GC VGA/RGB mod for Wii?

[bloodien0se]

Hey everyone,
I'm thinking about attempting to mod the video output on my NTSC Wii for VGA output. It's already been discovered that the Wii uses the same MX chip, but it is inside the wii instead of in the component cable.

Now, I don't know a whole lot about video modes and the like, my main interest in doing this mod is to get decent (or hell, good or even excellent) video output from my Wii on to my monitor, and if I can successfully do it, I'm sure many others would be interested in doing the same mod to display on RGB monitors, as you fellas seem so interested in doing. As I've said, I don't have an RGB monitor, but if this mod is as similar to the GC as I think it will be, it should work fine for VGA output as well. 99% of wii games feature full 480p output, so I should be all good in that area.

Now, I've yet to actually open up the wii and get to the mainboard to try this out. Before I do, I need help figuring out what I should be doing.

I found this image on another forum, GC chip on top, Wii on bottom.:


Now, I know that for the GC mod, you disconnect pin 12 of the chip from the board, and wire it to pin 1 of the AV plug with a 10k ohm resistor between. Now, lifting pin 12 of the chip on the wii would be easy enough, but where should I be wiring it to? On the GC plug, does leg 12 usually simply connect to pin 1, and simply putting the resistor between them causes it to switch to RGB mode or does the mod rewire it? If, without the mod, pin 12 already connects to pin 1, then theoretically I can attempt to lift the leg, and attempt to wire it so there is a 10k ohm resistor between the leg and the pad that I lifted the leg from.

If anyone who knows more about the wii/gamecube chip can pitch in, it would be of great help.

Edit: FIxed image

Edit2: To claify my overall question, what needs to be done to pin 12 on the MX chip in order to switch RGB mode? What does soldering a 10k ohm resistor from pin 1 of the connector on the GC do to make it switch? Is it simply a drop in voltage going to the chip that makes it switch?

[NFG]

That chip is not a video chip in the Wii.   While that picture isn't clear, IIRC it says RTC on it, which is the Real Time Clock.  MX (Macronix) makes a lot of different chips.

The fact that it's nowhere near the video port should be a clue. 

[bloodien0se]

Haha, wow, so it might actually be handled a completely different way. I didn't even look that hard at it. But isn't that an awfully large chip for RTC?

Wow, this whole idea just got thrown out the window

Looking at this page: http://www.wiire.org/Wii/console/motherboard

Looks like its a completely different chip, labled AVE-RVL on the underside of the mainboard.

http://wiire.org/Chips/AVE-RVL

Well, so much for that idea. 

[Blaine]

While it's not a 100% pure VGA... the VDigi VGA cable (reviewed http://nfggames.com/neography/pivot/entry.php?id=448&w=nfg_games#body ). Is a really good option. I've been happy with it so far. Again, like I mentioned in the review, it doesn't have that impossibly sharp edge you'll find with a native VGA like the Dreamcast or 360, it's definitely money well spent with excellent results.

Beats stabbing your Wii with a soldering iron with your fingers crossed.