Revisiting the OG Family Computer...(Pt. 1)

This might be the last time I mess with this Famicom, I don't know. But I think it's time to finalize this thing like I've done with the NES the last time. 

I did tease with mentioning that I was gonna redo my BLW modded NES, but I felt that I should get the OG Famicom updated. I did like the Lava RGB with the last NES, so I ordered another one from AliExpress specifically for this Famicom.

I decided to take the time to open up the Famicom while I wait for the Lava RGB to be delivered. 

 

I did mess around with it before I tore it down. It still works like when I finished it up a few years ago. I took some time to dust it off a bit while I had it on my work mat.

Just as I left it when I updated the AV mod. It was quite improved, but there was some noticeable jailbars when I was playing using my RetroTINK 2x. With the 5x Pro, it actually looked a bit better. This mod looked much cleaner than the one from before, install wise.

 

Some of the topside shots of the mod. I did some of the suggestions from older av mod tutorials. One of the suggestions with using copper tape on the PPU and adding a wire to ground. I also used the original RF connector location to put an RCA connector for video. I removed the channel select switch and used a 3.5mm jack for the audio. Chaos under the case, but it did look really good when closed up.

For the Lava RGB to fit in the console, the cartridge eject mechanism needed to be removed. I just needed to remove the spring and the plastic ejector out. For aesthetics, I left the eject lever in place.

Taking out the trusty ZD-915 desoldering station to desolder the PPU, once again, from the OG Famicom. Since the kit I ordered also comes with a replacement power and video board, I also needed to desolder the wires connecting the original power and video board to the main Famicom board. The original power switch also needs to be desoldered to be installed on the new power/video board from the new kit.

 

For the old AV mod, pin 21 on the PPU needed to be lifted out of the circuit and connected to the AV board I made. Anyway, since I desoldered and resoldered the PPU many times before, I really didn't need to add more solder before desoldering it. Other than pin 40, all the pins desoldered with just one hit.

Here's the PPU and the power/RF board desoldered from the mainboard. I used the desoldering station to clean up all the solder from holes. 

Prep is good for now for part 1 of this mod sesh. I'll continue on to part 2 when the Lava RGB gets delivered, which should be a few weeks from now.

Stay tuned!