Justin

A new 10-pin mini din was installed in place of the RF modulator. This is a Sega Saturn specific port so any Saturn cables can be used with it. It provides all the needed signals for composite, s-video, and RGB along with stereo audio. The channel select opening has a new replacement switch that acts to change regions between JPN (Left), and US (Right) HuCards.

A new 10pin mini din installed to provide the neede video and audio output from the new RGB board. Here you can see how it installs using a new mount board in place of the RF modulator. Even though the jack is installed upside down here. The mainboard is also installed upside down in the console. As a result, the AV jack orients right side up so it works out well in this case.

The RGB kit installed is called the Turbonanza and was designed and created by a well known modder by the name of Zaxour. The Turbonanza acts as a passthrough for the composite and s-video and audio. But provides new improved RGB signals to the output of the rear expansion port along with the ribbon cable you see providing the signals back to a new AV jack installed on the component side of the system.

Here is the bottom overview of the TG16 mainboard. Similar to the Intellivision, the mainboard is actually installed upside down in the console. You can see where the new RGB bypass board has been installed using the pins from the expansion port on the rear of the console and then wired back to signal points.

Pruchased used for about $20 at the local flea market back around 2000. Came with the controller you see in the picture but nothing else at that time.

Here is another profile of the new mount board that was designed and installed into this console. It replaced an older design mount that also did the job, but was too small and fiddly to install. These newer mounts are easier to install with less guess work needed to line things up and actually cheaper to have made. I'm using a 9pin mini din for the RGB output. However, this older RGB board doesn't provide the proper level signals for Sega RGB use so it results in a darker than normal output. There is also no composite video present so c-sync is being created by stripping the levels for it needed for the standard sync signal and routed to the composite video pin. 

A new mount board was designed for use with the RGB upgrades. I initially planned to make the new mount board able to be used on both earlier 2609 model 1 consoles and the model 2. Differences in the internal layout and overall construction between the two models will require additional changes to use this on the model 1 and I will likely design a new option for the model 2. So the few of these I've had made will essentially be prototypes that I can use on model 2 units at least.

“We’ll be best friends forever, wont we, Luigi?” The greatest stories always begin with humble beginnings. This is one of the most prized items from my collection. All great adventures have to begin somewhere. Mario & Luigi started their adventures together here in these socketed EPROMS. Not many people in this world get to say they have a “prototype Mario” anything, for any system. How do I even have this? It should be in the Smithsonian. I count myself among the very fortunate few to have something this special, where it all began.

Atari I/O logo on vintage "Have You Played Atari Today?" catalog splash screen in 1920 x 1080 for video production

Even through a national pandemic, Atari survives. Bringing the fun and joy of new memories into homes across our great land for almost 50 years. Yars’ Revenge is one of my favorite games on the current Flashback consoles we found today at Sam’s Club. Who remembers The Walking Dead episode with Eugene playing Yars’ Revenge after the zombie apocalypse telling of the Yars’ attempt to exact revenge on the evil Qotile for the destruction of Razak IV? 

From my personal collection. Castlevania: Dracula X Rondo of Blood for PC Engine Duo (1993)
What an amazing game. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood was released in Japan for the PC Engine Duo but never saw a release in the United States for Turbo Duo. And it’s a shame because the graphics and sound are almost what you’d expect to see in an arcade.
Games like Castlevania: Rondo of Blood are what should’ve been ported over from Japan for the TurboGrafx systems in the US. So many stellar games on PC Engine never saw a North American release and Rondo of Blood is one of them. This should’ve made the cover of GamePro with a media blitz to rival anything from Sega or Nintendo. The game brings out the best qualities of the Castlevania series and the Duo itself.

From my personal collection. Castlevania: Dracula X Rondo of Blood for PC Engine Duo (1993)
What an amazing game. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood was released in Japan for the PC Engine Duo but never saw a release in the United States for Turbo Duo. And it’s a shame because the graphics and sound are almost what you’d expect to see in an arcade.
Games like Castlevania: Rondo of Blood are what should’ve been ported over from Japan for the TurboGrafx systems in the US. So many stellar games on PC Engine never saw a North American release and Rondo of Blood is one of them. This should’ve made the cover of GamePro with a media blitz to rival anything from Sega or Nintendo. The game brings out the best qualities of the Castlevania series and the Duo itself.

From my personal collection. Castlevania: Dracula X Rondo of Blood for PC Engine Duo (1993)
What an amazing game. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood was released in Japan for the PC Engine Duo but never saw a release in the United States for Turbo Duo. And it’s a shame because the graphics and sound are almost what you’d expect to see in an arcade.
Games like Castlevania: Rondo of Blood are what should’ve been ported over from Japan for the TurboGrafx systems in the US. So many stellar games on PC Engine never saw a North American release and Rondo of Blood is one of them. This should’ve made the cover of GamePro with a media blitz to rival anything from Sega or Nintendo. The game brings out the best qualities of the Castlevania series and the Duo itself.

The Bottom Line... BUSTED