Sega Nomad 50/60Hz Mod

[-Bistrobean-]

Does this mod really work?

If you attach a wire to the center on the 'mode switch', should the center pin be lifted to solder a wire on it? Or just let it on the pcb board and attach a wire on it?

Are the jumpers JP3 and JP4 connected with each other? I cant find a simple schematic.

Cut the trace between the pads of JP3, why is that?

And why do i connect a wire on JP4's lower pad, to the mode switch?

Does this come up with other problems, like i must hold the mode button the entire game. Or i get a schrunken screen every time i push A B C, X Y Z buttons?

Before i open up my precious Nomad, can someone tell me if there are problems related to the mod, if you attach a wire to the mode button.

Sorry for asking this ridiculous questions.

And about soldering stuff, thats no problem, i managed to mod my own Megadrive 2 and Snes.

Many thanks!

-Bistrobean-

[NFG]

Your questions point to a fundamental misunderstanding of the jumpers' function and design.  

Jumpers three and four have one point in common, that is to say the point between them is the same, and connects to the chip that reads the value of that point.  Having two jumpers is simply for convenience, another way to describe the same setup is "The point that connects to the chip either has GROUND or +5V connected to it."  If you connect one jumper you're connecting this common to +5V, and the other connects it to GND.

Of course you have to cut the trace between JP3's pads, the whole point is to connect EITHER 3 or 4, not BOTH. If you don't disconnect 3 by cutting the trace, how can you connect 4?  (By now you should have figured out that connecting BOTH would connect +5V to GND which would blow shit up).

Doing this mod would force the nomad into a certain mode only on bootup - as soon as you release the mode button, it goes back to the default mode.  This is so we can bypass the game's region-check, which it only does during bootup.

We're using the center pin of the mode button because it's the return line for the mode switch - depending on the mode switch's condition (pressed/not) this line is either GND or +5V.

And now, let no one say I've never helped a newbie.  =P

[Bistrobean]

Ok thanks for the info, i just blew my Sega Nomad yesterday [just kidding].

1 last question:

The center pin of the mode button, should be lifted up from the PCB? Or can i just solder a wire on it right away?

Many thanks,

-Bistrobean-

[NFG]

There's no need to lift it from the PCB, just solder it on directly.

[-Bistrobean-]

Ok thanks for the info.

I modded my Sega Nomad today and it works fine.