TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

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ramiq27
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 3:15 am

TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by ramiq27 »

Hello.

I've searched the forum and google and was unable to find a solution to my issue. Hoping someone on here could assist.

I've tried three times so far and every time I had the same problem.

The game I am creating is a translated version of Captain Tsubasa Vol 2 for the NES.

The PCB class and mapper is TLROM 4. I am using M27c2001 for both CHR and PRG. My programmer is a Top3000. Chips program and verify without any issues.

I tried two different donors (Bases Loaded 3 and Astynax) and I followed the tutorials to the letter on http://callanbrown.com/index.php/advanc ... production

The game works for about 30 minutes and then it would start glitching and finally it would just crash and become unplayable. Even before the crash, the game seems a bit jumpy and there are some weird lines at the bottom of the screen. Still playable though until it completely starts glitching and crashing.

I've checked and rechecked my wiring and continuity on all solder points and I can't seem to find any issues.

The ROM plays perfectly fine while emulated. I even tried to burn two different versions of the patched ROM and still had issues.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Ice Man
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by Ice Man »

I assume either bad wiring / solder joints or faulty EPROM.

Callan Brown's site is correct though but here's the wiring again:

PRG socket:
Bend up pins 1, 2, 24, 30 and 31
Solder pin 2 to hole 24 (A16)
Solder pin 24 to GND (OE)
Solder pin 30 to hole 1 (A17)
Solder pin 31 to hole 2 (A18)

CHR socket:
Bend up pins 1, 2, 22, 24, 30, 31
Solder pin 2 to hole 24 (A16)
Solder pin 22 to hole 31 (CE or CHR /A13)
Solder pin 24 to hole 2 (OE or CHR /RD)
Solder pin 30 to hole 1 (A17)

Got a picture of that board with the replaced MaskROMs?
ramiq27
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 3:15 am

Re: TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by ramiq27 »

Ice Man wrote:I assume either bad wiring / solder joints or faulty EPROM.

Callan Brown's site is correct though but here's the wiring again:

PRG socket:
Bend up pins 1, 2, 24, 30 and 31
Solder pin 2 to hole 24 (A16)
Solder pin 24 to GND (OE)
Solder pin 30 to hole 1 (A17)
Solder pin 31 to hole 2 (A18)

CHR socket:
Bend up pins 1, 2, 22, 24, 30, 31
Solder pin 2 to hole 24 (A16)
Solder pin 22 to hole 31 (CE or CHR /A13)
Solder pin 24 to hole 2 (OE or CHR /RD)
Solder pin 30 to hole 1 (A17)

Got a picture of that board with the replaced MaskROMs?

Thanks for the response.

I followed the same wiring except for pin 24 on PRG which I soldered to pin 16. Pin 16 is GND also, correct?

See below pics of the board.

Code: Select all

http://imgur.com/a/1EfHD
I have just realized that every dump of this ROM has a glitch. Please see the video below. You can see the scrambling on top of the screen every now and then. Could this be worsened after programming the game and playing on actual hardware?

Code: Select all

https://youtu.be/4we2LlztGBI?t=42m59s
Ice Man
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by Ice Man »

Yea, pin 16 (GND) for PRG pin 24 is correct.

If it's only the glitch that happens on the video then I guess it's a game glitch by itself. :(

Also, pictures of the bottom PCB would be nice, too. I can't see where the wires are going. :P
Tele-Viper
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 9:15 pm

Re: TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by Tele-Viper »

As a TOP3000 owner I can say this: The ZIF socket is a FAKE. It's not a real 3M part. and it is notoriously horrible. I replaced it on mine with a real 3M socket (there's just a low profile socket underneath) and it works much better.
ramiq27
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 3:15 am

Re: TLROM Repro Glitch & Random Crash

Post by ramiq27 »

Tele-Viper wrote:As a TOP3000 owner I can say this: The ZIF socket is a FAKE. It's not a real 3M part. and it is notoriously horrible. I replaced it on mine with a real 3M socket (there's just a low profile socket underneath) and it works much better.
I've created a few other repros using TOP3000 without any issues. I am also using to burn PICs for some other project and it works fine. I hope the ZIF socket won't fail on me if what you're saying is true.

Anyways, the glitch in the game seems to be apparent on original Famicom carts as well! I guess there's nothing that can be done about that :/

With the repro the glitching is a bit amplified however the game is still very playable.

As for the random crashing, I've realized that a good clean of the pcb board after soldering solved the issue. I use flux to help melt the old solder joints and it splatters all over the board while I'm desoldering the ROMs. I guess that causes some kind of shorting if left uncleaned.
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