New Year's Eve 2013 and I figured I might crack open my PAC-S1 to check for capacitor damage... the good news, there's none! The even better news, an undumped BIOS? Version 1.05. I can find references to 1.02 and 1.04, but not 1.05 on the Googles. Have a look and if you have any of the other LaserActive PAC BIOS files that have been previously dumped, please do compare notes! Download link Edit: Interestingly to dump the chip properly via my GQ-4X with ADP-054 adapter I had to adjust the VCC to 3.6V instead of the typical 5V. What's even more interesting is the same had to be done on a uPD23C4000 chip from the Sega Channel Adapter I dumped a few weeks back... peculiar! Below is what was added into my devices.txt. Without it, the checksum just wouldn't stay the same. Name="MBM27C1024A",ID="XXXX",Class="27C1024",Category="EPROM",MFG="Fujitsu",BufferMode="16BIT",Adapter="ADP-054",RVpp="5V",VCC="3.6V" ADP-055 16 BIT EPROM ADAPTER; Edit 2: X-cult seems to have others listed with internal build dates; 1.02 US - 29th March 1993 1.02 JPN - 29th March 1993 1.04 US - 22nd September 1993 and now 1.05 JPN - 7th October 1993 Edit 3: Looks like my GQ-4X is headed to the trash pile! At least for EPROM chips. My TL866CS / TL866A is now my programmer of choice. It's strange because the GQ-4X can still read and write some things perfectly. I guess I'll keep it on hand after all
Having to set it to 3.6v for a 5v eprom (especially one that is actually an eprom, not a maskrom) is very wrong. To the point where I am suspecting a fault with your programmer...
As it may very well be burning out, what would be a suggested all round EEPROM / EPROM reader? (Mac support would be appreciated
Like you I also have a GQ-4X, but I've wanted to pick up this as well: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181039406913 This would be my pick for another low-cost device. Unlike the GQ-4X, it supports GALs too, and it has lots of positive feedback and reviews, with a very large set of supported devices. This is the TL866A version, but there's also a cheaper TL866CS version which lacks the ICSP port (which you can mod+firmware hack the TL866CS to add manually I believe). The best place to buy it is on ebay. You can also get bundles which include a bunch of different adapters like this one (TL866CS version): http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320967107440 I don't know that I'd say this device would be a replacement for the GQ-4X, there are some devices that each support which the other doesn't but it would certainly compliment it nicely.
Thanks for the response! I grabbed the TL866CS last night actually. I've got a PICkit 2 which can do the old PICs and even AVR chips! I can't believe I was able to compile some code to actually integrate the AVR something or other into the PICkit software, ramble, ramble. Too long ago. Works on Mac OS though! Woo! But you say the CS can be modded / hacked up to the A version (noted, but probably never will be done I confirmed that my reader is definitely reading 27C1024 chips OK again, but not this darn Pioneer one. I am just not able to get checksum that stays the same! The one that was above (link now dead) works as far as I know but I wanted to triple check. I do have a copy of the BIOS if anyone needs it by the way. The thing is under recap mode at the moment in pieces everywhere. I'm glad I bought the one I did - Now to wait three weeks for it to turn up
Thanks for the offer, but where's the fun in having someone else do all the work Got my TL866 today, gave it a few reads and this is what it gave me. Different code to the original dump I did back above... GQ-4X mustn't like it? If anyone wants to compare it with the original dump I did - it can be found here. Any help on determining which one is correct would be great! Or if someone could teach me a thing or two about how to check for valid checksums, that would be teaching me how to fish
The new dump is the correct one. Comparing the two files shows the same pattern of bytes different between the two at exactly 0x2000 byte intervals. I can see that the new dump has valid code in these areas while the old dump is filled with 0xFF bytes.
Thanks for the response Nemesis, I guess the EPROM reading part of my GQ-4X has had it! (Apparently I fell asleep before I pressed post - whoops!)
Definitely had it! Everyone who downloaded the old one, please replace it with this shiny new one. Sega Mega-LD BIOS Dump [Pioneer PD6126E] - Version is 1.05. Apologies to everyone who downloaded the older one, I need to be more careful checking my work.
Thanks for the upload. This is as far as I got it going on Kega Fusion by setting country to japan and loading it as a japanese mega cd: It didn't respond to my attempts at using the emulated controlpad. Maybe it needs an emulated remote? Or Kega Fusian is bugging out, or I did something wrong setting up the pad.. And this is what happens if you try to load it as a european or american console:
Yes it does, but I wonder why come it doesn't respond to any buttonpressing.. What do you think? Lol, is that the one from super mario? And yes it is just you.
Hahaha, probably because it's missing chips and halts - have a look at the internals here. That Pioneer branded chip in particular probably isn't included in emulators, at least not yet.
What's "halts"? Ok, so you don't think it's just me having issues with Kega. I see. That's good to hear.
Halts? "to bring or come to an abrupt stop" Sounds right to me. Don't expect to play any LaserDisc games just yet
nvm lol i was a bit confused when i wrote that. just wanted to share the screens and see if it was me who set up the controller wrong. thanks for your work, and i hope it won't be too long before we get to play sega laserdisc games on out pcs
