This is how backlight mods should be done. By removing the LCD panel first, peeling off the polarizer and reflector becomes significantly less risky. Well done!
Finally! This should also help to fix horizontal lines as well. Seems like Chipquik is the only option here. (Even though it's kind of expensive for what you get in my opinion.)
Honestly, I would be entertained by this video even if I didn't intend to use the information it contains. This is a top-notch instructional video. Satisfying to watch. Also, your SMT soldering technique is a thing of beauty.
Thank you so much for this!! I just sliced through a ribbon cable while trying to remove the reflective layer on my gameboy screen...I have a junk gameboy coming in the mail to use for parts, but your video will allow me to keep the original boards! You're a lifesaver!!
The left-side pins are not flowing as quickly because the left-most two pins are directly attached to ground. You can preheat the board with hot-air at a low temperature to "soak" the ground plane which will allow you to bring parts of the workpiece that are directly attached to ground to a melting temperature for the alloy faster with your iron.
I only do the first ribbon when back lighting a dmg. Since the IPS screens for the DMG have come out I'm sure there are plenty of replacement DMG screens now.
The trick is to use a piece of copper wire the length of all the contacts+flux and extra solder, it will transmit heat evenly across all the pins, same technique to desolder a multipins IC
Could you explain a little further? IF i understood well, you use a piece of copper, like a big single wire, to cover all pins at once, and then heat that one piece of copper? Seems like a neat trick, does it work as good? Thanks in advance!
Your soldering skills are superb. Too bad they don't make a nice backlight screen for the game boy because you'd have no trouble changing them & could make a lot of money doing so.
Honestamente, eu fiquei entretido com este vídeo, mesmo que não pretendesse usar as informações que ele contém. Este é um vídeo instrutivo de alto nível. Satisfatório de assistir. Além disso, sua técnica de soldagem é linda. Obrigado!
Thanks for such a detailed, thorough video of the process. Now I'm getting an itch to buy a beat up one on eBay, just to try this out and see if I can!
I have a Gameboy with dead horizontal lines that are stubborn and won't stay when I solder them. I guess it would be better to just remove the first ribbon and try to solder from the back? They come back only when I solder right at the bottom of the screen, I have to push the iron right against the bottom of the screen. I can't find a replacement for the screen anywhere.
Bro, thanks to your video, I was able to change the screen of damaged PCB, and installed on a functional one, I didn't do a good job like yours, but it works, thanks a lot!!!! 😀
Anyone know where I could get a new ribbon cable for the screen, if not a replacement screen? The screen itself is good but the ribbon cable itself has some traces that have degraded for some reason.
would you need the same low melt solder and special flux to remove the ribbon cable from behind the screen? I have a DMG that works but the ribbon is all bent and broken. I also have a working ribbon in another DMG that the screen has the black dots of doom so was gonna harvest from it for the ribbon
This is Fantastic, You are the man! I agree with some of the commentors about the horizontal lines, if anyone can figure a way its you! Also One with a back light now would be appropriate!
Today I tried to do this. All with normal solder and some patience. Took like 20 minutes total. I had a DMG with a bad display but with a good flex cable. Had also a DMG with a good display but with a bad flex cable. They are now fused and I really didn't expected it would work, but it did! ps. I did remove the clip first and then removed the first connector. It worked like a charm
I was able to swap the flex cable without removing the screen, you just need to lift the screen up and you can desolder and resolder a new one that way, there's just enough room to do that
I am not sure I understand why you apply the chipquik on top of the pins and why you are not simply heating them up directly and lift? From my understanding the molten chipquik acts as a continuous source of heat for the solder holding the pins in place underneath. Since you can spread the chipquik along the ribbon pins, all pins get heated simultaneously so their connecting solder melts and you can lift the ribbon up easier? Is that correct?
Actually nvm, I think I get it now. After watching the video a little more, it's obvious the ribbon pins are not under any plastic layer, they are just exposed, so the chipquik blends with the regular solder, dropping its melting point as well.
This is really well done, awesome job! I'm having an issue with one of my DMGs where all the pixels are black when I turn it on. The contrast wheel doesn't seem to do anything. When I turn the screen off I get some diagonal lines that fade out. I first noticed a couple of broken solder joints on the cable behind the screen and resoldered them but still no luck. Any advice?
