Reverse Engineering WASP Fusion

WASP Fusion drive replacements have been non existent for quite sometime. Would reverse engineering it be worth the time and money? Could all components be sourced for a DIY project? I figured this would a good place to start the discussion.

 

You might want to check these developments here: https://www.gc-forever.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3234
It's the best to advance this project rather than reinventing the wheel imo

 

Had no idea about this. Glad someone is working on it!

But I still think it would be worth cloning the WASP if possible. WASP + Swiss has great compatibility with GC games outside of audio streaming games. The only improvements I could think of is redesigning the PCB specifically for Gamecube installation. My thought is an all-in-one PCB with the Wasp FPGA loaded with Swiss, WASP components (dip switch, resistors, LED, etc...) , a mounted microSD card slot, and holes for soldering the PCB to where the disc drive goes on the GC motherboard. This would eliminate needing the flex cables going to the SD card slot and BadAssConsoles's MegaDrive or equivalent solution. Populating this PCB with components would require some serious solder skills so maybe it's a crazy idea.

I don't not know much about FPGAs so pardon my ignorance. Is copying the FPGA core from a WASP a possible or reasonable task?

 

Possible yes - reasonable not so much.
The thread is about a "product" specifically designed for the gamecube, so all your concerns about the WASP should be eliminated once the project is finished.
And since the author of Swiss will probably support the gamecube to his last breath, he will definitely support thie FPGA drive emulator once it's finished.

 

It's fairly clear that someone managed to rip the bitstream out of the Wiikey Fusion, since the Wasp is a 1:1 clone. I suspect the reason that they aren't being made at the moment is simply that since Microsemi bought Actel the prices on those legacy FPGAs like the PROAsics have been jacked up through the roof (presumably to encourage customers to move to their mainstream devices), and the people with the design files doubt the market will be very large at the price they would have to sell them at.

My other guess is that they don't have the original source code, just the configuration bitstream. If they did have the source, it would make a lot of sense to migrate away from that expensive FPGA to some cheaper one, and since that hasn't happened and all the Wiikey Fusion clones and the Wasp are still using the Actel chip which suggests they don't have the source.

 

I found a site that still sells those. I am not sure if it's legit or not.

http://www.nh-game.com/index.php?route= ... uct_id=305

 

Could be the firmware upgrades have the important stuff and anything required to load it is easily reverse engineered. And dem part prices.Damn.

 

The main reason that Actel chip was popular with modchip makers was that it was regarded as being hard to crack due to the encrypted configuration. It's pretty clear that Microsemi want people to move away from it, and don't seem to be willing to move on the eye-watering prices.

 

Well, ordered two of them. 75% sure that they're going to send me an email saying that they don't actually have any and it was a mistake, but since they only accept COD I'm not actually out anything. definitely going to be opening any package I receive before handing over the cash, though.

 

Keep us updated if you actually receive it. What was the timeframe they quoted to get it shipped to you?

 

It's still listed as "pending" and they never gave me a timeframe. I think they don't actually have any and since it's COD they figure they can just ignore it.

 

Was going through my old posts and found this. On the off chance that anyone is still wondering, it's still "pending" 11 months later.