INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

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NYMike
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by NYMike »

QB14 wrote:
MottZilla wrote:If you think it might be copy protection related you could try using UCON64 with the -k option. Also if you are using a PAL console that could be causing issues.
Thanks for the advice, I use a ntsc console so that is not the issue, unfortunately I don't know how to use UCON64 I have just been using danin's firmware which patches out the copy protection. I will try to learn how to use UCON64 then come back with the results.
Ucon64 has a front end loader if you are not a fan of dos like commands. It is pretty good I have been able to crack BoF 2, Metroid, and several others with it. The only games off the top of my head that I could not crack with it are Fire Emblem 776? and Tetris and Dr. Mario.
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

The old Tototek Super Flash carts allowed multiple games on a single cart through a type of boot loader menu to select a game. Do these carts have any similar function to take advantage of the additional space if not loading large ROMs?
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MottZilla
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by MottZilla »

XTElite1 wrote:The old Tototek Super Flash carts allowed multiple games on a single cart through a type of boot loader menu to select a game. Do these carts have any similar function to take advantage of the additional space if not loading large ROMs?
Not currently. Though I think it might be possible to have two games on the cartridge. Or maybe that was just some talk. But there isn't a writable register like the TTT Super Flash for mapping in different games and having a menu program to handle that.
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

What is the official word about this feature being added? While I did not like the mandatory menu on the Tototek model, the option of loading multiple games would be quite nice. Hopefully it could be implemented in a manner that doesn't require even single title carts to have a menu.

All that aside I ordered a 8MB version to play with and am looking forward to it. Thanks for all the hard work for this product.
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infiniteneslives
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by infiniteneslives »

Allowing multiple games on the same cartridge is on the 'nice to have, maybe I'll get to it at some point' so it's rather low on my priority list..

I added placement for a low pass filter on the bottom of the PCBs for the reset pin to toggle between roms. I tested it to make sure it worked and it did. But the main hold up at this point is redoing the host app to be more user friendly. In it's current state it would have required users to assemble one large binary file on their own and flash it all on at once. I've realized that's a little too much of an advanced user feature to permit me to offer currently without having excessive customer service headaches on my hands..

The other issue was as things are currently designed a multicart would be excessively rigid, forcing something like 4MB rom slots with half fixed to lorom and other half hirom or something to that effect. I'm planning to make the kazzo able to reflash the CPLD to make the configuration more flexible based on exactly what the customer needs after purchase vs prior to purchase.
If you're gonna play the Game Boy, you gotta learn to play it right. -Kenny Rogers
NYMike
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by NYMike »

I know you just got done saying multi-cards are low on your priority, but as someone who personally bought close to 40+ carts from you, I could easily see myself buying another batch like this with this ability. As long as like you just said it is a semi easy process or has very specific instructions to ensure this happens correctly.
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infiniteneslives
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by infiniteneslives »

Thanks NYMike, I appreciate your feedback.
If you're gonna play the Game Boy, you gotta learn to play it right. -Kenny Rogers
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

I received my 8MB and kazzo today (shipped fast, thanks!). These little carts are great. So great that my wife authorized me to buy two more. One for her, and one for a game together. :mrgreen:

I concur with NYMike that if you get multi-cart working in a sane way, I could see myself buying more. Great work, thanks again, and to anyone reading, I highly recommend these little guys. Just be sure and lookup Danin's host app here:

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=11020
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

I have noticed that every HiROM game works fine, but every LoROM game I have tried does not work. I am toggling the switch to LoROM but at best I get garbled graphics but mostly I get a blank screen. Do I have a defective board? I am using Danin's host app.
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infiniteneslives
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by infiniteneslives »

I can't speak for Danin's app other than I know it works well for a lot of ppl.

It would be difficult for a board to have a defect that allowed HiROM to work, but not LoROM, unless something like the Hi/Lo switch was broken and always was set to HiROM. If you try to play a HiROM game with the switch in LoROM does it still work? If so, perhaps the switch is broken, if not I'm guessing the switch is fine.

I would recommend a simple small LoROM game like SMW to test LoROM operational. SMW isn't very picky and doesn't require the rom image to fill the entire 4/8/12MB on the board. You can simply flash the 512KB headerless rom image to the board with my app and hopefully prove the board working.

An even better idea would be to flash Tepples' Holy Batman Striker test rom onto the board to test the board, the test rom works in both LoROM and HiROM but will have differing outputs based on the position of the switch.
If you're gonna play the Game Boy, you gotta learn to play it right. -Kenny Rogers
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

infiniteneslives wrote:I can't speak for Danin's app other than I know it works well for a lot of ppl.

It would be difficult for a board to have a defect that allowed HiROM to work, but not LoROM, unless something like the Hi/Lo switch was broken and always was set to HiROM. If you try to play a HiROM game with the switch in LoROM does it still work? If so, perhaps the switch is broken, if not I'm guessing the switch is fine.

I would recommend a simple small LoROM game like SMW to test LoROM operational. SMW isn't very picky and doesn't require the rom image to fill the entire 4/8/12MB on the board. You can simply flash the 512KB headerless rom image to the board with my app and hopefully prove the board working.

An even better idea would be to flash Tepples' Holy Batman Striker test rom onto the board to test the board, the test rom works in both LoROM and HiROM but will have differing outputs based on the position of the switch.
As it turns out, the issue was with Danin's host app. I mirrored the games myself and they are working fine. As I mentioned before this is LoROM games only as HiROM games seem to write fine on my 8MB board.
NYMike
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by NYMike »

Interesting. I burned Chrono Trigger Retranslation, Crimson Echoes and Prophets Guile (All 8mb boards) on Danins software as well. Only the Retranslation works. CE and PG gives me similar graphical errors an hour or two into gameplay or straight out locks up on one of them. When I get some free time I will have to try burning them again with the stock software and see if I can get past this point.
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

NYMike wrote:Interesting. I burned Chrono Trigger Retranslation, Crimson Echoes and Prophets Guile (All 8mb boards) on Danins software as well. Only the Retranslation works. CE and PG gives me similar graphical errors an hour or two into gameplay or straight out locks up on one of them. When I get some free time I will have to try burning them again with the stock software and see if I can get past this point.
Try using Lunar Expand to make your 8MB ROM file, use ucon64 to patch out any protections and fix checksum, and burn it with the stock app.
NYMike
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by NYMike »

Stupid question time! Can I have danin's software in one folder and the stock INL software in another folder and run on the same computer? Or because I flashed the bios will they conflict. All I remember was trying to install INL on my laptop which is Windows 8 was down right brutal.
XTElite1
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Re: INL HiLoROM SNES flash cart

Post by XTElite1 »

NYMike wrote:Stupid question time! Can I have danin's software in one folder and the stock INL software in another folder and run on the same computer? Or because I flashed the bios will they conflict. All I remember was trying to install INL on my laptop which is Windows 8 was down right brutal.
I'm using both on my Surface Pro 4 running Windows 10. I just use Danin's drivers since they are a slightly newer version.
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