Gamecube region switch mod on a NTSC-U console

Hey everyone. i need some advice on this topic. Theres a couple guides on the net but i dont know which guide is correct if you could help me out the would be awesome.
As i was looking into the XenoGC mod-chip from bad_ad84, Lum was advising me to do the region switch mod because of some text not being in the US bios (Assuming Japanese Text) and causing the game to have some issues so i decided on going with the mod.

Theres this guide here from mmmonkey that tells me to just solder wires on the R5 points on the Board
http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/nintendo/gc-region.htm

But theres this next one that tells me to remove the resistor At R39 then solder the wires at R6 points on the board

this is the copypasta from a site with the other guide

The region free mod is a mod that you can do to your DOL-001, DOL-101 and Panasonic Q GameCubes to let them boot original games from any region. This mod will not let you boot backup games! Note that is MOD is only for booting games from JPN -> USA or USA -> JPN and will not work on European and/or Brazilian GameCube's.

First of all, after you take apart the GameCube console then connect the two wires to the center solder point pair at R6. If you have a JPN Cube then R39 is open on a JPN cube and can be left alone. If you have a USA Cube then R39 is closed on a USA cube (with the resistor) so to make a USA cube switchable you will need to open R39 (remove the resistor) and add then add the switch at R6.

You can use any switch for this though I don�t know if the Cube has enough power to run a lighted switch? Anyway at any rate when R6 is closed the Cube is in �USA Region� mode and when R6 is open the Cube is in �JPN Region� mode.

NOTE: When using this MOD you will need a memory unit for each region and trying to run a memory unit in the wrong region will delete it. Any memory unit will do as you don�t have to buy one from Japan or the USA specifically.

NOTE: There are also modchip based region free mods that will let you boot games without a switch and/or let you listen to MP3 files and play region free DVD's using your Panasonic Q




*Update* mmmonkey's guide is correct.

 

R5 is for North American consoles. R6 is for Japanese consoles.
As seen here:
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?6633-GameCube-region-mod&

I've done this to my gcn and I remember it was R5.
Hope this helps.

 

What you have to do is bridge R5 using a switch. Luckily each side of R5 has two contact points to choose from. The tiny center pads, or the holes at the end of their respective board traces.
Inserting wire into those holes will work if you're not confident at soldering on a VERY small area.

A while ago I hacked up a lazy diagram.


And this is the huge effect on games. (click to enlarge)

 

You can use any ground point.
I use the GC reset switch for the region mod.
You just need to cut one trace and solder one wire.
No toggle switch needed or holes to be drilled

 

I made that mod on my NTSC-U GC. Works like a charm however im wondering about the Garbled Asian text Issue discussed above.

Not sure i understand correctly.
-It only happens on some games?
-Happens with Region mod or mod chip only or both?

Basically I want to know If a modchip is worth it for me. I use the region switch to boot my Gameboy player that came with the Asian disc.

 

The effect varies per game. Usually text issues. Some games need NTSC-J mode to save progress. It also works as a language select, NTSC-U version Star Fox Adventures can become Japanese.

You'd still need a modchip for European games. Switch mod will not convert between NTSC and PAL in either direction (PAL GC owners unfortunately must bear with the problems in Japan games).

 

By NTSC-J mode, you mean a console with the region switch right? So if i understand correctly, even whith the modchip, you would still need the region switch mod to play some -J games correctly right?

 

Correct. Some Japanese games still won't work properly on an American system unless you run them in the Japanese mode with a switch.

 

This answers my questions. Seems to me that ideally you'd need both Modchip and switch, even if all you do is play some -J imports on your US cube. Modchip is more convenient and you do not risk losing your memory card content by accident. But you still have the switch when the modchip alone does not cut it.

Thanks guys.

 

Yeah confusing as it sounds. Memory card format is determined by console region. Rather than game region.

US/PAL set consoles won't create, read, or write -J memory cards.
-J set consoles won't create, read, or write US/PAL memory cards.

It means playing -J games using a modchip doesn't prompt to reformat the memory card.
Any saves created in that state are really English format who can't be shared with -J console users (unless allowed by 3rd party utilities).

 

Hi,

What list of games have these text/save issues, as I cannot find any info on this. Only one I have come across is "Donkey Konga JP"

Also, how does this affect the other way around on a ntsc/j console instead with ntsc/u games on a xeno modded cube? Do some ntsc/u games have any text or save problems on the jp console?

Thanks

 

These cube games get issues in ntsc/u. Text can also affect wii games, one is Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekidou.

Donkey Konga
Donkey Konga 2
Donkey Konga 3
F-Zero GX
Giftpia
Homeland
Ikaruga
Kururin Squash
Mr Driller
Nintendo Puzzle Collection
Radirgy
Rockman EXE
Shikigami no Shiro 2
Sonic Mega Collection
Starfox Assault
Zoids Vs 3

Not sure about ntsc/u games. I don't have a jp console on hand yet.

 

Thanks for the list Lum

 

So is just one wire going to area DA28 (green line) and then another to the point next to the Cap highlighted in green?. Where is the trace that needs to be cut, would that be R5 or R6? Guessing with this method, it be like a Panasonic Q where holding down the power button to change region but instead use the reset on the cube?