Hardware "Supposed" AGS-101 Screen replacements/upgrades for GBA: Can any of them even be trusted?

Cyber Akuma

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So, have a GBA:SP that is an AGS-001, as well as an original GBA that I actually far prefer using, but it's no-lit screen makes it near impossible to do.

I recalled those old GBA "backlight" kits from years ago, which are long-gone now (I think they were called Afterburner? I am talking about the kids that existed long long before the GBA:SP was announced, when the GBA was still new). Then, the newer backlight kits were apparently actually left-over AGS-101 screen stock, and those just recently disappeared. There are a few random garbage kits out there nowadays, but most of these are really low quality random garbage from China or Hong Kong that's a cheap LCD (which I suspect is even lower quality than the AGS-001's screen) which are front-lit. Most of them call them "back-lit" just because that's the familiar term to get people to buy them, but 99% of them seem to be junk.

What I wanted to ask if there are any good sources left, official or unofficial/3rd party, that one can get an AGS-101 quality backlit screen anymore? And also, while I know there is a lot of work to do to put that screen in the original GBA, for the GBA:SP though would this be a drop-in replacement or is there still work to do to convert an AGS-001 to an AGS-101?

Also, most of the work in installing an AGS-001 or AGS-101 screen in an original GBA appears to be carving exactly enough space on the original faceplate to make the new screen fit. By any chance, does anyone sell pre-fabricated replacement faceplates that have been already cut to accommodate this?

I have seen some people on the Gameboy Reddit have been claiming that the newer Chinese reproduction screens are actually better quality than the original, but the videos I see on YouTube seem to claim the opposite:





(They also seemed to be pretty quick to attack me just for asking.... so I am not sure how trustworthy that info was)
 

MichiS97

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Those reproduction screens aren't too bad. If you really won't settle for anything marginally worse than an original screen, just get a used SP
 

Ryccardo

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I recalled those old GBA "backlight" kits from years ago, which are long-gone now (I think they were called Afterburner? I am talking about the kids that existed long long before the GBA:SP was announced, when the GBA was still new)
Yes, the Afterburner by PortableMonopoly (which of course you learnt about from gameboy-advance.net and its flashcard/weird accessory lists, while appearing to be a front for another rom site) :D

for the GBA:SP though would this be a drop-in replacement or is there still work to do to convert an AGS-001 to an AGS-101?
They aren't, if anything because on the 001 you have a choice of brightness 1 or 0, and on the 101 you have the choice of brightness 1 or 2 - and I think I've read about different pinouts/voltages too

I have seen some people on the Gameboy Reddit have been claiming that the newer Chinese reproduction screens are actually better quality than the original, but the videos I see on YouTube seem to claim the opposite:
I would guess it's a mix of the average quality-non-control and multiple-(anonymous)-manufacturers that are usually staples of the "cheap Chinese crap" stereotypical product!

(They also seemed to be pretty quick to attack me just for asking.... so I am not sure how trustworthy that info was)
That's the average reddit attitude (where points=ePenis) for you (though it wasn't that bad last time I visited r/gameboy over a year ago and r/psp is still one of the friendliest ones)
 

Cyber Akuma

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Those reproduction screens aren't too bad. If you really won't settle for anything marginally worse than an original screen, just get a used SP

Problem is a used AGS-101 is neither cheap nor easy to find. Plus I am still trying to see what is true, if the repro screens actually do manage to be improved over the originals. I have seen some people say that the 101 had some issues with response times/blur that even the 001 screens did not have.
 

r0ni

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The repro screens are great. I’ve bought a few of them and installed them in my gbas and they work just as well as my 101 does. Don’t believe the naysayers. They are excellent screens and worth every bit of the money spent on them. Also, the afterburner was a front light mod like the sp001 is, it’s outdated tech and junk. Go for the 3rd party 101 screen. But do know, these mods can take a bit of work, you must mod the shell on a agb to fit one in and you must make sure you buy the correct adapter wire for your model. There is plenty of info on /r/gameboy to follow.


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Stremon

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I can confirm, the 3rd party from AliExpress are great, I modded 5 GBA already and all the screen are really good. The refresh problem present in the second video is just the voltage potentiometer that hasn't been ajusted correctly. To have a smooth refresh and good color you often have to ajdust it, no matter if it's an official screen or not.
For the modding, you have different solutions, the most simple and cheap is to buy a kit (still from AliExpress) with a simple ribbon adapter for the screen and one wire to solder, which give you only one backlight level (max), or a ribbon with a small switch that offer 2 levels of backlight.
But if you want a better solution, I recommend the Bennvenn's backlight control pcb and backlight driver, together they do an amazing work, many levels of backlight and good energy optimization. Those ones are of course more expensive and a LOT harder to do, I won't recommend you doing it if you don't have any experience in electronic.

Edit: also because the original GBA has two type of ribbon connectors, don't forget to check that before buying.
 
Last edited by Stremon,

crazyfrog1

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I've spent alot of time setting up the AGS-101 in a AGB-001 and a AGS-001 and its definitely all about installing it the right way and setting it up properly. Even testing with a multimeter if my voltage is correct doesnt mean its getting all the power it should have but the AGS-101 kills the AGB and AGS-001 screens even setup poorly.

In the comparison video the guy didnt even know about the potentiometer on the back you need to fine tune for your screen. Thats the reason for all the noise and possibly differences in tones.
 

JCR1

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I also buyed an screen from aliexpress and it's perfect, but other buyer reported dead pixel in two screens, he ordered a pack of 10 screens.
 

WildDog

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Aliexpress kit are great, in the rare case you have an issue you can ship it back for a replacement. Tech advances and older tech is cheaper to make a Gameboy Advance screen for today standards is a very very very basic panel to make.
Some people is stuck in the 80s and think that everything made in China is crap... Here most likely they didn't install the panels properly....
 
Last edited by WildDog,

crazyfrog1

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If you look at the sellers in China they’re actually selling modded AGB consoles with AGS-101 Screen, your choice of button and shell colours and a glass screen.
Once you consider the time in buying parts and costs especially in soldering materials if you don’t have fine tips for your soldering iron it’s worth it. That’s how I bought mine
 

WildDog

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Is it feasible to ship something from the US back to China though? Wouldn't that cost half the price of the kit itself?
I wouldn't know how the postal service works in the US. But everytime i had to send something to china (not gba screen) for warranty it was either free or really cheap.
 

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