Lynx LCD Replacement/VGA-Out by McWill

[KappaGuy99]

I just received a Lynx II with the McWill LCD mod installed (thank you, GTretro87!!!!!) and .........................

 

WOW. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Pictures don't really do it justice until you see it in real life.

 

I've noticed details I have missed in every single game I have played so far.

 

Thank you, McWill!

[Sleepy]

100% agreement! With this display, playing Lynx is real fun again.

 

Sleepy

[Lamer Deluxe tm]

I haven't tested it yet. But I can do it today later. I guess it will work, but if not, I can try to implement that too.

 

This is what McWill said about TV tuner support for the GameGear mod, so I'm holding off as well to see if he can implement it. Video input on the Gamegear is just a cool thing to have (if it also works with PAL signals).

Edited July 17, 2015 by Lamer Deluxe tm

[Nismorack]

I've been wondering about the Lynx screen mod. Currently the backlight switches between the new screen and the VGA out.

 

Was there a reason to not support having both screens on?

 

The reason I'm asking is because I intend to set up a Lynx gaming table at a retro event. And it would be cool if the players could be restricted to their screen while others can also see what is happening.

 

Now obviously this is not a must, can just put the other players out of view of the larger screen but mostly just wondering.

[McWill]

 

This is what McWill said about TV tuner support for the GameGear mod, so I'm holding off as well to see if he can implement it. Video input on the Gamegear is just a cool thing to have (if it also works with PAL signals).

The problem is the space of the CPLD. The used space is already 96%. The circuit of the GG ASIC in TV-mode doesn't provide the 32MHz clock. So we have no clock!

And CLK_A1, CLK_B1 and CLK_C1 is useless without constant clock for the new LCD. I guess it is not easy to solve, but possible.

 

McWill

[McWill]

I've been wondering about the Lynx screen mod. Currently the backlight switches between the new screen and the VGA out.

 

Was there a reason to not support having both screens on?

 

The reason I'm asking is because I intend to set up a Lynx gaming table at a retro event. And it would be cool if the players could be restricted to their screen while others can also see what is happening.

 

Now obviously this is not a must, can just put the other players out of view of the larger screen but mostly just wondering.

Is not possible without having additional hardware, because the internal 3.5" LCD needs one circuit to work and the VGA needs different signals.

[Nismorack]

Is not possible without having additional hardware, because the internal 3.5" LCD needs one circuit to work and the VGA needs different signals.

 

Ah okay, thanks for the explanation. I suspected it would be something like that.

[leonk]

The problem is the space of the CPLD. The used space is already 96%. The circuit of the GG ASIC in TV-mode doesn't provide the 32MHz clock. So we have no clock!

And CLK_A1, CLK_B1 and CLK_C1 is useless without constant clock for the new LCD. I guess it is not easy to solve, but possible.

 

McWill

If that's the case, what provides the clock to the original LCD screen in TV mode?

[McWill]

If that's the case, what provides the clock to the original LCD screen in TV mode?

For the original screen only CLK_A1, CLK_B1 and CLK_C1 with TPR1 and TPR2. New LCDs need a constant clock. Otherwise the picture flickers perhaps. Without an extra oscillator on the board and an additional CPLD there's no chance to get this running.

[Lamer Deluxe tm]

The problem is the space of the CPLD. The used space is already 96%. The circuit of the GG ASIC in TV-mode doesn't provide the 32MHz clock. So we have no clock!

And CLK_A1, CLK_B1 and CLK_C1 is useless without constant clock for the new LCD. I guess it is not easy to solve, but possible.

 

McWill

 

Wow, okay, that does sound like quite a challenge. Would be awesome if you managed to do it though.

[BadPricey]

Just reporting in that phase one of my mod is complete. I have no desoldering experience and found this part quite challenging. Some parts were removed with a little brute force. I only have 2 small burns as a result. Next stage depends on how many beers I have left!

Rgds

BadPricey

[7800fan]

Might have been faster and neater if you shared those beer with someone who is experienced.

