Wow men, that's really an awesome video 😅. Thank you for this, really. It's a lot of work and it means a lot to us to see this kind of video showing our product with all those nice feedbacks on it. As for your feedback on the ESG, I'm sure you'll like the new one we're working on. It'll not be a flex cable but it'll definitely be easier to solder ! PS: People, you should know that this guy actually bought the kit without even telling us. We learned it randomly in the comment section of an other video, he told a guy that a video about the kit was coming soon. And then new eve surprise here it is ! Awesome 🙂👍🏻. Keep up like this !
Awesome sounds good RetroKAI! I cannot wait to try the new kit! I will be first in line to buy one! You guys did a fantastic job in this! I’m glad you are making these great mods for the game gear! Cheers and happy New Years guys!
There isn't the hugest market (yet), but there is a LOT of people wanting a proper Wonderswan screen with the proper refresh rates. There is no solution, just one that has the wrong refresh for Vertical Games on Aliexpress, so you guys would corner the market if you made one!
@@mbe102 It's complicated to just get one, especially in Europe, I have only played it with emulators (I know it's baaaad, booh) but I enjoyed it. We'll see if we can get one for R&D, why not !
I don't know if people realize the amount of work you put into these videos but it is great work Tito. The installation of the LCD upgrade is the easy part.
Wow, I was gonna use your McWill guide and install that kit in my Game Gear. But now that I'm seeing this, I think this would be a lot easier to pull off. Great video!
That screen alignment bracket alone is going to make these mods so much nicer to do! What a great kit! Had I not just bought 2 lcd kits I would have totally gone for this instead!
Another great one Tito. I saw this done on another channel and the guy didn't seem to realize that the pads on the back of the esg were pre-tinned. He ended up running individual wires for all of the connections like the McWill kit. Just ordered my kit and can't wait to put it in.
Hey Macho Nacho, got my first bunch of parts coming for a GBC and GBA SP LCD and Case upgrade, all thanks to your lovely self! Happy New Year, and here's to a better 2021!
Great Video: I got motivated and bought one from Retrokai, They revise the Easy Board and the LCD main board (be mindful of the changes). The Easy board revision makes it more challenging, as now has jagged edges. Very challenging install, Took longer than my turbografx.
I've been tempted to grab one of these magic screens once they come back in stock. I got a game gear for cheap on my local Facebook marketplace with the intention of re-capping and modding.
That was excellent, I've been looking for something like this, thanks for the awesome video. I hope to continue seeing great content on your channel in 2021. Happy new year!
I just did a McWills mod on my GG a few months ago and this does look a bit easier. It doesn't appear to be worth it if you already have a McWills mod though. The biggest remaining issue for GG screen modding right now is that someone needs to find an LCD panel that's just the right size to allow for integer scaling. Both the McWills and the Retrokai have this same issue- full screen stretch is a non-integer fill, which means you end up with uneven pixels. I'm holding out hope that someone will find a suitable panel someday, hopefully IPS too. But for now, these mods are still infinitely better than the stock GG screen.
The main issue with that is the fact that there is no screen at the moment that has the size and the resolution that makes a perfect scaling possible. It would need a custom screen especially made just for this purpose and I let you imagine the cost of such a product. So it's always a matter of compromise. We could increase the resolution, add some bilinear filtering, that would consume much more energy and the picture quality would still be about the same because of the weird scaling. Believe us, we tried a lot of things, but we aren't giving up ! Still looking for the perfect screen !
Oh, wow, so this is a no cut kit as well? Nice. I wasn't planning to mod my GG, but this is a nice kit. I'll definitely have to consider it after I work through some higher priority repairs and upgrades.
I'm so glad this even available do y'all any inkling of how many game gear's that need fixing I happen to have 2 of them one still works the other is going fading away slowly. RetroKai thank you making this awesome kit to restore this console to be loved again. I hope to get it soon
About Retrokai I need to add their wonderful service. They helped me a lot when I ran into issues with my install (my original GG died or was already dying when I tried it) and on my second attempt they helped again a lot). Best customer service ever💕🙏
Just taken possession of a GG that doesn't turn on. Should be fun to work out why! If I can get it working I'll certainly be looking at this kit to replace the LCD.
First of all I wanted to say thank you for all the videos you've put out this year Tito. You do a wonderful job. I know that you are a perfectionist so that's the only reason why I'm going to give you these suggestions. During some of your close up shots important components are out of focus particularly at ruclips.net/video/oRPfImsdHjk/видео.html My suggestions are: 1. to turn up your lights a little bit for close up shots and increase the f-stop on your camera. This will increase the depth of field so all relevant components are in focus. Due to how small of an area it is, you shouldn't have to increase it that much and may not even need to mess with your lighting at all. Another suggestion I have is: 2. use manual focus for the close up shots. You'll notice that when you move your soldering iron in and out of the frame it can steal the focus away from the soldering point and can be a little distracting. I don't mean to sound overly critical because I love your videos. With that said, while this mod is still out of my abilities, I'm so happy to see all the love Sega here. It's great! One more thing, I love the new variation to the music played while you were doing the mod. Great, relaxing track. Happy New Year Tito! I wish you good health and happiness!
Man I got a game gear a few years ago anticipating these types of screen mods coming to the market and I'm so excited to do one for myself and have mine work and... (sees the price tag) Oh well I guess a few more years on the shelf wont hurt... For real though this looks way less daunting then the McWill one, and I'm excited to save up the cash and do this mod for myself and finally experience the handheld my old friend would brag about all the time!
Great video! Fantastic production as always. As for the screen itself, while installation looks simpler, it doesn't fix my major issue with the McWill: the resolution just doesn't match. You're stuck with awkwardly scaling the screen size up or down to get proper integer scaling, or dealing with uneven pixel sizes that shimmer in motion and make text look awful. I keep hoping a suitable display is found for the Game Gear and Lynx, because as good as this mod is otherwise, I just can't justify the amount of money and work these mods require to deal with such an obvious visual artifact at the end of the process.
Agree it would be awesome if someone could find a screen that would allow for perfect integer scaling and fit the game gear window. Fingers crossed that we can get that some day. Cheers Seth and happy New Years!
