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View topic - New FM Enabled Power Base Converter Prototype

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  • Joined: 06 Dec 2013
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  • Location: Canada
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 6:11 pm
All I see are pictures, no specs or part #s...
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  • Joined: 01 May 2011
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 6:27 pm
Sorry, I was recalling a different site, see my edited post.
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  • Joined: 19 Oct 1999
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  • Location: London
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:00 pm
Yes, 0.125 inches or 3.175 mm pitch, 44 pins. They seem to have something matching on digikey, I guess everything's easier to get these days...
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  • Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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  • Location: San Jose, CA
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Post Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:23 pm
BKK wrote
A better solution than creating separate Japanese and Western Power Base Converters would probably be a simple 44 pin to 50 pin adapter which could be used with not only your PBC, but also any existing ones and also Master Gear Converters. It should also work on a standard Master System with games that have a header at least. It should also allow the use of card games via the card catcher, which isn't too uncommon or expensive.

I built a converter just like this last year, and since it's totally passive it wouldn't be difficult to build. Just design a PCB, solder on the 44-pin connector and maybe a decoupling capacitor, and there you are.
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  • Joined: 06 Dec 2013
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Post Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:27 am
Expensive, green, and ugly but the specs are right:

http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en?pv88=52&FV=fff40016%2Cfff80093%2C164...
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  • Joined: 06 Dec 2013
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:02 pm
I just found a decent supplier of Mark III edge connectors at a very reasonable price. I've got a few on order for evaluation! If these work out well I will be able to make a Mark III FM Power Base Converter variant. The lack of SMS BIOS on Genesis/Megadrive would make this device very ideal for playing imports.
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Post Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 3:24 pm
I've created a new branch of the FM Power Base Converter project for Mark III games. A few months ago I proved the concept and now I finally managed to modify the PCB layout to accomodate the Mark III edge connector.

Boards are on order, in a few weeks playing Mark III games on Megadrive / Genesis systems in glorious FM will be possible.
M3PBC.png (54.49 KB)
M3PBC.png

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  • Joined: 04 Jul 2010
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  • Location: Angers, France
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Post Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2015 9:05 pm
Very very nice !

Do you found some Mark III connectors ? (with a reasonable price I mean)
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 3:17 am
I bought a batch from Game Doctor HK, we'll see how that goes. I did already evaluate a few samples from him.

The Sullins connector is great but it's just too expensive for me to be able to keep any kind of reasonable stock.
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  • Joined: 04 Jul 2010
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 6:16 am
Ok, I've bought few from him too.

I searched a little bit through Taobao, but can not find the right one...
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Post Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:05 am
What I gather from my dealings with GamedoctorHK is that he has a direct link or contact with some factory that manufactures these - possibly as special order for him... (these are all educated assumptions though)
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  • Joined: 26 Oct 2022
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 10:23 am
Hi,
I'm working on an open source Power Base Converter build with an Arduino.
Since db-elec web site is offline, I wonder if there is any schema of your FM Power Base Converter. I'd like to add a YM2413 to mine, but I can't find any source to help me.
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Post Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2022 11:58 am
WechantLoup wrote
Hi,
I'm working on an open source Power Base Converter build with an Arduino.
Since db-elec web site is offline, I wonder if there is any schema of your FM Power Base Converter. I'd like to add a YM2413 to mine, but I can't find any source to help me.


I'd gladly help you out but I sold the design a few years ago so unfortunately I cannot share any schematics.

To point you in the right direction - I mostly deduced how it works by looking at the FM detection code https://www.smspower.org/Development/FMChipDetection found here.

Tim Worthington's documentation will surely help you as well: https://etim.net.au/smsfm/smsfm.html
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