It's worth pointing out that whilst it runs perfectly, I will add a cap later. Just re-watching this after uploading it and I've realised that the cap that's on there is for the 5v rail - see where the rail runs to the left hand pin (pin 23) which is now lifted and fed 3.3v. So it probably should have a 100nF cap. I will put the cap across the regulator output and ground.
+The Real Phoenix I've tried this mod last month but with 'partial' success. I would get a black screen and 1 in 10 times I tried the card I would see the Square/Nintendo logos screen and then it would freeze. Could this be the 100nF I am missing?
+jkage198 The cap might sort it! I tested mine a lot yesterday and spotted that 1 out of every 10 times it wouldn't boot. Or when I had left the power off for a few hours it wouldnt boot on first power on. Added a 100nF cap between 3.3v and ground on the regulator and it boots every time now.
Great video, thanks for making it. I've been thinking about doing this mod myself for a while. After seeing how straight forward it is, I might actually get around to doing it now.
+PowerPC601 Thanks =D Easiest way to remove the old chip is to use Chip Quik solder, or you could carefully snip the pins on the old mask ROM. Just take your time and use good flux and it should be OK. The key is patience and planning. Don't rush into it and its a really straight forward quick job!
+GadgetUK164 Aww, we wanted to see your "unorthodox" chip removal method. :p Did you actually use Chip Quik, or just do what I usually do when I can't be bothered to get the hot air station out - simply (and quickly but carefully) flow lots of new solder along all the chip legs? hehe Really glad you mentioned Flux here as well - there so many people starting out with soldering who never use extra flux. It's pretty much a pre-requisite when it comes to SMD stuff, as you know. But, flux can help all types of soldering including through-hole. I like to use flux paste (Amtech, Kester, Kingbo) rather than a flux pen on most stuff because the paste tends to stick around for longer and not boil away too fast.
+GadgetUK164 I agree with the solder wick thing too btw - I know it's not recommended to "drag" the wick along the pads, but it's more of a very light pressing and being able to "feel" when it's not stuck to the pads etc. As you said, you do get used to it after doing hundreds of solder jobs, it's all just practice and confidence. ;) That's part of the reason that's put me off doing some better / close-up vids so far - I'm slightly worried about all the bad habits I've picked up with soldering, but it usually works out fairly well for me. lol I do use a proper de-soldering station (Duratool / Zhongdi), decent soldering station (Metcal), hot air station (Aoyue 852), good flux, and solder wick for certain bits, but I'm also quite lazy, so I often use the quicker methods for removing chips etc. :p (I prefer not to cut the legs on components too often though, as that can put even more stress on the pads.) btw, if you search for "Bismuth solder" on eBay etc., you'll probably find some stuff that's almost as good as Chip Quik but at a third of the cost. It is some damned pricey stuff tbh.
Yes, you are totally right regards technique and what you are used to. I often find it quicker and easier to remove chips the wrong way, despite that fact I have the kit and experience to remove them the right way. I think I am lazy too when it comes to removal lol. Anything to save a few minutes! Thanks for the tip there on that Bismuth solder! Will try that out!
GadgetUK164 I haven't actually tried any generic Bismuth solder tbh. The bismuth is pretty much what's in Chip Quik though AFAIK, and it just has a much lower melting point obviously. Let us know how you get on with the generic stuff if you do test any. ;)
Very nice! I would like to do this with Harvest Moon and a few other ones that cost an ungodly amount in the US. Mario RPG would be worth it too if I didn't have an original US copy. I think it's going for about $65 these days. The PAL version is a bit more no?
The MX29l3211 is a 3.3V chip, so I can see the need for the regulator, but the address bus is still 5V. I don't think it's inputs are officially 5V tolerant, so it will be slightly out of spec if the address bus on the SNES is 5V. But it's probably getting away with it as the logic level is not going to be as high as 5V, and is more likely just within the 3.3V + 0.6V maximum input voltage on the chip. Seems to be working fine anyway.
+Dave Curran Thanks! That's probably why it needs 5v for programming. It's like the multicarts on the Neo Geo, they also use 3.3v logic and work fine. I think ultimately it's not ideal as its probably stressing something slightly somewhere.
