Notice: I am not receiving notifications for this thread. I didn`t realise people were still posting in it.

Please please accept my apologies if I haven`t replied to tags etc... I have no idea what is happening. I`m subscribed to this thread but I am not receiving notifications. Please inbox me if possible. Or tag me in another thread.

Its amazing that people are still checking all of this out. I thank you for all of the help and support I have received in this thread over this year.

Cheers. Matty.


A video showing a modchip in action. Thank you once again to @metaljay for providing this. This is what you can achieve by fitting a chip!

Section 1. Gather your software.

Get your chip software from THIS THREAD.
Follow the flashing instructions there...

Section 2. Removing USB port and unneeded LEDs. (Adafruit chips only)

• Next, we need to remove the USB port from the modchip. I recommend a heatgun or a rework station. Heat up until the USB port just lifts off the modchip.

• Do the same for the LED just to the right of the USB port.

See picture:

You are now ready to fit your device. Proceed to Fitting section.

Section 3. Fitting modchip to your Switch.
New Universal Method. All SAMD-based internal chips. If your chip is not supported and you cannot work it out, PM me.

Trinket M0.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

==================================================
Rebug SwitchME M0. Use Trinket files.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

==================================================
RCMX86 - Internal modchip version.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

==================================================
Gemma M0. Use Gemma files.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

==================================================
ItsyBitsy M0 Express. Use ItsyBitsy files.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

==================================================
Feather M0 Express. Use Feather files.
Solder as laid out in the following picture

BUILD YOUR OWN FROM A QFP ATSAMD21E18. Trinket equivalent pins.
Flash Trinket bootloader using OpenOCD via serial pins SWDIO / SWDCLK. Fit a reset switch somewhere... Or going to power / wake (aka method 2). If building for external use, it is good practice to fit a third capacitor between 3V & GND. This is deliberately vague and ambigious, as this needs research and you need to know what you are doing.

Link for setting the Pi up with OpenOCD: HERE
Raspberry Pi OpenOCD image in downloads section or HERE

Alternative Solder Points

Credit to @consolex for original pic. I`ve added alternative points to solder to:

Credit to @pyorin for this much tidier version showing the same info as the above one!

Replacement Parts List

Spoiler: Parts

Ok... So you have damaged your switch soldering your chip in. Not to worry.

First things first, DO NOT BRIDGE THE CONTACTS HOPING TO REVIVE YOUR SWITCH. With resistors, you may possibly get away with this, but with the capacitors listed below, if you jump these points, you will make a nice short-circuit to the PMIC and / or the M92T36, killing them instantly. Don`t do it.

OK... I`ll list these parts with METHOD 2 & 3 TRINKET PIN NUMBERS and the values of the components they solder to.

TRINKET 3V (POWER SUPPLY) - 2.2uF 0402 size MLCC capacitor. Voltage unimportant as long as it is over 6.3v
TRINKET PIN 2 (POWER ON RESET - goes to pin 5 on M92T36)- 4.7uF 0402 size MLCC capacitor. Voltage unimportant as long as it is over 6.3v
TRINKET PIN 0 (VOL+) - 150R (150 ohms) 0201 Thick Film resistor. 50mW
TRINKET RESET (SWITCH POWER BUTTON) - 150R (150 ohms) 0201 Thick Film resistor. 50mW

I recommend RS components.

FAQ

Q - How do I boot the switch into APX (RCM) mode?

A - You need to short out pin 10 on the right joycon rail to GND with a jig or modded joycon or paperclip (not recommended... Buy a jig you cheap-ass gyppo). Once shorted out, hold down vol+ and power. The switch screen should be off... Plug into your PC and it should recognise a APX device. Well done. You are in RCM.

Q - What glue should I use?
A - Only glue if necessary! Ideally if your soldering is of sufficient quality and your wire is thin enough, you don`t need glue. I use a bit because I am OCD. Anyway, use Epoxy. It`s what I use. Gives you some working time, is solid. Superglue makes a mess DO NOT USE SUPERGLUE. The only thing super about it is how it melts things. Epoxy won`t stick to the shield long-term, so bear that in mind. Pure Acetone will remove epoxy. Acetone tends to remove / melt anything to be warned. CHECK YOUR GLUE WON`T GO CONDUCTIVE OVER TIME - LOOKING AT YOU SCAMSUNG! The combination of heat cycles and absorbing of moisture can turn adhesive into a high-impedance connection!