This has been my major issue, though I didn't know there were different modes already, including scanlines, which help. My biggest issue with videos and photos of the screen in the McWill mod is that graphics look more flat and blocky compared to the original screen -- not that the original screen looks great but it has a way of making sprites look a little nicer.
I have a micwill kit, but I'm thinking of selling it and getting this kit. I don't mind all the wires in the micwill installation, but I plan to get a clear body for my game gear and this kit looks much nicer.
Looking at the info on the retrokai site another big pro over the mcwill is the power draw. The mcwill draws more power than an unmodded gg, the retrokai is around half that: 1.6 to 2w vs 3w (unmodded) and 3.5w (mcwill).
Would it be possible to use some sort of heat activated adhesive to attach a ribbon cable? This seems like an easier solution, though that may create long term problems like the original game boy or virtual boy have.
I just got a Game Gear with Sonic Chaos, Sonic 2 and X-Men for $40 from someone off of Facebook. I'm unfortunately going to be working for the next 3 months straight starting next week so it'll be a while before I get home but I'm definitely planning on giving this a shot.
Tito, like others have said, your videos and channel are not as as famous as should be, hopefully with time you'll get the recognition you deserve. I had no idea about retrokai's existence. This kit seems easier, but I think my favorite item is the bracket, up to this day I have 2 modded game gears that I can't get the screen 100% perfectly aligned, this seems way easier and way less frustration. All in all, excellent video, keep them coming!
Thank you Jeanfranco🙏! Much appreciated dude! Glad you are linking the videos. Really appreciate your support! Totally agree! The retrokai kit is great and the aligning bracket works well! Cheers buddy!
While out of stock at the moment, McWill has released his V3 of the GG LCD that incorporates brightness control. Now if he could do the same for the Lynx kits that would be excellent! Also, liquid flux might help to make those solder joints easier on the ESG because it would allow the solder to seep between the PCBs a bit better.
Oh i def wanna try this. I bought a mcwilled GG a few months ago. Just opened it up to transfer into to a new shell. Basically I made a replica of the Japanese Yellow GG, buttons matching. Now I wanna do a replica of the other OG colors. This kit looks much less intimidating.
oh man you back my memories to 1992 when i was 2play sonic and wwe that was beautiful days i still l😘ve classic games even i miss 2play moon walker on sega md well thx buddy nice channal peace.👊
I'm definitely planning on installing this mod as I have done many mcwill kits so far the only question I have is VGA out still an option with this kit?
Great video @Macho Nacho Productions! I'm definitely doing this mod to my GG soon. I was wondering...wouldn't it be better to do the drag soldering part first, then put the ESG in place and finally just give the solder a final touch with the soldering iron? I think that would guarantee the pins are in contact with the solder from the beginning instead of depending on the solder to flow under the ESG which is, as you said, soldering in the dark.
Hey Tito, great video! I noticed you cut the 34volt wire. I got a 2 asic game gear with the mcwill screen (i bought it modded because my skills are not enough for all the modding) and i noticed my wire isnt cut. Is this mandatory? Does it affect the game gear to be connected? Thanks in advance
For those wires that you have to "seal off" so they don't short anything, at about 7:25 in the video, you can use some super narrow heat shrink tubing. You can find it on Aliexpress, and some of them even have a super thin layer of hot glue to make it extra insulated... Or glop everywhere. Both. Flex cable is also annoying to install for noobs. PCB is much more forgiving. Trust your meters. XD
Great video as always Tito! I see you upgraded to some nice Hakko gear recently.. did I miss that in the previous videos? Whoops LOL. I resisted the temptation of picking up a Game Gear and a McWill kit because I know I'd invent a new way to mess it up. But, this does look more manageable of an install, so my will is wavering a little. If I end up with that exact kit in my collection, I'm blaming you! Just a small heads up, but the chapters in the description are still placeholders. Anyway, Happy New Year, see ya next week!
Good eye! I did upgrade some of my gear to hakko. I didn’t do an episode on it but I’m planning on doing a video on my set up. The game changer was the Hakko fume extractor. It’s fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the video Gooch! It seems that RetroKAI is updating their design slightly soon to make installation easier, so it may make sense to wait a little longer. Dude thank you for catching that! I’m going to update that right now! Cheers bud and happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions Oh, cool! Thanks for letting me know they're doing a revision. I don't mind a challenging install anymore, but I'll never say no to a simpler, more streamlined way of doing things. I think I'll put that idea on hold until the design change. The fume extractor was the game changer, huh? That's actually the one thing I haven't given much thought into getting. I personally thought the game changer would have been the desoldering gun. A few days ago I was installing my PS1Digital kit and I had to remove the PS1's serial port with just wick. It was awful, getting that thing off almost took longer than the rest of the install. Maybe I'll look into getting both the desoldering gun and the fume extractor at some point, looking forward to your video on your setup!
Very true. Desoldering gun is also a major game changer. I can’t wait for the ps1digital to get back in stock. Really want to do that mod! Cheers Gooch!
Hey Tito, wow I’m blown away on how easier this looks than the McWill kit, not that it’s a piece of cake, but IMO it looks easier. Now, since I live in Europe, it’s easier for me to access this kit at a better price than the McWill sellers/distribuitors over here. Back to the Mod, I like how you fitted all on a fresh shell and the new power board, I’m curious, have you run a power test, as in how long do a fresh set of batteries last? I’m considering modding a rechargeable battery but it will require some testing and it’s not quite reversible. Cheers, Jesus
Hey Jesus! I havent run any tests yet but the RetroKai website shows a pretty good improvement. Also RetroSix will be introducing a rechargeable battery solution that should further increase battery life. Cheers dude!
Great video, as always Tito. Like you, I’m glad the GG is getting some love. Was wondering what the price difference is between the RetroKai versus the McWill? Happy New Year to you!
Thanks DC Celly! The price are pretty similar between the 2. The McWills have been getting cheaper but this kit is 80 euros which is slightly less than $100. Cheers bud great to hear from you again! Happy New Years!
