NES Mods

What upgrades can you do to one NES-001 system that won't interfere with eachother and without changing the appearance.
I only have three in my head: overclock, nes 72pin, and universal NES.
But I don't know if the overclock and universal mods will make one another more difficult. I want to know what else is out there.
I am not curious about appearance changes.

Take it easy.

That will be something for Luke, I assume.

I can't think of more than you mentioned, now...

I wouldn't know how to do it, but I always thought it'd be interesting if a mod was developed where the Game Genie was always in the system...

the universal mod and the overclock play beautifully together. the lockout chip isn't dependant on the CPU's specific clock rate, so they don't interfere at all. If you opt to ground the lockout pin it may cause slight interference, but that would only be physical due to the added wire.

I have both done on my hacked up NES and they work great. but be warned: the trace you have to cut to do the overclock is very small with others close by. Also pin 4 on the lockout chip is in a pretty cramped place, ideally you'll want to desolder that pin, not just clip it off as I did.

And Roth, I'm still thinking about that one. of course you could just stick the thing in there and glue it or something, but that's not cool. but just relax, or discuss how we might go about doing it.

So, if it's overclocked and universalfied everything should be ok.
The game genie idea sounds pretty good.
I haven't used a game genie in a while and I don't have it at school with me. So could somebody refresh me on how it is used. I recall plugging the game into it then sliding the two pieces connected into the nes then pushing the cart down to 'click' it in. This means the game and game geinie are at more of an angle than normal. And the game sticks out of the system as well.

Are any games that are incompatible with the game genie?

almost right, the Genie doesn't click down though, the PCB on the connector end is thicker than most carts so it makes contact without being pushed down.

as far as I know all games worked with the game genie if you universally mod the NES there will be no problems at all, since then it doesn't have to fight past the lockout chip. I've even used two and three game genies together with limited success

I don't know about you guys but glueing it in or securing it in the place where it normally goes wouldn't be as sweet like as if you didn't even notice that there was something different until boot.
So, as an alternative you would have to find a insertion point someplace between the cart and the mainboard.
I am a basic kind of guy and my vocabulary on the subject isn't so good, but would it work if you found a place where you could cut the metal line and then solder on a wire, solder the other end of that wire to the game genie guts, then solder another wire from the game genie guts to the other side of the gap you cut on the line. This would require 288 small soldering locations and 144 wires. Basically you could be changing the path by routing it through the game genie guts in order to hop over the cut line

After writing this I am doubting that the precision needed would be too great to replicate 288 times and that trouble shooting would be terrible.
BUT would this work if you intercepted the signals somewhere in or around the 72 pin conector (the same place that the game genie catch signal when used normally)

most of the issues are mounting, and asthetic, we can't have it looking like junk. My concern is insertion and removal of carts, since the Game Genie uses a standard connector, not that fancy Zero Insertion Force that the normal 72 pin is.

Well, what I was thinking is that the game would go in as normal and the cut would be on the motherboard of the nes with all the wires. from there. The game genie used would be a stripped down version residing somewhere in the nes but off to the side. Since we're using the wires couldn't we just pull it off to the side or someplace that is fairly empty.
And as long as we put the game genie between the motherboard and game we would be ok, unless there is some computation or something done in the 72 pin connector.
Maybe I am missing a crucial point.

here is a picture of something like i am thinking.

in the picture i made it so the connection would be on back of 72 pin connector.. but this is up for grabs

actually... that may work what you're proposing is that we demolish a 72-pin, and a game genie, and have the game genie wired so that the 72-pin works normally, but functions as if the game genie were plugged in normally...

it would be a very messy and time consuming thing to do, but I think it would work. but in order to have it be useful you'd want to do it with a new 72-pin.

also, I don't think much cutting would be involved other than pins on the back side of the 72-pin. I may have to attempt that... could be rather risky though, and is going to require some precise soldering (aka finger burning)

Is there a better or easier way other than soldering to do it?
I have a spare new 72 pin connector and a spare game genie that I will probably try it on or at least look into more precisely during my spring break (2 weeks from now).

I doubt it'll be possible without soldering... not if you want to maintain the ability to close the door while the game is inserted

When you can't shut the door then where's the point? If you should mod it with a built in Game Genie, you should be able to close your NES after inserting a cart.

I had planned to be able to shut the door. I completely agree with you manuel.
The game genie will be behind where the game is inserted, at least the way I am picturing it.
From the outside it would appear to be a normal blow in your carts NES.

Cool idea. Should you be able to do it, please post your pics.

I'm working on mod of the 72 pin in my NES-001 system (original model). I remember reading somewhere that in that NES it only reads of a certain side of the cart, so instead of using 72 pins it only uses the 36 on one side of the pcb. If this is true then does it remain true that I only have to work on one set of the 36 in the 72 pin connector and which side is it that is used?
Please let me know if this is fact or fiction. If fact, then which side is active?
Thank you.

Wow. I've never heard that... I really can't help you on that question, but that's certainly interesting. I wonder why it would only read one side...

Now that I think about it, it would probably be the bottom pins it would read. When you push the cart down, that's the side the pins would connect best with. Just a guess, though.

interesting, but I would imagine it to be fiction... why else would they bother with the pins, and traces, and everything else if it were only 36 pins? I suppose there's only one way to find out though...

I really think it needs both sides to make contact though...

It's fiction, well, for the most part. The nonfiction has to do with the extra pins that are in the middle of the cart that are not used for anything exect the expansion bay on the bottom of the NES. if you look at an older game, one with the SuperMarioBros kind of art on the cart and without the notches on the top of the cart, you iwll probably notice that the pins run all the way along the PCB board in the cart. However if you look at a more recent game youwill notice that there are missing pins in the middle of the board. I guess they figured to save money they wouldn't even bother with the expansion slot so no bother to put those pins on. Unfortunately that is not an entire side of pins it's something like 20 pins maybe.

hmmm...

