MegaDrive++ : new switchless region + IGR mod

Ah, forgot to set the baud rate. With 5V disconnected, all the messages show up as they should. Swaps to JP, US, EU modes.

Disconnected, I tried swapping 5V and GND around on both the nano and the JP3 and JP4. I'm sure there's a combination I've missed with that

And without a multimeter, this is a bit tough. ^^;; I do appreciate your help though!

 

Don't do that, you can destroy your Nano if you invert the polarity!

As a safe power source, you can take +5V from controller port pin 5 and GND from pin 8!

 

Using those pins, I got the original effect.

Ecco starts fine, regardless of region setting. If I reset while in JP mode (IGR or button), I get the region lock message scrambled on screen... but powering off and on let's it start back up just fine.

And Virtua Racing won't start regardless of setting.

 

I suspect your Nano has some weirdness then, as this doesn't really make sense. Anyway, let's try something different: remove the 5v wire and connect the voltage regulator input (coming from the power jack) to the Vin pin (NOT to the 5v pin, be careful!). That assumes you can reach the voltage regulator/power jack, I'm not sure about that at the moment.

 

Would you be able to point out which pin I need to connect to on the Mega Drive? Or is it not one of these?

 

It's pin 1 of the LM7805 voltage regulator, the rightmost component in the first picture that is screwed to the huge heatsink. This should go to Vin!

 

Connect to VIN and the 7805 pin 1, but sadly no difference. Should I give up with this nano and get a new one? lol

 

Make sure GND is connected firmly. Try the other GND pin.

Post a pic of the Nano, maybe .

 

Swapped ground again (both on the system and the nano), still no effect.

 

Well, doesn't look much different from my Nano and my setup as a whole, does it?

​

Last test you can do is commenting out the ENABLE_SERIAL_DEBUG #define. If that doesn't change anything, I would say to get a 5€ multimeter and do some checks before buying another Nano.

 

Commenting out ENABLE_SERIAL_DEBUG didn't change anything.

I've been meaning to get a multimeter, so may see if I can get one sometime in the next week or two.

 

Get it as Xmas present .

 

Everything working well so far with this mod still. Just a quick question. I'm currently using the original led in single pin mode connected to A1. It blinks to indicate the region when switched on, but then the led powers off after. I'm guessing this is normal. If so, is it possible to keep the led powered on during console use?
Ideally I'd like to get a proper 3mm rgb led, but the ones I've come across so far alternate and flash between colours by themselves, so the original led will do for now. Thanks!

 

I got those :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/50PCS-3mm-Du...823017?hash=item51d620c5e9:g:An4AAOxyY3ZR0NMG

 

Thanks, those will do nicely.

 

Finally got the multimeter in. All the connections are fine. Voltage is good.

Could it just be a bad nano?

 

I still have issues. I suspect a bad Nano too.
Got my new ones yesterday and i hope i'll have time to swap them in this WE.

 

Sorry for having been not responsive in the last few weeks, but I have been busy with other things. I will get back to all of you ASAP, probably in the weekend.

 

OK, so you are measuring ~5V between 5V and GND on the Nano, right? Could you please check continuity between the GND pin and any GND point on your console, such as the outer edge of the board, where it touches the metal shield, or the metal shield itself?

Well, a bad Nano can happen, but I have quite a few, bought dirt cheap from China, and they all work, so I don't think this is often the case.

 

The less you bought are fine (any led is!), but they are dual-color, not RGB. I've never seen any RGB less in 3mm size, only 5 mm. Anyway dual-color is usually enough, since we only have 3 modes, so you can use 1st color, 2nd color, and 1st+2nd color.

Anyway no, that behavior is not normal: in single pin mode the led should remain on, are you sure you disabled the RGB led?