3do rgb mod done and working! pictures included!

[acem77]

finally all my parts and custom pcbs came in.
now my rgb 3do mod is done and working.
i would say the project worked out very nice.

99% of the fun was the guess work that went into figuring out the
loose bits of german information i had.

a very big thanks to moosmann for getting me all the information from germany!
the mod would not be possible with out that info.

rgb info
http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/rgb_3do.zip

the mod i worked on was for the fz1 3do.
right now i have 2 fully assembled boards and one blank pcb.
if anyone wants a board or wants their fz1 moded pm or email me for more information.
all the fz10 information has been given. i dont think i will work with that one because i dont own a fz10.

http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/3do_rgb_ss.jpg
http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/3do_rgb_sf2.jpg
http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/3do_rgb_gex.jpg
http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/RGB_3DO_MOD.jpg

[Anthony1]

WOW @_@



That is absolutely awesome! I didn't know that it was even possible to get RGB out of a 3DO by any means. That's pretty amazing. This is a great day for all RGB junkies that also enjoy the 3DO system. The 3DO was one of a few systems out there that doesn't do RGB, and I would always have to play it on a S-Video TV instead. To think I can be playing Captain Quazar and Monster Manor in RGB is Swuh EAT!!!!



ALL HAIL acem77!!!


ALL HAIL acem 77!!!

[CosmicMonkey]

I've heared it was possible. I also heared the mod itself would cost many, many times more than a 3DO itself.

I'm very impressed you've pulled that off. Very good bit of modding there.

IMHO, it's a funny old mission to go on considering, well, it's a 3DO. And looks like much more effort than a NES RGB mod. Crazy. Well done though.

[Anthony1]

I've heared it was possible. I also heared the mod itself would cost many, many times more than a 3DO itself.

I'm very impressed you've pulled that off. Very good bit of modding there.

IMHO, it's a funny old mission to go on considering, well, it's a 3DO. And looks like much more effort than a NES RGB mod. Crazy. Well done though.


So is there a NES RGB mod that actually works?

And the reason to go on a mission to do the 3DO RGB one, is because it's a major U.S. system that was released during a period when all the systems did RGB. It kinda sticks out like a sore thumb as the one post NES system that doesn't do RGB.

[acem77]

I've heared it was possible. I also heared the mod itself would cost many, many times more than a 3DO itself.

I'm very impressed you've pulled that off. Very good bit of modding there.

IMHO, it's a funny old mission to go on considering, well, it's a 3DO. And looks like much more effort than a NES RGB mod. Crazy. Well done though.

thanks
as you see it is possible.
the the physical cost is not that bad. it the cost of time was high!
i did spend a lot of time getting everything worked out.
pcb design, find all the parts, retracing every connection,
translating some of the german, and some trial and error.

none of the components for the fz1 mod had specs(over all close to the fz10).
the fz10 has every thing spelled out and i have data sheets for everything.

one data sheet i really wanted was for the BT9103kpj video encoder on the fz1.
the only person i know of with that data was the author of the freedo emulator. he said he could not share that info what ever :roll: bla bla bla....

lol it is an old mission and even odd to most people just for the fact all that work is for a 3do.
it was my last of many systems to have moded for rgb so i was hell bent on getting it done.


yes there is a working nes rgb mod! :D

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=75116&highlight=

[PDP-13]

You mean you have never heard of the NES RGB mod?

It involves replacing the PPC chip with a rare&expensive PlayChoice 10 PPC chip. (with RGB output)

Did I mention it has some compatibilty issues?

Also there are a very small number of these PC10 chips.
They are pulled out of Arcade motherboards, which ain't cheap.

Info here:
This link! (http://nfggames.com/forum/index.php?s=87166523e63a91af44a9e810f1e31502&showtopic=1592)

[Candycab]

Pretty cool man

I was pretty sure it could be done and actually almost attempted to figure it out some years back so a friend and I could build a 3DO cabinet.

Also a few of the American Laser Games arcade cabs ran 3DO hardware so we were going to take a good look at the boards and go from there.