[BadPricey]

Ok I'm having difficulties with the soldering . In particular i cannot connect a wire to the ground point. I've tried lots of times its just not working for me, the solder detaches from the board every time. I enclose some pics, can anybody see anything obvious? I've almost given up on the idea....

Any help greatly appreciated.

Rgds

BadPricey

[Lamer Deluxe tm]

Try using some soldering Flux, that should clean the surfaces and help make it stick.

[BadPricey]

Try using some soldering Flux, that should clean the surfaces and help make it stick.

 

Strangely there doesn't look like much of a surface left, not like the holes next to it. I have been using solder with flux in it. I know I'm not the neatest but this one point doesn't want to take solder. I will try flux if you think it may help. Thanks for your input.

[GadgetUK]

Yes, looking at the top side photo (where the invertor was) you've removed the top left pad. Is that the pad you are trying to solder to? If so, push the wire through the hole and solder it on the under side.

Edited July 19, 2015 by GadgetUK

[BadPricey]

Yes, looking at the top side photo (where the inductor was) you've removed the top left pad. Is that the pad you are trying to solder to? If so, push the wire through the hole and solder it on the under side.

I did try that but to be honest there isn't much there either. Is there a way to refit a contact or have I totally screwed the board?

Rgds

BadPricey

[GadgetUK]

OK, well, on the top side, do you see the 4 parts of the + that join the pad to the main ground point? That whole area is the ground (surrounding the pad) - by the looks of things. You could scratch off the solder mask anywhere around there, or follow it to another solder point and solder onto that.

 

EDIT: Since you've removed the pad on both sides you might also need a wire to join up the ground from the top side to the bottom side - or the lynx might not work properly.

Edited July 19, 2015 by GadgetUK

[BadPricey]

Hi Gadget, many thanks for you input. With a little careful scraping I managed to unveil a point to solder on to. Pics attached in case anyone else has similar problem to me. (Very much doubt it though!)

[GadgetUK]

Great!! Hopefully it will work after that! Let us know!

[Orange-Phantom]

I also had a problem soldering to that point. The problem I had was that the soldering Iron I was using didn't have enough grunt for soldering that location. There is a rather large area of copper surrounding that point, that will very rapidly suck all the heat from your soldering iron meaning you may struggle to solder to it properly.

 

I swapped to a gas powered soldering iron with a rather large bit and then had no problem.

 

Just throwing this out there as it may help someone.

[leonk]

Wow. Really!? Gas powered?? Folks. Please stop using cheap $5 soldering irons. Any variable temperature controlled iron (even cheap $50 China irons on eBay) should work. Use 60/40 solder with flux 20-22GA). If it doesn't solder add more solder to the pad first. The trick is clean pad with enough solder there already to work with.

[Orange-Phantom]

Yes really! I was using a £150 professional solder rework station and have over 32 years of electronics experience. The soldering iron I was using has a fine tip and thus a rather small thermal mass. Ideal for circuit boards, but not ideal for soldering locations which act like a heatsink.

 

The point I was making and will reiterate is that location has a rather large mass of copper on both sides of the circuit which acts like a heatsink. If the soldering iron you are using doesn't have enough thermal mass and wattage then you may have issues soldering to this point. The solution I found was to swap to a higher powered iron with a larger bit (i.e. a larger thermal mass) so that it doesn't suck all the heat away from your soldering iron tip and thus stop you soldering to that specific location properly.

 

.....Just trying to be helpful.

[leonk]

I got multiple tips for my rework station. 0.8mm for SMD. 1.6mm for through hole. I never ran into a pcb I couldn't solder to with the bigger tip and 30% extra degrees of heat.

[vovfisken]

Hi.

Received my GameGear Mod from McWill yesterday and installed it right away.

Here is some pictures of the finished GameGear.

Really nice screen, but i wish i could turn down the brightness a little, but not a big problem.

Anyways, thanks McWill for making this kit.