Liquidation Store Haul (and request for help).

[Howard_Casto]

So a temporary liquidation store opened up in town.... it looks like 50 pawn shops exploded in there.  The prices were really good though and they had some surprisingly old stuff. 

I got:

2600 4 switch with tennis controllers, and a telegames caddy full of games along with the manuals to said games - $11.00
Original Xbox - $5.00
PS2 - $5.00
4 Genesis gamepads - $5.00
Nintendo 2DS -$20.00
PSP - $20.00

32 inch tv -$40.00

I'm having a bit of buyers remorse on the tv as it's only 720p, but other than that.. 65 bucks for a metric ton of fun.


I passed up a lot of retro goodness as well.  They had a stack of N64s... one kid gobbled them all up as soon as I left the shelf.  They had a few NESs as well.  They also have a stack of genesis consoles for 5 bucks.... no gamepads though (I think I bought them all.)  They've also got ps3s and xbox360s for 30 bucks, but I wasn't really interested. 

My PSP has a crack in the screen now that I've powered it on, so I'll probably take that back tomorrow.  So if anyone wants something let me know.....  you pay shipping plus the actual cost. 


Anyway, the questions:

So on a couple of things I'm running into issues and yes, predictably it's the Sony stuff.  I can't get the ps2 to play psx games... is that a common problem?  DVD's play fine, but audio cds don't.  If there is a fix and/or cleaning technique let me know.  Also what do you need to do the HDD mod?  The PSP didn't come with the memory stick so I'll have to get one.  Are they easy to mod or is it one of those deals where if the system is past a certain firmware You can't mod it?

[thomas_surles]

Don't get a memory stick duo for the psp . You can get a micro sd adapter for it on ebay for like 2 bucks. Get the dual one where you can put 2 micro sd in it. I got 2 64gb ones in mine.

For the ps2 if you want freemcboot on your memory card just mail it to me and I will do it for you and send it back.
That will let you play backup discs patched with esr patcher.

If you want to do the hdd mod and need the adapter you can have mine for shipping cost.

If you see a Saturn, 3do, lynx, turbographix 16, intellivision, or colecovision get me one.

[ChadTower]

That's pretty cool.  Hopefully that level of items isn't a one time dump of inventory.  Word will probably get out fast, though, given how hot retrogaming stuff is now.

[Howard_Casto]

I think it's one of those deals where they are only going to be around a few days.  I know they told me I have until Sunday to return anything. 

Thomas: 

Thanks for the info....  I might take you up on the HDD adapter.
Unfortunately I think the 2600 is as far back as their inventory goes and I got the last one.  Now if you want something newer I can probably find it. 

They've got rows and rows of tvs stacked up like cordwood.  $25 for under 32 inch, $40 for 32 -37 and $60 for the bigger ones.  Sound bars for 10, laptops/desktops for 40, ect.....  Lots of typical pawn shop stuff like guitars, chainsaws ect.  But hey if you want newer stuff like the wii/xb360/ps3 they have rows and rows of them.... 30 for ps3/xb360 and 20 for wiis. 

I ended up getting a proscan 32 inch for my racing rig because it weighs next to nothing, but after getting it home it's just 720p, so I might take it back. 

Oh update.... I got the ps2 to play a psx game once, then it gave read errors again, so I think it's just dirty.  I'll keep it for 5 bucks either way. 

[thomas_surles]

Pm me your address and i can send it out tomorrow. Pay me back whenever or not, i dont really care shouldn't be more than 3 bucks or so.

[thomas_surles]

You need a hard drive to go with that? I have a 160gb laying around and 2 500gb ones. Though both the 500gb ones I bought for my original xbox and didn't work so those might be broke.

[thomas_surles]

Also I could use some nes/snes controllers (currently only have knockoffs) original gameboy or a gba sp if you see any.

[lilshawn]

I would buy 2 OEM SNES controllers as well. I have knockoffs too... you can definitely tell the difference. I can't justify 30 bucks a pop for used OEMs on ebay.

[Slippyblade]

PS2s always had problems with the blue/black PS1 games.  Hit the lens with a Q-tip and some alcohol, that usually makes a difference.

If there's another $20 2DS, grab it for me please.  And a genesis.

[pbj]

If they have a Vectrex for $10 or less, I'm interested.

[Howard_Casto]

Ok guys I'll keep my eyes open but from what I saw today, the only request I'll be able to fill is the 2DS and Genesis.  They also have PSPs, DS XLs and more modern stuff like that.  One guys bought all the NESs and they never had any snes consoles.  They do have some genesis, gb/gbc, gba and psp carts though... a buck a piece.  Most of it looked like junk though.  Sports titles and ect. 

[pbj]

Don't be cheap, buy everything

[thomas_surles]

I'm assuming it's probably all model 2 genesis but if they have a model 1 or 3 I will take one for the collection. Also could use another 6 button controller.

[Howard_Casto]

I think they had a model 3, model 2 and two model 1s.  No 6-buttons I'm afraid.  Be warned though, they are dirty as hell and there's no telling if they actually work.

[thomas_surles]

That's fine. I got my model 2 to actually play on.
Also if you see any console light guns, im in the market.

[Howard_Casto]

Don't be cheap, buy everything

I would if I had the cash.  I blew my budget on my World of Nintendo Repro this month. 

