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Members Albums Category


This is the special members albums category


Albums

  1. Lance's Laboratory

    Photos and graphics for Lance's Laboratory Blog
    • Album created by Video 61
    • Updated
    • 23 images
    • 23 images
  2. DUO World

    Images from DUO World
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 14 images
    • 14 images
  3. ITC - INTV2

    These are the picture archives for one of the main Intellivision II consoles used in the ITC collection. This one has an older Crayon King (Backed Potato) RGB board that provides both RGB and YPbPr component video output. These earlier boards aren't that compatible with most video scalers, but thankfully the component output is. As a result, it has both outputs installed to select between as needed.
    It needs the capacitors replaced out at some point and recently was the first test subject for a new mount board solution I've designed for use in Intellivision RGB installs. Changes are still needed on this mount board so this is more of a prototype new design, but it can be used at least on the INTV 2 models for now.
     
    • Album created by CrossBow
    • Updated
    • 8 images
    • 8 images
  4. ITC - TurboGrafx 16

    Another console from the ITC collection. This is my TG16 that I bought for about $20 bucks back around 2000 timeframe at the local flea market. It came with 1 controller at the time that I've not used because the controller was in such nice condition. Here it is with the controller I got with it back then.

    It doesn't get used much as over the years I've gotten other consoles to play these games with. And it seems the value of the TG16 itself has increased over time where it is better to put wear on my other consoles anyway. As a result, it lives most of its life in the closet of doom where spare consoles are 'stored' in one of the TG16 branded hard clamshell cases for the system. 
    I replaced the caps on it several years back but not much else had been done to it. That changed as I finally installed a second RGB kit I bought early last year into it last night. The RGB replaces the original RF modulator and uses a Sega Saturn 10pin mini din for the RGB, composite, and s-video output, along with the audio of course. 
    I also have a spare region switching kit specific to the TG16 that I may install in the future. Again, this console doesn't actually get used much so I don't know yet what more I will put into it. Could be a console that will be ready for a new home in the future?
     
    • Album created by CrossBow
    • Updated
    • 5 images
    • 1 album comment
    • 5 images
    • 1 album comment
  5. ITC - Sega Master System

    I bought this SMS with 2 controllers and bunch of games over a decade ago at a garage sale for about $100. Since then it has been a constant occupant in the main game console case where the systems I actually play are connected up and added to the AV system. 

    This SMS was an early project of mine for mod work only a year or two after I got it. It has had quit a bit of work done/redone, removed, added etc during that time. But thought it might be fun to see the chaos that exists within the inside of the ITC SMS. This is an early '86 made unit that has only the built in Snail Maze game and uses leaf switches for the pause and reset.
    It has the following work done to it over the years:-
    - FM add on board (Provides FM music & sound for games that support it)
    - Region switch added (Some games only provide FM when set to JPN region)
    - Hand made circuit for handling remote pause function from player 1 controller
    - S-video amp (designed for a Genesis) installed to provide s-video output
    - RCA jacks were added (wired from the audio & composite output of the built in AV port)
    - Capacitors replaced about 4 - 5 years ago
    - Original voltage regulator removed and replaced with DC-DC switching regulator
    - RGB active amp & breakout added in Jan. 2024 for cleaner RGB and composite output from second 9-pin AV mini din
     