Still looks pretty tough. I am planning on learning to solder and replace my GG caps. Then maybe down the road I'll get this lcd. But I'm extremely happy with the drop-in LCD upgrade I did with my Lynx. The original screen on my lynx was barely visible. The gamegear I have needs caps for sure, but it was a cheap thrift store find.
15:50, it does not look like an IPS panel. Viewing angles still seem bad. I would also be nice to limit contrast. Game Gear had not many colours, and the low contrast display matches the low colour palette. Last thing is that we still wait for 160x144 non square pixels. Idealy with use of the CCFL tube. Considering all the updates we need on the power supply and sound board, please Sega release us from our suffering and make a true V2 Game Gear.: - Original hardware config CPU, but in a low power version - Proper sound amp circuit - Genuine 160x144 IPS panel with CCFL or QD LED backlight. - 2x 18650 replaceble LiIon battery cells for the needed weight. - Original case design and card slot.
For the people who already bought a McWill kit would it be possible to use RetroKai centering bracket on a McWill kit? I would pay for an stl file if it is indeed possible.
Thank you Lee! Hope you had a great Christmas as well! That is a fantastic question! I should have mentioned it in the video. There is virtually no gap because the bracket places it right up against the shell. It’s a great design. Happy New Years Lee! Cheers!
I was a bit intimidated by the mcwill mod but this looks straightforward. Was that also an aftermarket power board in the game gear? The power jack on mine is faulty and I could do with a replacement.
Love your content btw. I was wondering if you need any ideas for more videos, you could make one showing how to do this kit with the other alternate setup. If someone like myself ruined the pins for CL2 etc, RetroKai has a wiki page that shows you how to alternatively connect this kit. Anyway I know I would love to see that process. Keep up the great work!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!! As far as I know there isn’t an rgb mod out for the game gear at the moment. Hopefully someone can make a consolizer kit, that would be awesome! I typically stick around 340C for most things and adjust slightly depending on application. But 340c tends to work out for me. Cheers buddy!
For me personally, I think I'd be more comfortable soldering the wires to the edge pins for the McWill than drag soldering (I haven't drag soldered before though). I'm alright with fine soldering. Are you going to be doing a video on the Game Gear CleanJuice when that becomes a thing? I'm really interested to see how that's implemented. It would great if it could charged with the CleanPower board.
Thanks madblaster6!! I have to admit I’m a bit of a neat freak. Also, I’d imagine people don’t want to see a messy desk so I try to clean up in between takes. Cheers buddy! Thank you for watching my videos this year and happy New Years!
I hope there's a way to replace the screen in a later model Game Gear. I tried to get a McWill screen for my later model Game Gear earlier this year and I was told it's not compatible! The screen on my unit is fine, but I fear it could one day go wrong!
I agree, it would be great if an upgrade came out that is compatible across all models. Finger crossed, hopefully we will get one one day. Happy New Years bud!
Looks awesome, didn't even know this kit existed though though not sure how I feel about the blind soldering. Seems like a FFC (similar to the UltraHDMI for the N64) might have been a better choice. I am still holding out hope funnyplaying or someone will offer a solution that has perfect integer scaling as I don't like the shimmering that occurs when playing stuff like the Shinobi's. These kits are still an awesome upgrade but I wish they had integer scaling and could remember your favorite scaling option.
Looks great. Still waiting to see if an IPS kit will come out. Also, you make drag soldering look too easy lol Thats a skill I'm still trying to accomplish. The white on grey looks good. Happy new year and happy growth to your channel in 2021! Thanks for all the content in 2020 👍
You are most welcome Gabriel! Yes, I am hoping for an IPS screen as well! That would be so awesome! It is definitely possible, I just hope someone can pull it off! Really appreciate the support! Happy New Years to you too! Cheers!
man these tutorials are awesome by guiding users in such a noob friendly way. Funnily enough most mod kit designers don't bother making full video guides on their own products lol
Do you find that 28awg wire is fine for most work when dealing with any mods you do on consoles? Have you run into any situations when you have had to use other gauge wire?
It’s a great kit for sure. You are right, it’s a great idea to replace the caps first! Should be a fun project to restore your game gear! Cheers buddy! And happy new year!
Loved the production quality and the review itself, but I'm honestly shocked that the lack of integer scaling wasn't mentioned at all here. Where can I find more information on each of the display modes this kit features?
Hey Kamon! Check out my McWill Game Gear video. The McWill kit has the same exact video modes as the RetroKAI. I go over each mode in detail in that video. Hope that helps! Cheers buddy!
Just finished my installation. It was difficult getting the ESG to make good continuity but, with a little patience I was able to get it going. Now I have to figure out how to power the GG with some lithium batteries.
Awesome McPaul! Glad you got it working! I think RetroSix is designing a rechargeable battery kit and will release it soonish. I’m waiting for that to come out! Should be pretty awesome!
@@MachoNachoProductions I saw that they had posted some info about something like that being released soon. I was kicking around the idea of doing something custom but, I might just wait for that. I also have some of those external power packs that I want to try and modify.
I wonder if it's possible to make an ESG that clamps on to the mainboard to make contact with the ribbon cable connector instead of needing to be drag-soldered.
I have been waiting for the BennVenn drop in solution to come to market for awhile now but I may try my hand with this one in the meantime on a spare GG I have.
Nice work as usual Tito. I have installed many mcwill screens and personally the difficulty was never the issue, the price is. I will give this a go at some point but as you pointed out the way the driver board is installed is not optimal. I would far prefer to solder the wires directly as I trust my soldering. I'm sure this would be easier for beginners but on first look I think I'll stick with mcwill. Great to see more mods being engineered though.
Thanks Ben! Totally agree! While the McWill has more steps, it is easier to verify solder joints. The price of these kits are about the same. I’d say each kit definitely has their pros and cons but the end results are very similar. Both produce fantastic images. I too am happy with all the attention game gears have been getting! Cheers Ben and happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions yeah I looked up the price hoping it would be cheaper but unfortunately the way the graphics driver board is implimented in the gamegear there will never be a gameboy, ips type solution. The results are so good though, it's worth every penny. Happy new year brother, keep up the good fight.
