without a Freeloader (that is to say, using the same memory card on a PAL and US Cubes). But that obviously doesn't solve your problem...and I really don't understand how a cable can effect the mod...can anyone else help here? *Flummoxed*

Have you tried contacting the place you got your cable from?

[The Raeven]

At first I thought the cable didn't work (until I noticed to plug it into a different SCART socket... which worked).
And e-mailed them about it, no reply so far. So, I doubt they have a good aftersales policy

My point about the PAL saves: Since the DV/RGB cable makes my Cube boot up in JAP mode always, using freeloader I can use a PAL/US mem.card (just not with Melee).

And me too is *flummoxed*
Though. thanx for your replies so far *thumbs up*

[Saurian]

The problem is with your region mod

The method where a resistor near the region mode jumpers is grounded has been used on your machine. This causes problems when the digital out port is activated (toggles region one way) and can cause possible damage to your machine (damages PSU board which will kill the sound and 12v line to digital out port)

The correct method for the region mod is this:


The jumpers are RIGHT next to eachother - why people feel the need to connect to alternate points is beyond me...

[Keith]

*Phew*

*Happy Saur replied*

So there you have it...perhaps the best bet would be to get a gamebit and fix the mod up yourself?

[The Raeven]

For starters: All hail Saurian.
You do know your stuff.

Offcourse, I didn't do the mod on my Gamecube myself (NCSX did).
So I'm n00b on that front. Assuming I can get a gamebit somewhere (where???).

What do I need to fix specifically?
So "part x" is grounded to "part z"... Could you give me some more detail into it (so I can actually judge if I'm going to do this re-modding).

In any case: My question is answered, now to fix the mess.

[Saurian]

I cannot believe NCSX are STILL using this method!

It's been a well known fact for ages that it causes problems, I remember people from this forum having this problem YEARS ago and a good few dead machines caused by them have ended up coming to me - anyway what you need to do it this:

You need:
Tamperproof screwdriver bit (sometimes called Gamebit) lik-sang sell them?
Kynar wire from www.londonconsole.com
Toggle switch, use theirs or if you want a neater option which does not damage the case go for Maplin part number FF77 and attach to the inside of the rear vent like this: (superglue will do it - they dont come off)


The machine is easy to take apart - when you get to the heatsink carefully lift it off and you'll see the jumpers easily. Remove their work (careful, the solder points are delicate) and solder the Kynar to each of the 2 empty jumper points,

Depending on region a different pair will be free - you can use either the R6 pair or the R5.

take the 2 wires and feed them round to the switch position making sure they are secured to a suface so they cant be accidently pulled off the jumper positions or move about, I send it along the left side of the digital port secured to the side of the port's shield with insulating tape and to the back vent but whichever is easy.

[The Raeven]

Thanx for the quick replies.
I read it, and now all this info needs to sink in.

Next up, ordering a Gamebit and that K. wire.
(What's so special about that wire anyway?)

To set the record straight: NCSX did this mod a few weeks before the Gamecube's US launch (so I have an old modded JAP Gamecube).
So, they might aswell not do this mod anymore. They just did back in those days (I think).

For now, I'll stop using the DV/RGB cable 'till the mod is remodded.

[Saurian]

Thats cool - I hope they are not still using that method

Kynar wire is a perfect single core wire for console mods - it's exactly the right size for soldering onto points like the Gamecube's jumpers, just tin the end and a quick touch with the soldering iron is all that is needed for a neat job. It just makes the job a lot easier, as it's so thin it's very easy to remove too and keeps any shape it's bent into.

[nigel1210]

There's a good gc modding guide here, if anyones interested.

http://www.phosphors.com/gcn/region%20switch/

I'm going to attempt the mod on my gamecube when my kynar wire arrives, hopefully i won't mess it up

[The Raeven]

So, I'll open my Gamecube (the Gamebit is ordered at Lik-Sang).
And desolder the current mod.

Then my (allready existing) switch will have two wires which I'll need to solder onto the R6 pins?? (Since I have a JAP cube, I'll assume it's R6)
That's all?


For my curioucity... how the hell did NCSX mod it?


(BTW: Thanx for posting the guide)

[nigel1210]

Sounds like ncsx did it this way:



When it should have been done like this:



Correct me if i'm wrong saurian

[Saurian]

For my curioucity... how the hell did NCSX mod it?

For some reason they were using an alternate point - 1 wire connected to 1 jumper point and the other connected to a nearby resistor. It's all good until the digital port is active then it just reverts to it's native region.
*Edit: Nigel is right - that method can also cause this fault, that cap will fire up when the D Terminal cable is inserted, it's dead when it's not - I swear that's a 12v line * Notice how big the wire used is, Kynar is MUCH easier to use than that stuff!

That guide is very good - the only thing I can suggest for an even neater job is to use a small slider switch sold by Maplin (part no FF77) this switch fits perfectly behind the rear vent - use a good superglue and it'll stay.


I cannot stand it when switches are drilled into cases - it's console abuse!