Tutorial  Updated

Internal modchip - SAMD21 (Trinket M0, Gemma M0, ItsyBitsy M0 Express) Guide, Files & Support

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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:
20181031_110415.jpg


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

trinketfinal.jpg

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

rebugfinal.jpg

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

RCMX86-Internal-Final.jpg


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


gemma final.jpg

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

itsybitsyfinal.jpg




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

feather_final.jpg




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
SAMD pi connection.png



Alternative Solder Points

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


Credit to @pyorin for this much tidier version showing the same info as the above one!
Alternatepoints2.jpg

s-l1600.jpg

alternative3v.jpg




Replacement Parts List

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
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.
 

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Hayato213

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Did you read my question???

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk

Check your wiring, if you used a jig and autoRCM you should be able to push the payload on the Trinket M0, if you killed the alternative point for joycon pad then you only have the one on the front of the board left. You can do a 4 wire build and just autoRCM with it, but first you need to find out why your isn't pushing the payload if you used a jig/autoRCM.
 

JimmyRecard

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I want to mod my switch with a trinket M0. I thought everything was clear, but I wanted to read the whole thread to see if I missed something, and the more I read, the more I get confused.

What ist the goal:
My goal is, that I don't need a RCM jig and the payload is pushed from the sd card. If I only press Power On, the Switch should boot into OFW. If I press Volume + and Power On, the Switch should boot into Hekate.

What I have done so far:
I have an external Trinket with mattytrogs fusee suite, which pushes the payload.bin from sd card at boot time. I plug in the Trinket via cable, I insert the RCM jig, press Power and Volume +, turn on the trinket, and Hekate comes up.

What I thought I have to do:
Remove the USB Port and LED from the trinket, solder the Trinket like shown in picture 1 of OP (without volume strap) and have the exact situation like with my external Trinket, but without RCM jig.

Why I'm confused:
I read from method 1,2 and 3, but what are these methods? I didn't found anything, which says: this is method 1, this method 2 and so on.
Then I read from battery drain, and this won't happened with method 2. But what is method 2 and will it be possible with my goal?

I hope someone can help me.
 
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16v

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Check your wiring, if you used a jig and autoRCM you should be able to push the payload on the Trinket M0, if you killed the alternative point for joycon pad then you only have the one on the front of the board left. You can do a 4 wire build and just autoRCM with it, but first you need to find out why your isn't pushing the payload if you used a jig/autoRCM.
This is also not my question!!!

Your solutions dont work! This is what im asking!
It only works when i remove nand!

My M0 works fine, but payload only works when nand is removed.

And yes, joycon pad on the front is used now.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk
 

Hayato213

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This is also not my question!!!

Your solutions dont work! This is what im asking!
It only works when i remove nand!

My M0 works fine, but payload only works when nand is removed.

And yes, joycon pad on the front is used now.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk

Post a picture of your wiring, easier for people to help you troubleshoot.
 

16v

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???

Its not possible to send payload!
Rcm only works, when nand is removed!

And when updating ofw i always have to unscrew my switch and remove the nand to get into rcm again.

Payload is sent, but doesnt boot.
It doesnt matter if its M0, joycon mod, jig, pc.


Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk
 
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FunThomas

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Hey Guys,

I killed the alternative joy con pad on the back of the pcb...

Switch is working, and M0 works also fine, BUT, payload is not working. I can only boot to OFW.

Same when using a payload device...
Only removing NAND will boot to cfw...

Any ideas?

Thank you all

Did you read my question???

Gesendet von meinem SM-G975F mit Tapatalk

i think yes ;-)

maybe you ask again the same question

but you could describe what you tried and what worked and what not
 
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LuigiTheHunter

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Hello guys,

I tried to solder the points with some alternative points, I think I may did not correctly connect one point (ellipse painted white in the picture) and that this point might have been connected to the point painted as a yellow ellipse in the picture. But I'm not 100% certain that these points where connected. I have added a zoomed picture and an not zoomed one:
AlternatepointsEditedZoomed.jpg
AlternatepointsEdited.jpg


The "result" on my switch is now the following: The switch is working in docked mode. But in handheld shows this:
image-202104221700.jpeg


Nevertheless I tried to solder the "modchip" into the switch for this I did then use the second red point to the right of the white one. I put everything together and noticed that on the right point there are 3.3V but instead only about 1.2-1.4V, did I may broke the power for the chip that talks to the LCD? I also tried a different LCD with the switch so I think its not the LCD itself.

Any idea what might have happend? Or on what might be broken?
 

Hayato213

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Hello guys,

I tried to solder the points with some alternative points, I think I may did not correctly connect one point (ellipse painted white in the picture) and that this point might have been connected to the point painted as a yellow ellipse in the picture. But I'm not 100% certain that these points where connected. I have added a zoomed picture and an not zoomed one:
View attachment 260047 View attachment 260046

The "result" on my switch is now the following: The switch is working in docked mode. But in handheld shows this:
View attachment 260050

Nevertheless I tried to solder the "modchip" into the switch for this I did then use the second red point to the right of the white one. I put everything together and noticed that on the right point there are 3.3V but instead only about 1.2-1.4V, did I may broke the power for the chip that talks to the LCD? I also tried a different LCD with the switch so I think its not the LCD itself.

Any idea what might have happend? Or on what might be broken?

Problem might be the ribbon cable, you might have damaged it, that why it is not displaying correctly if the problem is not the display.
 
