well, finally my order from Divineo today. Only took 8 days, not bad I guess, considering it's coming from east canada and i'm on usa's west coast. I ordered the ninja mod, the screwbit (found out afterwards I should of spent the extra 4 bucks on the screwdriver), and a reset/eject cable for a ps2 of mine. No instructions, no wires. Talk about lame. While I wasn't really expecting to get very good instructions, I did figure I would get all the parts I need, namely the wires. I don't know, maybe I'm expecting that it would come with them. At least ninjamods site is still up. Don't know why they can't show a decent after picture, or close ups of where they put the nm at, and how they connected it. Also would of liked to see how the solder ended looking like. Okay, I'm still a novice with working with electronics stuff. I know a little, have done a little solder before. I will be practicing before I put the mod chip in, i'm not going to screw it & the gc up. Can anyone that installed the Ninja Mod mind giving me some pointers? Anything I need to watch out for? I have a 15watt & 25watt soldering iron, should I use the 15watt? Though, I might have to do the 25watt because I think it's tip is smaller. What sort of flux should I use, and how do I use it? Or do you know of any links that explains what some of the stuff is? I also need to find out how to use my digital multimeter. I used to have a analog one (guess that's what you'd call it) and I knew how to use it to check if wires were connected together, but that's about it. I can't ever find a book about it. It's manual explains what the symbols are, but I can't find where I put it (like an idiot I didn't keep it with the Multimeter). Also, cutting the leg of the chip, the 'F' point, what did you use to cut it? I have some small wire cutters that hopefully will work, unless you have a better idea. I am confident I can do this mod, correctly and hopefully the first time, I'm not in a hurry, and i'm trying to make sure I have every angle covered before I start. But that being said, i'm not going to sit on the chip for a month either. Oh, ya, I'd lover to hear from people that have done other chips also.
Here's pics where to solder it: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/274303 That Watt of soldering iron, it dont really matter much, depends how long it takes you to work with solders. And flux, it is'nt necessary. In bad luck, it just messes those tiny areas if u put too much of it. So put very little of it. About multimeter, i dont know what use it's in this thing, because once u've installed the chip, and start to check resistances, it wont show right, because it measures whole circuit. But if it's only for checking the wires, adjust the multimeter that it beeps when u put it's wires together, and then check the wires. But in 1 of 500 cases wires are broken... About that one leg to lift in one chip, use soldering iron to heat that leg and lift it with ex. tiny screwdriver. Dont cut the leg, u might need to put it back if modchip goes broken and u want the Cube to be normal again. And the chip can be placed anywhere where it is'nt disturbing anything. I have'nt installed any chip, but i know these things.
thanks. I did come across that article when I did a search. Also hit the ninjamod site up. Of course, they latest "ninja mod shell" they had you weren't able to download, actually the last 2 they did you can't download. Also, any ideas on what wires I should use? Does it matter? should it be a certain type. Oh, also, how do I know which revision mod chip I have? I would assume it was the rev c, but how do I know? And if they did a rev c, how come they (Ninja mod makers) don't have pictures of it? (guess that's more a rhetorical question). Can't believe how small I have to drop the solder on. Think they could of made the spots a little bigger on the mod chip. Oh, well, guess I have a lot of practicing to do. =)
I always use "multi-thread" wires in electronics, u know that normal wire that has several little wires twisted around. But it won't really matter much what kind of wires u use, because it's low-power circuit...
Okay, I think I might be able to take some from some electronic kits I have. We used to have this great store, Radar Electronics, really big cool store. There was another store that still supposed to be around, going to see if it is today. I found another site that sells packages with the wires, solder wick, and maybe something else in it. But I wouldn't be able to order it till Feb 1st. Should be able to find what I need though locally though, there has to be a place people go to get their electronics stuff. Because it ain't Radio Shack anymore... (added this later) I found a electronics supply store, only open monday to friday though. Guess I will have to go there tuesday. Does the type of the wire matter? is copper better then, um, whatever the silver metal they use?
It does'nt matter what type the wires are... Silver has lowest resistance, but just use normal copper, it does'nt matter.
Okay, thanks. guess now I just need to practice my soldering. Oh, ya, guess I better ask, is there a certain type of solder I want to use or anything like that? thanks for the help, don't want to mess this up. =)
Type of solder? Well just put a little pat of tin on soldering iron and heat that on soldering spot where u are keeping a wire on. Keep the soldering iron on soldering spot about 3 secs that the tin will attach.
So, the thickness of the solder doesn't matter? Or do I want to use the thinnest possible because of the small size of what i'm soldering on? Your last post I didn't understand really. I'm dyslexic, so it's really easy for me to get confused. (what's lamer is I didn't even know I was dyslexic till a couple of years ago, and i'm 38). You are saying to melt the solder on the iron, then put that on the spot for a few seconds? And the solder will move from my iron to the spot? That is different then what this web site says: http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/solder.htm It says, and I cut & paste: # Touch the soldering iron onto the joint to be made. Make sure it touches both the component lead and the track. Hold the tip there for a few seconds and... # Feed a little solder onto the joint. It should flow smoothly onto the lead and track to form a volcano shape as shown in the diagram. Apply the solder to the joint, not the iron. # Remove the solder, then the iron, while keeping the joint still. Allow the joint a few seconds to cool before you move the circuit board. Thats why i'm getting confused, because it says to put the solder on the joint, not on the iron (except a little for "tinning" before hand). Is the reason why you are saying to do it different because of the small size of the area i'm soldering? Or it's easier to do it that way? I am not at all challenging what you are saying, so I hope you aren't taking it that way, I'm just trying to understand whats going on, so I don't scew up. While I can read up on everything, i'm sure I will learn more by talking with people who have actually done this type of soldering. And I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. I was afraid I might have to take my questions to like the ps2 hardware modding to get my questions answered and advice. Of course, i'd rather deal with people who modded a GC. =)
Yup, that i ment. I understood that you did mean "solder" as the soldering process, that's what the translator says(I'm Finnish). But thickness of the tin-thread can be just normal type. If you do like i said in previous post, it dont matter. And that other soldering way is the normal. But that what i said, i have experienced to be better in small things.
Okay, cool. thanks. Hopefully I won't have any more questions. Going to practice until I can do it perfectly. Probably not going to be ready until this weekend. Have to build a couple of computers first. thanks