+GadgetUK164 I've tried to burn the MX29L3211 @3.3V with the GQ-4X but I had random errors while writing. +Dave Curran is totaly right, the logic level is @5V on SNES cart, so the chip's life is shorted. As a matter of fact, those kind of repro are possibly not working correctly on the SNES 1CHIP or Mini Snes (I hade some trouble with a Star Ocean repro and the SNES 1CHIP of a friend, game was crashing randomly even with the caps on the 3.3V) The "clean" way is to use Level Shifter like the 74LVC245 (but since it only has 8 addresses, you'll need 5 of them for A0-A20 plus Q0-Q15 on the 29L3211) or a 2N7000 MOSFET on each 3.3V rail. Except the enormous M27C322 I don't know any eeprom "word-wide" 100% compatible for this kind of repro.
+The Real Phoenix Check out this channel - someone has designed a board with multi ROM support and level shifters! th-cam.com/channels/nk4FvRUIN8Y0lUugXkVvPA.html
Regarding the description: The Japanese NTSC version works fine on a US NTSC console because they use the same CIC. The only difference between the two is the power jack and the housing (physical region lock-out). Fun fact: they use a standard 5.5x2.1mm jack on the SFC because they did not include an adapter and expected you to either buy separately or switch your Famicom’s power adapter. This is similar reasoning for the 3DS series no longer including the power adapters. The US NTSC SNES and Virtual Boy use a non-standard size for the barrel connector. You won’t find it in any universal adapter sets that weren’t specifically made for game systems.
I have the Japanese version of this cart too, never knew you could convert it to English! Like you said though, it might be cheaper just getting the English version. Good video!
Thanks! The plus from getting a programmer and adapter is you can then use those for other chips and systems etc. It's annoying that one manufacturer doesn't target all chip types...
Good point, I do have Japanese versions of Start Fox and Wildtrax too. So could reprogram them with the English versions. I might ask for a new Christmas present ;-)
Thank you, but this is from USA. You are from UK, same country. I will transfere money first + shipping cost to you. If you are interested please inbox me on youtube. Please)
+Steve Baker Yes, it's bad practice! My bad! I cannot generate static on that carpet with the clothes and foot wear I use, and I have tried a number of times! That said I do often wear an anti static wrist strap, and I have an ESD mat, and for some things I take ESD much more seriously than others, but for me it's just a personal thing, I've got lazy because I know I can. If you want to watch really crazy disrespect of ESD protection, watch LinusTechTips handling a CPU worth $4000 without taking any ESD protection, now that's crazy imo. If a chip worth £1 or £5 gets damaged by ESD I can live with it.
Great video, I'm picking up a fair amount of information from your channel.I'd like to know if you'd consider doing a short video on the consumables and items you use for your repairs and mods. You mention "blue tack","chip quick"(flux?) etc. I am not familiar with these terms. Any info on the programmers and logic probes you use would be great as well. Thank you!
I am not sure, other than a cart on eBay... I always thought this was a Japan only release - possibly not... You could get a flash ROM programmed like I showed, buyicnow.com will do that - you just select the chip type and provide the ROM (in the correct format to program).
I have some PlayStation 2s in need of repair and I just cannot figure out what'll fix them. One system I did get a new laser for as well as a laser arm and other things but it still won't read discs. The other I just had a clean out but it still won't read CDs, only DVDs, and the disc tray makes an unsettling sound when opening. Care to help?
+adultmoshifan87 Some of the new lasers don't work very well. I've had 2 or 3 'new lasers' where the CD reads but the DVD doesn't, and in each case another laser solved the problem. If the disc tray makes a strange sound then it sounds like there's some kind of mechanical / alignment issue with the tray / gears etc. Maybe a missing tooth on a gear?
I had a PS2 get its laser replaced in 2013 but it must be a bad replacement because it gave up rather quickly. I had another system just get its lens cleaned and now DVDs read much quicker and I can use CDs again! However, CDs do still seem to take longer to read than they should, but I've played 2 PSone games on that system and they both played flawlessly despite having taken longer to start than usual!
