If you're in Seattle and know how to solder, please read...

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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I've got a disassembled PS and a mod chip sitting in front of me here. No solder on me, so I'm not gonna be able to to this until, at the soonest, Friday. But I'm wondering how...and whether I should delve into it myself, or leave it up to someone else (this stuff is french to me).

MainBoard

I'm considering trying it just for the challenge. I've never done something like this before. Anyone in the Seattle area want to give me some pointers? :) I love to learn by example.

Rob
 

squirrel dog

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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I've done two ps with the mod chip.All you do it heat the solder up where you have your arrows,with the correct wire right on top of the soldered point,or spot.You dont need any extra solder,you reheat the existing stuff.Use a small tip or get a small solder iron,mine came from(where else)Radio Shack.
 

etech

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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I'm not sure that would be a good project to learn to solder on, but it looks like you would be able to do it.

squirrel dog is correct, you will need a small soldering iron, something at or under 30 watts with a fine tip.

Wire- if you don't have any get a small role of 30 ga wire-wrap wire from Radio Shack.

It looks like all of the places you need to solder to are vias(holes through the board) with the possible exception of the yellow and green arrows.

Note, I havn't done one of these mods on the PS.

Strip the wire about a 1/4 of an inch. Get an old rag and dampen it in water(I normally use a sponge for this). Let the solder iron heat up and wipe it quickly on the rag. Take a small amount of solder and apply it to the tip(you just want the tip shiny, not a big glob on it)
Apply the tip to the hole. You need to be careful not to overheat the board, it should just take about 5 seconds or so for the solder on the board to "melt". Take the wire and shove it through the hole and hole it steady for a few seconds until the solder firms back again. Check the board closely to make sure that the solder has not bridged to anything else. Turn the board over and clip off any excess wire that came through.
Instead of pushing the wire through you can just solder it to the top of the board. Strip less insulation off of the end of the board, just enough to bend and fit on the solder pad. Heat the wire and put a little solder on it. Then like above, heat the pad till the solder melts and then place the end of the wire on the pad. The solder should cover the wire, remove the soldering iron and hold the wire steady until the solder firms up.

It's easier then I made it sound.


 

Lvis

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Do you have an old isa video card or other useless circit board in your closet? You should have no problems, if you practice a little.
 

compuwiz1

Admin Emeritus Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
27,112
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Find an old pos video or sound card to practice your technique on first. A few times and you will have the hang of it, before you go at the real project. :D
 

BigToque

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
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Its not too hard to do. I've done it 2 times. If you've never soldered anything before, practice on an old video or sound card for practice.
 

Killbat

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2000
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You people are disgusting me suggesting "practicing" on an old (but still USEFUL) video/sound card. Yikes.
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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Hmm. I can't figure out where to put the yellow wire. The other ones are pretty obvious, but the yellow one I can't figure out. Anyone who has done it before?

Rob
 

ltk007

Banned
Feb 24, 2000
6,209
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I haven't done the PS before, but I've done a few wires, etc... and its not that bad once you've practice. Just don't burn yourself with that sucker!
 

IamDavid

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
5,888
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I've done quite a few. Isn't it all pictured in your instruction sheet? What series of PS are ya installing it on?
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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Ah, this is frustrating. I have to make sure I have the right soldering diagram before I go ahead with this, I have to make sure this is the right diagram. Uh-oh.

Rob
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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It's a 9000-series. I still have the mod chip, but not the packaging, and the company I bought it from never sent instructions - they just referred me to their website. :(

Rob
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
10,090
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This is exactly what my mod chip looks like, too (it's not a bare mod chip like I've seen on many of the other sites). I'm almost 100% sure this is the right diagram, but I'm concerned about the yellow wire; I can't see exactly where it goes on that diagram.

Rob
 

IamDavid

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
5,888
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9000 series are tuff. I've ruined at least one of them before. Did ya get it thru modchip.com? They have all the screenshoots needed to install. Make sure ya use a magnifier to get the exact spot.
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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I got it through consolesource.com. I don't wanna ruin the console...ack.

Ok, I looked on modchip.com (it's the same chip - the stealth one) and I can see which one it is now. This is gonna take some steady hands. Wish me luck. :)

Rob
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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So much for my experience. I get 9/10 of the way there, and run off and grab my soldering iron.

30w. Not exactly a "low temperature" iron. :(

Anyone in the Seattle area wanna mod it tomorrow for me? I'll pay ya if you want. :)

Rob
 

Soybomb

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2000
9,506
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I've done all mine with 30w, for me my 15w iron is too cool to do the job quickly enough for my shaky hands! Be careful though the 900x is a hard one, I've roasted one of them :(
 

IamDavid

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
5,888
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Don't ya have a videogame store there in town that does stuff like that? There is a place in my home town called Cart-Mart that installs the chips for people who want to play imported games. Any electronics repair shop should do it for $20 or less.
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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Yeah, I've decided I'm not gonna do it. I want someone who is more experienced with soldering...I just don't wanna mess this machine up. I don't want to have to drop another $80 on a new machine. :p

Email me if you're in Seattle and would be willing to help (this is directed to anyone).

Rob
 

PistachioByAzul

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Factory2.1 is where I got my chips, I believe they will also do installations.

BTW, I did two systems without any previous soldering experience. The feeling after booting up the first import/backup and seeing that it works is priceless!
 

Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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Yeah, but I've heard from two people now about how they fried a 900X unit. I don't want to be the third. :(

Rob