Instead I ended up building a Playstation cab which I still own and love :)

[scorch56]

OK.. someone explain to me here. I'm looking at my own FZ-1 right now and I see you put what looks like a serial plug where the RF was.. right? So what kind of RGB is that? I thought RGB stands for red-green-blue as in a red,green and blue RCA plugs on the back of a TV (some call it "progressive" but it's really not as it can carry a progressive signal but also lower res.. but I digress). NO console did THAT kind of RGB output back in the 32 & 64-bit eras.. as far as I can recall. I'm soooo confused!

[Candycab]

OK.. someone explain to me here. I'm looking at my own FZ-1 right now and I see you put what looks like a serial plug where the RF was.. right? So what kind of RGB is that? I thought RGB stands for red-green-blue as in a red,green and blue RCA plugs on the back of a TV (some call it "progressive" but it's really not as it can carry a progressive signal but also lower res.. but I digress). NO console did THAT kind of RGB output back in the 32 & 64-bit eras.. as far as I can recall. I'm soooo confused!

This may help you a bit
Link....Component Video Info (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video)

It pretty much covers what you are asking about

[FullCircle]

To think I can be playing Captain Quazar and Monster Manor in RGB is Swuh EAT!!!!


Yeah! Monster Manor roxorz your soxorz! Have you ever tried Nitemare 3D?

Awesome job - very clean. I couldn't possibly sit and do that.

[c0ldb33r]

Looks nice and clear.

Good job :D

[rbudrick]

Great job! I'll certainly pay some good $ to anyone that wants to do the same for my NES...

-Rob

[scorch56]

OK.. someone explain to me here. I'm looking at my own FZ-1 right now and I see you put what looks like a serial plug where the RF was.. right? So what kind of RGB is that? I thought RGB stands for red-green-blue as in a red,green and blue RCA plugs on the back of a TV (some call it "progressive" but it's really not as it can carry a progressive signal but also lower res.. but I digress). NO console did THAT kind of RGB output back in the 32 & 64-bit eras.. as far as I can recall. I'm soooo confused!

This may help you a bit
Link....Component Video Info (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video)

It pretty much covers what you are asking about

Actually I pretty much knew that.. thanks; but that pretty much reinforces my thinking as the sample picture at the top of that page IS the RGB cable I'm speaking of! All I'm asking then is what kind of a plug is now coming out of that 3DO? It looks like the DVI plug that was on the back of my Radeon A-I-W. So that would mean this 3DO can play on a PC monitor?

Lastly.. whether it be RGB, DVI.. or whatever.. as far as I know.. NO console from the Playstation era had these kind of outs. S-Video was the best back then.

[CosmicMonkey]

So you're wondering why he's using a 9pin D-Socket on the rear? Just a preference of connection, I assume. He could have used an 8pin DIN instead; it doesn't matter what connector you use.

My consolized MVS uses a 9pin D-Socket for the A/V out. I then have an RGB Scart lead with appropriate 9pin D-Plug.

[Candycab]

So you're wondering why he's using a 9pin D-Socket on the rear? Just a preference of connection, I assume. He could have used an 8pin DIN instead; it doesn't matter what connector you use.

My consolized MVS uses a 9pin D-Socket for the A/V out. I then have an RGB Scart lead with appropriate 9pin D-Plug.


From the look of it I was figuring it was a SCART :)

LOL I dont think I have ever actually seen a SCART in person ,not real big here in the U.S. HDMI seems to be the latest interface craze now days.

[scorch56]

Ok guys.. thanks for the info.. that clears it up. I thought that was a 9-pin serial.

So.. to hook something like this up to a "current gen" TV.. you'd need a serial on one end and whatever kind of RGB you preferred on the other end of the cable? Like a RGB trio or a DVI or HDMI plug(or SCART.. but I doubt he's using that unless he had a PAL TV.. correct)?

Which means this would do me no good on an older TV; with only what I call "component video" (as in Red-White-Yellow).. correct?

Man.. I REALLY need to get a NEW TV; but right now my 20 year old RCA Colortrak Stereo Monitor suits me fine.. it still has a beautiful picture.. but it doesn't even have a S-Video in (I think this TV even pre-dated VCRs!).

