Finally got my AV Fami modded via NESRGB and working 100%. Just wanted give a summary of events for those that are considering doing the mod themselves, especially those that are not the best at soldering and do not have pro soldering/desoldering gear.
Gear:
Radio Shack Desoldering tool ($15) (mostly fail)
Radio Shack soldering iron ($25) (mostly fail)
M-Line Mark V pro-grade soldering station (~$100) (used with success)
Events:
-Bought a NESRGB, successfully desoldered AVFC PPU with cheap tools
-soldered the adapter board in backwards
-continued, thinking this was not a problem
-Upon completing mod, video/audio failed
-Desoldered NESRGB, destroyed adapter board, ordered new one
-After new adapter came in, resoldered everything correct
-Fired it up, worked. Yay.
-Tried a different game, FAIL. Black screen and loud buzz
-Tested AV Fami w/ stock PPU and no NESRGB, fail. Black screen and loud buzz
-Replaced PPU and CPU, stock AVFC worked again. I fried both chips on the AVFC (see below)
-Deciding not to work with obviously cursed hardware, bought a new AVFC and NESRGB
-Did everything correctly. Fired up, worked.
-Closed it up. Tested all games. All worked. Double Yay!
Afterthoughts:
-While it is possible to use cheap, AKA Radio Shack soldering and desoldering irons, I cannot recommend them because they simply don't get hot enough to melt the original solder on the PCB and remove the PPU. When I used pro gear ($100+), everything was tits.
-If you knock the NESRGB out of the socket after completing the mod, and you turn on your NES/FC, you might fry your CPU and PPU. This happened to me.
-The hardest part for an amateur is definitely desoldering the PPU. TAKE YOUR TIME. Add solder to pins that wont desolder, and try again. If that doesn't work, borrow/buy a higher temperature tool. Breaking the chip sucks ass. Again, happened to me.
-Follow the steps on Tim's site CLOSELY. Don't be an asshole and solder things in the wrong order/backwards like me.
-Using NESRGB composite. In some ways, looks better than stock, some ways worse. I say use stock after having seen both. At least for AVFC.
-Improved palette looks best of the 3 IMHO.
-I'm going to test my 1st NESRGB again, as well as my 1st AVFC for lingering effects. Probably sell them for either parts or working depending on outcome.
-In the end, it was worth the trouble. Learned a lot. Video quality on a PVM is tits.