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JimmyRecard

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Hello guys,

I tried to solder the points with some alternative points, I think I may did not correctly connect one point (ellipse painted white in the picture) and that this point might have been connected to the point painted as a yellow ellipse in the picture. But I'm not 100% certain that these points where connected. I have added a zoomed picture and an not zoomed one:
View attachment 260047 View attachment 260046

The "result" on my switch is now the following: The switch is working in docked mode. But in handheld shows this:
View attachment 260050

Nevertheless I tried to solder the "modchip" into the switch for this I did then use the second red point to the right of the white one. I put everything together and noticed that on the right point there are 3.3V but instead only about 1.2-1.4V, did I may broke the power for the chip that talks to the LCD? I also tried a different LCD with the switch so I think its not the LCD itself.

Any idea what might have happend? Or on what might be broken?

check page 169 post #3362
He said, that the right point causes an error.

Is the LCD responding to touches? I killed my LCD connector and cable the last time. LCD was lit, and was responding to touch, but showed no picture. As I looked in the LCD connector I saw 3 pins where bad.
 
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LuigiTheHunter

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Sorry guys for the late reply. I actually thought I already answered but obviously I did not, sorry for that.

Problem might be the ribbon cable, you might have damaged it, that why it is not displaying correctly if the problem is not the display.

I thought that as well that's why I tested another display with more or less the same result.

check page 169 post #3362
He said, that the right point causes an error.

Is the LCD responding to touches? I killed my LCD connector and cable the last time. LCD was lit, and was responding to touch, but showed no picture. As I looked in the LCD connector I saw 3 pins where bad.

Thanks yeah I overlooked the post. The LCD is responding to touches I tried that. My LCD is lit as well also responding to touches. Actually I think I also have one or maybe two bad pins but it is really really hard to see.

This is a photo of it:
upload_2021-5-8_18-19-24.png


How did you @JimmyRecard manage to solve this problem? They are really really small :P
 

de9ed

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Thanks yeah I overlooked the post. The LCD is responding to touches I tried that. My LCD is lit as well also responding to touches. Actually I think I also have one or maybe two bad pins but it is really really hard to see.

This is a photo of it:
upload_2021-5-8_18-19-24-png.262083


How did you @JimmyRecard manage to solve this problem? They are really really small

definitely have some issue with the LCD FPC connector. you could try with a thin/sharp straight tweezer to move it back in place under a microscope. If not you would have to replace the FPC connector.
 
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LuigiTheHunter

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definitely have some issue with the LCD FPC connector. you could try with a thin/sharp straight tweezer to move it back in place under a microscope. If not you would have to replace the FPC connector.

Thanks for the quick answer! I will try to see if someone I know has a microscope.
 

JimmyRecard

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Sorry guys for the late reply. I actually thought I already answered but obviously I did not, sorry for that.



I thought that as well that's why I tested another display with more or less the same result.



Thanks yeah I overlooked the post. The LCD is responding to touches I tried that. My LCD is lit as well also responding to touches. Actually I think I also have one or maybe two bad pins but it is really really hard to see.

This is a photo of it:
View attachment 262083

How did you @JimmyRecard manage to solve this problem? They are really really small :P

It‘s definitely broken. At least one pin. Since my skills for repairing this are very limited, I searched the web for people, who can repair it. Since you are from Deutschland, wie ich. ;) I can suggest you https://www.overnightrepair.de/
I found him at ebay kleinanzeigen. I sent him the switch and the repair was done in one day.
I also damaged the LCD connector cable, by trying to put it in the broken connector. The broken pins scratched on it and even after overnightrepair changed the LCD connector, nothing was shown on the display. Overnightrepair soldered the scratched pin on the cable too and it worked again. He also resoldered the trinket chip wires on the mainboard, secured the soldering points and soldered the two USB wires to the trinket.

You shouldn't try to fix it by yourself, by putting the pins back in position. I tried that too, but it didn't work. You risk more damage in my opinion .
 

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LA-

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I’m a bit slow, I got a unpatched switch so I don’t need to deal with the hassle but looking at it, it looks so much easier than I expected. Everytime I saw something like it I saw like 9-12 wires, didn’t know I just need to use like 5. What if I don’t want dual boot, and just want traditional RCM mode? Also, could you link the wires I need?
 
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JimmyRecard

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I’m a but slow, I got a unpatched switch so I don’t need to deal with the hassle but looking at it, it looks so much easier than I expected. Everytime I saw something like it I saw like 9-12 wires, didn’t know I just need to use like 5. What if I don’t want dual boot, and just want traditional RCM mode? Also, could you link the wires I need?


I recommend, soldering Volume + strap, Joy Con strap, USB disconnect strap.
3V, GND, USB D+ and D- are needed
obviously.
With all these wires soldered, you only have to press Power On and the payload.bin, from the root of the SD card, will be sent.
 

Hayato213

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I’m a but slow, I got a unpatched switch so I don’t need to deal with the hassle but looking at it, it looks so much easier than I expected. Everytime I saw something like it I saw like 9-12 wires, didn’t know I just need to use like 5. What if I don’t want dual boot, and just want traditional RCM mode? Also, could you link the wires I need?

If you don't want straps you have to use autoRCM, for wiring you need 3V, Ground, D+, D-,
 

Hayato213

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Alright thanks, say I want to use a rcm loader. Would that work? Or is the payload launched through the trinket m0?

No, you need a SAMD21 microcontroller modchip, like Trinket M0, Rebug Switchme, RCM-X86 specified in the opening post, there is an uf2 format payload used on the chip allowing payload injection internally.
 

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