Hello, how are you? I wonder, would it be possible to turn Tengai Makyou Zero from Japanese to English through the Japanese donor cartridge. I'd like you to take a video about it. Thanks in advance.
somme ppl are selling those (and they look harrible inside), but it's unknown how to exactly do it yet, but who knows, maybe it'll be known or shared later ^^
so i got everything need to do this but only one small problem.... how do i flash the 29L3211MC. I have a top3000 programmer do i need different software for this chip?
I don't think the top3000 supports the MX29L3211 =/ I had to buy a new EPROM programmer specifically so I could do those chips. I ended up getting a GQ-4X4
Seriously.. ah fuk, after I bought the top3000 for £110... do you know where I can get my chip programmed or some one program it for me, i'd be happy to pay for it
Yeah, its a pain - as I said at the beginning of the video, I ended up buying a programmer specifically for those chips. buyicnow.com program those types of chips I think. You can add the chip to your basket and then add programming as an option. You can upload the ROM (make sure you remove any header first), and they can program it for you.
I cannot offer that service sorry - you might be able to buy a chip from buyicnow.com which is pre-programmed - you have to upload the ROM with the order (assuming they sell that IC).
@@GadgetUK164 it would just be so much cheaper for everyone to just buy the language patch chip. That way people dont have to pay all the upfront cost for the gear and the people who bought the gear can have it pay for itself. Oh well thanks for the tip anyway.
Awesome vid. So glad I've found some uk based snes repro videos. I'm pretty new to this (have an eprom programmer and am waiting on EPROMs and eraser to turn up in post) I'm looking to convert some super famicom games to their Pal counterparts. Wanted to start with chrono trigger. Is it just a case of swapping the Roms (byte swapped and wired if necessary) and then swapping the cic chip if the cartridge has one?
Thanks =D It can vary depending on the game you are doing - in this example the ROM did not need byte swapping, but some do - do a search in google first, chances are someone has asked about that chip or board revision before with regards to whether it needs byte swapping or not, and often you will find suggestions for a suitable EPROM. But beyond that, yes just the CIC chip to deal with.
+The Real Phoenix I found that at one point it was failing the verify every time after trying to write a few times. I closed the software down and tried again and it then worked first time. This one is a GQ-4X4 (I think the extra 4 means its revision 4) so maybe they've fixed it?
+GadgetUK164 Yup That's what I'm talking about. The solution is not really on the GQ-4X but on the ADP-019. There's a small 2.2k resistor next to the SOP socket and the border of the adapter that has to be reduced to 1k (1.2k will do, that's what I've done). Also, adding a 0.1µF capa between the VCC line and the GND Under the SOP socket helps.From that I could have 100% successfull burning.
I initially replaced the 2.2k resistor with 1.2k but it still didn't work. Ended up with a 680k resistor plus a 100nF capacitor. Now works perfectly every time :-)
Just a thought here. In regards to your video where you made a working copy of Star Fox 2 couldn't you have used a ROM chip like the one used here? Or is the pinout or specs different. Just asking because it seemed like you went through allot of trouble trying to get that little adapter board on the cartridge PCB.
+Robert NES816 They have different pinouts - completely! The chip on the Starfox 2 is an 8bit chip, so only has 8 data lines. The chip on the Super Mario RPG is 16bit = 16 data lines.
+Robert NES816 Your point was a valid thought though! It's always good to think outside the box and with some carts the other chip would work fine probably.
hi ... What recorder do I use to record the eprom MX29L3211 ... I see people using the Minipro Tl866cs a lot but I do not know if I can get this recorder.
+GadgetUK164 yeah and I think as it was a later fx game the USA version wouldn't work on a lot of the earlier converter even ones that could run star fox and stunt race. I have a USA copy and the prices it goes for now mean something like this is cool. It is anyway.
Have a search on eBay for AMS1117 (3.3v) - Do check its the 3.3v version though, that same part number AMS1117 comes in different versions which provided different voltages.
Hi! I have a little question. The file that you send to Buyicnow, is the typical ROM.sfc (whithout header) or you have to do something with it before? One more thing. Sorry about my english, I don't know if I wrote everything ok, I hope that you understand my question. Thanks for this great video!
Yes, the only thing that you need to think about is the CIC on the cart needs to be the same region as the system you want to plug the cart into. Or you could have a region free SNES and then the CIC wouldnt matter.
