[SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

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kirschsuppe
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

[SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

Hi, I recently bought a super-nt and I am of course aware of the jailbreak firmware. But that is not the way I want to go. I had a look at many tutorials and howtos and I'd like to start with a simple 8 or 16 MBit repro. Most of the time there are 2 options:
  • I can follow the tutorial easily on youtube, but the pcb is out of stock
  • the pcb is available (2nd dimension or tindie) but I do find an easy howto
Do you know a recent tutorial?
  • I'd like to solder
  • I want to start simple
  • I do not want to rewire anything
Bonus question .. how to test the EEPROM before soldering? Do you use a socket?
Thanks in advance.
Ice Man
Posts: 547
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Ice Man »

What's the problem with those PCBs? They're labeled, telling you what pieces you need and where to put them. They're great for beginners if you don't know what you're doing. All you have to do is program the EPROMs.

Retrostage also offers PCBs but might be sold out.

There's tons of tutorials if you search Google.

Since you don't want to rewire anything and start simple. Those PCBs are your only friend.

Also, usually defective EPROMs are recognized by programmers (ID fail, Verfiy fail, etc). Still can't hurt to have a test board with a socket for LoROM and HiROM games.

Good luck!
kirschsuppe
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

Thanks for your answers. I know my questions seem to be stupid. Sorry for that. But I was anxious after seeing the tindie board and that I have to bend some pins to a special position. Do you mind some followup questions? Maybe equally stupid?
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Fisher
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Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Fisher »

Well, if you want to learn how to solder, I suggest you to try first with some old, broken electronic devices.
They become nice "guinea pigs" when you're learning!
You need to be sure that the parts you're going to solder are clean.
If you're using new stuff, that's almost 100% sure. :wink:
Also, be sure to apply a small amount of solder on the soldering iron point.
Put togehter the parts you want to solder, heat them with the soldering iron and touch with the soldering.
I get better results when I touch with the soldering iron in one side and with the solder in the other, leaving what I want to solder in between.

As to the memories, you have the address bus, data bus and control bus, plus the power supply pins.
The address and data bus have the pins named A0, A1,... and D0, D1,...
The control bus is basically /CE, /OE and Vpp (or /WE), this last one pin is used only when programming.
Just make sure to match the pins with the proper places on the board and you're set.
More information about these can be found on the IC's datasheet, for example, most ICs need the Vpp or /WE tied to vcc to work properly.

I hope I had helped a little.
Please, feel free to correct any mistakes or misconceptions I may have posted.
Ice Man
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Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Ice Man »

There's no stupid questions. Ask straight ahead. Everyone starts at some point.

I agree with Fisher about learning how to solder or desolder. I used old/broken boards myself and first learned to desolder DIP properly from single and double sided boards later on I desoldered SOP with pliers but I have a hot air station now. I really do not want to miss it anymore especially when soldering TSOP.

Basically all you have to know is how to follow schematics, what components you will need and how to connect them.
Datasheets sometimes help alot as well, especially with pinouts and/or how different chips works.
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Fisher
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Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Fisher »

I agree with Ice Man.
Don't be shy!
Ask what you cannot understand and someone will try to explain.
Don't be afraid!
There's no shame in trying to learn something new.
kirschsuppe
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

Thank you, my questions are rather specific and not related to soldering:

1. The lockout chip ... PIC12F629 .. let's say, I do not need it. Do I have to leave it empty on the pcb or do I need to shortcircuit it in any form?
2. The second-dimension boards need DIP42 Eproms .. I found the Top 3000, 3100 and GQ 4x programmers ... but I did not find a tutorial/vid about flashing snes-roms (I found black-magic-workarounds for the tl866). Do you know any?
3. If I buy the programmer at aliexpress/ebay should it come with a specific Software Tool? Does it run on Win10? Is there a cheap/free Software around that even works with Linux/OSX?
4. Muramasa DIP32 and tl866 would be a good starting point (instead of DIP42/Top3000), if the pcb would be available. Do you know of alternatives?
Ice Man
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Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Ice Man »

1. You will always need a CIC. Whether it's a original or SuperCIC (12F629). Otherwise the SNES won't boot at all (unless modified).

2. You cannot (re-)flash SNES MaskROMs found on original boards. They're one time programmable only and do not follow the standard JEDEC pinouts. The boards you're refering to use UV erasable EPROMS (27c800,27c160,27c322) which can be programmed with all of the said programmers you mentioned (GQ-4X4 and TL866 need an additional adapter).

3. I use GQ-4X4 and TL866 myself and they both work great on Windows 10.
However, the TL866 does not support 27c800,27c160 and 27c322 by default. You'll have to need a customized adapter to work around it. So I really recommend either GQ-4X4 (with the use of an adapter ADP-054), TOP3000 or TOP3100 since those are pretty good for their price and program 16 bit EPROMs without any adapters.
And all of them come with a software CD but you can always dowload the latest software on their website/internet.

4. There's many alternatives:
http://retrostage.net/index.php/product-category/snes/
https://www.tindie.com/products/mrTenta ... own-carts/
https://www.mortoffgames.com/super-nint ... -rom-board
Possibly more.
kirschsuppe
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Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

1. I have a clone. The Super-NT is a SNES implemented on an FPGA. Maybe the CIC is not needed, maybe it is.
2. Exactly, I'm speaking about the 27c800, 27c160 and 27c322. How exactly does the programming work, starting with a 16Mbit rom-file?
3. Windows 10 .. good
4. Sry if that was unclear, I was speaking about DIP32 pcb alternatives
Ice Man
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Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:34 pm

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by Ice Man »

1. But you cannot just use boards purely for that console. What if you plan to resell the games or give them to someone else with a original console? Always keep such things in mind as well.

2.
27c800 = 1MB
27c160 = 2MB
27c322 = 4MB

Megabit is not MegaByte. Don't get confused.

If the EPROM says 16Mbit it can hold 2MB of data.
8MBit = 1MB (27c801, which would be the highest DIP32 EPROM available).

4. Nobody really does those. 27c801 is too expensive lately and way too small for most games.
27c800,160,322 are your ways to go for EPROMs or if you advance more and can solder TSOP you can also go for 29F016/29F032. Though they're more expensive and sensitive.
kirschsuppe
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

Thanks for your support. Ordered an TL866II with an adapter that allows bank switching.
kirschsuppe
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:13 am

Re: [SNES] looking for a recent tutorial with available pcbs

Post by kirschsuppe »

Just a short feedback. Succeeded with the second-dimension lo-rom boards. Good to know that there is only 6mm room inside a cartridge and you have to order elkos with a height or a diameter <= 6mm.
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