The next version of our ESG will be good enough for you to reconsider, I'm sure 🙂. Also, know that you can just solder wires to connect the main board to the Magic Screen. Because there is test pads on the ESG and the Magic Screen PCB that can be used as alternative pads if the pads on the main board are in bad shape or lifted for exemple.
I will install one if I need to I'm getting the ceramic Capacitor kit for my game gear I'm gonna make sure the screen is working before replacing it with a new screen if works I'll probably keep it in if not then I'll replace it with this one
Nice Tito , I like the video , You know I would like to see you doing a mod with raspberry pi on the game gear , like cm4 board I see others videos but they just to messy I like that you work very clean and professional.
I will be doing a raspberry pi mod very soon Although it won’t be inside a game gear, but it should still be a lot of fun! Stay tuned Adner! Cheers bud and happy New Years!
Sounds good Travis! Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the video! It is a bit on the expensive side unfortunately. Hopefully they can do a price reduction at some point. Cheers bud and happy New Years!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video! There are a lot of modder out there who will do this service for you. Check out some of the talented folks on Instagram! Cheers buddy!
Thanks for the video. It seems it is a 320x240 screen, which is a bummer, as this was the one point from the Mc Will mod that needed an improvement. A 640x480 screen would be a better fit for the console's native resolution of 160x144. It would have allowed x4 the vertical resolution, and x3 the horizontal resolution (with only a small loss top and bottom). With 320x240, we are stuck with various display modes and not one that is satisfactory, as the ones that fit the best the screen (with minimal loss) produce shimmering, as the scaling is not an integer.
Wow men, that's really an awesome video 😅.
Thank you for this, really. It's a lot of work and it means a lot to us to see this kind of video showing our product with all those nice feedbacks on it.
As for your feedback on the ESG, I'm sure you'll like the new one we're working on. It'll not be a flex cable but it'll definitely be easier to solder !
PS: People, you should know that this guy actually bought the kit without even telling us. We learned it randomly in the comment section of an other video, he told a guy that a video about the kit was coming soon. And then new eve surprise here it is ! Awesome 🙂👍🏻. Keep up like this !
Awesome sounds good RetroKAI! I cannot wait to try the new kit! I will be first in line to buy one! You guys did a fantastic job in this! I’m glad you are making these great mods for the game gear! Cheers and happy New Years guys!
There isn't the hugest market (yet), but there is a LOT of people wanting a proper Wonderswan screen with the proper refresh rates. There is no solution, just one that has the wrong refresh for Vertical Games on Aliexpress, so you guys would corner the market if you made one!
Been meaning to get into the wonderswan! A very cool niche console! Need to pick one of those up.
@@mbe102 It's complicated to just get one, especially in Europe, I have only played it with emulators (I know it's baaaad, booh) but I enjoyed it. We'll see if we can get one for R&D, why not !
@@RetroKAIstore I'd be happy to send you one to play with if you like?
That looks stunning! 😍 Great video as per usual, production value is on point!
Thank you so much man! As always greatly appreciated!🙏
I don't know if people realize the amount of work you put into these videos but it is great work Tito. The installation of the LCD upgrade is the easy part.
Thanks buddy! That really means a lot to me! It is a lot of work but I thoroughly enjoy it! Cheers bud and happy New Years!
Wow, I was gonna use your McWill guide and install that kit in my Game Gear. But now that I'm seeing this, I think this would be a lot easier to pull off. Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! It is a bit easier than the McWill and about the same price! Cheers buddy and happy New Years!
Great video, Tito. It's cool that the GG is getting some much deserved love.
Totally agree bud! It’s really awesome! I’m a huge game gear fan. It was my first handheld console! Cheers and happy New Years dude!
Quality stuff Tito, I've been keeping an eye on this kit and was hoping you'd do a video on it.
Thank you Steve! I hope the video was informative. Cheer buddy and happy New Years!
That screen alignment bracket alone is going to make these mods so much nicer to do! What a great kit! Had I not just bought 2 lcd kits I would have totally gone for this instead!
Totally agree! The bracket is a game changer! Cheers Speedle! And happy New Years dude!
@@MachoNachoProductions Happy new year to you too dude!
Another great one Tito. I saw this done on another channel and the guy didn't seem to realize that the pads on the back of the esg were pre-tinned. He ended up running individual wires for all of the connections like the McWill kit. Just ordered my kit and can't wait to put it in.
It’s a great kit! The soldering is a little tricky. Key thing is to take your time. Best of luck on the mod dude!
That's exactly why we are working on the next version of our ESG. To make it even easier.
@@RetroKAIstore well it didn't stop me from ordering one from you guys. Can't wait until it gets here. Keep up the good work.
Hey Macho Nacho, got my first bunch of parts coming for a GBC and GBA SP LCD and Case upgrade, all thanks to your lovely self! Happy New Year, and here's to a better 2021!
The first 5 minutes were really nice. You laid everything out clearly.
Thank you 🙏
Great Video: I got motivated and bought one from Retrokai, They revise the Easy Board and the LCD main board (be mindful of the changes). The Easy board revision makes it more challenging, as now has jagged edges. Very challenging install, Took longer than my turbografx.
I've been tempted to grab one of these magic screens once they come back in stock. I got a game gear for cheap on my local Facebook marketplace with the intention of re-capping and modding.
It’s a great kit! You will be very happy with it! Sounds like an awesome score! Game gears rock! Happy New Years buddy!
That was excellent, I've been looking for something like this, thanks for the awesome video. I hope to continue seeing great content on your channel in 2021. Happy new year!
Thank you Andre! So happy you enjoyed the video! Plenty more to come in 2021! Cheers buddy and happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions you're welcome. 🙂
Just so you know, I've saved a Game Gear thanks your videos. :)
Awesome! That makes me so happy! I’m glad you were able to save it!
I just did a McWills mod on my GG a few months ago and this does look a bit easier. It doesn't appear to be worth it if you already have a McWills mod though. The biggest remaining issue for GG screen modding right now is that someone needs to find an LCD panel that's just the right size to allow for integer scaling. Both the McWills and the Retrokai have this same issue- full screen stretch is a non-integer fill, which means you end up with uneven pixels. I'm holding out hope that someone will find a suitable panel someday, hopefully IPS too. But for now, these mods are still infinitely better than the stock GG screen.
