FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

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AllisonChan
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FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by AllisonChan »

So I recently picked myself up a Sharp Twin Famicom and an FDS Stick to play around with and the device works when I plug the stick into the RAM adapter in the cartridge slot, but I'm trying to use the internal RAM cart in the sharp twin so I don't always have to have this big square sticking out of the top anytime I wish to use the FDS Stick(not to mention I could just leave the stick plugged in all the time without hogging the cartridge slot).


When I go via the RAM adapter/cartridge slot method, the games boot up just fine with no issues to note.

When I use the Sharp Twin's internal RAM adapter via Port C, the FDS stick boots and I get the game list, but clicking one goes to the FDS screen as usual, sits for a few seconds, then scrolls back over to the game list as if the RAM adapter just booted or something.


I've rewritten the OS once thinking it was bugged and then tried various ROMs assuming maybe I picked a bad one (using No Intro set), but they all had the same behavior.


Anyone ever come across this or have any suggestions?
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loopy
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by loopy »

Is this a newer fdsstick (256M version)? How is it connected to port C? DIY cable? Or did you buy the little adapter board?
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AllisonChan
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by AllisonChan »

loopy wrote:Is this a newer fdsstick (256M version)? How is it connected to port C? DIY cable? Or did you buy the little adapter board?
Yeah, this is the 256M version and it is indeed connected to port C via the adapter board / official FDS RAM cart cable combo.
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loopy
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by loopy »

Try putting only one game on the fdsstick and see if it runs. I think I know what's wrong (problem with the data write line).
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AllisonChan
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by AllisonChan »

loopy wrote:Try putting only one game on the fdsstick and see if it runs. I think I know what's wrong (problem with the data write line).
So I did this just now and it went straight to the game. Had no selection menu. Even tested flipping to side B and it worked just fine, suggesting your theory is correct here.
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AllisonChan
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by AllisonChan »

AllisonChan wrote:
loopy wrote:Try putting only one game on the fdsstick and see if it runs. I think I know what's wrong (problem with the data write line).
So I did this just now and it went straight to the game. Had no selection menu. Even tested flipping to side B and it worked just fine, suggesting your theory is correct here.
Side note, out of curiosity, I created a file and saved successfully in Zelda 1 (happened to be the 1 game I left on the stick) and that worked just fine.
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loopy
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by loopy »

Hmm. That's not what I expected.
Try running this - http://3dscapture.com/junk/bioschecksum.zip
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AllisonChan
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by AllisonChan »

loopy wrote:Hmm. That's not what I expected.
Try running this - http://3dscapture.com/junk/bioschecksum.zip
Ran that and it returned "49FB".
moldov
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by moldov »

I had the same issue. Menu appears and when I choose the game - nothing happens.

Also I followed Your advice "Try adding an extra pullup resistor (around 4.7k - 10k) between WRITE DATA and 5V lines. That's pin 6 to pin 10 on port C of the twin famicom." - nothing happened unfortuately. Is there a way to fix the issue?

Regards
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loopy
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by loopy »

http://3dscapture.com/junk/FDSStick_debug_20180212.exe
See if this works. Add or remove at least one game so it rewrites the boot menu. I haven't been able to test it much (I don't have a Twin Famicom with the issue) but I've heard from at least one person that it helped.
moldov
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by moldov »

loopy wrote:http://3dscapture.com/junk/FDSStick_debug_20180212.exe
See if this works. Add or remove at least one game so it rewrites the boot menu. I haven't been able to test it much (I don't have a Twin Famicom with the issue) but I've heard from at least one person that it helped.
Thanks a lot, but cannot try now. I unsoldered FDSStick - Twin cable and using it back as RGB:) Ordered one more from ebay, once it will come I will try and let You know back.

I downloaded Updated FSSTick _debug
Xardion
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by Xardion »

Any update on this? I'll be trying this setup soon with an AN-505BK Twin Famicom (as soon as my FDSStick gets here). Hopefully I won't have this issue, but I like to be prepared.
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loopy
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by loopy »

Still unresolved. If you come across the issue, let me know. I'd like to update the software, but anyone who's had the problem disappears before confirming if it's fixed or not.
It seems to be very rare though, you'll probably be fine.
spacemonkey
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by spacemonkey »

Does the disk drive on your Twin work?


I've had Twin Famicom systems that only worked with an external ram adapter connected to the Fdsstick. Adapter cable to Fdsstick would not work. The issue was bad ICs on the integrated FDS ram adapter on the twin.
I even had one Twin were an external Ram adapter kept giving me errors with a Fdsstick. I hooked up a working external Famicom disk drive and I got the same errors.
It turned out some ICs from the Ram adapter integrated to the Twin were faulty, removing and replacing with known good ones fixed the issue.

So basically I thought the Fdssstick was not compatible with some Twins for some reason, but it always turned out it was bad components on the Twins, in my experience.
Xardion
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Re: FDS Stick issues on Sharp Twin AN-500B

Post by Xardion »

Just FYI, I did not have this problem on my Twin Famicom AN-505BK. I haven't modded it yet for writing, if that's at all relevant.
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