    As a result or consequence of all of these services/modifications over the years, the work quality varies and I like this fact as it shows a progression from my early days of doing this stuff for myself personally to more higher skills I've developed since that time. As the list above shows, I added a replacement active RGB amp setup to it on Jan. 9th, 2024 to provide improved RGB output as the original has bad jail bars that can only be corrected with a modification like this being added. Most tech will remove the original AV jack and install the replacement there, but I chose to remove the RF modulator instead and install the second AV out port there. This way the original AV can be used on the original circuit or the new AV used with the new. This not only allows both as a point of comparison, but allows both to be used at the same time since they are from different isolated circuits so I can use the composite output from the original or RGB and provide a nicer composite or RGB from the other to two displays at once. 
    The RGB setup that I installed was NOT designed for the model 1 SMS and in fact is designed for the model 2 SMS. But I figured I could adapt it and was curious to see if I could get it to work. I did, but it required me to meter out the points to take my signals from that the board needs. It also required me to add additional resistors to the RGB inputs to the RGB amp board. Try a few different values but it seems that 740 Ohms is pretty much were it needs to be. Each RGB signal is sending a .7v peak to peak signal to the amp/encoder on the new PCB and that is right at the high end of where you want that to be. Without the resistors the image was overly bright with quite a few colors not being displayed as they were blending together due to over driving the RGB amp. Using higher value resistors results in the image looking a bit too dark in some colors.
    The FM board has the ability to not only provide FM synthesis sound and music on games that support it, and that is more than a few surprisingly. But also allows for changing the console country region between US and JPN. This is needed as a few games only provide their FM audio sound when they detect running on a JPN region console. This also results in a few games having different difficulty in their games along with different startup and title screens. Several games will boot up the console showing a MARK III logo vs the SEGA logo as this model of the SMS was known as the Mark III in Japan. However, getting the region switching to work was a chore as the original install guides for the SMS refer to attaching the needed wire for region switching to a completely different pin on the console than what actually works on these earlier model 1 consoles. The guide will tell you to lift pin 19 or cut the trace to it from the Gate Array IC chip. However, this result in a NON working SMS if you do this. In reality, you have to lift or cut the traces to pin 23 on the gate array IC and then run a wire from that pin back to the IORQ# pad on the FM board. Once this is done, the console will then switch between US/JPN properly.
    The hand made remote pause is designed to allow you to pause the games on the console from the controller vs having to press the PAUSE button on the console. This is handy because many games will use the pause as a 3rd function button to pull up stats or inventory etc. It can be a pain to have to keep the console nearby for easy access to the pause button. So I found a circuit years ago that requires modifying your controller with a 3rd button that you wire to both the Left & Right, or Up & Down contacts. Basically when you press this 3rd button, it will send an impossible controller combo to the system that you can exploit as a trigger for simple logic circuit you add in the console that will then initiate the command to the Pause in the console. This is normally done using a NOR IC logic that will take the two inputs pressed at the same time to create a True logic output that you feed to the pause switch in the console to initiate the pause. However, mine is more complicated because I didn't have any NOR chips on hand at the time and so I use an AND IC logic chip instead and by routing the signals to several logic gates in that IC, it eventually creates the same True output logic that I feed to the Pause switch. I've thought about redoing this circuit over the years, but it works and I kinda like to see some of my early hand done stuff remain in use in some of my consoles.
    - JH:- Ivory Tower Collections
     
    • Album created by CrossBow
    • Updated
    • 8 images
    • 8 images
  6. PC Engine Box Art

    PC Engine Box Art
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 17 images
    • 1 album comment
    • 17 images
    • 1 album comment
  7. Toys R Us Memories

    Justin's Toys R Us Memories 2000-2001
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 50 images
    • 50 images
  8. Atari 2600 Labels

    • Album created by Tony Waldron
    • Updated
    • 14 images
    • 14 images
  9. Push Your Mind To The Edge With The Power Of Atari Lynx

      Push Your Mind To The Edge With The Power Of Atari Lynx (1992)  
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 8 images
    • 8 images
  10. Atari I/O Official Instagram

    Select photography from Atari I/O Official Instagram. Feel free to use these images however you want! Follow Atari I/O on Instagram: @atarigames
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 101 images
    • 101 images
  11. Video 61 - Examples of Budget Packaging from 3rd Party Atari Developers

    All through Atari's history, smaller 3rd party game publishers came up with alternative methods for packing their products. Did you know it was common at the time for many 3rd Party Atari developers to release game cartridges, floppies, and other accessories in simple "budget" packaging such as clear inexpensive clamshell cases and plastic baggies? Some publishers even just shrink-wrapped the floppy disk and documents! Unique, alternative packaging kept costs low for the buyer, while keeping the games profitable enough for the small developers to stay in business and continue publishing Atari games and software.
    • Album created by Video 61
    • Updated
    • 36 images
    • 36 images
  12. Justin's Photos

    Photos from a world beyond 
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 12 images
    • 12 images
  13. Justin's Sega CDx

    Photos of Justin's original Sega CDx purchased new from Toys R Us in 1994
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 8 images
    • 8 images
  14. Atari I/O Press Kit