The main issue with that is the fact that there is no screen at the moment that has the size and the resolution that makes a perfect scaling possible.
It would need a custom screen especially made just for this purpose and I let you imagine the cost of such a product.
So it's always a matter of compromise. We could increase the resolution, add some bilinear filtering, that would consume much more energy and the picture quality would still be about the same because of the weird scaling. Believe us, we tried a lot of things, but we aren't giving up ! Still looking for the perfect screen !
All this GG is missing, is a modern rechargeable battery.
Amazing stuff, Tito.
We should be getting that soon! RetroSix is designing one! Thank you! Glad you are enjoying the videos! Cheers buddy!
Oh, wow, so this is a no cut kit as well? Nice.
I wasn't planning to mod my GG, but this is a nice kit. I'll definitely have to consider it after I work through some higher priority repairs and upgrades.
I'm so glad this even available do y'all any inkling of how many game gear's that need fixing I happen to have 2 of them one still works the other is going fading away slowly. RetroKai thank you making this awesome kit to restore this console to be loved again. I hope to get it soon
Informative, well lit, well scripted. Why only 12.2K subs? Damn shame.
Thank you Tsinij! Means a lot bro! Cheers!
Love your Vids Tito! - You have by far the best Intro Ever! and the Haloween special is even more impressive!
Just finished installing their latest version. I can finally read the text on the games!
I will for sure be trying to get one of these kits! Great video as usual!
Thank you Josh! It is a great kit! You’ll be very happy with it!! Cheers and happy New Years dude!
Happy New Year Tito,We hope this year you reach 100K subs or even more,best of luck!
Thank you so much ZANDATSU! Me too bud! Cheers and happy New Years to you too!
About Retrokai I need to add their wonderful service. They helped me a lot when I ran into issues with my install (my original GG died or was already dying when I tried it) and on my second attempt they helped again a lot). Best customer service ever💕🙏
Just taken possession of a GG that doesn't turn on. Should be fun to work out why! If I can get it working I'll certainly be looking at this kit to replace the LCD.
Happy new year macho nacho, been with your mods through light and dark. We need to keep on.
Thank you Ana! Will definitely keep going! Happy New Years!
A other beautiful video. Going right now to buy this kit. I was going to try the mcwill but not now. Thanks again
Thank you Joe! Glad you enjoyed the video! It’s a great kit. You won’t be disappointed!
First of all I wanted to say thank you for all the videos you've put out this year Tito. You do a wonderful job. I know that you are a perfectionist so that's the only reason why I'm going to give you these suggestions.
During some of your close up shots important components are out of focus particularly at ruclips.net/video/oRPfImsdHjk/видео.html
My suggestions are: 1. to turn up your lights a little bit for close up shots and increase the f-stop on your camera. This will increase the depth of field so all relevant components are in focus. Due to how small of an area it is, you shouldn't have to increase it that much and may not even need to mess with your lighting at all. Another suggestion I have is: 2. use manual focus for the close up shots. You'll notice that when you move your soldering iron in and out of the frame it can steal the focus away from the soldering point and can be a little distracting.
I don't mean to sound overly critical because I love your videos. With that said, while this mod is still out of my abilities, I'm so happy to see all the love Sega here. It's great! One more thing, I love the new variation to the music played while you were doing the mod. Great, relaxing track. Happy New Year Tito! I wish you good health and happiness!
Thank you for the suggestions/feedback! Very much appreciated. I always strive to make my content better. Thank you again and happy New Years dude!
Nice to see this kind of operation getting easier.
Totally agree! It’s a step in the right direction!
Man I got a game gear a few years ago anticipating these types of screen mods coming to the market and I'm so excited to do one for myself and have mine work and... (sees the price tag) Oh well I guess a few more years on the shelf wont hurt... For real though this looks way less daunting then the McWill one, and I'm excited to save up the cash and do this mod for myself and finally experience the handheld my old friend would brag about all the time!
Haha nice! 👍
Great video! Fantastic production as always.
As for the screen itself, while installation looks simpler, it doesn't fix my major issue with the McWill: the resolution just doesn't match. You're stuck with awkwardly scaling the screen size up or down to get proper integer scaling, or dealing with uneven pixel sizes that shimmer in motion and make text look awful. I keep hoping a suitable display is found for the Game Gear and Lynx, because as good as this mod is otherwise, I just can't justify the amount of money and work these mods require to deal with such an obvious visual artifact at the end of the process.
Agree it would be awesome if someone could find a screen that would allow for perfect integer scaling and fit the game gear window. Fingers crossed that we can get that some day. Cheers Seth and happy New Years!
This has been my major issue, though I didn't know there were different modes already, including scanlines, which help. My biggest issue with videos and photos of the screen in the McWill mod is that graphics look more flat and blocky compared to the original screen -- not that the original screen looks great but it has a way of making sprites look a little nicer.
Valid point. I still have an unmodified which I will keep original for this purpose.
I have a micwill kit, but I'm thinking of selling it and getting this kit. I don't mind all the wires in the micwill installation, but I plan to get a clear body for my game gear and this kit looks much nicer.
Surprised you didn't mention the better battery life stated on the site
As always, an informative and enjoyable video! Thanks Tito, and happy new year!
So happy you enjoyed it Arman! Happy New Years to you too!
Looking at the info on the retrokai site another big pro over the mcwill is the power draw. The mcwill draws more power than an unmodded gg, the retrokai is around half that: 1.6 to 2w vs 3w (unmodded) and 3.5w (mcwill).
Surprised this point wasn't mentioned
Nice video, clear explanations, nice edit !
Thank you Xanarkan! So happy you enjoyed the video! Cheers and happy New Years!
Thank u Tito !! I've been waiting for ure test for a while , I love your channel 👍
Thank you Yann! So glad you are enjoying the channel! I hope the video was helpful to you! Happy New Years buddy!
