SNES 1-CHIP Bad_ad84 PCB Mod Disscusion

Today I tried to add the jumper cable and desolder the 47uf, reset/long reset works like a charm. Auto = pal and also seems as if NTSC is PAL too. Cant get NTSC games to work.
Cutting the jumper cable, video modes, region stuff and all the bells and whistles come to life.

The ingame reset is not a dealbreaker for me. So no need for any kind of refund for my behalf. And Im confident youll find a way to make it work!

 

Yeah thats not the same as what happens for me, which is why I think it's power or noise related. Same board, same wiring = randomly different results.

I have a plan though.

 

No, the cartridge slot is clean and was working fine before the installation and none of the cartridge pins on the bottom were damaged nor were they exposed to heat for too long (I’ve successfully modded countless systems before, I'm not an amateur). I checked the continuity one by one, they're fine. Also none of the neighboring pins of the SRGB9 were damaged and of course I did not lift the wrong pins, as I have all ready shown in the previous pics:

http://imageshack.com/a/img15/1194/qs2v.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img811/1598/g5sn.jpg

The games were at least working without such graphics glitches the 1st time I installed this mod, it was only the video modes, the reset / joy-pad functions and LED not working or working randomly, as I already described in detail. I simply changed the connections exactly as shown in this thread and this mess happened! I have tried every single combination described here, nothing works.

The problem is that I can not undo this install now and bring the SNES back to its original state, as I have removed the original CIC chip, so I have wasted a whole fully working SNES because of this, which I could have sold!

Had I known in advance that this mod was not fully tested (Which you assured it would work), I would not have bothered in the 1st place. Needless to say, I don't enjoy beta testing unfinished & unverified products, especially paid for!

I request a full refund for everything pcb board kit & components (including the shipping cost to send it back to you with tracking number), I'll send you back the whole package as you sent it, tomorrow.

 

Send me the entire SNES PCB with the mod attached, I will send you another SNES PCB for the console and also refund you for the mod and your shipping expenses (assuming they arent crazy - not paying for expensive courier).

At the very least, I can see whats wrong with your installation and either recommend a fix to others in future or fix the issue if its something to do with the mod (which I am almost certain its not, its damage somewhere and judging from your CIC removal - certainly possible).

The issue with this mod is:

Missing trace which is the jumper you need to solder.
Power issues between snes consoles. (look at keropi's console that doesnt even have my board installed to see this is a problem).

It worked on the unit I tested it in (only thing i didnt test was the long reset - which is down to the missing trace). I cant account for power issues with different consoles without testing it in many. However, I have learnt that I will at least publically beta test any future revisions to ensure something like this doesnt happen in future, as it will allow the mod to be tested in many consoles and hopefully show up.

I am pretty sure I have fixed the issue, I have sent a PM to Thelemorf to test. your issue is very much damage, which is why I didnt PM you with it - that needs fixing first.


Or if you like, I can send you a fully working board with the mod installed (the one I have been testing on), will cover the postage costs - but not the cost of the mod. This should put you pretty much where you expected to be - working modded console.

 

That is an excellent offer!
In fact I never expected such thing. Since I didn't consider it would be usable again, I had began changing the capacitors & various components from other working PCBs just in case it worked, but I got fed up & angry and stopped. So I'm fortunately I have all ready disassembled all the wires and removed the mod (Ready / soldered) and placed it back in its original plastic bag with the LED.

No, the shipping expenses for the SNES PCB & Mod to the UK with tracking number (Not courier) are not crazy and should arrive in 5-7 days and would cost around ~5 - 10 Euros.

So if that is fine with you, I can weigh everything tomorrow at the postal office and tell you the exact cost. They might even accept the receiver (You) to pay for the package upon arrival.

Concerning your last offer of a fully working board with the mod installed, please clarify exactly how this transaction would be carried out?
You want me to send you my SNES PCB & mod and at the same time you would send me the working SNES PCB & the mod installed, or without me sending you anything you would sell me your working SNES PCB & installed mod? What would the exact cost be for each case?

Yes, I would like a working modded console, but not at a crazy / insane price. Is it EURO PAL, 1-CHIP, 100% fully working, all 3 Video & 2 reset functions via the console reset button & Joypad, fully working 3 coloured LED and has it been re-capped?

Thanks in advance

 

Still havent managed to solve my problem. Seems as if I have to either not be able to use IGR or not be able to play NTSC games.

 

I will sort it for you. When I have a solution, I will let you know. If the solution requires a new board - you will get one free of charge.

 

You didnt answer my last pm , do you think shielded kynar wire would make anything better?

 

Sorry, must have missed it - get a lot of PM's and sometimes I read the email alert I get, but then forget to actually read/reply while on the site.

Might make things better, would need to test. If you have some - try it, but please do not spend money on something that shouldnt be your problem. I will get to the bottom of it and sort it with you one way or another.

Id suggest just setting it to which way suits you best (probably without in game reset) while I sort it out.

 

I made a ghetto-style shielded cable for the X1 but it made no difference.
With the jumper cable in place, there is no NTSC and when I cut it everything works fine.

So I will let it be for the time beeing. May swap to shielded silver plated kynar wire (a friend gave me 10m for free) if I have much time on my hands some day.
Getting up from the sofa to press reset is no real biggy for me

 

Any news on this?

 

Had some personal issues. Its still going to be sorted, soon as I have a fix (or new PCB) you will get a PM. If it requires a new board, you will get one free of charge.