Q - What size wire should I use?
A - I use AWG40 magnet wire or AWG30 Kynar. AWG40 goes onto components easier... And if you snap it, chances are the wire will snap and not the trace / component.
A2 - You can also use AWG30. I recommend Kynar wrapping wire but any will do. Looks nice, good resistance to elements, tidy. Nothing thicker than AWG30. You are just causing yourself more headaches. Trust me.

Q - Is AWG40 thick enough?
A - Yes. AWG40 is good for around 90mA.

Q - which methods do you recommend?
A - Connect all the straps...

Q - how do you recommend to set it up?
A - Fusee Suite. Search for Fusee Suite or go to link at top of this OP.

Q - My switch is flat and won't turn on.
A - Have you got the charger connected? Disconnect it or your switch won't boot! Boot to a payload (SX loader/Hekate), reconnect charger and leave on the payload menu and charge. Leave for 15 minutes and switch will start normally. It will continue charging one booted.

Disclaimer:
You have only yourself to blame. This voids warranty. This may or may not get you banned from online services. If it does, you got yourself banned. I`m not responsible if you kill your switch / your first-born with any of this in this post. I`m not infalliable. I`m partly senile. Do your own research. Kids, get bill payers permission before you attempt even using a screwdriver.
NUTSHELL: Don`t come having a go at me because you fooked your £300 console up. I`ll do my best to help you though if you do, Just don`t blame me.

Credits to Quantum-Cross, Atlas44, @Ninoh-FOX , @jcrorxp , @tecfreak, @mooglazer, @subcon959, @64Dp128k, @mikeleuskaldunak, @M-O-B, CTCaer, @evilsperm, @consolex and everyone else for valuable input.

IF YOU REQUIRE SUPPORT, IF YOUR CONSOLE ISN`T WORKING CORRECTLY... PLEASE POST A HIGH RESOLUTION PICTURE OF YOUR INSTALL. You might think it isn`t your soldering, but in all cases with the new methods, it is bad soldering. So, please post a picture.

A BRIEF WARNING - PLEASE READ

Spoiler: READ THIS

THIS MOD IS NOT FOR THE FEINT OF HEART. WE ARE SOLDERING TO TRACES AND COMPONENTS ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BOARD TO SAVE HAVING TO REMOVE THE BOARD AND SOLDER TO TESTPOINTS. IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING, OR THINK YOU ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE, PLEASE PLEASE SOLDER TO THE TEST POINTS NOTED IN THIS AND OTHER THREADS (YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE MOTHERBOARD). DOUBLE - TRIPLE CHECK EVERYTHING. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Good soldering skills are needed!
A magnifying glass is needed!
Good soldering iron needed - ideally with a 0.3 conical tip. No more than 30w!
SECURE YOUR WIRES PRIOR TO SOLDERING. Stick them down with double-sided tape.
Only use glue if you need to and glue wires after soldering. Don`t glue the solder to the component!
Put the tiniest amount of glue on the PCB mask only. Never on components. Use a cocktail stick for more glue control!!!
Take a look at alternative solder points to get you out of the sh*t if you do rip something off the board
If you aren`t the best at soldering, then think very carefully about connecting to pin 6 capacitor (the one in these new methods). If you rip this pad, you WILL NEED TO REMOVE YOUR BOARD and run from a testpoint.

 

[Profibastler]

Link to see sx core vs. hwfly

 

[BaamAlex]

Dunno. AliExpress, Taobao.

 

[Profibastler]

Any link to show the different between SX Core and hwfly, or description of both.

 

[BaamAlex]

Dude...use google.

 

[White_Raven_X]

DO NOT use the 3v connection on the capacitor next to the BM92T36 IC to power your Trinket M0

One day my switch just died after 8 months of use. After taking everything apart and testing all components, I've determined that the 2.2 uf 0402 10v MLCC capacitor next to the BM92T36 IC was blown.

There's two straps for 3V

One is on the capacitor adjacent to the BM92T36 USB-C controller chip.

The other is adjacent to the Texas Instruments TMP451 remote/local temperature sensor (next to joycon strap connection).

My issue was due to the failure of the 2.2 uf 0402 10v MLCC capacitor, next to the BM92T36 IC.