I have just done the backlite mod. The first time I soldered the backlite in the gameboy worked fine. Then I had to rewire the backlite and the games won't boot (the system just freezes after it shows the Nintendo Logo). Would you know what is wrong and how to fix this annoying problem?
I think you were/are using too much heat and that’s why your flex cables get melted. I’ve done several modchips on the Switch, all require flex cables to be soldered and I have melted none of them and they’re smaller than the GB one 🤔
Where did you get the replacement original screen from? I've got a persistent DMG lke that which refuses to take the usual tricks to fix the vertical bars?
Yes, very easily in fact. I've repaired a few of mine. There is a horizontal line of connections on the bottom of the screen under a small length of thin rubber. Peel up the rubber and then flux the screen connector ribbon (it's actually on the glass of the screen). Run a soldering iron across to melt and reseal the solder connections to the screen. You can also melt in a little solder and draw it back and forth across as well. If it is well fluxed the solder will draw under the cable and improve the connections. Make sure iron is hot enough to melt the solder but not so hot as to melt the ribbon or damage the screen. As the connections are very small they don't require as much heat as larger solder blobs. Good luck
MrJuice1979 You are confusing horizontal with vertical. Vertical lines are easy to repair. However, I haven’t seen anyone repairing horizontal lines yet(I might be wrong)
if you watch my previous dmg screen swap video, you will see hot air works great except I couldn't figure out how to keep the plastic screen bracket from melting
@8bitjunkie - great video(s) you have around this topic, but.. where do you get the replacement LCDs? I've a DMG-01, the horizontal strip is ripped off in one corner, and the horizontal one has a lot of lines that don't show at all.. already tried to reflux the stripes, no luck, thinking of replacing the whole LCD, but can't find them anywhere.. any leads would be really appreciated.. thanks!
Where do I get a new replacement screen though? I have a console with a busted screen but unfortunately don't have another lying around to get a spare screen from.
Philip Tan BennVenn is selling a custom 3" backlit screen with a front PCB on His website. I don't know when they're going to be back in stock however.
Hey with this work if ur doing a backlight mod and the people at handheld legend says the lcd ribbon cable is damaged but i have another gameboy the lcd is messed up but the ribbon cable still works
Oh, thank you. Cause I dont know if my country sells 90% for public use other than for medical purposes so i think i just have to make do with the 70% one.
Game Retro did it work when I tried it? No, but it’s probably doable especially if you used a lot of flux and some good braid. I couldn’t recommend it to anyone though because unless you really know what you’re doing, there’s a good chance you’d lift a pad at some point. I had to check the previous video on this and it looks like I stuttered past actually explaining what I did, but it sounds like I was able to get about half of the inner cable up without hot air or chip quick. And that’s when I had the idea to use chip quick instead ruclips.net/video/MXhseTD-Vok/видео.html If you try it and are successful, I’d love to hear about it.
@@8bitjunkie8 Thanks for the explanation. My soldering knowledge is limited so it was a genuine question. Using a low melting point solder however in itself is genius. I am sure expensive desoldering stations use heat and pumps or something else, but for the budget option this is really quick thinking.
Apologies if I asked this before, but can you post a tutorial of how to swap a GB Pocket screen into a DMG? Thursday customs did one here: www.thursdaycustoms.com/2014/06/pocket-lcd-in-original-game-boy.html Thanks.
I have a question. maybe you can help me. I unknowingly bought a dmg GB that had battery damage inside. When I purchased it from the person I got it from, it was working, I left put away for about a month, without batteries of course, and when I finally came back to it, it had problems when I turned it on. I checked the battery tray and saw battery erosion damage so decided I would clean it. upon opening it, I noticed the acid got up to the copper plate thing on the mother board. I gave it a cleaning as well I could and closed it back up. so now the GB turns on, but it keeps restarting right after the Nintendo logo comes to center. can it be fixed or is it doomed for parts only? any help is appreciated. thank you
PixCub thank you, I ended up reopening it and at closer inspection saw some type of goo on the back of the circuit board where the screen goes, . I cleaned it, took off the board to inspect the other side, also noticed the ribbon cable that connects both boards was a bit loose, put it back together and now have my gameboy working perfectly.