    Official photography from the Atari I/O Press Kit. Available to all for use with attribution credited to www.atari.io. Images Copyright Atari I/O. All Rights Reserved.
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 2 images
    • 2 images
  15. - Ω -'s Photo Gallery

    A few photos of some of my favorite pieces of retro related equipment and accessories.
    • Album created by - Ω -
    • Updated
    • 6 images
    • 6 images
  16. The "Works" 7800

    This was an Atari 7800 sent to me where the client wanted the literally 'Works' done to this system. This is what was done:
    - UAV installed for composite and s-video output
    - New capacitors
    - New Alps branded high quality panel switches installed
    - Original voltage regulator replaced with newer tech DC-DC switching regulator
    - Cartridge sleeve modified to allow all 3rd party carts to fit and seat properly, including Tigervision games
    - Original power port removed and replaced with common 2.1x5.5mm barrel jack
    - PAL BIOS installed so that both NTSC and PAL games can be played. Asteroids comes up by default with out a game inserted when powering on the 7800
    - Power LED replaced with diffused UV LED
    - C64 removed from circuit to improve compatibility with 2600 supercharger games, home brews, and earlier Activision games
     
    For those curious on how the barrel jack was installed. It actually isn't that elegant since the 7800 main board and the location for the power port doesn't allow for something like this to be done. I ended up having to epoxy the jack in place directly onto the main board and upside down so that I could then solder on wires from the power plug to corresponding locations on the main board where the original plug used to connect to. Because the barrel jack is such a common size and it would be very easy for the wrong type of supply to be installed, I also added a diode just after the ferrite bead before the main filter cap as a means for reverse polarity protection. 
    • Album created by CrossBow
    • Updated
    • 3 images
    • 3 images
  17. Justin's 8-Bit Game Setup

    📺   Formally setting up my Sony Trinitron TV stand with my 8-Bit systems at the new house. Atari 2600/7800, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sega Master System are all here with room for an additional system or two. Lighting is controlled remotely using an LED light strip kit from Five Below. Game Systems connect to a 4-Channel Audio/Video RCA Switch using premium industrial-grade gold RCA cables. These are my original systems from growing up, running on my original Sony Trinitron and Sony TV Stand from the 1990s. Everything here I bought new. These things mean a lot to me and I try to keep them nice and enjoy them often.
    Systems from the 16-Bit, 64-Bit, and modern era systems are set up in my credenza under the TV in the living room. They are all running on a modern HD flatscreen Trinitron. Those systems include TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine / TurboDuo, Atari Jaguar, Super Famicom/SNES, Sega Genesis, Neo-Geo and others are in the living room running on the modern flatscreen Trinitron.  Those systems can hold their own on a modern TV, but older 8-Bit systems come to life on the classic tube TVs they were designed for. Those scan lines burning through the warm phosphorescent glow of the TV screen, it's an experience.
    I hope you like my setup and enjoy the photos!
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 7 images
    • 2 image comments
    • 7 images
    • 2 image comments
  18. MaximumRD

    Just various pics I choose to upload.
    • Album created by MaximumRD
    • Updated
    • 8 images
    • 1 image comment
    • 8 images
    • 1 image comment
  19. Justin's De Lorean Collection

    Select photography from Justin's personal De Lorean collection
    • Album created by Justin
    • Updated
    • 25 images
    • 2 image comments
    • 25 images
    • 2 image comments
  20. High Score Squad

    • Album created by chas10e
    • Updated
    • 39 images
    • 39 images
  21. gaming stuff

    • Album created by chas10e
    • Updated
    • 15 images
    • 1 image comment
    • 15 images
    • 1 image comment
  22. Silly

    • Album created by chas10e
    • Updated
    • 4 images
    • 4 images
  23. Jaguar USB Tap

    Resources associated with the Jaguar USB Tap project.
    • Album created by dgrubb
    • Updated
    • 13 images
    • 13 images
  24. RJB

    retro Junk Box
    • Album created by chas10e
    • Updated
    • 16 images
    • 1 image comment
    • 16 images
    • 1 image comment
  25. Atari

    Atari
    • Album created by marigul
    • Updated
    • 7 images
    • 7 images
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