Hi GadgetUK , I bought a japanese super mario rpg to mod it to English like you did after stumbling upon the same blogs. I feel its not worth the investment for the limited amount of cards i would mod ( after this maybe star fox 2 and star ocean and 2 of each at the most ) to buy all the equipment. I wondered if i could buy some chips off you pre flashed so i just need to install them. Maybe i could get in touch with you through email? thanks in advance.
Thanks for the tutorial :) I just did it like you did, and the cart works, except I get garbled backgrounds sometimes. (I'm playing on super NT) can you elaborate why you need the cap ? would that help with my issue ? thanks. (turns out I do have a 100nF cap on hand I could use for this :))
The cap is just a bypass cap - required as there's no decoupling on the 3.3v side of the regulator. That's where the cap should be connected, between 3.3v and ground. That might be causing your issue, but it could also be a bad connection or a fault or just some incompatiblity with the Super NT - hard to tell.
I see. you mean I should solder the 100nF cap between leg1(GND) et the VCC out (the tab on the other of the voltage regulator) can I keep my wire solder somewhere on the tab, not directly to the cap? thanks for the help^^
HOLY SH*T, it did fix it I think !! I exited and re entered the same area like 10times, and usually I would get garbled bacground 1 time in 3, or more, now it's perfect!! (I wired it pretty much like the C4 cap is setup on the 5V line) Thanks a ton :D
Hehe, great =D I think I might have had the same or similar issue. I think on mine I also found that 20% of the time the system wouldnt boot the cart too, but once the cap was on there it worked every time.
I have a top3000 Programmer i am really looking for adapter for it , I just got one from Aliexpress giving me error . "PSOP44 to DIP44/SOP44/SOIC44/SA638-B006 IC test socket adapter For RT809H programmer" Can someone please help
I bought a GQ-4X programmer and the adapter, and copied your video after writing the read fails every time... The programmer see's my ADP-019 V4.1 adapter as a ADP-019 V3.
Incredible guide, thanks so much for putting it together! Does a No-Intro Super Mario RPG ROM need any conversion (swap bin, etc) to prepare it for burning?
@@GadgetUK164 no prob! I think i got confused with the header part. I guess any rom on the internet is ready to burn on the chip? Also, do you have a video where you add the capacitor? Anyways great video mate!
Yeah, no worries - both totally valid points! I tend to throw caution to the wind with some things. Static is one of those things where I tend to go off experience rather than following rules all the time. For example, when handling MOS chips on the C64 - I always wear an ESD strap and use the mat, because you litterally have to look at them the wrong way and they get ESD damaged.
+Michael Lowery Don't fancy messing with chemicals if I am honest - there are some good videos on making flux but I much prefer to just buy it ready made. Have you made your own? Not got a BBC yet, I used the BBC a fair bit as school and was my first exposure to programming (BASIC). I will get one at some point but it might be a while yet. Nice machines BBC, really well built etc.
+GadgetUK164 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol Liquid 30ml of, 1 gram of rosin. Stick both in a glass jar leave over night to dissolve, that will be perfect for drag-soldering.
+Gillian Seed I didn't know you could do that with flash EPROMs! I thought it used a different type of technology to 'erase' the contents? Might give that a try at some point!
No I didn't lol! :o) I used chip qwik solder (low melting point solder) on one side, lifted one side up, then just heated and lifted the other side with normal solder. The best technique is either with chip qwik on both sides, or just use hot air (as I've shown a lot recently in MVS repairs).
lol OK I'll let you off then. Enjoying your vids & just about to subscribe. Also, your carpet reminds me a lot of the carpet My Mate VINCE works on... (I'll own up to having used the lighter on through hole stuff in an emergency CRT TV repair once or twice haha, wouldn't trust uncontrolled heat near surface mount though!)
Yes, you could order the chip pre-programmed from buyicnow.com! If you do that, perhaps buy more than 1, just in case one chip ends up with a dodgy byte or bit flipped etc. You just add the chip to your basket, and add programming option, attach the ROM (make sure you remove header or do any byte flipping required etc first. Then they will program it for you.
Thanks for your help. This sounds amazing, but sadly I've zero knowledge about rom hacking. I found this page romlaboratory.dbwbp.com/romlab/prepare.htm about "snes-tool". It doesn't look very simple.
