I have a functional Gameshark Pro 3.3 with a dummy parallel port (REF1329 "crippled" board), and I've a few questions about it: 1) If I solder in the missing 74HC04 and 74HC374, will it still be functional without updating anything? 2) Will the parallel port work without updating anything? 3) Will I be able to dump the rom (of the "crippled" board) by connecting it to the computer? 4) Will I be able to flash the rom to the regular version with parallel support via the parallel port? Thanks!
The answer is yes but you'll also need to solder in the resistors or else it'll be pointless. You can also install a 7 segment display if there isn't one but it also requires an additional chip be installed. There is a thread here detailing some of this.
I actually just registered on this site after reading that thread. xD You were talking about ordering components for your Gameshark, and you mentioned it worked for you, which is what inspired me to do the same for my own. However, since you didn't specify what exactly worked and how you were able to get it to work, I wasn't sure if you meant you were able to dump its rom and such.
Everything worked after fitting the components. You wouldn't know by looking at it that it wasn't a crippled Gameshark.
I have two Gameshark Pro PCBs that are TOTALLY different from each other: REF1329 and REF1451. The older one (1329) has far more components including those mentioned here but the other (1451) has a large logic IC that seems to have taken over all functions. There are no unpopulated areas for missing components on the 1451 (no place for the numeric display, for example). I see the same four SMD components near the EEPROMs and the logic chip but none that would be on the right side of the older PCB. The only chip packages on the entire 1451 board are the two EEPROMs and the large logic chip.The casing mold is the same but the newer one does not have metallic flake for sparkles. They could have eliminated the entire right side of the PCB if they didn't have to have the button there because it's literally nothing but a trace for the button and a huge ground plane. Is this one also a "dummy?" Why is the parallel port there if they are trying to reduce components/cost? It is a "Pro" model.
