Partner Nintendo 64

I'm not contradicting you here at all, and any info you give is brilliant mate, and any more info you know about would be great, but I know someone who worked in Hong Kong, and was one of Bung's biggest exporter's here to the UK, and he says they had alot of documents on the stuff that they made. Though for obvious reason's most of it was all trashed, but the people who worked in the backup scene, according to him still have schematics to bung hardware, and that was what I was thinking of may be helpful, but this guy is no technical expert so I would take your word over him if you say the stuff they put down is worth shit all to us.

I just hope I find a card for the partner, or some way of communicating with it, as one day I'll have the 64dd development kit too, and I want to be able to use that.

 

I wouldn't doubt that they documented their own hardware, specifically for patent purposes but I'm sure none of it was related to game development as say any Nintendo documentation would be. That's what I thought you meant.

Even schematics of the units wouldn't ever be particularly groundbreaking because since day one, Bung has employed programmable logic (with copy protection) and later masked ASICs. Perhaps they did have repair schematics for dealers once (I wouldn't count on it though since the products had warranties which even dealers would void) but I'm sure nobody got the logic to their custom chips because nobody in their right mind would give out that information. I also believe there was a single product engineer at Bung, so likely only he had access to the original firmware source and logic having created it himself. I would guess he even personally submitted the logic to the Japanese ASIC manufacturers out of confidentiality since from my experience, HK engineers are contracted so they're really protective of their work.

That said, I obviously don't have the actual logic to Bung units, but it doesn't matter much to me because it's all pretty much self explanatory when you're moderately familiar with digital logic, computer systems and the little tricks used in game hardware. If you or anyone has any questions about how anything is implemented for any unit for whatever console I'd be happy to give a rundown, I just draw the line at making a unit step by step since I should be making money off this stuff (that and because I'm a pessimist is why I don't have a site

 

How about a wiki? I could host it on ynt's site.

 

The V64 Jr. was pretty simple to interface to, just basically to read and write to it's memory from a parallel port. I had the debugger I wrote interfacing with it, at one point. It was picky about timings, when to change logic states, etc. I could dig out some of that code, if anyone was interested (though I do think that information is available on the net).

As for the Partner-64, from what I remember about it when I was using one, was the IO card had nothing to do with an IDE device or protocol. That was just a readily available cable and connector.

--Selgus

 

Thanks alot Selgus, you have cleared up the matter.

Right does anyone know if Kyoto Micro computer's Partner et II could interface with the partner 64 cartridge, as that was released in 1997 according to their chronology and as far as I can tell from the site, it is able to interface with the chips inside the partner 64 cart and whats more they still sell it.

Perhaps a developer may know. It's advantages were it was more compatible with the newer windows, and also could interface with a range of Myoto micro computer products through adaptors they sell, and was sort of a multi purpose device.

I have emailed them about it, but so far no reply.

 

Hi everyone, sorry to bump this thread somewhat, but I just curious to know if the Partner 64 supports RGB at all? Also, does anywhere have any high quality pictures/scans of the Partner 64 motherboard - front and back?
Thanks in advance :icon_bigg

 

Partner N is a dev cartridge not a console, the KµC n64 needed to run it is not much different from retails system, only 3 or 4 signal on the cartridge connector are different. Retail n64 can be modded to KµC n64 using a guide you can find in this forum.

I don't know if KµC n64 come with RGB available on the multiout connector, but if not you can mod it as all other "early" black n64.

 

Sorry, I meant this:-
http://assembler.roarvgm.com/Nintendo_64_developer_kit/Partner1/partner1.html
I thought it was called a Partner N64 :shrug:

Anyway, I am really after any high quality pictures/scans of the motherboard of this N64 (front and reverse) but cant find any online. If anybody can help it would be much appreciated :icon_bigg

 

Yes, meaning they are easy to mod, since the units I have seen all have NUS-CPU-04 or NUS-CPU-03 motherboards with a VDC-NUS video DAC. The VDC-NUS outputs RGB.

