AGB-001 Front/Backlight Mod Instructions

AGB-001_Light_Mod.md

AGB-001 Front/Backlight Mod Instructions

AGB-001 Backlight Mod

Requirements

• AGB-001
• ASS101 screen
• Ribbon adapter

AGB-001 Models

You can tell the model by taking off the battery cover and looking at the motherboard model

• 32 pin: 1st number is "1"
• 40 pin: 1st number is "0"

AGS-101 Screen Types

You can tell the type by the ribbon circuitry or connector color (source)

• A: uniform widths, white connector
• AB/B: differing widths, brown connector

Ribbon Adapters

• 32/40 pin: Must purchase one that matches your AGB-001 motherboard
• Solderless: Will not be as bright unless you add a wire
• Solder required: Must connect P1 to left leg of DA1
• Switch: Allows switching between high/low through the battery compartment. Requires slight shell modification. Physical switch so it keeps setting across device reboots.
• 5 level w/ key combo: Allows switching through 5 brightness levels with Select + L, but boots with lowest setting every time.

AGB-001 Model & AGS-101 Screen Pairing

• 32 pin + Type-A: Perfect (source)
• 32 pin + Type-AB: Washed out and dim (source)
• 40 pin + Type-A: Washed out and bright (tested). Possibly connect 103 to GND to fix (source)
• 40 pin + Type-AB: Perfect (tested)

Instructions

See here

Notes

• Remove rubber grommet and backing from front and back of AGS-101 screen or else it won't fit
• Must modify shell to fit new screen
• Can adjust screen using potentiometer through hole behind sticker on the back
• If buying a new shell with hardware, use the hardware that came with the shell since the hardware might be different and the shell is designed for them

AGB-001 Frontlight Mod

Instructions

Video

Requirements

• AGB-001
• AGS-001 screen
• Ribbon adapter

@vinnycl

My 40 pin does not show screen.
I did something wrong?
https://68.media.tumblr.com/20a788600dd324103ffce136b827a566/tumblr_on1cqdPM861qecufzo1_1280.jpg
https://68.media.tumblr.com/f056424271c79ab485f438e5b9b27f79/tumblr_on1cqdPM861qecufzo2_1280.jpg

For the issue face by @vinnycl above, if you're screen does not turn on, make sure that both the LCD's and the adapter's ribbon cable are being connected together correctly. It is possible to put them on backwards thus not making a connection. The good news is it does not break your GBA so you can try out all 4 combinations until it works.

@httpsjes

H, I used this tutorial and managed to get my GBA hooked up to the screen, it turned on fine and looked great. However, when I tested it with a game it would boot up with the usual gameboy screen but not move past it as though there was no cartridge inserted. I have tried all 4 of my games and am met with the same outcome. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on what to do? I thought it was a problem with my motherboard as I had problem running games prior to hooking up the screen so one of my friends graciously let me take his GBA apart and use the motherboard (had tested it, worked perfectly) but I was still met with the same result. Any ideas on what I should do?

For the issue @httpsjes and @dvaldez76 above, you can adjust some voltage setting in the GBA using the trimpot. Having it adjusted too high or too low can make prevent it from loading games. I had upped it trying to resolve the first issue. Once the screen booted, I had to lower it back down into an acceptable range for it to work. Here's a video which covers how to adjust the trimpot: https://youtu.be/IsA5_TfnvGA?t=1m5s

@grantland Just btw, it says ASS101 screen at the beginning.

I had a similar issue to @httpsjes and @dvaldez76. I got the backlight working, but GBA and GB games wouldn't boot. GBA games hang at a white screen after the boot screen, and GB games will stay stuck at the GBC boot screen while the Nintendo logo seems to have vertical lines running through it. I'll keep trying with the trimpot, but the only game that works in it is Classic NES Castlevania.

EDIT: Opened the system back up and taped off a few more spots where it could possibly short as well as rerouting the wire from the adapter cable. Works great now.

Can the backlight get damaged? Here is my case, I have an original 32 pin GBA with a AGS 101 display and the adapter with the p1 red wire. I plugged everything and soldered the red wire to the left pin of ad1, and I couldn't see anything, no backlight no picture, I then tried to plug the red wire into the S1 point in the front part of the board and I managed to see the picture but still no backlight. Do you guys have any idea of what might be happening?

UPDATE:
The red wire definitely is doing something. When I put the red wire into S1 I can see some "contrast" changes using a flashlight but there is no backlight.

I installed an aftermarket AGS-101 screen into a 40pin AGB console using an older/cheaper ribbon cable. The resulting picture quality was very washed out with horizontal interference lines. After following the steps outlined in this Reddit post (including leaving Q3 alone) the quality of the screen looks great.

+1 to @qurao & @DanielBoa - I just did the modification you guys mentioned and... this is golden! Screen looks amazing now. I have 40 pin GBA + Type-A screen and did the mod described directly in the gist, until I got back here and discovered the mentioned Reddid post. @grantland - it would be really cool if you could edit your gist and attach the thread url. It is really working.

40-pin GBA + white-tab LCD screen

remove: R16, R17, C33, C54, Q3
connect: REVC to P2-VEE

https://circuit-board.de/forum/index.php/Thread/9546-UR-GBA-Backlight-Screen-Mod-AGS-101-Display/?postID=593578
https://www.reddit.com/r/Gameboy/comments/5r8i0e/ags101_gba_mod_image_retention_fix_40pin_white

I have the 40 pin screen, I bought a pre-soldered adapter, and I installed it as instructed, but the screen is just black. I was confused, so I plugged in my old screen back into it and it worked just fine, but for some reason when I plug the new screen in it does not show anything at all. There isn't even an indication that the screen is on. Please help.

It could be beneficial to add "Insulate cartridge reader pins with kapton tape" to the notes, a lot of users seem to be having issues with shorts due to the pins touching the back of the screen

Hello. I should to say something about "32 pin + Type-AB: Washed out and dim".
There are controller of brightness on the motherboard.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Fvkp4SZymuAqpJU0Hrb6tEexw3VxlcVD
This link for my previous comment

This is my 32-pin gba and AB screen (brown connector)
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwln4Xsgylf/

Hey, maybe anyone can help me identify the problem?
here's how my screen looks like:
https://imgur.com/a/QCag1Wq
https://imgur.com/a/FWIpoAU
https://imgur.com/a/pagPQsM
Have no experience with stuff like this whatsoever so I would appreciate all help I can get.