 

Hi there,

the PCB discussed here is a very nice piece of work. I really like it

I've seen there is a 74HCT04 on the PCB - this should be a very big issue on the PCB! There you should use a 74HCU04, i.e., an unbuffered inverter, for the crystals starting their oscillation on startup... Replacing the 74HCT04 with a 74HCU04 might sort out many problems!!!

However, I've done something similar, I want you to show:



What you can see here is the SuperCIC mod including the IGR (modified version) and the automatic region patching ($213f-D4-Patch) on the PCB. As it is for the 1Chip-SNES, mainly, you see the two crystals with their ICs on the right side of the PCB. Everything works great

 

The HCT works fine, I have been using them "dead bug" for a long time and had no problems.

It was just a routing issue.

I have redesigned to use SMD and not bother offering it as a kit - which is the whole reason I used DIP for the first revision.

 

Ok - I didn't get it that routing was the only problem However, it's still an advice to use the unburdened version...

I'd love to see your new design with SMD devices If you want to I share my modified IGR version having some more features than the regular one with you.

Best

 

What did you change with IGR?

Also, how is the region patching being done? I have not seen that mod anywhere, was it your work? Or do you have a link if someone elses?

 

The main disadvantage of the good-old IGR is that the PIC does not save the current mode. E.g., if the SuperCIC is in PAL mode and you change to NTSC mode with the controller, you will recognize that the console is back in the SuperCIC mode (pass through of the SuperCIC's mode, in this example PAL) on the next start up. Consequently, the IGR needs his own regiontimeout for the startup procedure of the console if there is no region patching installed.
(regiontimeout = displaying the cartridge mode within the first 9s after startup to suppress "This Gamepak is not designed for your SFC/SNES" or similar)

Further, the classical IGR does not recognize if the user wants to change the mode via the reset button (for what ever reason). As the SuperCIC and IGR are in a Master-Slave-Relationship for the output mode (Master=IGR, Slave=SuperCIC), the IGR has to switch to the SuperCIC mode in such a case.

Next to it, I've add some more features - see the list

Pressing: R + L + Select + ...

• ... Start: normal reset
• ... X: double/long reset to enter main menu of sd2snes

• ... A: NTSC mode
• ... B: Auto mode (new)
• ... Y: PAL mode
• ... D-Pad left OR D-Pad right: SuperCIC pass through mode (reassigned, this is L+R+Sel+B in the 'classical' IGR)

• ... D-Pad up: switching on and off the regiontimeout (new feature and controllable, regiontimeout even appears after a (long) reset if on)
  (LED confirms with "off -> red -> yellow -> green -> off -> back to mode color" for "on" and "off -> green -> yellow -> red -> off -> back to mode color" for "off")
• ... D-Pad down: switching on and off the $213f-D4-Patch if installed (new)
  (LED confirms with "off -> green -> off -> green -> off -> back to mode color" for "on" and "off -> red -> off -> red -> off -> back to mode color" for "off")

Note, that the regiontimeout of the SuperCIC can be switched off by assigning Pin4 to Ground. Also the pinout of the IGR has been slightly changed. If there are any questions, please ask

You find the code and hex for it in my fork of the sd2snes-repository: Link to my fork

For the region patching, based on Ikari's idea:
The region patching is done by observing the address bus B. If the register $213f is read, the bit 4 at the data bus is written to the consoles output mode, i.e., to '0' for NTSC and '1' for PAL. Normally, this register is read at the startup of a game: this is what the regiontimeout of the SuperCIC/'my' IGR is for. In some games, this register is read periodically, e.g., after a stage, so you are only able to play that game in his native mode. (Super) Street Fighter II is one example if I have it correctly in my mind. Without a region patching you are not able to play such games in the non-native mode.
However, if the register is read, you have to 'override' this bit at the data bus. You get the cartridge region from pin3 of the SuperCIC (also used for the auto mode of 'my' IGR described above). The whole address bus B can be found at the edges of the cartridge slot and the data bus in the middle (pin50 is bit 4 of the data bus).
The solution is based on Ikari's idea to use three logic ICs: an inverter (74*04), a NAND13 (you won't find a NAND9) (74*133) and a gate (74HC(T)125 - please use the HC(T), a LS won't do the job). Ikari designed a small schematic for it: Ikaris Schematic.
Some notes about this mod:

• During my testphases, I recognized that you have to use multiple gates of the 74HC125 in parallel to get this mod work!!! Ikari proposed only one gate, but this won't work in most cases.
• One of the four left input pins of the 74*133 I use for the IGR to switch the region patching on and off.
• I've written a tutorial and published it, e.g., on Circuit-Board.de. It's in German but is has a lot of pictures

One might think about splitting the whole PCB design into three PCBs one for the SuperCIC and IGR, one for the additional clock circuit (1Chip-SNES) and one for the region patching mod, but I decided to put them all together

 

Ah - I've forgot to say.
The 'official' IGRs version doesn't use the internal OSCCAL value of the PIC. Thus, you might have an internal clock somehow above or somehow below 4MHz. This is a crucial issue, especially, if the IGR internal clock value is below 4MHz. This might lead to errors while reading the controller protocol and you will get random results! With 4MHz internal clock it works best!

In my fork-repo you will also find the classical IGR using the OSCCAL (see link above post)...

 

Godd stuff, will take a look when I get a few minutes.

But certainly appreciate all the detail you have gone into. Thanks!

 

You are welcome

If there are any questions, or you want to have somebody doublechecking your schematics or anything else, you are free to contact me