GBA TV – Custom Install
This page describes how to directly solder the video pins on your GBA to the Innovation TV adapter. This will bypass the original ribbon installation that produces horrible picture quality. Please go back to the main GBA page if you’d like more information.
Before we begin, I need to warn you: This is extremely hard. If you’re in for a fun challenge, you may enjoy this. Also, be warned, once you start this process, there’s no going back, as you’ll be cutting the ribbon cable!
– First, cut the ribbon cable right where it meets the main connector:
– Then, remove the back cover from the GBA (‘T’ is for tri-wing screws, ‘P’ for Philips head):
– Next, remove all the plastic pieces, simply by pulling them out (red arrows). Then, remove the two Philips head screws holding the board in (yellow circles), as well as the ribbon cable (loosen the two points on either side of the cable to get it to pop out..green circles):
– Flip the board over and locate the following section (it will be slightly different looking in different versions of the GBA, but all pins and locations are the same):
– Solder the following pins from the GBA to the ribbon cable connector, matching the numbers exactly as in this diagram:
– Once you’re done with those, flip it over for the final two pins (8 and 19):
– Your GBA should look something like this now:
– Re-assemble everything and make sure when you put the connector in the new GBA rear cover (provided with the kit) that you have the side you soldered the cable to facing the inside of the GBA…not away from it!!!
After you’re done, attach the new back cover to your GBA, put some batteries in and give it a whirl. If it no longer works, something went wrong and you’ll need to go back and check that you didn’t damage anything inside. If everything went well, hook up the TV attachment and plug it into a regular composite (or S-Video) input and make sure the installation worked.
Now that you’re GBA TV adapter is installed, you can mod it for RGB!! Just click here to get started!!
If you’re not insterested in RGB (gasp!), feel free to go back to the main GBA page. If you’d like info on mods for other systems, head to the Getting RGB From Each System page or check out the main page for more retro-awesomeness.