Looks sharp, makes me want to do the cap replacements on the two gamegear I’ve been putting off. lol
I need to install some serious soldering skills on myself before I can install this kit or anything on my GameGear..
Cool video to finish the year
Thank you Ricar! Happy New Years bud!
@@MachoNachoProductions Sorry for the late response, happy new year!
Awesome mod Tito! :), The result is beautiful.
Thank you Pablo! I really like how it came out too! Happy New Years dude!
@@MachoNachoProductions Happy New year 😊😊
Would it be possible to use some sort of heat activated adhesive to attach a ribbon cable? This seems like an easier solution, though that may create long term problems like the original game boy or virtual boy have.
I just got a Game Gear with Sonic Chaos, Sonic 2 and X-Men for $40 from someone off of Facebook. I'm unfortunately going to be working for the next 3 months straight starting next week so it'll be a while before I get home but I'm definitely planning on giving this a shot.
Tito, like others have said, your videos and channel are not as as famous as should be, hopefully with time you'll get the recognition you deserve. I had no idea about retrokai's existence. This kit seems easier, but I think my favorite item is the bracket, up to this day I have 2 modded game gears that I can't get the screen 100% perfectly aligned, this seems way easier and way less frustration. All in all, excellent video, keep them coming!
Thank you Jeanfranco🙏! Much appreciated dude! Glad you are linking the videos. Really appreciate your support! Totally agree! The retrokai kit is great and the aligning bracket works well! Cheers buddy!
Awesome mod, game gear deserves more love!
Agree! I’m glad it’s finally happening! Cheers Rafael!
Couldn't agree more !
While out of stock at the moment, McWill has released his V3 of the GG LCD that incorporates brightness control. Now if he could do the same for the Lynx kits that would be excellent! Also, liquid flux might help to make those solder joints easier on the ESG because it would allow the solder to seep between the PCBs a bit better.
Nice! I’ll have to check out the V3! Thank you for the heads up!! Cheers!
Looks awesome Tito. I think I’m gonna have to get my first Game Gear soon! Edit: Happy new year!!!
It’s a great console! You’ll love it! Happy New Years to you too!
Great install and kit! I'm just finding this now somehow. Is this compatible with the VA1 2 chip version? I don't see that on the website.
Oh i def wanna try this. I bought a mcwilled GG a few months ago. Just opened it up to transfer into to a new shell. Basically I made a replica of the Japanese Yellow GG, buttons matching. Now I wanna do a replica of the other OG colors. This kit looks much less intimidating.
That’s awesome! Love the Japanese yellow gg. I kinda want to make a Saturn color replica. Cheers buddy! Happy New Years!
oh man you back my memories to 1992 when i was 2play sonic and wwe that was beautiful days i still l😘ve classic games even i miss 2play moon walker on sega md
well thx buddy nice channal peace.👊
Thank you 🙏!
I'm definitely planning on installing this mod as I have done many mcwill kits so far the only question I have is VGA out still an option with this kit?
Unfortunately this kit does not support VGA like the McWill. Other than that, it’s a great mod!
Great video @Macho Nacho Productions! I'm definitely doing this mod to my GG soon. I was wondering...wouldn't it be better to do the drag soldering part first, then put the ESG in place and finally just give the solder a final touch with the soldering iron? I think that would guarantee the pins are in contact with the solder from the beginning instead of depending on the solder to flow under the ESG which is, as you said, soldering in the dark.
Hey Tito, great video!
I noticed you cut the 34volt wire. I got a 2 asic game gear with the mcwill screen (i bought it modded because my skills are not enough for all the modding) and i noticed my wire isnt cut. Is this mandatory? Does it affect the game gear to be connected?
Thanks in advance
For those wires that you have to "seal off" so they don't short anything, at about 7:25 in the video, you can use some super narrow heat shrink tubing. You can find it on Aliexpress, and some of them even have a super thin layer of hot glue to make it extra insulated... Or glop everywhere. Both.
Flex cable is also annoying to install for noobs. PCB is much more forgiving. Trust your meters. XD
Great video as always Tito! I see you upgraded to some nice Hakko gear recently.. did I miss that in the previous videos? Whoops LOL.
I resisted the temptation of picking up a Game Gear and a McWill kit because I know I'd invent a new way to mess it up. But, this does look more manageable of an install, so my will is wavering a little. If I end up with that exact kit in my collection, I'm blaming you!
Just a small heads up, but the chapters in the description are still placeholders. Anyway, Happy New Year, see ya next week!
Good eye! I did upgrade some of my gear to hakko. I didn’t do an episode on it but I’m planning on doing a video on my set up. The game changer was the Hakko fume extractor. It’s fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the video Gooch!
It seems that RetroKAI is updating their design slightly soon to make installation easier, so it may make sense to wait a little longer.
Dude thank you for catching that! I’m going to update that right now! Cheers bud and happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions Oh, cool! Thanks for letting me know they're doing a revision. I don't mind a challenging install anymore, but I'll never say no to a simpler, more streamlined way of doing things. I think I'll put that idea on hold until the design change.
The fume extractor was the game changer, huh? That's actually the one thing I haven't given much thought into getting. I personally thought the game changer would have been the desoldering gun. A few days ago I was installing my PS1Digital kit and I had to remove the PS1's serial port with just wick. It was awful, getting that thing off almost took longer than the rest of the install. Maybe I'll look into getting both the desoldering gun and the fume extractor at some point, looking forward to your video on your setup!
Very true. Desoldering gun is also a major game changer. I can’t wait for the ps1digital to get back in stock. Really want to do that mod! Cheers Gooch!
Hey Tito, wow I’m blown away on how easier this looks than the McWill kit, not that it’s a piece of cake, but IMO it looks easier. Now, since I live in Europe, it’s easier for me to access this kit at a better price than the McWill sellers/distribuitors over here.
Back to the Mod, I like how you fitted all on a fresh shell and the new power board, I’m curious, have you run a power test, as in how long do a fresh set of batteries last? I’m considering modding a rechargeable battery but it will require some testing and it’s not quite reversible.
Cheers, Jesus
Hey Jesus! I havent run any tests yet but the RetroKai website shows a pretty good improvement. Also RetroSix will be introducing a rechargeable battery solution that should further increase battery life. Cheers dude!
