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View topic - For everybody who bought my FM boards
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 For everybody who bought my FM boards
 Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:10 am
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My FM boards don't sound right - listen to the attached mp3 samples if you don't know what I'm talking about.
All boards I've sold to date have a defective YM2413 sound chip. Admittedly, I've known that there was a problem for a while now but couldn't confirm that it was the YM2413 at fault. It was only when I bought another batch of chips (from a different supplier!) that I could isolate the cause. I've bought some more, enough to replace all the crap chips. I can now supply a tested functional YM2413 for AU$10 worldwide postage included. If you want one please get in touch. eviltim ( at ) optusnet.com.au Replacing the chip is quick and requires nothing more than a butteknife or small screwdriver. |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:00 am
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| Thanks Tim, is this something where the chip WILL become faulty? Mine sounds fine as it is now (my console plays the sound matching your good recordings). | |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:40 am
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| No, I don't think so. Maybe only some chips are affected.... I'll crack open another tube of ICs and test a few more from the old stock. | |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:12 am
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| Perhaps you were just lucky. I just tested seven more chips and they all sound like the bad recording (using Scramble Spirits). | |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:48 am
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I've always thought mine sounded fine (examples are available with some aztec adventure recordings in the other thread).
However I dug up a copy of Scramble Spirits and tested and it sounds like the 'bad recording'. I also have another two boards that haven't been used yet, if I get the time I may pop the IC out of them and try in my modded SMS. |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:22 pm
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Tim, I was wondering if you could maybe post more examples of the sound differences. It seems R-Type and Scramble Spirits are two carts I don't own. Hmm, where;d that list of US games with FM sound go? I could say which ones I have. I have about 63 or so of the US releases, so I know I have some with FM sound.
-Rob |
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:49 pm
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http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8714
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:18 pm
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| Er, this is kinda bad and good news I guess. I bough one of the first batch boards, so I need to apply the other fix as well. How much would two good chips shipped to Canada would cost? Also, what can I do with defective chip other then eBay it to some unsuspecting victim? :) | |
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Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:22 am
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Thanks, Christuserloeser.
Ok, looks like I have: Cloud Master Rampage Rastan Shanghai Rescue Mission Time Soldiers Wonder Boy III Thanks if you can supply any examples for these, Tim! -Rob |
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Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:23 am
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I'll make some more recordings tonight.
Two for AU$15. You could always leave it on the floor with its legs pointing up where your unsuspecting victim might be walking about barefoot. :) |
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Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 6:29 am
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| I just tried the other two chips and they all sound the same. I'm not that fussed about it for the time being as I currently have the guts of my system sprawled all over the place while i'm experimenting on it. | |
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 1:48 pm
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A few people asked me about instructions for replacing the Ym2413. It's pretty straight forward, all you need to do is remove the original from the socket and instert the new chip. Make sure it's inserted the right way around -- the notch on the chip faces towards the centre of the board. I've attached a couple of pictures.
Also attached is a recording from Rampage. 
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 3:13 pm
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| ..or you can use an IC extractor like I did :P | |
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:01 pm
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Hey Tim,
I just played Rampage, and mine sounds like the good chip version. I don't hear the distortion in the bad version. However, your music is a bit slower than mine. PAL/NTSC differences? Not sure. I'm in USA, so I'm stumped on that one. -Rob |
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ptepid
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Other games affected
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:31 am
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I didn't realise you could get FM working in WB3 with the hold-left work around (I have one of the first shipments), so I've only just tried that now. Music sounds fine until the desert level, and then it's basically all noise channel (similar to the distortion in Scramble Spirits). Can't discern the melody at all.
To me it sounds like the rhythmic bass notes are coming out as noise (drum synth). This is especially noticeable in Rampage. Might do some before/after recordings on WB3 once I have the new IC if someone doesn't beat me to it. ;) Cheers for your continued work on this Tim. |
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:45 am
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The recordings in the first post were made with my SMS set to 60Hz and the Rampage recordings were made with it set to 50Hz. I probably should have done it the other way around. :) |
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:41 pm
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Ok, no problem. Either way, I have a first-run version and it sounds like the good version. So I guess not *all* of the first-run chips were bad, or did you already know some were good? -Rob |
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:12 pm
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Tim,
I sent an email off mate :) The newer chips certainly sound a lot better! |
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Before and after
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:51 am
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Just received the new chip today, cheers again Tim!
I've done some before and after recordings for the FM games I have, will try and upload them all. For now I've just uploaded the Wonder Boy 3 Desert level recordings for comparison. It was the most problematic and hence most improved. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 am
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Here's another that made a vast improvement: Time Soldiers. I used to detest the "Primitive Age" theme... it sounded so droning and monotonous. But just listen to proper FM version! It's the drums that were missing, and that makes a world of difference to this tune.
Edit: Bugger, looks like I recorded the PSG version the first time, must have messed up the hold-left trick. Doubt I'll bother putting the old IC back to do another take, but I'll leave the new FM version for anyone wanting to compare to their own. Uploaded: - Added Afterburner. - Added Double Dragon, Fantasy Zone 2, Kenseiden, Great Golf Didn't upload: - Rescue Mission: any differences are so minute they aren't audible. Waveforms look basically identical also. - Golvelius: it's almost identical. Sole difference is the new FM chip uses Brass instruments for the melody in the first dungeon. The old chip didn't switch properly, the melody used the same instruments as the "Store" music that plays beforehand. |
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Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm
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Ptepid, I noticed you had the fixed Time Soldiers, but not the broken one. I wasn't sure from the context if you meant to leave that one out.
-Rob |
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Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:46 am
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Yeah sorry, didn't explain myself well. When I recorded the broken version I made a mistake. It wasn't actually the FM version but bog-standard PSG. I only realised this after replacing it with the new chip. I'd rather not have to go back and put the old chip in and then remove it just to record one song. ;) |
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:31 am
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| Installed my new chip today... for some reason Ys the vanished omens still doesn't have FM sound even when the system is in JAP mode, and the same goes for Fantasy Zone 3 (I am sure this game had FM sound) hehe thanks anyway Tim it works well! | |
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 6:14 am
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The English version of Ys doesn't have FM sound because the code for the FM sound was removed to make room for the English text, like with Phantasy Star. By Fantasy Zone 3 do you mean Fantasy Zone: The Maze? |
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:48 am
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Yes I do mean FZ3: The Maze |
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Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 2:39 pm
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| Anyone know why FZ3 don't work on the FM chip? | |
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:28 am
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| Maybe it only works on the Jap version (Opa Opa) ? | |
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Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:19 am
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| Got my chips, thanks! Mesohappyicancry! | |
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Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 4:21 pm
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I think these chips are not defective, but rather YMF281 OPLL-P chips that the sellers (unfortunately) relabeled and sold as YM2413 OPLL.
I say this because in the recordings I can hear that the OPLL’s electric guitar sound (instrument 15) is replaced by noise. And the OPLL-P instrument 15 is noise, according to Plogue’s ChipSynth PortaFM’s preset library. Quote Wikipedia: “Yamaha YMF281 (OPLLP) is a later YM2413 derivative, possibly intended for pachinko or pachislot machines. It has the same pinout and register set as the YM2413, but a different set of built in FM patches.” |
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