Hardware GBA Backlight! (AGB-001)

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Monty Kensicle
Thank you, and what are the soldering points which you have found to give the best picture? Also, what measurement of watt did you use to solder the wire to the mainboard?

http://gbatemp.net/attachments/cam00215-jpg.9843/

I hope the picture is clear enough. I'll take a picture of my own build if you need better clarity. I use a variable-temp soldering iron and 200c seems to do the trick. So I'd suggest something on the low watt side.
 

Gameboy90210

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Monty Kensicle
That picture is good thanks, and I'd appreciate it if you could take a picture of yours too. The soldering iron I'm looking at purchasing is not variable-temp and is "40W", do you think that should be okay?
Thanks again.
 

Metroidfan26

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It depends on what kind of GBA you have. Nintendo released 2 models of the GBA, one is 40 pin the other is 32 pin. Open the battery cover off the GBA, search for a sequence of numbers. The 32-pin model always starts with a 1, and the 40 pin model always starts with a 0. If you have the 40-pin model no solder is required. watt measurement doesn't matter very much, because all your doing is tacking the wire down to the motherboard.

This link is for the 40-pin model: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/251690076517?lpid=82

This is for the 32-pin: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/161500750782?lpid=82

The picture for the 32-pin model doesn't portray a wire sticking out so you may have to install the wire yourself.
 

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shadygrove

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Hey guys, I have this cable and I'm having issues with wonky colors.

I've read through this whole thread, tons of great info.

Currently I have it based on the setup Kensicle has, EXCEPT

P2-VSS shorted with VCOM to GND (shorting it with VCOM improved washed out colors)
V2 to via by 103
PIN 1 of the adapter cable to left leg of DA1 for power.

GBA1.jpgGBA2.jpgGBA3.jpg
Those bridges above gave it life, but the colors are still super wonky.

Any ideas? I've tried different games but I only have the one 101 screen to use. I have a frontlit SP to test games with.
The only thing I can think of is that I need to reflow the cable connector on the GBA mainboard. I originally started to do the mod by using the ribbon cable of the og gba screen and soldering wires to each via. Like this, but I then found a cable for ten bucks and had to repopulate the connector.

It's driving me nuts, I FEEL like I've tried every combination of pins/vias/tps to ground and this is the BEST I can get it to look.

I can take more pictures and provide more info, just ask.


Thanks!
 

shadygrove

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Hey guys, I have this cable and I'm having issues with wonky colors.
.......
Thanks!



So, I reflowed the cable connector and patched V2 to REVC (it improved the darks) and it looks beautiful!

I want to thank everyone in this thread, their tinkering helped me tinker less than I needed to!
 

JOSX

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Hey guys! I've been working out a way to mod 2 old GBA of mine. I purchased 2 screens off eBay and 2 40 pin cables. The MB of the two GBA I have are 40 pin and the cables I bought are without the extra wire for soldering. According to the cable seller, he said the 40 pin cables he stocked can power the screen without the extra cable.

I got everything and tried the mod. Everything was working except the screens were both extremely faint. I've loaded up Mario Kart and it was obvious that it's some sort of contrast issue. It seems the screens are at it's normal brightness so I doubt it's a lack if power going into the screens. I tried both cables and screens in different combinations to the two GBA MBs, still the same result.

I finally got to the potentiometer, it only adjusted the contrast with almost unnoticeable results.

The screens are Type B (the circuitry on the cable is uniform compared to the AB which is bunched up on the left and right of the ribbon).

The cables and GBA's MBs are 40 pin.

After watching this video, I suspect that the cable isn't fully compatible with the Type B screens. But then, I haven't found any sellers on eBay that specifies this easy to miss detail.

Here's an image of my kit:

MQqkdB3.jpg

:: CLICK HERE FOR LARGER IMAGE ::


So do any one of you know what is happening?
 

x1badMoFo

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From what I have read, there are two types of genuine AGS-101 screens. There is Type AB (thicker, varying traces on ribbon cable, black tab) and Type B (uniform traces on ribbon cable, white tab).

I have completed the mod using Type B (white tab) and the screen looks great as far as color goes but shows minor ghosting. Has anyone completed this mod with the Type B screen (40 or 32 pin cable) and not had any ghosting issues? It sounds like its an common issue with Type B and I am thinking I need to find a Type AB screen and swap it.
 

x1badMoFo

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You mean what I had posted right above you?

I'm not sure what you mean. I saw your post and it looks like you possibly have the wrong adaptor cable for the Type B screen like you said. There is a way to solder a jumper wire between two points on the mother board to fix it so the color isn't so washed out. Some people mentioned in here that they had some success with that.

But I am just trying to figure out if it is even possible to get the Type B screen to function properly without ghosting issues. It sounds like even with everything done correctly the type B always has the ghosting effects.
 

JOSX

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But I am just trying to figure out if it is even possible to get the Type B screen to function properly without ghosting issues. It sounds like even with everything done correctly the type B always has the ghosting effects.
I just went straight for 2 AB screens. I'll tell you if it solves the issue. The problem is, the only places that has AB screens confirmed are either from an expensive seller, or mass purchase of 50 minimum on some chinese website. Other than that, getting a AB or B screen is a luck of the draw if you purchase an AGS-101 GBA SP.
 

x1badMoFo

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I just went straight for 2 AB screens. I'll tell you if it solves the issue. The problem is, the only places that has AB screens confirmed are either from an expensive seller, or mass purchase of 50 minimum on some chinese website. Other than that, getting a AB or B screen is a luck of the draw if you purchase an AGS-101 GBA SP.

I tried a 32 pin board and adapter with the same Type B (white tab) 101 screen that kept giving me ghosting issues when paired with the 40 pin board and adapter. It worked perfectly with the 32 pin, no ghosting at all. I am thinking the Type B (white tab) screens work best with 32 pin GBA boards, while the Type AB (black tab) works best with the 40 pin GBA board. I can't find an AB screen for a decent price to test out with everything so I can't be sure.
 

x1badMoFo

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Does anyone know how to make the screen brighter? I have done the mod to a 32 pin gba with a OEM Ags-101 screen and used the solder point that's suppose to give the brighter setting. Everything looks great its just not quite as bright as I would like. It is not even as bright as a normal GBA SP 101 thats on the dim setting. I have adjusted the pot on the back of the board and it helped a little. Anything else I can do?

The screen's connection was fine, I tried unplugging and retrying a few times, same result. His screen working fine with SP shouldn't seem odd. The screen is just made for the SP's voltage source, connection cable etc. So it may show better results within its original set of structure than an adaptated one by force. But when it's no genuine product, side effects may occur it seems. In general, knock-off or not, it working in SP fine and in agb not, wouldn't necessarily mean that the screen can't have problems.

Well the deal there is that he sees his work's result -and who would know better than him that if the modification functions properly or not- yet he still ships it in that condition. What would you think of that?

Also when I open the situation to him, he says that it's normal that it has low light, that that's the expected result because of agb's nature (in simpler english). Though there are people who got functioning ones and also I made mine into via replacing the screen with a genuine one.

To sum up, I don't like all this at all...

This guy had the same problem and fixed it by simply swapping screens, but I'm already using a genuine 101 screen. Any ideas?
 

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