My poor man's NES Flash Cart

Started by 133MHz, September 23, 2007, 01:46:28 am

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133MHz

If you have proper (E)EPROM erasing and burning equipment it's a piece of cake. But then it's not cheap anymore.

Paul-FC


133MHz

Everything seems OK (USB, Windows XP support, ZIF socket, etc) BUT...

QuoteFeatures:

       Support 2.5~6.5V device;


Most chips are between 5 and 15V (12V being the most common), so I say it's pretty limited on the range of chips you can burn with it.
Also if you're looking to burn your own EPROMs you need an EPROM eraser (meaning more $$$ to spend).

Paul-FC

Quote from: 133MHz on March 13, 2008, 08:32:30 pm
Everything seems OK (USB, Windows XP support, ZIF socket, etc) BUT...

QuoteFeatures:

       Support 2.5~6.5V device;


Most chips are between 5 and 15V (12V being the most common), so I say it's pretty limited on the range of chips you can burn with it.
Also if you're looking to burn your own EPROMs you need an EPROM eraser (meaning more $$$ to spend).

can you recommend a burner?

133MHz

If you're looking to buy one, look for the following:

* USB connection (if your computer doesn't have a serial port, otherwise it doesn't matter)
* Windows XP support
* External power adapter (that way you can program chips with a high programming voltage, when they draw power from the USB or serial port they're limited by the teeny weeny 5V that the port provides).
* Good list of supported chips (to make your own NES/Famicom carts you're looking for 27xxx EPROMs).

In fact the type of programmer is not very critical, you can even build your own for 5 bucks worth of parts (search for five dollar eprom programmer). Most important is the EPROM eraser, which is an enclosed UV fluorescent lamp, its light erases EPROMs when exposed to it, and no, those counterfeit bill detectors won't work. In fact, the light from the EPROM eraser is dangerous to the skin and eyes! That's why it's enclosed. See if you can get a cheap EPROM eraser first, then look for a programmer.

Paul-FC

Quote from: 133MHz on March 13, 2008, 08:46:10 pm
If you're looking to buy one, look for the following:

* USB connection (if your computer doesn't have a serial port, otherwise it doesn't matter)
* Windows XP support
* External power adapter (that way you can program chips with a high programming voltage, when they draw power from the USB or serial port they're limited by the teeny weeny 5V that the port provides).
* Good list of supported chips (to make your own NES/Famicom carts you're looking for 27xxx EPROMs).

In fact the type of programmer is not very critical, you can even build your own for 5 bucks worth of parts (search for five dollar eprom programmer). Most important is the EPROM eraser, which is an enclosed UV fluorescent lamp, its light erases EPROMs when exposed to it, and no, those counterfeit bill detectors won't work. In fact, the light from the EPROM eraser is dangerous to the skin and eyes! That's why it's enclosed. See if you can get a cheap EPROM eraser first, then look for a programmer.

ok is it easier to do famicom or NES

133MHz

NES. Carts are easier to open, lots of room for extra chips and stuff, and lots of information on the internets on how to do it ;).

MaxXimus

But besides that, it
s the exact same.....

133MHz

Quote from: MaxXimus on March 13, 2008, 08:54:48 pm
But besides that, its the exact same.....


True. But NES mapper boards are more well documented than Famicom ones. So if you're a beginner it's wiser to begin with NES since you'll find much more information.

133MHz

Those games have crazy-ass mappers which are almost impossible to replicate without extensive ROM hacking.

133MHz

If you're some kind of hardcore NES dev, then yeah :P.

133MHz

AFAIK NESReproductions does it already.

UglyJoe

Reproduction sites require donor carts (either user or shop supplied).  Those donor carts have the same mappers as the game that is going to be reproduced. 

If they wanted to reproduce some weird pirate cart, then they would need a donor cart that used the same weird mapper used by the pirate cart.  In these cases, it's likely that the only donor carts available would be carts that already had that pirate on it  :P

The easiest option would probably be that flash cart that Retrousb makes.  The "mapper" that it uses is really running software that emulates whatever mapper the given rom needs.  If he's written the software to support a wacky pirate mapper, then it would work.

133MHz

Quote from: UglyJoe on March 14, 2008, 11:51:18 am
If they wanted to reproduce some weird pirate cart, then they would need a donor cart that used the same weird mapper used by the pirate cart.  In these cases, it's likely that the only donor carts available would be carts that already had that pirate on it  :P


I agree, but there's also the option of hacking the pirate game to make it work with a standard mapper. Take for example SMB2j - a disk only release. Loopy's MMC3 hack allows you to put SMB2j on any MMC3 compatible cart (such as SMB2 USA or SMB3) instead of replicating the kludgy hacks the pirates invented. Just burn your PRG and CHR and there you go!. But to do this you need to be some NES dev wizard :P.

Quote from: UglyJoe on March 14, 2008, 11:51:18 am
The easiest option would probably be that flash cart that Retrousb makes.  The "mapper" that it uses is really running software that emulates whatever mapper the given rom needs.  If he's written the software to support a wacky pirate mapper, then it would work.


Yeah, that's the easiest option of all.

Profeta Yoshitake

Quote from: 133MHz on March 13, 2008, 08:52:50 pm
NES. Carts are easier to open, lots of room for extra chips and stuff, and lots of information on the internets on how to do it ;).


More than that, my friend.
Famicom games were projected to never be opened!
On 99% of the tries you're going to break your Famicom cart FOREVER!

Man!
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If so, tell me what!
If you don't, I would suggest CITY CONNECTION!
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