BIOS Chip on JAP Dreamcast Looks Different.

I recently acquired a second-hand Japanese NTSC -J HKT-3010 Dreamcast. I want planing to install Region Free DEV BIOS as instructed on this page


http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/sega/dc-dev-bios.htm




I disassembled the unit and I was trying to locate the BIOS section of the mainboard. To my surprised, it was totally different. It looked as if the original BIOS was removed and a small PCB soldered on top. It looked nothing like the above image.









My question is, how can I install the Region Free DEV BIOS Chip?

Thanks.

 

If you could remove it I suppose you could but for some reason this has been done and I want to know why.

 

IIRC a company was importing DC's to china or something like that back in the day and they messed around with the systems apparently..

But it's pretty easy just desolder the whole sub pcb and install as normal..
Judging by the scratches off part number, this isnt a factory job so the pinout will be the same.. You might even be able to write to that chip already

Boot up the bios tool and try it, It'd help if the part wasn't scratched off, it's probably got it's W/E pin disconnected

 

Currently I have no way of testing the set as I would require a 240v Step Down converter to power the set. I am currently trying to acquire one.

Once I have tested the unit, will report back on this thread.

Thanks for your reply.

 

When you test it, try disks from multiple regions - I suspect you will find that it's already region-free. That looks like the board that one of the companies importing DCs to Hong Kong used, and if so, it's a region-free mod.