Hello everyone,
For some time now I’ve been researching the Panasonic Q DVD/Game player.
It is what I would call one of the most beautiful consoles ever produced.
But like most obscure and niche products it was only ever released in Japan.
This brought with it that the DVD region was locked to NTSC-J only (Game mode as well).
Now I know there was a mod kit produced back in the day that would allow the Panasonic Q to play all region DVDÂ’s and would allow you to switch between NTSC-U and -J.
These kits used an extra RAM module and some 100nf - 180nf capacitors to allow PAL playback together with a PIC (12c508a) that would interpret the DVD remote commands to disable Macrovision, enable MP3 playback, ...
And a second PIC (12c508a) to switch the console region by holding down the powerbutton for x amount of time.
Unfortunately these mod kits have been lost to time and any info relating to them either refers to the Panasonic Service Disk 2 (which in itself is an almost impossible something to acquire) and no longer available websites that offered the upgrade service (Steve Hoyle mostly: who I believe, after some research and cross-referencing is imprisoned on rape charges!).
Luck has it I own a modded Panasonic Q that I bought some time ago.
It has the DVD region mod allowing PAL playback but it lacks the Game region mod PIC.
I’ve reached out to some people that might be able to extract the code for the DVD mod and someone that can provide the Service Disk for a reasonable price.
But this leaves the Region PIC code still unknown.
My question to anybody with a Modded Panasonic Q is:
Is anybody willing to help me in my quest to preserve these mods by donating me their components used to help me move forward with this preservation project.
Why:
Apart from me wanting to fully mod my own Q, it will help to eventually reproduce the Mod for anybody willing to mod their own Panasonic Q.
It would seem like a shame for this be lost forever especially now that these type of mods can be more easily reproduced.
So please PM me or leave a comment.
Thanks!
Below are pictures of the Components installed to achieve PAL playback.
Top side of the PCB:
Bottom side of the PCB:
Area’s circled in RED are the added components (RAM and Caps)
All pictures are from the PCB's that rest on/under the DVD drive.
From what I could tell opening the unit untill just the Gamecube PCB is that the mods happen on those boards that are on the DVD drive assembly.
Region modding the Gamecube Part of the Panasonic Q requires different mods on the Gamecube PCB and has no connection for enabling PAL DVD playback.
For some time now I’ve been researching the Panasonic Q DVD/Game player.
It is what I would call one of the most beautiful consoles ever produced.
But like most obscure and niche products it was only ever released in Japan.
This brought with it that the DVD region was locked to NTSC-J only (Game mode as well).
Now I know there was a mod kit produced back in the day that would allow the Panasonic Q to play all region DVDÂ’s and would allow you to switch between NTSC-U and -J.
These kits used an extra RAM module and some 100nf - 180nf capacitors to allow PAL playback together with a PIC (12c508a) that would interpret the DVD remote commands to disable Macrovision, enable MP3 playback, ...
And a second PIC (12c508a) to switch the console region by holding down the powerbutton for x amount of time.
Unfortunately these mod kits have been lost to time and any info relating to them either refers to the Panasonic Service Disk 2 (which in itself is an almost impossible something to acquire) and no longer available websites that offered the upgrade service (Steve Hoyle mostly: who I believe, after some research and cross-referencing is imprisoned on rape charges!).
Luck has it I own a modded Panasonic Q that I bought some time ago.
It has the DVD region mod allowing PAL playback but it lacks the Game region mod PIC.
I’ve reached out to some people that might be able to extract the code for the DVD mod and someone that can provide the Service Disk for a reasonable price.
But this leaves the Region PIC code still unknown.
My question to anybody with a Modded Panasonic Q is:
Is anybody willing to help me in my quest to preserve these mods by donating me their components used to help me move forward with this preservation project.
Why:
Apart from me wanting to fully mod my own Q, it will help to eventually reproduce the Mod for anybody willing to mod their own Panasonic Q.
It would seem like a shame for this be lost forever especially now that these type of mods can be more easily reproduced.
So please PM me or leave a comment.
Thanks!
Below are pictures of the Components installed to achieve PAL playback.
Top side of the PCB:
Bottom side of the PCB:
Area’s circled in RED are the added components (RAM and Caps)
All pictures are from the PCB's that rest on/under the DVD drive.
From what I could tell opening the unit untill just the Gamecube PCB is that the mods happen on those boards that are on the DVD drive assembly.
Region modding the Gamecube Part of the Panasonic Q requires different mods on the Gamecube PCB and has no connection for enabling PAL DVD playback.
Comment