Hardware GBA Backlight! (AGB-001)

[Count Duckula]

Hey all, so, I'm another satisfied Zerey customer, picked up the cable and screen from him. But there's one catch, it would seem. The screen is just not nearly as bright as I'd expected it would be, and I followed the instructions from RCG's site (linked below) on which power lead to solder to (I chose the "high" brightness position). Anyone have any ideas on what this could be? (I do not have an AGS-101 to compare to.)

The other problem I'm having is that it seems like the screen's contrast or sharpness settings are off, dramatically. When I try to play the Classic SMB, Mario looks terrible and is hardly visible, particularly when in motion, and when I play Doom, I can't really even make out the zombies in the first level. Are there ways to adjust this in the GBA?

http://rosecoloredgaming.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/rcg-gba-light-manual.pdf

http://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-backlight-agb-001.328487/page-9#post-4522224

You could try adjusting the potentiometer, as shown in the guide linked in that post, your image does seem to be pretty poor from your description so it may be a bigger issue.

Wiggatron's post a bit further down the page has a bit more info:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-backlight-agb-001.328487/page-9#post-4522377

My pre-modded unit from Zerey is nice and clear: http://users.tpg.com.au/msulley/Backlit GBA.jpg

 

[Masaray67]

could somebody post pinouts for the 32 pin gba ribbon cable socket?
Any kind of wiring diagram would be really appreciated.

 

[Masaray67]

Nah... I gonna post this anyway...

We're lucky that the 40-pin AGB-001 have supplied all the required pins for the AGS-101 LCD but tracking them down by yourself is a pain in the ass since some pin labels was printed far away from their respective test pins! I used a multimeter with continuity tester to track them down!

Okay... Here are the pinouts for AGB-001 and AGS-001/AGS-101 LCD. just connect the pins with similar pinout labels.

LEGEND: CONNECTED
NOT CONNECTED
READ THE NOTES

The pin#1 is on the right side while pin#34 in on the left side.

AGB-001 Side:
1 - [No Connection]
2 - VSHD
3 - DCK
4 - LP
5 - PS
6 - GND
7 - VSHD
8 - LDR5
9 - LDR4
10 - LDR3
11 - LDR2
12 - LDR1
13 - LDG5
14 - LDG4
15 - LDG3
16 - LDG2
17 - LDG1
18 - GND
19 - LDB5
20 - LDB4
21 - LDB3
22 - LDB2
23 - LDB1
24 - SPL
25 - CLS
26 - SPS
27 - VSHD
28 - MOD
29 - VCOM
30 - P2-VEE
31 - P2-VSS
32 - P2-VCC
33 - P2-VDD
34 - VDD5
35 - GND
36 - V4
37 - V3
38 - V2
39 - V1
40 - V0

AGS-001/AGS-101 Side:

1 - VSHD
2 - DCK
3 - LP
4 - PS
5 - VSHD
6 - GND
7 - LDR5
8 - LDR4
9 - LDR3
10 - LDR2
11 - LDR1
12 - LDG5
13 - LDG4
14 - LDG3
15 - LDG2
16 - LDG1
17 - GND
18 - LDB5
19 - LDB4
20 - LDB3
21 - LDB2
22 - LDB1
23 - SPL
24 - CLS
25 - SPS
26 - MOD
27 - REVC
28 - P2-VDD
29 - P2-VSS
30 - COM
31 - VDD5
32 - GND
33 - ??? (U83 on AGS-001)
34 - VDD5

NOTES:

VSHD and GND can be connected in a single pin to save some solder points.

I used another VDD5 point because the test pin labeled with VDD5 was too far to the group of solder points.

REVC is not actually connected the AGB-001's LCD but we're lucky that Nintendo still incuded that test pin even this pin is not used. For future design revision perhaps?

I included the VCOM and COM pins to the notes even they are not used, just to mention my mistake in the past. I thought that VCOM and COM are related to each other so I connected them and the result? Darker image and some discolorations in the display. So leave these pins untouched.

The pin#33(U83) was used for the backlight power supply. the AGB-001 doesn't have that pin so I tried to connect that pin to the GND and it worked!

Did you notice on the AGS-001/101 side that the pin#34 is marked for notes? That's because the pin#34 is for the cathode of LED backlight. In the AGS-001/101, its power was supplied by VDD5 but when I tried the VDD5 of AGB-001, the backlight didn't powered so I used the guide of Zhang to find the power source for the backlight.

Do you have pinouts for the 32 pin ribbon connector too?
I see you have figured out the 40 pin connectors pinouts.

 

[KipMudz]

Do you have pinouts for the 32 pin ribbon connector too?
I see you have figured out the 40 pin connectors pinouts.

Just use the pinouts of AGS-001/101 for AGB-001 since these three models have similar pinouts except the 32-pin AGB-001 lacks the last two pins which is used for the backlight.

 

[Masaray67]

Just use the pinouts of AGS-001/101 for AGB-001 since these three models have similar pinouts except the 32-pin AGB-001 lacks the last two pins which is used for the backlight.