It's worth pointing out that whilst it runs perfectly, I will add a cap later. Just re-watching this after uploading it and I've realised that the cap that's on there is for the 5v rail - see where the rail runs to the left hand pin (pin 23) which is now lifted and fed 3.3v. So it probably should have a 100nF cap. I will put the cap across the regulator output and ground.
I tried this mod today and it didn't work until I added the 100nF cap. Chuffed that I managed this, and you're right that the Chip Quick flux makes soldering such small pins possible. I now have 9 spare MX29L3211MC's as they come in a pack of 10. Are there any more carts that can be modded with these?
Even when I don't really understand what's going on I enjoy the vids :p Learned a lot about soldering from this particular vid mate cheers
It's worth pointing out that whilst it runs perfectly, I will add a cap later. Just re-watching this after uploading it and I've realised that the cap that's on there is for the 5v rail - see where the rail runs to the left hand pin (pin 23) which is now lifted and fed 3.3v. So it probably should have a 100nF cap. I will put the cap across the regulator output and ground.
+GadgetUK164 Yes the 0.1µF cap is to clean the 3.3V signal. Sometimes some repro won't boot if the cap is missing.
+The Real Phoenix I've tried this mod last month but with 'partial' success. I would get a black screen and 1 in 10 times I tried the card I would see the Square/Nintendo logos screen and then it would freeze. Could this be the 100nF I am missing?
+jkage198 The cap might sort it! I tested mine a lot yesterday and spotted that 1 out of every 10 times it wouldn't boot. Or when I had left the power off for a few hours it wouldnt boot on first power on. Added a 100nF cap between 3.3v and ground on the regulator and it boots every time now.
Nice - will definitely try with the cap then. Thanks Gadget!
People and links mentioned in the video:-
The Real Pheonix - th-cam.com/channels/zDOB8S1MO1rgT_blZhwbaw.html
mmmonkey - www.mmmonkey.co.uk
cracking vid mate, loved the solder tutorial!
+TootyUk Thanks =D
Great video, thanks for making it. I've been thinking about doing this mod myself for a while. After seeing how straight forward it is, I might actually get around to doing it now.
+PowerPC601 Thanks =D Easiest way to remove the old chip is to use Chip Quik solder, or you could carefully snip the pins on the old mask ROM. Just take your time and use good flux and it should be OK. The key is patience and planning. Don't rush into it and its a really straight forward quick job!
+GadgetUK164
Aww, we wanted to see your "unorthodox" chip removal method. :p
Did you actually use Chip Quik, or just do what I usually do when I can't be bothered to get the hot air station out - simply (and quickly but carefully) flow lots of new solder along all the chip legs? hehe
Really glad you mentioned Flux here as well - there so many people starting out with soldering who never use extra flux.
It's pretty much a pre-requisite when it comes to SMD stuff, as you know.
But, flux can help all types of soldering including through-hole.
I like to use flux paste (Amtech, Kester, Kingbo) rather than a flux pen on most stuff because the paste tends to stick around for longer and not boil away too fast.
+GadgetUK164
I agree with the solder wick thing too btw - I know it's not recommended to "drag" the wick along the pads, but it's more of a very light pressing and being able to "feel" when it's not stuck to the pads etc.
As you said, you do get used to it after doing hundreds of solder jobs, it's all just practice and confidence. ;)
That's part of the reason that's put me off doing some better / close-up vids so far - I'm slightly worried about all the bad habits I've picked up with soldering, but it usually works out fairly well for me. lol
I do use a proper de-soldering station (Duratool / Zhongdi), decent soldering station (Metcal), hot air station (Aoyue 852), good flux, and solder wick for certain bits, but I'm also quite lazy, so I often use the quicker methods for removing chips etc. :p
(I prefer not to cut the legs on components too often though, as that can put even more stress on the pads.)
btw, if you search for "Bismuth solder" on eBay etc., you'll probably find some stuff that's almost as good as Chip Quik but at a third of the cost. It is some damned pricey stuff tbh.