I now wonder if there would be a way to affect the games with the middle pins through the expansion port... I can't remember other threads, but is there anything from the expansion slot Hook ups that could do something like this?

I don't know of anything in the US that uses this expansion slot. But it would be interesting to put together some deVice that would flood the nes with data to see if it can handle it. Or see if the NES ever probes for deVices there, that would be interesting. How does the Miracle piano connect to the nes?

For the game genie project I am just waiting to get a spare system in town to work on. However, I think it may be a little more difficult than I imagined because soldering to steel is going to be too difficult on such a small scale. I am looking into the alternatives. Right now the leader is some kind of glue that would allow a current to flow nicely. This will mean it will be twice as fragile, but I think I may be able to take care of that. Also, the length of the wire may in fact be an issue.

Wasn't the piano on the joypad port? I'm not sure, though...

Well, tonight I ripped apart a Genie and desoldered the cart connector on it, I plan to clean it up a bit tomorrow, and maybe attach some wires. Of which there are a lot to deal with...

Ripping apart a GG? What are you going to do with the wires you are adding, what will this let you do?

the wires I'm adding will be going to the cart connector, this will allow you use of the Game Genie functions without inserting a separate add-on.

You mean like allowing yourself to type in more then 3 codes or somthing?

What NES-Luke is talking about is basically being able to put an NES game in the system, and use the Game Genie without having to use the actual Game Genie shell.

Basically, a built-in Game Genie. That'd be rather unique, and I'm anxious to see if he can pull it off.

I plan on attempting this once I find an old version NES lying around that I can pick up for cheap.
However my main concern would be the strength of the signal after passing through the wires and game genie and more wires back to system. Are you planning on using a conductive glue or actually soldering?

the plan is soldering, but I keep looking at it and saying to myself "that is a LOT of soldering to do..." and then I put it off I'm sure the signal won't be a problem though. But, as always, there's one way to find out.

Has anyone attempted this yet? I noticed the last post was in December last year, and was currious if it ever was done/worked.

December last year... the FIRST post was in February THIS year... I haven't put much more effort into it yet, I keep looking at it and putting it off...

A glue that wouldn't inhibit current is glue gun sticks. I use them to bind wires together when I'm being too lazy to solder or run the risk of burning something close to that spot. You can find the mini glue guns at walmart for like $2.76... It takes a little practice not to get the glue everywhere at first but once you get the hang of it, it doesn't look that bad.. not that great but not all out crappy.... Don't know if that'd help... just a suggestion.

Someone do this... I am dieing to see it.

Well, I have some good solder now... and I did rediscover the game genie from before...

but 288 leads to solder...

gimme a few days.

but 288 leads to solder...

gimme a few days.

NO!!! DO IT NOW!!!!!

I just discovered this topic maybe 10 minutes ago and it seems like an awesome idea. now I too am dying to know if it'll work or not

Guys. Holy shit. Check this out.

Holy sweet.

dremel + connector from a Game Genie = ugly "back-loader" NES that has the same functionality as a $10 connector, but with 30 times more effort.

Haha, yeah, you basically summed everything up there. why the hell just not use a game genie.. *Starts to think that one sucks ass*

This topic is old but I haven't forgotten about it. I just finished overclocking my system and ready for something else.

I am at school right now, my extra 72 pin connector and game genie are at my home.

I am going to try this..pass or fail, I will post results. But of course, until I post this means nothing.

And I agree, the point of this mod will be to have the game genie hidden. No awful backloading cosmetics.

uh-oh
So I started the hidden game genie mod..I took one of my 72pin connectors I had lying around and went to work. First thing I noticed is that when you snip the back of the connectors they become fairly loose.
I suppose it's sort of hard to describe for myself (i'm no wordsmith).
Anyways. The main problem here is creating a clean snip that hasn't put too much force on the entire piece. I was using an exacto knife, which proved useless,so i upgraded to scissors (no wire snips around) which was less useless, but useless enough to ruin it all.

I need to find some more 72pin connectors and I will wait until I have a better cutting deVice.

No luck thus far.

Small grinder disc?

There are plastic posts in between the two rows of pins for rgidity, without those the whole connector would be pretty flimsy...

Yeah, I didn't even want to think about the inner ones, but I did realize that would be fun times.
It certainly would be a lot of work for minimal return..maybe someday

C'mon now guys you cant just give up on this.. i think it is a great idea!! i might just have to give it a shot myself. give me a couple weeks (to get the required parts) and ill let you know. I have plenty of nintendo's to work with i just need the Game Genie.

It is a great idea, but honestly, it's not worth the effort, burned fingers, or ruined connectors that it's going to take to get it done.

Normally no id say its not but im gonna make the ultimate NES (Not as good as it sounds..). Paint, LED's, Plastic windows, modified switches, and whatever else my crazy little mind can come up with along the way. Any great ideas let me know.

Lockout mod, and overclock. simple, functional, fantastic.

i know this might make me look stupid but i have no idea what those are and if they would benifit me. I think I know what the overclock does (makes it run faster, smoother, all round better) and the lockout lets you play unliscensed games right?.... not much of interest for NES for me. i mean how much better can an 8-bit system run?

Hey man, if you're interested in a Game Genie, Dragonlord has one for sale for $2.50 CDN:

He posts here from time to time, so you can probably just e-mail or PM him to get ahold of him.

I assume that's in reference to the Overclock... We had a nice big discussion here about that, but real proof will likely display it better: