Disk Writer BIOS dump?

[boye]

Is there a dump of the Disk Writer BIOS?

[UglyJoe]

Yes, most emulators require it.  I won't link it directly since it's technically a ROM, but if you google for "FDS bios" or "disksys.rom", you'll find it.

[boye]

Yes, most emulators require it.  I won't link it directly since it's technically a ROM, but if you google for "FDS bios" or "disksys.rom", you'll find it.

No, not the FDS BIOS, the BIOS that was used for the Disk Writers.

[UglyJoe]

Ooh, sorry.  Misread the request

[boye]

Ooh, sorry.  Misread the request

No problem. Happens to everyone.

[80sFREAK]

Why do you need this? Want make a replica? 

[P]

Yeah but they look great.
We can only hope that someone on Nintendo leaks it, or a miracle happens and they let someone publish documents and dumps of it. NOA apparently let the last Sky Skipper board get dumped which then got emulated by Mame long ago (and more recently Arcade Archives), but this is Nintendo headquarters not NOA.

I know this is not part of the subject but, I found the sprites sheet from it:
https://mfgg.net/?act=resdb&param=02&c=1&id=30528

Thank you!

Why do you need this? Want make a replica? 

Who doesn't need this?

[80sFREAK]

Then my question is - how images were stored in original device? My guess some sort of ROM cartridges  

And what you gonna copy?  

added
I think, that modified RAM adapter can do the job.

[P]

Yeah on pictures the kiosk has 9 slots filled with special yellow cartridges that looks like NES cartridges, so it is believed that stores got new games on these. Sounds like only 9 games are available at a time, but I guess the clerk can technically just swap the cartridge out if a customer wants an older game not currently featured.

http://www.chrismcovell.com/secret/sp_FDShardware.html#diskwriter

There's a QD-drive in the door where the disk is inserted at. There's also a slot that says SOFT PACK and another slot I can't read. There are no obvious buttons so I'm not sure how it's operated.

I wonder if the Disk Writer hardware is Famicom-based. It would make sense to reuse existing hardware anyway.

Spoiler

[close]

And what you gonna copy? 

What do you mean? If you just wanna copy disks you obviously don't need this. That's not the point.

[80sFREAK]

Ok. Do you have any idea, what was inside those yellow cartridges?
I think it is possible to disable BIOS and rearrange memory map.

[boye]

I wonder if you could use NES carts that have equal to or less than 64k of ROM (that includes PRG rom and CHR rom) total on the Disk Writer?

[80sFREAK]

You should read nesdev wiki. There is lots of useful information.

My guess, why there is only 9 slots for the distributed games - 10th slot occupied by BIOS cart, which is "inside the cat". And no, for those "yellow carts" no need CHR part, but special mapper, if there is famicom bus(not custom bus).

[P]

Yeah if we assume the Disk Writer is Famicom-based hardware, it's running a built-in BIOS cart and the yellow carts are purely used as storage media for the games that are to be copied. Only the BIOS needs the CHR chip since it's the only thing that needs to run.

I heard nothing at all about the yellow carts. That they are used as storage media for featured FDS games is pure speculation, but it's likely since there are nine of them and there are nine FDS titles displayed on the kiosk.

[boye]

I assume they are storage media, to make it easier for the games to be swapped out later.
Maybe they are just NES carts?

[80sFREAK]

Or maybe not