Yes, you are totally right regards technique and what you are used to. I often find it quicker and easier to remove chips the wrong way, despite that fact I have the kit and experience to remove them the right way. I think I am lazy too when it comes to removal lol. Anything to save a few minutes! Thanks for the tip there on that Bismuth solder! Will try that out!
GadgetUK164
I haven't actually tried any generic Bismuth solder tbh. The bismuth is pretty much what's in Chip Quik though AFAIK, and it just has a much lower melting point obviously.
Let us know how you get on with the generic stuff if you do test any. ;)
Some great soldering skills there, looks legit.
+FourX2k3 Thanks!! It's the flux really - the flux makes all the difference! I couldn't solder something like that without it.
Excellent soldering technique.
Thanks =D
another great vid mate, keep up the great work
+garybetts11 Thanks =D
Very nice! I would like to do this with Harvest Moon and a few other ones that cost an ungodly amount in the US. Mario RPG would be worth it too if I didn't have an original US copy. I think it's going for about $65 these days. The PAL version is a bit more no?
The MX29l3211 is a 3.3V chip, so I can see the need for the regulator, but the address bus is still 5V. I don't think it's inputs are officially 5V tolerant, so it will be slightly out of spec if the address bus on the SNES is 5V. But it's probably getting away with it as the logic level is not going to be as high as 5V, and is more likely just within the 3.3V + 0.6V maximum input voltage on the chip. Seems to be working fine anyway.
+Dave Curran Thanks! That's probably why it needs 5v for programming. It's like the multicarts on the Neo Geo, they also use 3.3v logic and work fine. I think ultimately it's not ideal as its probably stressing something slightly somewhere.
+GadgetUK164 Datasheet says 3.3V for programming as well.... All seems to work anyway. Nice soldering by the way, you can never have too much flux!
+Dave Curran Thanks =D The software suggesting 5v is probably a bug then. I might try programming one of the chips with 3.3v set to see what happens.
+GadgetUK164 I've tried to burn the MX29L3211 @3.3V with the GQ-4X but I had random errors while writing.
+Dave Curran is totaly right, the logic level is @5V on SNES cart, so the chip's life is shorted.
As a matter of fact, those kind of repro are possibly not working correctly on the SNES 1CHIP or Mini Snes (I hade some trouble with a Star Ocean repro and the SNES 1CHIP of a friend, game was crashing randomly even with the caps on the 3.3V)
The "clean" way is to use Level Shifter like the 74LVC245 (but since it only has 8 addresses, you'll need 5 of them for A0-A20 plus Q0-Q15 on the 29L3211) or a 2N7000 MOSFET on each 3.3V rail.
Except the enormous M27C322 I don't know any eeprom "word-wide" 100% compatible for this kind of repro.
+The Real Phoenix Check out this channel - someone has designed a board with multi ROM support and level shifters! th-cam.com/channels/nk4FvRUIN8Y0lUugXkVvPA.html
Could this method of replacing games also work with Star Fox 2 on cartridge? With a Super FX game though obviously.
Yes, I have a video on that on my channel!
Regarding the description: The Japanese NTSC version works fine on a US NTSC console because they use the same CIC. The only difference between the two is the power jack and the housing (physical region lock-out). Fun fact: they use a standard 5.5x2.1mm jack on the SFC because they did not include an adapter and expected you to either buy separately or switch your Famicom’s power adapter. This is similar reasoning for the 3DS series no longer including the power adapters. The US NTSC SNES and Virtual Boy use a non-standard size for the barrel connector. You won’t find it in any universal adapter sets that weren’t specifically made for game systems.
Thanks for that info - I didn't know that both NTSC systems used the same CIC =O Have a great XMAS mate and Happy 2018 =D
I have the Japanese version of this cart too, never knew you could convert it to English! Like you said though, it might be cheaper just getting the English version. Good video!
Thanks! The plus from getting a programmer and adapter is you can then use those for other chips and systems etc. It's annoying that one manufacturer doesn't target all chip types...
Good point, I do have Japanese versions of Start Fox and Wildtrax too. So could reprogram them with the English versions. I might ask for a new Christmas present ;-)
Nice drag soldering!!
+bwack Thanks =D It's the flux doing most of the work! Without flux my soldering looks like a 3 year old did it!
Beautiful work!
+Anacreon ZA Thanks =D
GadgetUK164 - