Archiving the last known Gamestation BIOS revision here. The Gamestation is a SNES clone with a built-in Game Doctor SF7 and CD-ROM. Early units use the Game Doctor's standard MKE-over-LPT interface, later units sport a newly hacked in IDE/ATA interface (utilized by this BIOS). View attachment Gamestation 7.20 BIOS (SST29EE010).zip
Calpis, where did this originate from? Did you dump it? I dumped mine and released it about a year ago I think but hopefully this is not the same one. I'm going to go do a binary file compare. I have a Gamestation sitting here right now that I am currently trying to repair. I think the BIOS in it is fine though. If you did dump this, could you do me a favor and dump a copy of the EPLD? it is one of the 3 socketed chips on the GDSF7 portion of this unit. Its part number is HY18CV8S-30 If you could supply me with the dump of that EPLD, I would very much appreciate it. I believe that the one I have here is completely wiped out and if I am correct, this EPLD will 100% revive this Gamestation console I have sitting here. I also found a EPLD reseller that has this chip in stock and can program it with a supplied binary if I can obtain it. Thanks edit: I just verified his dump against mine. 1:1 identical bytes as follows: C:\GeniusProgrammer\AMI Bios from Ti>fc /b "Gamestation 7.20 BIOS (SST29EE010).b in" GameStation_GDSF7_720.bin Comparing files Gamestation 7.20 BIOS (SST29EE010).bin and GAMESTATION_GDSF7_720 .BIN FC: no differences encountered 02/25/2014 11:53 AM 131,072 Gamestation 7.20 BIOS (SST29EE010).bin <- OP's dump 12/04/2012 07:50 PM 131,072 GameStation_GDSF7_720.bin <- my dump This means that if his BIOS did not originate from me, then that means that his BIOS file is 100% a perfect copy of the GDSF7's bios revision no. 7.20 which is the last revision of the BIOS as well as is the BIOS that was only shipped on the Bung Gamestation unit. Edit, verified with the original poster (read posts below in this thread) that this BIOS dump is 100% accurate and proper for use to replace BIOS on Gamestatoin units.
Hi, do any of you guys don't mind making a video or upload photos of the unit? Because i'm actually quite interested and been reading on this stuff since & visited a few chinese forums that has information on it sometimes.
Yup I dumped it. My present programmer (also a Genius) doesn't support it, plus very likely it's read-protected. The part seems to be a Hyundai second-source of the (ICT) PEEL18CV8 but who knows if the algorithms are the same. Plus if I could read the fusemap you'd still have to translate it for a more typical GAL16V8. That said I could probably manually extract the logic since it appears 100% combinatorial, if you wanted to sponsor the work, but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that's what's wrong with your Gamestation. I suspect you're just trying to read the PLD with an alternate algorithm, which in this case is a bad idea since Vpp on the wrong pin could damage the chip. Yes absolutely it originated with the Gamestation, but technically it's no longer a SF7-compatible BIOS, nor is it the only Gamestation BIOS. Early Gamestations I presume use a standard un-hacked SF7 7.11 BIOS. Also it should be pointed out that the Gamestation isn't truly a Bung product. It contains the SF7's ASIC but that might have been sourced indirectly. As far as I know they originated from XINGA, a Shenzen accessory factory behind many GBA linkers and probably the Super UFO line. Search the forums, I put up pictures in an attempt to sell it some years ago.
Yes I figured that much about EPLDs. I was trying to fix some other copier related merchandise for a friend of mine and was running into that problem with those as well (Pro Fighter parallel port adapters, he owns two that don't work and I assume the EPLDs are shot because it barely has any components on the board besides those). Also I notice that if I plug this unit in right now (which I just did a few minutes ago) and let it sit in the OFF position, the GDSF7 portion's "Bung" chip (which I believe is probably an Actel Pro-ASIC chip that Bung just slapped their own generic logo and generic part numbers onto after scrubbing off the Actel logos, correct me if I'm wrong). Anyways, this chip gets pretty hot to the touch. I mean I can put a finger on it but it feels hot. Do you think this means that that chip is bad? Or is this normal? I'm guessing that the original owner of this device either did one of two things, shorted / grounded out the VRE that is on the reverse side of the circuit board or reversed the polarity and then plugged it in. I don't see anything whatsoever on this board that is a fail safe for either incorrect polarity or short circuits of any kind. Would I be safe to assume that this is ruined beyond repair? thanks
They're very different technologies. ProASIC are (for the time) large, high-tech instant-on FPGA that can fit many copier ASICs--the ASICs in Bung products are (for the time) small, yesterday's-technology mask gate arrays produced through Japanese semi companies. Mask gate arrays are much more efficient, and they're more economic in bulk, but they're hardwired at the factory. Copiers don't typically use very much logic so the choice to use ASIC over a CPLD is generally an economic one. In Bung's case though the extra features of their products utilize more registers than a single mid-90s CPLD can typically afford, giving them an advantage. That's probably a bad sign. It wouldn't be beyond repair if you can source another ASIC from a supplier, or swap one from a beat-up SF7.
Yeah I figured that probably swapping one with a GDSF7 is probably the only choice since I doubt anyone knows the part number of this. And are you saying that if I got one brand new, does this ASIC have software programmed into it or is it just abare chip they solder in that controls logic on its own without any flashing? I'll maybe try to source a chip but I don't have really any experience soldering this type of component plus I dunno if anything else on this is shot. It seems like it passed all the current straight into the ASIC and probably melted the silicon inside.
The part number should be on the chip, but yeah it might be hard to source. It doesn't require user programming, it's a custom design that was "programmed" by the interconnect layers of the chip during fabrication.
Yes, it's custom, Bung designed the chip and some other company manufactured it. That doesn't make it impossible to source however.
Any suggestion how to go about that? So far all I see is that possibly if I can contact Tototek or such maybe they have spare parts for copiers but it would be better to get a new old stock chip if at all possible.
