Installation of the VGP RGB mob board in a Panasonic FZ-10 RGB for a customer. Installation and testing. 240p switch installation.
3DO FZ-10
You might have already seen my installation of this same RGB mod in a FZ-1 3DO unit last year. Most if this is mod will be exactly the same. The only real difference is the connection points are slightly different for connecting the RGB digital signals to the mod chips video encoder. I also have to install a video port as the FZ-10 only has s-video and composite (sometimes RF but not this unit)
I’ll also be installing the 240p switch mod to get 240 line progressive output from the console. The default 480i can look great on old CRT, but most time fine pixel detail can be lost in the interlace flickering. 240p looks better for most 2D games in my opinion.
The FZ-10 is a nice console. Its much smaller and compact than the original FZ-1, and looks more like a games console from the time. I assume it was also cheaper to make and used less components too.
Installation
Lets take this 3DO apart and start the RGB installation. Dismantling is very straight forward.
I only removed the lid and the RF shield. There’s no need to remove the motherboard or CD-Rom drive. All the solder points are accessible on the top level.
Here is the Video encoder chip we will be soldering to today. VP536ACG
Now I selected a place for the RGB mod board and started connecting up the video signal wires. The connection points are all detailed in the installation instructions. With 28 wires to connect its recommended for beginners.
Now with the hard work done I wired the mod board’s output to a 8 pin DIN connector. I then drilled the case and mounted the new video out port.
Testing
Its easy to see the difference of image quality between Composite and RGB, Slightly harder to capture it in a photo. I currently still don’t have any special capture hardware other than my phone camera. I also use a CRT TV whenever possible and CRT tubes and digital cameras sometimes don’t get on well with each over. Still I try.
RGB on the Left, Composite on the Right
As exected its hard to capture the difference on this TV, but the edges are sharper to the eye and the colours are more defined and not filled with the composite interlace pattern.
Please get in contact HERE if you have a 3DO and would like an RGB mod installing.
Neil – 8bitplus 2019
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