The Blog

75kg Weight Goal Achieved!

Nix McRetro // 13th September 2016 // Categories: News

Steady as she goes, captain! Over the previous three months the recorded rate was sitting around 1.2 kg per week. That was still faster than the rate I had been aiming for, so even at the time I recognised that I wanted to slow things down. My goals were: Under... Continue reading

TSOP40 Flash Chips - Fakes and Counterfeits

Nix McRetro // 10th September 2016 // Categories: Programming

TSOP40 Flash Chips - Fakes and Counterfeits

Does the first chip look like an AMD AM29F032B? The top marking said it was, but the GQ-4X4 reported manufacturer / device identification consistent with an ST M29F032D, as the first screenshot shows. That is strong evidence that the device had been remarked, although I did not decap the chip... Continue reading

Panasonic SMD Caps - FP Series

Nix McRetro // 8th September 2016 // Categories: Guides

Just a little reminder for myself the next time I’m trying to work out the voltage rating from the markings on Panasonic FP-series SMD capacitors. The saved marking illustration uses a TG-series example; Panasonic’s FP datasheet confirms the FP voltage codes below: j = 6.3 V A = 10 V... Continue reading

S-MIX on the SNES SNSP-CPU-1CHIP-01 / SNSP-CPU-1CHIP-02

Nix McRetro // 7th September 2016 // Categories: Hacks, Nintendo, Repairs

S-MIX on the SNES SNSP-CPU-1CHIP-01 / SNSP-CPU-1CHIP-02

Long-time readers might remember the S-MIX chip with a physical hole blown in it on my old SNSP-CPU-1CHIP-02. This time I had another 1CHIP Super Nintendo with no sound and a chance to revisit the idea. I reversed the polarity! …I kid, I kid. What I actually did was route... Continue reading

The Shop is Closed!

Nix McRetro // 2nd September 2016 // Categories: News

Thanks to everyone who purchased from McRetro.net! It was an interesting experience, but selling things isn’t nearly as fun as playing with them. As a result, effective immediately, the shop is closed and the database has been purged. This won’t affect anything else on the website, so you can still... Continue reading