Mega-CD real region free on game discs

thx for the info.

is it possible just to replace the japanese "NO DISC" and "PRESS START" tiles with the us/eu one ?

this would be perfect as we have the cool jap bios gfx (my favorite one) and the most important messages in english.

 

Being really honest:

"スタートボタンを押してください" (sutaato botan wo oshite kudasai/Push start button)

"ヂィスクチェック中" (disuku chekku naka/disc check in progress)


You see, pretty boring stuff that really don't need any translation. :shrug:

Even the memory management screen is easy to navigate and understand. It even has icons which suggest what each option do. :nod:

 

Not necessary no, but would be totally awesome so that it is seamless for the average user. I could see one of these ending up in a second hand store and tossed out because someone assumes that Japanese text=unusuable for <insert locality here> titles.

Since it uses tiles I'd have to imagine you could pull the tiles from one and insert into another but this is purely conjecture and well beyond my skills. I'm hardware, not software at this point.

 

I would have done it myself if I knew how. Hacking the region checks was basically a matter of copying RAQ's work on each of the BIOSes SUB CPU BIOS I edited and I just added some jumping and branching on the MEGA DRIVE side of the BIOS to force the SEGA logo to run from BIOS instead of from the DISC. :shrug:

 

If it is possible, time is all one needs.

Someone has sent me a JVC X'EYE to do, amongst other things, region mods for the cartridge and CD sides of things. After cracking it open and documenting the capacitors I went looking for the maskrom for the BIOS finding nothing obvious. From what I can tell through Google the maskrom is something custom(ish) and probably isn't something that can just have an EPROM dropped onto.

Am I correct in assuming that the X'EYE BIOS here is referred to as "non-functional" due to being untested on real hardware? I'm hoping a bit of probing will reveal something to have equivalent pin connections for an EPROM but I'm not about to hold my breath.

 

i tryed to find the tiles for the message but i only found the cdplayer screen so far

its kosinski compressed after decompressing it you get this: ( see attatchmend )

so at least we can edit the cdplayer screen...

i also tryed to disassemble the rom to know where the location of the data files are ( so we can decompress them easy ) but i cant get ida to work =((

 

It's non functional, because the dumps that were provided to me were actually non functional and they were tested (not on a X'Eye, though) and confirmed non functional. I have tested the Wondermega 1 bios (which does not work on emulators but do work on the real thing) in my MEGA-CD1 and it worked properly. X'Eye didn't so I am almost sure that it's either a bad dump which were CRC fixed or X'Eye is oddball hardware and does not work.

Can you provide pictures of the boards inside of the unit ? I could try to help with finding the BIOS. :thumbsup:

 

Just received my bios chip, thanks bad ad84
Looking forward to fitting it when i get a chance

 

Is it possible to use an unmodifed PAL MD (without 60hz switch) with a region free bios installed US SCD? Or vice versa Genesis+MCD combo?

 

MEGA-CD/SEGA-CD region hacked BIOSes not only have DISC region protection removed, they also have their own internal protection removed, so yes an unit fit with the region free BIOS will work on ANY hardware combinations. Be aware that some games still check themselves the region of the MEGA DRIVE/GENESIS unit and so will not operate if you use an mismatched console hardware.

So an language/50/60hz switch set on your MEGA DRIVE unit is recommended.

 

finally soldered this chip and and it works great )
I am finally able to play lunar silver star on a pal mega cd

thanks to all involved in making this happen

 

Wish I had seen this before I shipped it back to the owner, I'll be getting it back again shortly due to a few issues that cropped up during shipping. But:
https://www.google.com/search?q=x%27eye+motherboard&num=50&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=a4Y&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&prmd=imvnsfd&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=WCRoT_CIBMfhiAL2zY2TBw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBsQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=728

Ugly URL. 5 over, second down. The image is long gone from its source but you can see someone has wired in an EPROM. I seem to recall checking the datasheet for the chip it sits atop but beyond it having 4kb of onboard storage I wrote it off as not likely for replacement. I'll have to take a high resolution shot when it gets back and see about dumping it proper - assuming its compatible with the programmer I have.

 

You can send me the chip if you have trouble.

 

Might have to. IIRC it was SOIC and I don't have an adapter for it. Since the owner wanted it region free to start with "converting" SOIC to DIP would probably be just fine.

Seeing as not a single IC on the JVC was typical flash/EPROM/EEPROM it might not be compatible at all. Shall find out before the week is up.

 

UPDATE:

Got the X'EYE back and found what likely is short of dumping it: Toshiba TC531924F-12. Datasheet here: http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/139840/ETC1/TC531024F-12.html

1mbit mask rom. This one is the SOP package making it difficult for me to want to remove it with the tools I have on hand. I wouldn't normally mind shipping it off to you Bad_Ad84 (with a small fee of course for your help of course) but I don't want to make the owner pay the ~$80 or so it is to ship it over the pond and back. I could put this together: http://www.retrodev.com/transfer.html assuming it would work properly with the X'EYE. My desktop has Windows XP (non-x64) running on it and a parallel port that has proven itself fairly useful in the past.

That is assuming the existing dump is 100% guarenteed bad. I could wire up an EPROM and give it a whirl but I'll ask the owner what he would prefer to do. I'd imagine he might be keen on having the original BIOS modified for region free goodness rather than using the modified Japanese BIOS. Either way, if I'll be happy to find a way to dump this thing if only to have something for comparing checksums with.

 

Does the model 2 Mega CD (USA version) use the same BIOS chip setup as the model 1? I found a big 40 pin through-hole chip under the expansion connector. If this is the BIOS, I plan to replace it with a 2 BIOS chip in a socket for the US and JAP region free BIOSes. Anyone here interested in selling me a chip with those 2 burned already since I have no hardware for burning EEPROM chips? Also will need diagram for the switch setup needed to change between to 2 BIOSes. Soldering in the socket and wiring it up will be no problem. I have the stuff for doing that. Last thing, anyone been successful at swapping the JAP tiles for the USA ones for those of us that speak English only? IF so, that would be the only BIOS I would need then for a completely region free MCD that I can understand the menus on. Anyone interested in helping out please let me know. Even though my model 2 revision 2 US MCD with the Sony drive is currently no disk readable, I have another model 2 MCD on the way. I really want the region free BIOs but have been a bit confused on the setup since there are so many chips out there in different sizes. (128 KB for single BIOS no switch needed, 256 KB for 2 BIOSes switch needed, ect.) If there is an English JAP region free BIOS out there, the 128 KB chip will be fine. If not, I will need the 256 KB chip for the US and JAP region free BIOSes as well as the way to wire the selector switch up. Thanks in advance for anyone responding.

EDIT: I know I don't need a socket for the chip but would like one anyway to make future updates easier.

 

Hello all, I was wondering who if anyone is currently still offering rom burning services? I am looking for three different roms one for each sega cd model 1, model 2, and cdx. I have chips i purchased a while back.

If I still read the recent posting it looks like the JAP version is still the only 100% compatible? How many games are we not able to play with the USA versions?


Best Regards

Robert

 

If you're in the US I can burn 16-bit EPROMs for you. Good thing you already have the chips because I don't.

 

Did you buy the 16 bit adapter?

 

I did not hear anything out about a 16 bit adapter, I purchased 6@am 27c4096-120dc and 10 sockets early in 2011. I had planned to get this done but got busy and this project went to back burner.

Where do I procure the 16bit adapter from? Thank you in advance for responding to my 1st post.

Best Regards

Robert