It seems that powering the Trinket M0 from that capacitor, will damage the capacitor over time. As soon as I replaced the 2.2uf 10v capacitor, everything ran beautifully. I have since replaced ALL of the Trinket M0 3v installations that I've done, to the connection next to the joycon strap instead.

I hope this helped you guys as it had killed my switch.

In summary: DO NOT use the 3v connection next to the BM92T36 IC to power your Trinket M0

 

[binkinator]

DO NOT use the 3v connection on the capacitor next to the BM92T36 IC to power your Trinket M0

One day my switch just died after 8 months of use. After taking everything apart and testing all components, I've determined that the 2.2 uf 0402 10v MLCC capacitor next to the BM92T36 IC was blown.

There's two straps for 3V

One is on the capacitor adjacent to the BM92T36 USB-C controller chip.

The other is adjacent to the Texas Instruments TMP451 remote/local temperature sensor (next to joycon strap connection).

My issue was due to the failure of the 2.2 uf 0402 10v MLCC capacitor, next to the BM92T36 IC.

It seems that powering the Trinket M0 from that capacitor, will damage the capacitor over time. As soon as I replaced the 2.2uf 10v capacitor, everything ran beautifully. I have since replaced ALL of the Trinket M0 3v installations that I've done, to the connection next to the joycon strap instead.

I hope this helped you guys as it had killed my switch.

In summary: DO NOT use the 3v connection next to the BM92T36 IC to power your Trinket M0

Dude. That’s the primary connection point show in OP. this is kind of big deal. I suspect a large percentage of folks are going to be using this, including me. Any chance it was just a bum cap on your switch?

 

[White_Raven_X]

Dude. That’s the primary connection point show in OP. this is kind of big deal. I suspect a large percentage of folks are going to be using this, including me. Any chance it was just a bum cap on your switch?

View attachment 293122

I understand what your saying... Happened to 2 of my switches and I do not overheat any connections. I'm just saying, play it safe and connect using the "left" most 3v connection. It's also better since there's no component you can damage as it's just a test pad.

 

[binkinator]

I understand what your saying... Happened to 2 of my switches and I do not overheat any connections. I'm just saying, play it safe and connect using the "left" most 3v connection. It's also better since there's no component you can damage as it's just a test pad.

I think I’ll play it safe and crack open my switch again this weekend and fix it. Thanks!

 

[Quezacotl]

Did you measure is it still the same 3V or is it behind different regulator?

 

[popy]

@White_Raven_X @binkinator
HW engineer with ~20 years experience here.
The Trinket does NOT take much current/power and could NOT blow the capacitor,
just empty it's energy a little little bit faster in the case of voltage drop (power down of the switch).

I am running the mod since the very beginning and have no issue at all.

There must be some other issue, which leads to this:

• damaged/cracking the capacitor on soldering
• maybe a wire is shorting the cap, which leads to high current flow and damaging it
• just defective parts which will generate an short after some time

Just my two cent's
pOpY

 

[White_Raven_X]

@White_Raven_X @binkinator
HW engineer with ~20 years experience here.
The Trinket does NOT take much current/power and could NOT blow the capacitor,
just empty it's energy a little little bit faster in the case of voltage drop (power down of the switch).

I am running the mod since the very beginning and have no issue at all.

There must be some other issue, which leads to this:

• damaged/cracking the capacitor on soldering
• maybe a wire is shorting the cap, which leads to high current flow and damaging it
• just defective parts which will generate an short after some time

Just my two cent's
pOpY

Just a regular GBATEMP member here.....

Honestly pOpY, I couldn't speak to either of your opinions. But what I will say is that since I've been using the left most 3v connection, I've noticed that my battery level doesn't drop nearly as much as it used to while fully powered off. I checked the battery capacity one week after turning it off and it hasn't changed from when it was turned off.

Is it possible that I use my switch more often then you? Could be many different reasons for these failures. I'm not here to "re-engineer" OP's methods. On the other hand I am here to offer my opinion and experience with the models that I have experienced with first hand. As a GBATEMP community, this is what we do.... We help eachother out with our knowledge from direct experience and opinions.

