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Hi,

I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator.

If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me

mrvcd@juno.com

Thanx

Quote

> I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator.

No one has done it at my knowledge - yet.

Quote

> If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me
> mrvcd@juno.com

This kind of discussion can stay here I believe :)

Quote

> > I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator.

> No one has done it at my knowledge - yet.

> > If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me
> > mrvcd@juno.com

> This kind of discussion can stay here I believe :)

No, seriously, there's no text here.

Tell us how to. At least describe your ideas.
I've got hundred of carts to sacrifiate :)

Quote

> Tell us how to. At least describe your ideas.
> I've got hundred of carts to sacrifiate :)

Okay, here goes:

1.: Desolder the ROM chip.
2.: Figure out the complete ROM pinout.
3.: Add a protoboard to the cart PCB by running wire through the holes for the ROM chip on the PCB and holes on the protoboard, soldering to both boards.
4.: Higher up on the protoboard, add a socket for an EPROM or EEPROM (suggest FlashROM, but that's just because I can still get my paws on some).
5.: Referring to the pinout of step 2, add wires from where you joined the boards in step 3 to the socket of step 4.

Problems: No bankswitching. You're limited to at most 48k of ROM (and that's if you're lucky, it may need extra parts). Will not fit in a standard cart case.

Further ideas: (some of these might be easier if you add another protoboard)

Bankswitching. If you're willing to break compatability, this should be a matter of adding about 3 chips of discrete logic. If you want the full SMS switch, you will probably want to use a PAL or something.
Backup RAM. Should not be too hard if you've gone the PAL route for bankswitching. For even more fun, you should be able to use any cart dumper that attaches via card-edge connector to upload and download the contents of the RAM.
In-system programming. If you're using FlashROM and have some form of bankswitching, you should be able to reprogram the game while it's in the system. Combine with a GG and converter, and you have a portable self-hosting devkit. Add a switch tied to an XOR gate on one of the address lines for separate development and test modes.

--Nyef

... That one could use a chunk of ribbon cable with DIP headers on each end to run the cart signals out to a solderless breadboard. There may be power issues with this, but you wouldn't run out of space for chips as easily.

-- Nyef

Author	Message
MrVCD Guest	Rewritable SMS cartridge--has anyone successfully done so? Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2000 6:44 pm
MrVCD Guest	Hi, I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator. If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me mrvcd@juno.com Thanx

Zoop Joined: 24 Jun 1999 Posts: 1732 Location: Paris, France	Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2000 9:40 pm
	Quote > I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator. No one has done it at my knowledge - yet. Quote > If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me > mrvcd@juno.com This kind of discussion can stay here I believe :)

unfnknblvbl Joined: 12 Jul 1999 Posts: 891	Didn't we have a big long discussion about this once apon a time? nt Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2000 3:12 am
unfnknblvbl Joined: 12 Jul 1999 Posts: 891	Quote > > I am interested in knowing if anyone has made some sort of rewriteable SMS cartridge. I am a purist meaning i like to play my games on the real hardware, rather than an emulator. > No one has done it at my knowledge - yet. > > If anyone has made or knows where to get a rewriteable SMS cartridge, please email me > > mrvcd@juno.com > This kind of discussion can stay here I believe :)

Nyef Guest	At least thrice. I _think_ I know how to build one but it requires sacrificing a real cart, and can't page. nt Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2000 5:51 am
Nyef Guest	No, seriously, there's no text here.

Zoop Joined: 24 Jun 1999 Posts: 1732 Location: Paris, France	Then .. (text) Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2000 8:44 am
	Tell us how to. At least describe your ideas. I've got hundred of carts to sacrifiate :)

Nyef Guest	Re: Then .. (text) Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2000 2:08 pm
Nyef Guest	Quote > Tell us how to. At least describe your ideas. > I've got hundred of carts to sacrifiate :) Okay, here goes: 1.: Desolder the ROM chip. 2.: Figure out the complete ROM pinout. 3.: Add a protoboard to the cart PCB by running wire through the holes for the ROM chip on the PCB and holes on the protoboard, soldering to both boards. 4.: Higher up on the protoboard, add a socket for an EPROM or EEPROM (suggest FlashROM, but that's just because I can still get my paws on some). 5.: Referring to the pinout of step 2, add wires from where you joined the boards in step 3 to the socket of step 4. Problems: No bankswitching. You're limited to at most 48k of ROM (and that's if you're lucky, it may need extra parts). Will not fit in a standard cart case. Further ideas: (some of these might be easier if you add another protoboard) Bankswitching. If you're willing to break compatability, this should be a matter of adding about 3 chips of discrete logic. If you want the full SMS switch, you will probably want to use a PAL or something. Backup RAM. Should not be too hard if you've gone the PAL route for bankswitching. For even more fun, you should be able to use any cart dumper that attaches via card-edge connector to upload and download the contents of the RAM. In-system programming. If you're using FlashROM and have some form of bankswitching, you should be able to reprogram the game while it's in the system. Combine with a GG and converter, and you have a portable self-hosting devkit. Add a switch tied to an XOR gate on one of the address lines for separate development and test modes. --Nyef

Nyef Guest	The thought occurs... Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2000 6:34 pm
Nyef Guest	... That one could use a chunk of ribbon cable with DIP headers on each end to run the cart signals out to a solderless breadboard. There may be power issues with this, but you wouldn't run out of space for chips as easily. -- Nyef

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