Hardware GBA Backlight! (AGB-001)

[Weavel33]

I registered on the forum just so I could make this post! I have successfully transplanted a 32-pin kit from Wiggy into an old glacier system after custom painting. It was a really enjoyable and rewarding project, and this thread really helped with the assembly and any troubleshooting I had to do. Attached are some images for those who would like a glimpse.

 

[Nusdogg]

I registered on the forum just so I could make this post! I have successfully transplanted a 32-pin kit from Wiggy into an old glacier system after custom painting. It was a really enjoyable and rewarding project, and this thread really helped with the assembly and any troubleshooting I had to do. Attached are some images for those who would like a glimpse.

Looks awesome! Nice work.

 

[byart]

Fixed it. Responses helped a lot for the process, big thanks to those who helped out.

Don't know if you can tell over the photo but the light is as good as ags-101's low option now (maybe even a bit brighter). There's a little story though. I finally received the needed screwdrivers, tried the potentiometer adjustment initially. That changed nothing sadly, the adjustment's best result was the brightness level I already had on the screen, therefore, I thought the screen itself might have been the problem.

I disassembled my ags-101 and took out the screen, did the same to the agb-001, and swapped them, using the screen I knew that it was the genuine product hundred percent. Voila! The light is great now. (The lesson to get from it is that you shouldn't prefer buying a pre-modded gba from Zerey. I guess there have been satisfied buyers but I don't know, my purchase had troubles... Just buying the mod cable is a better way to go)

Anyway there are things those puzzle me actually here. I used the Zerey's screen on my SP since it was screenless then, and the brightness level was perfectly fine, with both levels. I was expecting that actually, since that device's voltage structure is made for that kind of screen. But I'm curious about the Zerey's screen's real problem, you think is it a knock-off screen (even if it is, the display quality is perfect, just like the original, sharp looking, correct resolution) or were there different models of screens those were being used on SP manufacturings?

I see that there's a 32pin/40pin talk about the connection cables also. So I'm pretty confused about that, if anyone's there to enlighten me, will be much appreciated. Is the cable type (pin difference) optional or you pick it by the certain manufacturing of GBA you have or its screen?

 

[rs1n]

Can you refresh us on what the original issue was, and what you did beyond the screen swap? There were two solder points for the screen mod. Was Zerey's prebuilt machine soldered to the brighter spot? Or to the less-bright spot?

 

[byart]

Can you refresh us on what the original issue was, and what you did beyond the screen swap? There were two solder points for the screen mod. Was Zerey's prebuilt machine soldered to the brighter spot? Or to the less-bright spot?

The original issue was the screen being notably insufficient with the brightness level (page 18 and 19 in this thread). About the swap, Zerey's soldering is unchanged, I didn't mess with it. And it is the brighter spot. The only thing I did is retracting his ribbon cable from his screen and connecting it to mine, nothing else and the brightness issue is just gone. So obviously the deal was with his screen. Btw my original screen has a black area on the rear side, aligned with the lcd's display area, kinda soft and sticky, Zerey's was plain shiny metal surface, covered. Eventhough it has no resolution issues, the screen is not a genuine one I assume.

 

[rs1n]

I see now. And yet Zerey's screen in the GBA SP works as expected, with no issues regarding brightness, though? Interesting. What if you were to reswap them again. I wonder if it could be related to how well the cable was seated into the adapter connector. It seems odd Zerey's screen works perfectly fine on the GBA SP, and not be slightly dimmer as one would expect to happen given the behavior prior to the swap.

 

[Nusdogg]

(The lesson to get from it is that you shouldn't prefer buying a pre-modded gba from Zerey. I guess there have been satisfied buyers but I don't know, my purchase had troubles... Just buying the mod cable is a better way to go)

I plan on getting a pre-modded one (glacier) from Zerey myself.

Heard nothing but good reviews from ones who bought one from him. So I guess your's is one in a million.

 

[byart]

I see now. And yet Zerey's screen in the GBA SP works as expected, with no issues regarding brightness, though? Interesting. What if you were to reswap them again. I wonder if it could be related to how well the cable was seated into the adapter connector. It seems odd Zerey's screen works perfectly fine on the GBA SP, and not be slightly dimmer as one would expect to happen given the behavior prior to the swap.

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.

I plan on getting a pre-modded one (glacier) from Zerey myself.

Heard nothing but good reviews from ones who bought one from him. So I guess your's is one in a million.

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...

