Casio Loopy Magical Shop
Accessory for the Casio Loopy that allows you to capture frames from a composite video source and print them as stickers. It is also known as the "Video Seal Wordprocessor" or XK-700.
- For more information, see this article's corresponding Wikipedia page: Casio_Loopy.
| Preliminary Information | |
|---|---|
| Release Year | 1995 |
| Leak Risk | Medium |
| Batteries | None |
| Mounting Technology | SMD |
| Capacitor Types | Aluminum Electrolytic |
| Destructive Entry | No |
The device consists of an upper analog board and a lower digital board.
On the analog board there is a CXA1228S composite video decoder feeding a pair of LC7480 video ADCs. There is also an audio buffer and a passthrough cartridge slot.
On the digital board there is a mask ROM for built-in software and an ASIC that handles frame grabbing.
Known Issues
When testing frame captures, keep in mind:
- The live preview operates independently and doesn't indicate capture quality.
- Live preview doesn't work on the RGB output of RGB-modded consoles. Capture is unaffected.
- Captures are first shown in grayscale and then "painted" with color when you confirm.
- Input must be NTSC with stable sync. SNES/SFC is known to work well. PAL might work but won't have color.
Cannot capture images, "Sampling Error" or "Video Input Error"
Cause
- Capacitors in the video path have degraded.
Solution
- Replace C216, C217, C220.
Captured image has distorted color
Cause
- Capacitors around the video decoder have degraded.
Solution
- Replace C221, C228, C234.
Captured image is noisy
Cause
- Power capacitors have degraded.
Solution
- Replace all remaining capacitors.
Captured image is too bright/dark, over/undersaturated etc.
Cause
- Trimmer potentiometers may need adjusting, especially after replacing caps around the video decoder.
Solution
- Take a photo of original trimmer positions as they vary between each unit. Only change what you need to.
- If there is no color at all, try adjusting VR3 (subcarrier frequency)
- Adjust VR2 for overall brightness (luma level).
- Adjust VR5 for saturation (chroma level).
- Adjust VR4 for tint (hue control).
- Avoid changing VR1.
Disassembly Notes
There are plastic clips holding the main shell together. Press firmly on the sides and front of the top shell to release the clips.
All electrolytic capacitors are on the upper analog board and accessible from above. Full disassembly is not required, but may make it easier to work on.
If the device is fully disassembled, the upper analog board can be separated from the lower digital board.
Don't remove the screws in the lower vertical shell unless you need to access the digital board.
There is a spring inside for the eject button that will be loose once the unit is opened.
Original Parts
Z542-2 A140348A-1 Analog board
| RefDes | Qty | Capacitance | Voltage | Mount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C202, C204, C206 | 3 | 100 µF | 6.3 V | SMD |
| C220, C223, C230, C231, C242 | 5 | 22 µF | 6.3 V | SMD |
| C209, C221 | 2 | 1 µF | 50 V | SMD |
| C234 | 1 | 0.47 µF | 50 V | SMD |
| C216, C217, C228 | 3 | 10 µF | 10 V | SMD |
Related Links
- Casio Loopy - the associated game console.