Somebody please manufacture some damn screens.. China i'm looking at you!!. Lots of historical Game Boy´s that needs a new life. I have a horizontal line on my game boy. But the line stretches out to roughly 45% of the screen. So its dead pixel.
I think I've heard from at least 2 or 3 people that tried and failed, so maybe it's not that easy? not sure. maybe someone will send me a failed attempt and I can see what's happening
i have a gameboy with a bad screen, it still turns on, like i can hear the pokemon music with the pokemon cartridge inserted but the screen has many horizontal and vertical lines on it that it's completely unplayable. i'm just using my gameboy advance till i can fix my DMG eventually, like consolize it or get the bennvenn or the IPS screen mods. that screen replacement procedure that you're doing is definitely not for the faint hearted and requires good soldering experience.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m going to report this...this is seriously like a R rated adult movie to us fellow gamers man 😂
I could not agree more. This was just so pleasent it might be illegal.
This video should be age-restricted because that's some sexy stuff.
This is how backlight mods should be done. By removing the LCD panel first, peeling off the polarizer and reflector becomes significantly less risky. Well done!
Finally!
This should also help to fix horizontal lines as well. Seems like Chipquik is the only option here. (Even though it's kind of expensive for what you get in my opinion.)
it is kind of expensive (ish) but it's really for removing huge chips that might cost $100s
Honestly, I would be entertained by this video even if I didn't intend to use the information it contains. This is a top-notch instructional video. Satisfying to watch. Also, your SMT soldering technique is a thing of beauty.
Thanks! The flux does all the work really =)
2-1/2 years later and this is still a great instructional video, thank you.
The proper tools, the proper materials, patience and skill - make wonders!
Thank you so much for this!! I just sliced through a ribbon cable while trying to remove the reflective layer on my gameboy screen...I have a junk gameboy coming in the mail to use for parts, but your video will allow me to keep the original boards! You're a lifesaver!!
Also, I'm sharing your video with everyone I know, that's how thankful I am for this!
I threw away 3 boards with screens couple weeks ago, wish i known about this. I could of saved them 😢
@@kr4t0sg.28 now there are ips screens with front boards to buy...
Damn bro nice soldering.
I am 100% certain this would go nowhere near as smooth if I were to attempt this
My uncontrollable shaking hand will make a large hole on the flex cable or LCD 😁
Same. I did try it and burned the pins off the plastic. Op doesnt do a good job at all of explaining how he did this.
@@latebloomer2 lots of skill! That’s under the microscope too. Dude should have been a surgeon lol
@@latebloomer2Yeah same
I use kapton tape on the ribon cables to help protect them from the heat.
good idea
Bravo!
You now have made the World a better place!
The confidence in that “Ta Da” at the end was superb! Lol XD
The left-side pins are not flowing as quickly because the left-most two pins are directly attached to ground. You can preheat the board with hot-air at a low temperature to "soak" the ground plane which will allow you to bring parts of the workpiece that are directly attached to ground to a melting temperature for the alloy faster with your iron.
yep, good idea
soldering flex pcb gives me anxiety
I only do the first ribbon when back lighting a dmg. Since the IPS screens for the DMG have come out I'm sure there are plenty of replacement DMG screens now.
all what you need is alloy with low melting point temp, like rose's or wood's alloys. use their with your regular flux
Please come back. I miss your videos.
Thanks, I might be able to start making some videos again this year
The trick is to use a piece of copper wire the length of all the contacts+flux and extra solder, it will transmit heat evenly across all the pins, same technique to desolder a multipins IC
Could you explain a little further? IF i understood well, you use a piece of copper, like a big single wire, to cover all pins at once, and then heat that one piece of copper? Seems like a neat trick, does it work as good? Thanks in advance!
Nice video! I got a broken board (where the keys are) but the screen is intact so this is very useful for me.
The only thing I don't know where to get is the replacement screen :/
Replacement screens doesn't exist yet, just screens from an old system
buy junk gameboy with a good screen
this is great but is there a source of screens to make this useful?
Great video and production quality is looking fantastic.