Happy new year Tito!
Hey! Happy New Years to you too man!
Great video, as always Tito. Like you, I’m glad the GG is getting some love. Was wondering what the price difference is between the RetroKai versus the McWill? Happy New Year to you!
Thanks DC Celly! The price are pretty similar between the 2. The McWills have been getting cheaper but this kit is 80 euros which is slightly less than $100. Cheers bud great to hear from you again! Happy New Years!
Still looks pretty tough. I am planning on learning to solder and replace my GG caps. Then maybe down the road I'll get this lcd. But I'm extremely happy with the drop-in LCD upgrade I did with my Lynx. The original screen on my lynx was barely visible. The gamegear I have needs caps for sure, but it was a cheap thrift store find.
I like your Sega game gear installed mod kit you did job and it looks great dude.
Thank you Joshua really appreciate that man! Glad you like the Game Gear build! Happy New Years!
15:50, it does not look like an IPS panel. Viewing angles still seem bad. I would also be nice to limit contrast. Game Gear had not many colours, and the low contrast display matches the low colour palette. Last thing is that we still wait for 160x144 non square pixels. Idealy with use of the CCFL tube.
Considering all the updates we need on the power supply and sound board, please Sega release us from our suffering and make a true V2 Game Gear.:
- Original hardware config CPU, but in a low power version
- Proper sound amp circuit
- Genuine 160x144 IPS panel with CCFL or QD LED backlight.
- 2x 18650 replaceble LiIon battery cells for the needed weight.
- Original case design and card slot.
For the people who already bought a McWill kit would it be possible to use RetroKai centering bracket on a McWill kit? I would pay for an stl file if it is indeed possible.
I don’t know definitively. But it could work. The panels appear similar.
yet another great video!!!!!! hope you had a great christmas,is there a seal between the screen and shell to stop dust getting on the screen?
Thank you Lee! Hope you had a great Christmas as well!
That is a fantastic question! I should have mentioned it in the video. There is virtually no gap because the bracket places it right up against the shell. It’s a great design.
Happy New Years Lee! Cheers!
Almost tempted to dig out my old Game Gear and mod it...almost!
Do it dude!
I was a bit intimidated by the mcwill mod but this looks straightforward. Was that also an aftermarket power board in the game gear? The power jack on mine is faulty and I could do with a replacement.
Yep it’s an aftermarket usb-c power board. I made a video all about it. I hunk you’ll enjoy it. Check it out if you have some free time. Cheers!
Love your content btw. I was wondering if you need any ideas for more videos, you could make one showing how to do this kit with the other alternate setup. If someone like myself ruined the pins for CL2 etc, RetroKai has a wiki page that shows you how to alternatively connect this kit. Anyway I know I would love to see that process. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Dave! That could be a good video idea! Cheers!
Great video! Any chance of an RGB out function? Also, what soldering temps are you using for such small components?
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!! As far as I know there isn’t an rgb mod out for the game gear at the moment. Hopefully someone can make a consolizer kit, that would be awesome! I typically stick around 340C for most things and adjust slightly depending on application. But 340c tends to work out for me. Cheers buddy!
For me personally, I think I'd be more comfortable soldering the wires to the edge pins for the McWill than drag soldering (I haven't drag soldered before though).
I'm alright with fine soldering.
Are you going to be doing a video on the Game Gear CleanJuice when that becomes a thing? I'm really interested to see how that's implemented. It would great if it could charged with the CleanPower board.
Definitely! I can’t wait for something like to come out. It’ll be a game changer!
I actually ordered the same screen last week, just waiting on it to get here. I'm more looking forward to the extended battery life.
Nice! You won’t be disappointed. It’s a great kit! Battery life is yet another pro with this kit. Cheers Meeloh and happy New Years!
Nice mod and love the shell color :)
Thank you! Glad you like the color combo! I thought it was a nice simple and clean aesthetic. Cheers!
Great video as always. How do you keep your desk so dust free? Not one spec.
Thanks madblaster6!! I have to admit I’m a bit of a neat freak. Also, I’d imagine people don’t want to see a messy desk so I try to clean up in between takes. Cheers buddy! Thank you for watching my videos this year and happy New Years!
I hope there's a way to replace the screen in a later model Game Gear. I tried to get a McWill screen for my later model Game Gear earlier this year and I was told it's not compatible! The screen on my unit is fine, but I fear it could one day go wrong!
I agree, it would be great if an upgrade came out that is compatible across all models. Finger crossed, hopefully we will get one one day. Happy New Years bud!
Without the CFL, the battery life must be increased a bit, did you test this?
Converting to 48V must've drained the batteries pretty fast...
Haven’t done a test yet. You are correct, according to the retrokai website the battery improves quite a bit. Cheers!
Does this LCD mod improve battery life? If so how long is the battery life with this brand new display?
I will definitely be getting this later as I’m still replacing some components on my game gear.
Sounds good man! You won’t be disappointed. It’ll be worth the wait! Cheers and happy New Years!
Great video! A total buy if it weren't for the lack of vga output... Otherwise it is also cheaper
Looks awesome, didn't even know this kit existed though though not sure how I feel about the blind soldering. Seems like a FFC (similar to the UltraHDMI for the N64) might have been a better choice. I am still holding out hope funnyplaying or someone will offer a solution that has perfect integer scaling as I don't like the shimmering that occurs when playing stuff like the Shinobi's. These kits are still an awesome upgrade but I wish they had integer scaling and could remember your favorite scaling option.
Glad I was able to show this to you! It seems they will be updating their design to make soldering easier. Cheers buddy!
Looks great. Still waiting to see if an IPS kit will come out. Also, you make drag soldering look too easy lol Thats a skill I'm still trying to accomplish. The white on grey looks good. Happy new year and happy growth to your channel in 2021! Thanks for all the content in 2020 👍
You are most welcome Gabriel! Yes, I am hoping for an IPS screen as well! That would be so awesome! It is definitely possible, I just hope someone can pull it off! Really appreciate the support! Happy New Years to you too! Cheers!