Like I said; this is MY experience with a few switches. Why not play it safe and just use the left 3v test pad to solder onto instead of soldering onto a component that could fail due to possible "*]damaged/cracking the capacitor on soldering
[*]maybe a wire is shorting the cap, which leads to high current flow and damaging it
[*]just defective parts which will generate an short after some time"

Just my contribution as a regular gbatemper

 

[White_Raven_X]

Did you measure is it still the same 3V or is it behind different regulator?

I'm honestly not sure, I'll check it out tonight and get back to you.

 

[xdMatthewbx]

So I've done a couple installs using the alt points for VOL+, 3.3V, and JoyCon strap on the back of the board. All straps are connected. I'm noticing an issue: when the Switch is powered on by a USB connection (charger) it boots to RCM but does not send a payload, requiring a force shut down to be able to boot it afterwards. What can be done about this?

 

[hippy dave]

So I've done a couple installs using the alt points for VOL+, 3.3V, and JoyCon strap on the back of the board. All straps are connected. I'm noticing an issue: when the Switch is powered on by a USB connection (charger) it boots to RCM but does not send a payload, requiring a force shut down to be able to boot it afterwards. What can be done about this?

It's normal that the payload can't be pushed when something is plugged into the USB port, unfortunately. If you have the USB strap fitted, and the chip is flashed with the right code to make use of the USB strap, then it should restart the chip and push the payload if you unplug the cable.

Alternatively you can push the button on the chip, to reset it and push the payload. This can be done by pushing on the right place on the back of the console.

 

[xdMatthewbx]

It's normal that the payload can't be pushed when something is plugged into the USB port, unfortunately. If you have the USB strap fitted, and the chip is flashed with the right code to make use of the USB strap, then it should restart the chip and push the payload if you unplug the cable.

Alternatively you can push the button on the chip, to reset it and push the payload. This can be done by pushing on the right place on the back of the console.

That makes sense. I'm using the latest fusee suite firmware so that shouldn't be the cause. Pressing the button seems to power off the console which is better than having to hold the power button for 7 seconds. Unplugging the cable does nothing. The USB disconnect strap is connected.

 

[White_Raven_X]

Did you measure is it still the same 3V or is it behind different regulator?

The 3V on the left side next to the Temperature Sensor (T451 7AJ P9VT) has 0.3 Ohms between it and the other 3V connection next to the USB type C power delivery IC (M92T36). Essentially meaning that its directly connected together since there's no resistance. (possibly even the same trace) Most probably the same regulator.

I cannot identify why the capacitor failed but I can say that I feel more comfortable soldering to a test pad then a component.

I'm just going to play it safe.

 

[16v]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I wrote a while ago, that i damaged my v1 switch while soldering in a trinket.
I killed a solderpad on the backside of the pcb. (Alternative solderpoints)
I think it was the + one.

Switch is working fine - but when i boot to ofw and update it, autorcm is lost and i cant boot to cfw again.

How my switch is working:
Power starts to hekate.

And without latest ofw my gamecard slot isnt working.

Any solutions?

(After i damged my switch, i sent it to someone to fix it, he he activated autorcm while inserting my nand to his console. I dont have a second switch right now.)

Thank you all

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk

 

[Hayato213]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I wrote a while ago, that i damaged my v1 switch while soldering in a trinket.
I killed a solderpad on the backside of the pcb. (Alternative solderpoints)
I think it was the + one.

Switch is working fine - but when i boot to ofw and update it, autorcm is lost and i cant boot to cfw again.

How my switch is working:
Power starts to hekate.

And without latest ofw my gamecard slot isnt working.

Any solutions?

(After i damged my switch, i sent it to someone to fix it, he he activated autorcm while inserting my nand to his console. I dont have a second switch right now.)

Thank you all

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk

You need a jig if you lost autoRCM if you only did 4 wires.

 

[binkinator]

You need a jig if you lost autoRCM if you only did 4 wires.

correct.

you will lose AutoRCM when you upgrade firmware. If that’s how you were set up then you Need to go back into Hekate and turn AutoRCM back on.

The game card abilities are managed by:

autonogc in Hekate (see readme on GitHub)

nogc option in Stratosphere.ini

 

[16v]

No, i did all wires. But wirh this solderpad which is gone, i damaged my board!

I used alternativ solder points, so the others where used.

Before i did something wrong, can i test a "jig"?
And the second question:
What can be used as a jig? (Without soldering)
A pc? A mobile phone?...

Thank you all

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