[thomas_surles]

Don't be cheap, buy everything

I would if I had the cash.  I blew my budget on my World of Nintendo Repro this month.

Do a build log of that.
Also pm me your address so i can ship that thing out tomorrow while I'm off.

[Locke141]

If you look on the SD mode thrived you can see the cheep SATA HD exspantins port I got for my PS2. Good luck with the hunt.

[pbj]

Any Genesis model 1s without the copyright splash screen?  I wants one.

 

[Howard_Casto]

Well I feel like I failed you guys.  I got there and I couldn't even find a psp to exchange mine with.  They still have the newer stuff, but somebody totally cleaned them out.  It had to be that guy at the flea market that charges too much for retro stuff because stuff nobody would want like loose charging cables, genesis without a power cable, av cable and controllers, ect... all gone.  They had some pink DSs and a busted old gba with a cracked shell and missing battery cover and that was about it. 

The good news is they might remain there every weekend for the rest of the summer and they'll continue to get stuff in.  So when I have time I'll check in... I know what you guys are interested in now. 

So I got the 2ds ready for homebrew last night.  Man it was long and tedious.... I take back what I said in another thread about the 3ds being easy to soft mod.... it's changed since I last checked.  Any suggestions on good games to get?  I'm working on Link Between Worlds and Kid Icarus atm. 

Got the 2600 cleaned up as well....I'm not big on playing the games regularly, but it looks niiiice... no scratches or anything.  I waxed the telegames cover as it had some scratches and that covered up most of them.  That being said, is the long horn engineering svideo mod worth it, or should I just do one of those cheap transistor and resistor composite out mods?

Thomas... I'll PM you in a few.... I'm in absolutely no hurry for it though, so don't put yourself out.  I wanna do a build log but my shed is so full of sawdust atm that I don't even want to put a cheap camera in there.  When I get ready to paint I'll have to disassemble it so I'll bring it inside and take pics of the components. 

[yotsuya]

Howard, I modded a 2600 Jr and a Light Sixer last summer. I just did the simple transistor resister mod. I switched the Light Sixer back because the picture really didn't look that great, but looks really nice on the 2600 Jr so I kept that as composite out.

[Howard_Casto]

Well I'm going to have to try something.  It actually came with the original switchbox and the picture clarity is ok, but everything is kind of dark.  I swapped it with a nes rf box and the brightness improved but there was a buttload of static.  I've misplaced my coax adapter, so I might rig one up to see if the brightness issue is rf related or not. 

[lilshawn]

Howard, I modded a 2600 Jr and a Light Sixer last summer. I just did the simple transistor resister mod. I switched the Light Sixer back because the picture really didn't look that great, but looks really nice on the 2600 Jr so I kept that as composite out.

it really seems to depend on the TV. some it looks good on, while others looked washed out... still others have weird noise in the signal. sometimes a color drift...

my advice... ANYTHING is better than RF.

[Howard_Casto]

I think I have the parts to do the simple composite mod just lying around, so I might do that one just to see.... seems easily reversible. 

[Howard_Casto]

So I twisted some resistors around a transistor and alligator clipped them on just to see if composite would work with the 2600.  The colors and brightness were much improved, but there was a checkerboard pattern on everything.  I'm thinking this is because I didn't remove the rf box, but I'm afraid that I'll get all the parts stripped off only to find that the interference is still there.  Not sure what to do. 

[yotsuya]

So I twisted some resistors around a transistor and alligator clipped them on just to see if composite would work with the 2600.  The colors and brightness were much improved, but there was a checkerboard pattern on everything.  I'm thinking this is because I didn't remove the rf box, but I'm afraid that I'll get all the parts stripped off only to find that the interference is still there.  Not sure what to do.

It's easy to mod it back. Just carefully remove the components.

[Howard_Casto]

Well that's exactly my worry.  Resistors and crap don't concern me.... worst case scenario I can just buy replacements, but I'm afraid I'll ruin the rf box taking it off.... it's soldered on pretty well.  70's era pcbs are a pain in the butt to de-solder.

[ChadTower]

It's a fair concern.  The solder points on those are giant and the ground trace is soldered on like plumbing.

[Howard_Casto]

Well it's useable for now.  I think I might wait until I have a whole day free and I'm in a soldering mood..... I won't pry it up, I'll just use a desoldering wick and if I can't get it reasonably loose I'll just leave it. 

[Howard_Casto]

So I couldn't sleep last night and I went ahead and composite modded it.  While the difference isn't jaw dropping, the colors are more vibrant and the sound is impressively better.  Seriously, do this mod for the sound improvement alone.  I just ran some rca cables out the back for the moment, but the plan is to 3d print a holder for a mini jack and mount it where the rf cable came out.  That way I don't have to mutilate the case.

Taking the extra components off the pcb really cleaned things up btw....  If you leave the transistor and coil on the board the mod isn't worth doing.  It's a colossal pain in the butt to do it in a non-damaging way fwiw.  Those 70's solder joints are a real pain.... I ended up sliding a screwdriver under the rf box and prying up as a heated each connection..... solder removal just didn't work. 

I plan on doing some more 2600 mods and when I do something worth noting I'll take pics and post em.