[rbudrick]

Which means this would do me no good on an older TV; with only what I call "component video" (as in Red-White-Yellow).. correct?

Well, that's composite, not component. Component is the newer RGBish connectors (Y, Y-R Y-B), which is sort of being replaced by HDMI (which is also sort of replacing DVI) on newer TVs.

-Rob

[Anthony1]

Well, I'm totally convinced. My 3DO should be arriving at his doorstep early next week. I'm extremely excited about getting the thing back and checking it out in RGB. It's really going to be an amazing experience. There is one game that I want to play more than any other when I first get it back.


Out of this World


That game was a visual masterpiece already, but seeing it on RGB, and seeing every little detail is going to be sweet.

[SNKFan75]

So does this RGB mod work for current Component tv's? I would love to get my 3DO modded!!!

SNKFan75

[acem77]

http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/rgb_outofworld.jpg

there are a few boards that will convert rgb to component like the neobitz board.
my tv has a vga port on the back so i convert my rgb to vga. i like this better because it upscans the video to progressive scan much better if you have a HD display.

[SNKFan75]

Very nice!

[acem77]

i have updated the zip file with 2 more pictures that include all the values i found that will work with the fz1 3do and wire points for the ver2 of the fz1 3do. this should be all the info anyone needs to mod the fz1 unless there are some other ver out there.

rgb 3do info
http://www.greatlakesvista.com/rgb/3do/rgb_3do.zip

[dojosky]

i saw it in action at anthony1 on pvm 2530 it looked friggin sWeet !! makes me want to play with my 3do again after all those years hopefully acem77 still has the necessary parts i am gonna send out one of my unit to have it RGB modded !!! the 3do deserves that treatement !!!!

[acem77]

i saw it in action at anthony1 on pvm 2530 it looked friggin sWeet !! makes me want to play with my 3do again after all those years hopefully acem77 still has the necessary parts i am gonna send out one of my unit to have it RGB modded !!! the 3do deserves that treatement !!!!


i have one complete board left.
if there is enough demand i could place an order for more parts and boards to be made.
i sell the boards and do the full installs.
im me for more details.

[-hellvin-]

Damn! I would actually do this just to replay Flashback and Out of this World. Gex, Wolf 3D and Doom would be cool to check out as well. It's not a bad system, it's got some great games.

[ROBOTNIK666]

:eek 2: :eek 2: :eek 2:

If it wasn't for the 3DO title, I wouldn't be able to tell if that was a home console or a arcade screenshot.

[Anthony1]

Damn! I would actually do this just to replay Flashback and Out of this World. Gex, Wolf 3D and Doom would be cool to check out as well. It's not a bad system, it's got some great games.


I think it really is worth it, because 3DO rgb mods aren't going to be a common thing. In fact, if it wasn't so expensive to do, I would love to have a second 3DO modded for RGB, just in case something happens to my first one. I would imagine I could send it to acem77 and he could transfer the necessary stuff to another 3DO, but what if I can't get ahold of acem77?

Man, that's something I don't even want to think about. My 3DO with rgb is very precious, and I don't even want to think about it breaking somehow. I should really stop playing CD-R's on it.

[acem77]

Damn! I would actually do this just to replay Flashback and Out of this World. Gex, Wolf 3D and Doom would be cool to check out as well. It's not a bad system, it's got some great games.


I think it really is worth it, because 3DO rgb mods aren't going to be a common thing. In fact, if it wasn't so expensive to do, I would love to have a second 3DO modded for RGB, just in case something happens to my first one. I would imagine I could send it to acem77 and he could transfer the necessary stuff to another 3DO, but what if I can't get ahold of acem77?

Man, that's something I don't even want to think about. My 3DO with rgb is very precious, and I don't even want to think about it breaking somehow. I should really stop playing CD-R's on it.


most likely if something happend to the 3do it would be the cd-rom and that should be a easy fast swap job. :D
dont worry i play cdrs on mine all the time still no problems.