Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

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mxlvxnn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#21 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:24 pm

blktgr74 wrote:
mxlvxnn wrote:
krssn wrote:To say it in more technical terms, you need to apply positive voltage to the anode (long leg) and ground the cathode (short leg). So the original LED on the board already has a ground point. That's how LEDs work. Positive voltage goes in on one side, and out to the ground...

Remove the original LED. Cut the trace on the controller board that connected to the anode leg of the original LED. Connect the anode of the new LED you want to use to the 3.3V point on the powerboard. Connect the cathode of the new LED you want to use to the same point the cathode of the original LED was connected to. Hence why I said you shouldn't cut both traces that lead to the original LED. One of the traces (the ground) can be reused. Only the voltage point has to be replaced with a 3.3V point...


Ok, so I'm not completely sure what a "trace" is. In this case the traces are under the LED right? I assume that its the two silver points right under the LED. So If I desolder one point won't I need to de solder the other point in order to remove the original LED?

A trace is the little line that goes from one point to another on the board. You can solder to a trace to create a jumper but I would never purposely break a trace. If the new led has the same number of legs as the old one then just put it in as the difference in current drawn will be minimal

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I looked up some tri color LED's on ebay and the majority of them have 4 legs. I'll take a picture of my controller port and circle the area of what I assume is the "trace"

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krssn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#22 » Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:52 pm

All the lines you see in the picture below are traces. They connect two points (or more) on a printboard. They can look a bit different on different boards, but the principle will always be the same...

They also don't have to be lines. You see one island in the middle of the picture a bit to the right with four points in it. That could also be considered a trace. In this case it connects all four points to each other...

When you would scratch the surface off a trace you would see the copper underneath.

Image

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mxlvxnn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#23 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:18 am

krssn wrote:All the lines you see in the picture below are traces. They connect two points (or more) on a printboard. They can look a bit different on different boards, but the principle will always be the same...

They also don't have to be lines. You see one island in the middle of the picture a bit to the right with four points in it. That could also be considered a trace. In this case it connects all four points to each other...

When you would scratch the surface off a trace you would see the copper underneath.

Image


Okay, so when they say "cut the trace" what exactly are they implying? Am I desoldering the two points from where the trace starts and ends?

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krssn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#24 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 1:39 am

mxlvxnn wrote:Okay, so when they say "cut the trace" what exactly are they implying? Am I desoldering the two points from where the trace starts and ends?

Cut the copper connection that connects point a to point b is what they mean by that. You can do that by simply going over it with an X-acto knife or something similar...

You desolder the LED at the LED itself. Cutting that input trace is something different. You do that so no current would reach the LED from the original trace, but only from the new 3.3V point...

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mxlvxnn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#25 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:59 pm

krssn wrote:
mxlvxnn wrote:Okay, so when they say "cut the trace" what exactly are they implying? Am I desoldering the two points from where the trace starts and ends?

Cut the copper connection that connects point a to point b is what they mean by that. You can do that by simply going over it with an X-acto knife or something similar...

You desolder the LED at the LED itself. Cutting that input trace is something different. You do that so no current would reach the LED from the original trace, but only from the new 3.3V point...


Got it. thanks for the clarification. I understand that part of the process. So I only cut one of the input traces in oppose to both of them because I could reuse one of them as a ground? am I correct? or am I still off?

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krssn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#26 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 8:29 pm

You cut 'the' input trace. There's only one.

You don't cut the outgoing ground trace, because that's the one you can reuse.

Small tip:

Cut the trace before desoldering the original LED. Then power the console on. If you did a good job, the light should be out. If not, cut that trace some more. Personally when I have to cut a trace I make two little cuts next to each other, then pry the part between the two cuts out. That way you can be damned sure the connection is interrupted...

Just to be sure, make a picture and mark where you will cut the trace. That way we can check if you got it right. Better safe than sorry...

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mxlvxnn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#27 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 8:52 pm

krssn wrote:You cut 'the' input trace. There's only one.

You don't cut the outgoing ground trace, because that's the one you can reuse.

Small tip:

Cut the trace before desoldering the original LED. Then power the console on. If you did a good job, the light should be out. If not, cut that trace some more. Personally when I have to cut a trace I make two little cuts next to each other, then pry the part between the two cuts out. That way you can be damned sure the connection is interrupted...

Just to be sure, make a picture and mark where you will cut the trace. That way we can check if you got it right. Better safe than sorry...


Got it. Ok, I will. Thanks for being patient with me.

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mxlvxnn
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Posts: 98

Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#28 » Tue Oct 21, 2014 8:52 pm

krssn wrote:You cut 'the' input trace. There's only one.

You don't cut the outgoing ground trace, because that's the one you can reuse.

Small tip:

Cut the trace before desoldering the original LED. Then power the console on. If you did a good job, the light should be out. If not, cut that trace some more. Personally when I have to cut a trace I make two little cuts next to each other, then pry the part between the two cuts out. That way you can be damned sure the connection is interrupted...

Just to be sure, make a picture and mark where you will cut the trace. That way we can check if you got it right. Better safe than sorry...


Got it. Ok, I will. Thanks for being patient with me.

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mxlvxnn
Anarki
Posts: 98

Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#29 » Wed Oct 22, 2014 5:04 pm

krssn wrote:You cut 'the' input trace. There's only one.

You don't cut the outgoing ground trace, because that's the one you can reuse.

Small tip:

Cut the trace before desoldering the original LED. Then power the console on. If you did a good job, the light should be out. If not, cut that trace some more. Personally when I have to cut a trace I make two little cuts next to each other, then pry the part between the two cuts out. That way you can be damned sure the connection is interrupted...

Just to be sure, make a picture and mark where you will cut the trace. That way we can check if you got it right. Better safe than sorry...


Image

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krssn
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Re: Dreamcast LED MOD Questions

Post#30 » Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:42 pm

Do me a favor, add the same picture without the markings to your post please. It's a bit unclear to say anything really. I'll try to check back tomorrow, and maybe I'll just open one myself to check for sure in the hope it's the same board...

PS I think you're looking at the wrong shade of green on the board. The traces have the lighter green shade. It gets more clear which are the traces when you hold the board against a light. The traces will be dark, while the rest of the board will let light through. I think you're looking at the space below the trace, but like I said, upload the picture without markings, so I can have a better look...

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