Thanks, I've been working on it
Your soldering skills are superb. Too bad they don't make a nice backlight screen for the game boy because you'd have no trouble changing them & could make a lot of money doing so.
What's wrong with the Handheld legend one and the one from that UK site?
Honestamente, eu fiquei entretido com este vídeo, mesmo que não pretendesse usar as informações que ele contém. Este é um vídeo instrutivo de alto nível. Satisfatório de assistir. Além disso, sua técnica de soldagem é linda. Obrigado!
Great video. Any idea where you can get a replacement LCD?
Maybe a stupid question, but why only replace the LCD and not just the whole board?
The rest of the board could still be functional.
Thanks for such a detailed, thorough video of the process. Now I'm getting an itch to buy a beat up one on eBay, just to try this out and see if I can!
No, it won't work that easy 🤣
there are screen alternatives out there for the DMG like the Bennvenn DMG backlit screen and IPS screens now.
I have a Gameboy with dead horizontal lines that are stubborn and won't stay when I solder them. I guess it would be better to just remove the first ribbon and try to solder from the back? They come back only when I solder right at the bottom of the screen, I have to push the iron right against the bottom of the screen. I can't find a replacement for the screen anywhere.
Where did you get your replacement LCD
Bro, thanks to your video, I was able to change the screen of damaged PCB, and installed on a functional one, I didn't do a good job like yours, but it works, thanks a lot!!!! 😀
Anyone know where I could get a new ribbon cable for the screen, if not a replacement screen? The screen itself is good but the ribbon cable itself has some traces that have degraded for some reason.
Successfully backlight/bivert modded my DMG using your video guide. Thanks so much for the instructional video!!
This is a game changer for backlight mods!
So some reason I mess up the pins on the ribbon cable can it be fix?
Hi my friend...i have same problems with my GB DMG-01 but i could not find new replacement screen...can you help me?
The struggle to find replacement OEM sized screens is real! I don't particularly want to trim the OEM clear shell. Any ideas what can be done?
would you need the same low melt solder and special flux to remove the ribbon cable from behind the screen? I have a DMG that works but the ribbon is all bent and broken. I also have a working ribbon in another DMG that the screen has the black dots of doom so was gonna harvest from it for the ribbon
This is Fantastic, You are the man! I agree with some of the commentors about the horizontal lines, if anyone can figure a way its you! Also One with a back light now would be appropriate!
Today I tried to do this. All with normal solder and some patience. Took like 20 minutes total. I had a DMG with a bad display but with a good flex cable. Had also a DMG with a good display but with a bad flex cable. They are now fused and I really didn't expected it would work, but it did!
ps. I did remove the clip first and then removed the first connector. It worked like a charm
I was able to swap the flex cable without removing the screen, you just need to lift the screen up and you can desolder and resolder a new one that way, there's just enough room to do that
I am not sure I understand why you apply the chipquik on top of the pins and why you are not simply heating them up directly and lift?
From my understanding the molten chipquik acts as a continuous source of heat for the solder holding the pins in place underneath. Since you can spread the chipquik along the ribbon pins, all pins get heated simultaneously so their connecting solder melts and you can lift the ribbon up easier? Is that correct?
Actually nvm, I think I get it now. After watching the video a little more, it's obvious the ribbon pins are not under any plastic layer, they are just exposed, so the chipquik blends with the regular solder, dropping its melting point as well.
what kind of replacement LCD was no taken?
This is really well done, awesome job! I'm having an issue with one of my DMGs where all the pixels are black when I turn it on. The contrast wheel doesn't seem to do anything. When I turn the screen off I get some diagonal lines that fade out. I first noticed a couple of broken solder joints on the cable behind the screen and resoldered them but still no luck. Any advice?
I was wondering what if you break one of the pins while soldering them back together
It happened to me idk how to fix it
Can you make a soldering 101 for video games? Thank you!
Please. Some friend could tell me where to buy a replacement LCD screen form my DMG Gameboy?
I have just done the backlite mod. The first time I soldered the backlite in the gameboy worked fine. Then I had to rewire the backlite and the games won't boot (the system just freezes after it shows the Nintendo Logo). Would you know what is wrong and how to fix this annoying problem?
