Hi-Def NES install guides
NES-101 Top Loader and HVC-101 AV Famicom
Motherboard prep

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM AND ZOOM IN

These guides are the same for the top loader and av famicom.

1. Prep cpu and ppu for removal by adding solder to each pin.
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2. Desolder cpu and ppu pins.
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3. Removal can be tricky, try pushing the pins back forth with a dull tool or wiggle the chips from the top side.
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4. Check the chips for straight pins, any solder blobs can be smoothed out with soldering iron, and make sure no vias/pads/traces were pulled out with any of the pins.

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5. Place sockets on cpu and ppu chips.
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6. Snap to proper length if using in-line type.
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7. Place one on to motherboard.
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8. Flip over mobo and hold chip flush up against mobo and solder outter 4 pins to hold it in place.
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9. Repeat for other chip.
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10. Retest the console and make sure it still works as it should! Now is the time to do any repairs of mistakes!

11. Remove the 2 screws holding the heat sink in place on the mobo, and the one on the 7805 inside the heat sink. Set heat sink aside.

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13. If you are replacing all the caps, I prep them by bending up and cutting each cap leg flush with motherboard. This helps with desoldering in my experience.

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14. Desolder caps and remove, replace with new ones.
On the AV Fami I provide a 100uF cap that will replace c14, a 1uF cap, on rev 1 motherboards and the 47uF cap on rev 2 motherboards.
I also provide a 1500uF main cap that will replace the original 1000uF main cap.
Be sure to lay the 220uF cap on it’s side for interposer/ribbon cable clearance.

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15. Retest with the new caps to make sure it’s still working.
16. Remove both chips from the sockets.
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17. Desolder 7805, the voltage regulator.
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18. Wiggle the 7805 back and forth till it comes out.
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19. Mount 7805 up and out of the way and tighten back down if you plan to put it back in the console.

7805 swung out
These parts can also just be set aside as they are replaced by the Hi-Def NES kit’s power circuit.
If you want it back in the console, go ahead and screw it back in.

20. If you want the original video outputs to work (composite and RF), remove transistor Q1 (marked Q1 on all consoles):

original vid trans vid trans removed

21. Bridge the outside holes:

B-C bridge

22. If your video output is not right you may need to remove R1 shown in the above pic, right next to the removed transistor. I have only tested one tv and it looked ok without removing that resistor.
On the av fami it’s R5.

av fami vid resistor r5

On the PAL top loader it’s R1 (30o), but I don’t have a PAL tv so someone needs to confirm this works.

pal top loader vid resistor
If you have flux remover, now is the time to use it!