nes thirdparty consoles

Discuss hardware-related topics, such as development cartridges, CopyNES, PowerPak, EPROMs, or whatever.

Moderator: Moderators

tepples
Posts: 22708
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:12 pm
Location: NE Indiana, USA (NTSC)
Contact:

Post by tepples »

I remember that the controller ports of a PAL NES behave differently from those of the NTSC NES in certain obscure ways. So are you ready to region code your game? The only game I ever coded with a region lock was LJ65, and that was because I didn't yet know how to select NTSC or PAL behavior at runtime like I later learned by the time I made Thwaite.
3gengames
Formerly 65024U
Posts: 2284
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:57 pm

Post by 3gengames »

What NES has a row of 10K resistors on the data bus? lol. If so, that'd mean games like DK ripped from WiiWare with bus issues wouldn't have happened like they did when RetroUSB released it, but people had problems on their NES's. And then the same with the powerpak, why did they need to add pull ups there? They aren't there AFAIK.

And what would be those "obscure ways" and why would it work different from an NTSC NES? Are the physics in europe different or did they change the console? heh.
User avatar
l_oliveira
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 6:51 am
Location: Brasilia, Brazil

Post by l_oliveira »

tepples wrote:I remember that the controller ports of a PAL NES behave differently from those of the NTSC NES in certain obscure ways. So are you ready to region code your game? The only game I ever coded with a region lock was LJ65, and that was because I didn't yet know how to select NTSC or PAL behavior at runtime like I later learned by the time I made Thwaite.
Didn't Nintendo add some diodes to NES and SNES controller inputs to make sure NTSC controllers would not work on PAL machines ?

I remember that removing the diodes would solve the issue on the SNES case. Would the NES have something similar ?

3gengames:
As per bus issues, what have an emulated game to do with open bus problems ? And yes I guess you are right about the pullups as I have my NES open here for some testing with CVBS circuit and I had a check after reading your post.

The Pullup resistors were for the controller port buffers. -_-;
User avatar
MottZilla
Posts: 2837
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 8:18 pm

Post by MottZilla »

Nintendo could still send a Cease and Desist notice to people selling these illegal products. As tepples noted, the copyrights on the games are essentially forever to us at this point. The patents on the hardware though have gone.
bunnyboy
Posts: 449
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2005 1:44 pm
Location: CA
Contact:

Post by bunnyboy »

tepples wrote:I remember that the controller ports of a PAL NES behave differently from those of the NTSC NES in certain obscure ways.
PAL systems have the controller clock and latch as open collector, so the PAL controllers have pull ups inside. The NTSC controller does not so it won't work on a PAL system. A PAL controller on NTSC system works fine. Not something a cart can detect.
3gengames wrote:If so, that'd mean games like DK ripped from WiiWare with bus issues wouldn't have happened like they did when RetroUSB released it, but people had problems on their NES's.
That was bus conflicts, not open bus.
3gengames wrote:And then the same with the powerpak, why did they need to add pull ups there?
Voltage conversion.

A relatively easy way to deal with clones would be the CHR /A13 -> CIRAM /CE connection. Almost all clones expect those 2 pins to be connected, which is why games like Rad Racer fail. Would need some weird electronics to be able to detect that and have the game still run.
3gengames
Formerly 65024U
Posts: 2284
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:57 pm

Post by 3gengames »

Mmm, I can't believe I forgot those exact details on those, I thought DK was open bus problems for some reason, can't believe I was that wrong. But either way, even the difference in the PAL NES controller port won't make a difference to me, my plan will work on all officially made Nintendo consoles, don't fret. :P
tepples
Posts: 22708
Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 11:12 pm
Location: NE Indiana, USA (NTSC)
Contact:

Post by tepples »

3gengames wrote:my plan will work on all officially made Nintendo consoles, don't fret. :P
Including an authentic Game Boy Advance manufactured by Nintendo and running PocketNES?
Post Reply