Thanks A Lot KipMudz!

 

[Romain80200]

Hello.
One more happy user
I bought a kit from zerey (adaptator, screen and glass len) and choose airmail for sending method.
I got it 2 weeks later.
Not too long for a china-france trip.
I'd mod a new black gba case and voila. An agb-101 just like new.
Thanks again zerey!

 

[M4ciek]

Hello.
One more happy user
I bought a kit from zerey (adaptator, screen and glass len) and choose airmail for sending method.
I got it 2 weeks later.
Not too long for a china-france trip.
I'd mod a new black gba case and voila. An agb-101 just like new.
Thanks again zerey!

Show photo please! I would like to order few things too from Zerey!

 

[Romain80200]

My modded gba:



With yoshi's island:





and with zelda dx:

 

[M4ciek]

Thank you for photos. Look sweet. But I think I'll choose yellow housing.

I would like to order something from Zerey - including ribbon cable.

I have AGB-001 (32 pin model) and AGS-101. Should it work together (AGB + 101 screen) or should I prepare onself to problems like this?

 

[doshch]

Thank you for photos. Look sweet. But I think I'll choose yellow housing.

I would like to order something from Zerey - including ribbon cable.

I have AGB-001 (32 pin model) and AGS-101. Should it work together (AGB + 101 screen) or should I prepare onself to problems like this?

BTW I have a spare cable for 32 pin model. Can sell you one. PM if you're interested.
Did a few mods and never had that trouble with blurry screen and twisted colors.

 

[M4ciek]

BTW I have a spare cable for 32 pin model. Can sell you one. PM if you're interested.
Did a few mods and never had that trouble with blurry screen and twisted colors.

Thanks, but I think we would order from Zerey. The reason is one shipping fee for many items (glass lenses, game boy housings, cables etc.).
I hope to mod my AGB without any problems. I'm not worried about money but wasting time if I had to order new screen .

 

[sainrub]

I purchased a new back lit GBA on ebay recently. I was not satisfied with the brightness level so opened it up to see if I could adjust it. The adapter used was different than what I have seen so far. It didnt have the wire attached to control the brightness to the LCD. Could you guys take a look and advise me which point is used to attach the wire to control the brightness and if im suppose to bridge any of the points on the adapter.

Thank you in advance, appreciate it.

 

[doshch]

I purchased a new back lit GBA on ebay recently. I was not satisfied with the brightness level so opened it up to see if I could adjust it. The adapter used was different than what I have seen so far. It didnt have the wire attached to control the brightness to the LCD. Could you guys take a look and advise me which point is used to attach the wire to control the brightness and if im suppose to bridge any of the points on the adapter.

Thank you in advance, appreciate it.

View attachment 2680 View attachment 2681

Looks like P1... According to my cable https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60781027/vuK1SYa.jpg

 

[sainrub]

Looks like P1... According to my cable https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60781027/vuK1SYa.jpg

Thank you dosch for your reply.

 

[ncc74656m]

http://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-backlight-agb-001.328487/page-9#post-4522224

You could try adjusting the potentiometer, as shown in the guide linked in that post, your image does seem to be pretty poor from your description so it may be a bigger issue.

Wiggatron's post a bit further down the page has a bit more info:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/gba-backlight-agb-001.328487/page-9#post-4522377

My pre-modded unit from Zerey is nice and clear: http://users.tpg.com.au/msulley/Backlit GBA.jpg

Hey, sorry I didn't respond sooner - yes, adjusting the pot worked for me. FYI in case anyone else needs help, I had to adjust the pot backwards. Be forewarned that this may mess up your system if done improperly. Adjust at around 15 degrees each try.

 

[wiggatron]

Hey everyone, just signed up to say thank you to all involved in getting the word out there for this amazing mod and thank you to Zerey for his outstanding products and service.

Wiggy, your work has inspired me to start painting again and here are a couple of examples of what I have created so far.

Thanks for keeping GBA alive and kicking! =D


View attachment 2251
View attachment 2249
View attachment 2250

Nice work! You're a brave fellow swapping those über tiny SMDs. I cringe when I think about doing so.

 

[Mechanietzsche]

This topic is AWESOME. I want one GBA backlighted for me I've sent an email to Zerey, I hope he can sell me one

 

[Coltonamore]

As my mod is concerned, I have ordered the TV converter and the ez flash iv. All I need now is the backlit kit. Witch I'll order when I get more money.

 

[Masaray67]

Ok... so I actually bought the cable from zerey, but when i turn the gba on (after following every step of his guide) half of the screen is brighter... What Should i do about it?

 

[Masaray67]

Correction:
I have exactly the same kind of screen that zerey sells, and when i plug it in to the agb-001 (with the converter cable of course) the other half of the screen is much brighter. If I look at the screen from a different angle, I can see a vertical line in the middle of the screen. I desperately need help... Any kind of tips would be very appreciated