 

[Nusdogg]

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...

Yeah. I know what you mean. Maybe he thinks its working as it should when you told him about it and dorsn't know that the lcd screen is defective? I was thinking about the same where wouldn't he caught the problem himself and fix it before shipping?

 

[GBA rocks]

To everyone considering a pre-modded or self-modded-with-cheap-aftermarket-LCD as a "ultimate" GBA machine:

I've recently acquired an AGS-101 and noticed that colors are more vivid and the contrast is better than on my Zerey's modded AGB-001. Just load the same game (like, the intro sequence from a Pokemon S/R/E game) on both systems and see it for yourself.

What I mean is, don't expect those aftermarket LCDs Zerey and others (RCG?) are using to MASS PRODUCE modded AGBs to look like an original AGS-101 screen.

If you have the money and the skills, definitely just buy the cable and mod the AGB yourself with an original LCD scavenged from an AGS-101. If you wanna go "ultimate", that's the way to do it.

If you wanna go "meh, whatever", a premodded is OK and a great gaming machine anyway. I'm not saying the LCD is "bad" by any means.

As for Zerey, can't really complain about him in my case, fast communication and good job on both my backlit AGB and frontlit GBC. It's just the real LCD from an AGS-101 is physically better. Unfortunately it's not feasible to use them for "mass production" of premodded AGBs. Still, modders like RCG could list a "Real AGS-101 screen" option for like an additional 50$ (the price for a used AGS-101), for buyers wanting to spend that extra cash and get the real deal. Collectors won't be happy about dismantling every available AGS-101 on the market though.

 

[reprep]

As for Zerey, can't really complain about him in my case, fast communication and good job on both my backlit AGB and frontlit GBC.

does Zerey do frontlit GBC too? i am interested in one.

 

[GBA rocks]

does Zerey do frontlit GBC too? i am interested in one.

Yes, he made me one for 53$ back in january.

 

[Nusdogg]

^ It's so awesome that there's no dust on the light panel. Look just like mine and I had to cut the light panel to fit horizontally and not like everybody else you see going sideways.

 

[epicelite]

^ It's so awesome that there's no dust on the light panel. Look just like mine and I had to cut the light panel to fit horizontally and not like everybody else you see going sideways.

How did you cut your panel? I mean it seems like it would crack the plastic or something and the metal bar would be hard to cut through.

Where do you guys buy JUST the cable? I can only find places selling cable+LCD.

 

[reprep]

Where do you guys buy JUST the cable? I can only find places selling cable+LCD.

direct from zerey, just tell him if you want 32 pin or 40 pin.

 

[soulrazor]

Where do you guys buy JUST the cable? I can only find places selling cable+LCD.

From zerey he is the one that is selling that both you can order either the cable the screen or both.

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=0.0.0.0.EPFUxf&id=14045909056 his contact is on the bottom of that page

 

[Nusdogg]

How did you cut your panel? I mean it seems like it would crack the plastic or something and the metal bar would be hard to cut through.

I use a dremel to cut it. I thought it would crack at first but after talking to Wiggy from RCG, he said it will not crack and so I performed it and works like a charm.

 

[Nusdogg]

I got my glacier back lit GBA from Zerey. Paid $84.00 shipped using EMS with signature required. There's a few things that went wrong with the console when I got it. First was the left side negative battery post. It was so worn out that when you spin or accidentally touch the negative double A battery, the GBA restarts or shuts off. It was annoying. I thought it was the posts that is soldered to the motherboard, but upon closer look, it's the other side. Good thing I bought a brand new glacier shell from China and arrived couple days earlier. Replaced the shell and all is good.

Another problem I encounter was the red power wire to the LCD screen. It was pinched where the two halves meet at the top. That's a big no no. Good thing I popped all the guts out for the new shell and saw this. I carefully and made sure it wasn't pinched as I got the new shell back together. I posted a picture below to my black GBA. Now I'm happier with my new toy. Still somewhat disappointed with his work, but overall can't beat a back lit GBA!

I got all this on video too for my unboxing of Zerey's Back Lit GBA which I will upload tomorrow once I'm done editing it.

 

[epicelite]

I use a dremel to cut it. I thought it would crack at first but after talking to Wiggy from RCG, he said it will not crack and so I performed it and works like a charm.

What did you use on the dremel? Standard cutting wheel?

 

[Nusdogg]

What did you use on the dremel? Standard cutting wheel?

A metal grinding stick. Works awesome.