I think you were/are using too much heat and that’s why your flex cables get melted. I’ve done several modchips on the Switch, all require flex cables to be soldered and I have melted none of them and they’re smaller than the GB one 🤔
I wish I knew about this years ago. THANK YOU!
Hello This is pretty neat! Awesome video, but do you know where I can find a screen to replace original one for it?
Where did you get the replacement original screen from? I've got a persistent DMG lke that which refuses to take the usual tricks to fix the vertical bars?
Where can you get lcds from? I cannot find any
They dont exist... but you can get BennVenns one on retromodding.com
chipquik replacement or similar product? i can't get it ,tnx
I tried this the same exact way and destroyed the pins on both sides.
I thought most folks use a solder iron and just reheat the connect under the screen to fix the line issue.
Great job! Can you give some tips for fixing horizontal lines? Think it may be a great idea for a video.
I need some DMGs with horizontal lines to work on
I'll get some and mail them to you! All hail the Junkie!
Give me some time!
email me at 8bitjunkie8@gmail.com if you find some you want to send me
I have a DMG with some horizontal lines. Do you think you could fix it?
I don't know but I can try if you want to send it to me. email 8bitjunkie8@gmail.com
if lcd has horizontal line can we fix it ?
probably not.
Yes, very easily in fact. I've repaired a few of mine. There is a horizontal line of connections on the bottom of the screen under a small length of thin rubber. Peel up the rubber and then flux the screen connector ribbon (it's actually on the glass of the screen). Run a soldering iron across to melt and reseal the solder connections to the screen. You can also melt in a little solder and draw it back and forth across as well. If it is well fluxed the solder will draw under the cable and improve the connections.
Make sure iron is hot enough to melt the solder but not so hot as to melt the ribbon or damage the screen. As the connections are very small they don't require as much heat as larger solder blobs.
Good luck
MrJuice1979 You are confusing horizontal with vertical. Vertical lines are easy to repair. However, I haven’t seen anyone repairing horizontal lines yet(I might be wrong)
Damn you're a soldering pro.
Where did you buy the screen?
Where can I get a replacement screen not the cover the actual lcd
Hello
Can you please tell me which temperature i have to use on that ribbon cables?
I want to perform this mod to my gameboy ✌️
HEY DUDE CAN YOU FIND ME A REPLACEMENT SCREEN MINE IS BROKEN I NEED A LINK ON WHERE I CAN BUY ONE PLEASE
Do you know where i can get a replacement lcd tho that would be help full
Where did you get the replacement screen from? I cant seem to find one anywhere.
i wonder if a rework (hot air) station would work for swapping screens on DMGs?
if you watch my previous dmg screen swap video, you will see hot air works great except I couldn't figure out how to keep the plastic screen bracket from melting
@8bitjunkie - great video(s) you have around this topic, but.. where do you get the replacement LCDs? I've a DMG-01, the horizontal strip is ripped off in one corner, and the horizontal one has a lot of lines that don't show at all.. already tried to reflux the stripes, no luck, thinking of replacing the whole LCD, but can't find them anywhere.. any leads would be really appreciated.. thanks!
From broken game boys - check eBay.
thats perfect for the mod i planned. i thought this was close to impossible to do, but fuck this really makes me happy
cool, let me know how it goes.
Where do I get a new replacement screen though? I have a console with a busted screen but unfortunately don't have another lying around to get a spare screen from.
buy another DMG and use the parts ;)
Philip Tan BennVenn is selling a custom 3" backlit screen with a front PCB on His website. I don't know when they're going to be back in stock however.
Nice work, and nice video.
Hey with this work if ur doing a backlight mod and the people at handheld legend says the lcd ribbon cable is damaged but i have another gameboy the lcd is messed up but the ribbon cable still works
exactly what I was looking for, thanks
Where can i get a new screen
I only have 70% alcohol available here is that okay for cleaning up the flux?
Yeah it may not work quite as well but it will work
Oh, thank you. Cause I dont know if my country sells 90% for public use other than for medical purposes so i think i just have to make do with the 70% one.
Hey I tried this and the contrast wheel works fine and the sound is fine too but the games won't show up
one or more of the display pins must be shorted or disconnected is my best guess.
