Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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This NES had corrupted graphics after an attempted c0pperdragon PPU digitizer install. The digitizer captures all of the signals going into the PPU (the picture processing unit) and convert the video output to Lumacode, which is a composite video signal that allows for a pixel perfect decoding of the video image by a device like the RGB2HDMI right from devices like the NES which normally only have a noisy NTSC or PAL composite video signal. Let's fix it -- and then try to fix the PPU digitizer, showing off how terrible my SMD soldering skills actually are.


-- Video Links

Untested method for disabling the lockout IC:
old.reddit.com/r/nes/comments/uid5k3/this_is_the_best_way_to_disable_the_10nes_lockout/i7bozqp


PPU Digitizer for the NES:
c0pperdragon.com/product/17081529/ppudigitizer ($53 shipped to the USD)

My profile on Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/adriansdigitalbasement.com

Adrian's Digital Basement Merch store:
my-store-c82bd2-2.creator-spring.com

Support the channel on Patreon:
patreon.com/adriansdigitalbasement

Adrian's Digital Basement (Main Channel)
youtube.com/channel/UCE5dIscvDxrb7CD5uiJJOiw

My GitHub repository:
github.com/misterblack1?tab=repositories

-- Tools

Deoxit D5:
amzn.to/2VvOKy1
store.caig.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1602/.f

O-Ring Pick Set: (I use these to lift chips off boards)
amzn.to/3a9x54J

Elenco Electronics LP-560 Logic Probe:
amzn.to/2VrT5lW

Hakko FR301 Desoldering Iron:
amzn.to/2ye6xC0

Rigol DS1054Z Four Channel Oscilloscope:
rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/1000z

Head Worn Magnifying Goggles / Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier:
amzn.to/3adRbuy

TL866II Plus Chip Tester and EPROM programmer: (The MiniPro)
amzn.to/2wG4tlP
aliexpress.com/item/33000308958.html

TS100 Soldering Iron:
amzn.to/2K36dJ5
ebay.com/itm/TS100-65W-MINI-Digital-OLED-Programmable-Soldering-Iron-Anti-static-Structure/113382669853

EEVBlog 121GW Multimeter:
eevblog.com/product/121gw

DSLogic Basic Logic Analyzer:
amzn.to/2RDSDQw
ebay.com/itm/USB-Logic-DSLogic-Basic-Analyzer-16Ch-100MHz-4Ch-400MHz-Xilinx-Spartan-6-FPGA/202543965672

Magnetic Screw Holder:
amzn.to/3b8LOhG
harborfreight.com/4-inch-magnetic-parts-tray-90566.html

Universal ZIP sockets: (clones, used on my ZIF-64 test machine)
ebay.com/itm/14-16-18-20-24-28-32-40-pin-IC-Test-Universal-ZIF-Socket-Fs/303206721971

RetroTink 2X Upconverter: (to hook up something like a C64 to HDMI)
retrotink.com

Plato (Clone) Side Cutters: (order five)
ebay.com/itm/1-2-5-10PCS-Micro-Scissor-125mm-PLATO-170-Electronics-Cutter-Side-Cutting-Pliers/163458746184

Heat Sinks:
aliexpress.com/item/32537183709.html

Little squeezy bottles: (available elsewhere too)
amzn.to/3b8LOOI

--- Instructional videos

My video on damage-free chip removal:
youtube.com/watch?v=XQVjwPsVFd8

--- Music

Intro music and other tracks by:
Nathan Divino
@itsnathandivino