On N64 models with DACs that do not output RGB, you need to replace the DAC, but there are mods available (involves a bit of work though)...

It if helps the KµCs have standard motherboards, only modified like shown in the retail to KµC conversion guide.... We only used photos of the KµC when making the guide AFAIK.

 

IT's not KUC it's KMC, KYOTO MICRO COMPUTERS. I modified my partner 64 Nintendo 64 KMC to output RGB today, but it doesn't do rgb through the partner 64 cartridge. It is composite, as it takes the feed off the video, and audio lines. Maybe they could be modified to output rgb from the cart, dunno how though.

I just done the standard VDC mod on my unit. as it has the NUS-VDC chip.

 

Sorry mate but you are wrong (pats you on the shoulder). It can actually be both, but the label of the company is KµC, where the µ stands for Micro. There you go. But I think you are just messing up the terms. Let me clarify for you :

A setup has

a) A Partner-IF II card = PC interface card (ISA or PCI)
b) A ROM Emulator = Partner N
c) A Debug-enabled (aka "KµC modded") retail N64 = KµC N64

What ConsoleFun was referring to was the c) element, or the KµC modded N64 (short KµC N64).

 

µ is a greek letter (pronunced "mu") which is the abreviation of micro.

milli = m
micro = µ
pico = p

 

Congrats with the mod mate.

A retail N64 has composite video and L/R audio present on the cart connector (on the PI bus). On the KµC N64 the pins are used for debugging signals instead.

There are not RGB signals present on the PI bus on any N64, and the Partner N64 cart does not support the video or audio lines (as it use the pins for other signals). If you want to use these lines in a KµC N64 you need to install a switch or do some rewiring...

 

Yup the rgb mod, was just standdard, but as you say the pi bus is different and would require a mod, but I have normal nintendo 64's to use the capture cart with.

Also thanks for the explanation of the KuC bit Darthcloud mate. I didn't know why they put their m like that,lol!!!

 

Thanks for that guys, as i said, I didn't know the greek letter bit, but you are never smart enough to know it all, which is why it's great to have a community to share with.

Also I think a switch would be possible to implement into your retail modded nintendo 64 diagram Kammedo mate. I am gonna try that, gonna pick up a junk n64 to do it with as I'm certainly not modding my partner 64 any more, the rgb mod is enough.

What I am going to do, is try to implement a switch into the lines using three SPT switches for each line..
If the mod is successful, I'll scan the board in, as well as doing a high res scan off rgb mod nce I get my new digital camera.

 

Sure, sounds very nice! Let us know how it turns out!

 

Thanks for everyones replies

Does anyone know if any N64 consoles with a NUS-CPU-01 or NUS-CPU-02
revision motherboard was ever released/available?

Also, i'm curious to know if anyone has ever got hold of an Ultra 64 development board and has any scans/pictures of both sides of the board?
The only picture I could find was this one:-


Which is abit too blury/small to be of much use.

The reason I ask all this is because im curious to know exactly what the original circuit board/components would have looked like for the RGB lines before they were removed. I would like to see how 'Nintendo would have done it', if thats makes sense!

I hope no-one minds me asking in this thread, as this seems to be the most appropriate place - with people who are knowledgeable on N64 hardware.

 

As far as it can help :

http://www.yntproject.net/index.php?section=u64

or check this page, it has nice scans also:

http://storage.g-lenerz.de/images/sgistuff/indy_u64_top1.jpg
http://storage.g-lenerz.de/images/sgistuff/indy_u64_top2.jpg

I could take more scans of the board if only i would have it here with me *sigh*

 

Thanks very much for those links kammedo :icon_bigg they are very interesting. Unfortunately they are not really big/clear enough to make out all the components, and ideally I really would need a picture/scan of the rear of the board showing the components/traces to the AV Multi-out socket.

So you have one?! h:
If you are ever able to get to it again I would really appreciate some high-res pictures or scans of both sides of the board :icon_bigg