Can't you just use wick to soak up the solder instead of ChipQuik?
Game Retro did it work when I tried it? No, but it’s probably doable especially if you used a lot of flux and some good braid. I couldn’t recommend it to anyone though because unless you really know what you’re doing, there’s a good chance you’d lift a pad at some point.
I had to check the previous video on this and it looks like I stuttered past actually explaining what I did, but it sounds like I was able to get about half of the inner cable up without hot air or chip quick. And that’s when I had the idea to use chip quick instead ruclips.net/video/MXhseTD-Vok/видео.html
If you try it and are successful, I’d love to hear about it.
@@8bitjunkie8 Thanks for the explanation. My soldering knowledge is limited so it was a genuine question. Using a low melting point solder however in itself is genius. I am sure expensive desoldering stations use heat and pumps or something else, but for the budget option this is really quick thinking.
Thank you.
no problem :)
Apologies if I asked this before, but can you post a tutorial of how to swap a GB Pocket screen into a DMG? Thursday customs did one here: www.thursdaycustoms.com/2014/06/pocket-lcd-in-original-game-boy.html Thanks.
hopefully I will get around to doing that one eventually
Fuckin A got me hot and heavy out here
Awesome video man! Thanks!
Nice!
How's it been man? Guess what you'll be thinking in 7 years. Yes, gameboy mods, again.
where can i get screen?
+8bitjunkie! I'd love to see a tutorial involving creating an ATX PSU adapter from an Xbox motherboard to a PC PSU!
Like a pro
I have a question. maybe you can help me. I unknowingly bought a dmg GB that had battery damage inside. When I purchased it from the person I got it from, it was working, I left put away for about a month, without batteries of course, and when I finally came back to it, it had problems when I turned it on. I checked the battery tray and saw battery erosion damage so decided I would clean it. upon opening it, I noticed the acid got up to the copper plate thing on the mother board. I gave it a cleaning as well I could and closed it back up. so now the GB turns on, but it keeps restarting right after the Nintendo logo comes to center. can it be fixed or is it doomed for parts only? any help is appreciated. thank you
ibiscar06 clean the cartridge port ?
PixCub thank you, I ended up reopening it and at closer inspection saw some type of goo on the back of the circuit board where the screen goes, . I cleaned it, took off the board to inspect the other side, also noticed the ribbon cable that connects both boards was a bit loose, put it back together and now have my gameboy working perfectly.
ibiscar06 Great ! :D
Thank you!!!
Somebody please manufacture some damn screens.. China i'm looking at you!!. Lots of historical Game Boy´s that needs a new life. I have a horizontal line on my game boy. But the line stretches out to roughly 45% of the screen. So its dead pixel.
know anyone that somehow has screens laying around me to buy lol. I need 1 to replace my current gameboy
You are awesome 😨
This is really like porn, bless you man. I for one like these stock screens, they're far from perfect but they do the job.
you kinda sound like dream the minecrafter
Geez. I thought I was good at repairing Nintendo consoles-I guess I thought again!
Haha, watch Louis Rossmann or the iPad Rehab channel if you want to see some really amazing repairs.
A man after my own heart, great video and subbed. should come by and check my channel sometime. cheers!
I'd like this but at 666 likes....it just feels wrong to break it.
Dang....just dang.
just ruined my gameboy trying this. very sad
johnstont534 dude, what happened?
Yeah man it's so simple.did you even watch the video
I think I've heard from at least 2 or 3 people that tried and failed, so maybe it's not that easy? not sure. maybe someone will send me a failed attempt and I can see what's happening
i have a gameboy with a bad screen, it still turns on, like i can hear the pokemon music with the pokemon cartridge inserted but the screen has many horizontal and vertical lines on it that it's completely unplayable. i'm just using my gameboy advance till i can fix my DMG eventually, like consolize it or get the bennvenn or the IPS screen mods. that screen replacement procedure that you're doing is definitely not for the faint hearted and requires good soldering experience.
Ma non è che se te lo spedisco con lo schermo me lo fai anche a me questo lavoro,pagando ovviamente :-)
Eh define «easy» 😅
Easy............ Haha