I swear he does it better than us 😁.
Haha, thank you! 😁
man these tutorials are awesome by guiding users in such a noob friendly way. Funnily enough most mod kit designers don't bother making full video guides on their own products lol
So glad you enjoy the videos and tutorials! Haha true, some do but a lot don’t. That’s why my channel exists haha. Cheers bud and happy New Years!
We did ! ruclips.net/video/Bvo_PnWPASQ/видео.html
It's just not as good as the one made by Macho Nacho !
Do you find that 28awg wire is fine for most work when dealing with any mods you do on consoles? Have you run into any situations when you have had to use other gauge wire?
I find that it works most of the time. I’ve used magnet wire in some cases too.
Man. I wouldn't mind trying this mod. I still have to step back and replace the caps on my 3 Game Gear systems first.
It’s a great kit for sure. You are right, it’s a great idea to replace the caps first! Should be a fun project to restore your game gear! Cheers buddy! And happy new year!
Great videos man 👍
Thank you 🙏. Cheers saxabar!
Nice, I very like it 👍
Happy new year 🥳.
Thank you Ace Bunny! Happy New Years to you too!!
Loved the production quality and the review itself, but I'm honestly shocked that the lack of integer scaling wasn't mentioned at all here.
Where can I find more information on each of the display modes this kit features?
Hey Kamon! Check out my McWill Game Gear video. The McWill kit has the same exact video modes as the RetroKAI. I go over each mode in detail in that video. Hope that helps! Cheers buddy!
Je valide ! les produits #retrokaï sont très bons, je vais me laisser tenter. Et vive la France !
Merci !
What a brilliant kit! Glad I never ended up doing the McWill mod
It’s a fantastic kit. Each have their pros and cons. This one is certainly easier to install. Cheers Aravind! Happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions Happy New Years to you too! Can't wait to see where the channel goes in 2021 👍
Happy New year everyone another video from this great channel I've discovered, retro games 4Ever
Thank you Wolverine! So happy you are enjoying the channel! Happy New Years!
Buen video y feliz 2021
Thank you Daniel! Happy New Years to your too!!! Cheers!
Just finished my installation. It was difficult getting the ESG to make good continuity but, with a little patience I was able to get it going. Now I have to figure out how to power the GG with some lithium batteries.
Awesome McPaul! Glad you got it working! I think RetroSix is designing a rechargeable battery kit and will release it soonish. I’m waiting for that to come out! Should be pretty awesome!
@@MachoNachoProductions I saw that they had posted some info about something like that being released soon. I was kicking around the idea of doing something custom but, I might just wait for that. I also have some of those external power packs that I want to try and modify.
Yeah those external packs are pretty good. I remember having one when I was younger. I’m sure they could be modified somehow.
I wonder if it's possible to make an ESG that clamps on to the mainboard to make contact with the ribbon cable connector instead of needing to be drag-soldered.
That would be awesome. There is plenty of space in the shell for that.
I have been waiting for the BennVenn drop in solution to come to market for awhile now but I may try my hand with this one in the meantime on a spare GG I have.
Me too! I’m hoping his kit releases this year! Cheers!
Love this! Thank you again Tito!
You’re most welcome MeleeMaster6! Happy New Years!
Nice work as usual Tito. I have installed many mcwill screens and personally the difficulty was never the issue, the price is. I will give this a go at some point but as you pointed out the way the driver board is installed is not optimal. I would far prefer to solder the wires directly as I trust my soldering. I'm sure this would be easier for beginners but on first look I think I'll stick with mcwill. Great to see more mods being engineered though.
Thanks Ben! Totally agree! While the McWill has more steps, it is easier to verify solder joints. The price of these kits are about the same. I’d say each kit definitely has their pros and cons but the end results are very similar. Both produce fantastic images. I too am happy with all the attention game gears have been getting! Cheers Ben and happy New Years!
@@MachoNachoProductions yeah I looked up the price hoping it would be cheaper but unfortunately the way the graphics driver board is implimented in the gamegear there will never be a gameboy, ips type solution. The results are so good though, it's worth every penny. Happy new year brother, keep up the good fight.
Will do man!
The next version of our ESG will be good enough for you to reconsider, I'm sure 🙂.
Also, know that you can just solder wires to connect the main board to the Magic Screen.
Because there is test pads on the ESG and the Magic Screen PCB that can be used as alternative pads if the pads on the main board are in bad shape or lifted for exemple.
Can’t wait for the upgrade!
I will install one if I need to I'm getting the ceramic Capacitor kit for my game gear I'm gonna make sure the screen is working before replacing it with a new screen if works I'll probably keep it in if not then I'll replace it with this one
Happy New Year man!
Happy new year to you too bud!
How about battery life? Should be much better without the 34v backlight tube.
Nice Tito , I like the video , You know I would like to see you doing a mod with raspberry pi on the game gear , like cm4 board I see others videos but they just to messy I like that you work very clean and professional.
I will be doing a raspberry pi mod very soon Although it won’t be inside a game gear, but it should still be a lot of fun! Stay tuned Adner! Cheers bud and happy New Years!
Great video as always depending on the price I may have to use this kit. I have two systems so if it’s cheap enough I’ll put it in both.
Sounds good Travis! Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the video! It is a bit on the expensive side unfortunately. Hopefully they can do a price reduction at some point. Cheers bud and happy New Years!
What was the battery life like?
Great video but I'm curious if someone can do these mods as a turn around service for those not handy?
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video! There are a lot of modder out there who will do this service for you. Check out some of the talented folks on Instagram! Cheers buddy!
Thanks for the video. It seems it is a 320x240 screen, which is a bummer, as this was the one point from the Mc Will mod that needed an improvement. A 640x480 screen would be a better fit for the console's native resolution of 160x144. It would have allowed x4 the vertical resolution, and x3 the horizontal resolution (with only a small loss top and bottom). With 320x240, we are stuck with various display modes and not one that is satisfactory, as the ones that fit the best the screen (with minimal loss) produce shimmering, as the scaling is not an integer.
Very true. It would be great if we can find an lcd that fits and does proper integer scaling. Cheers cireza!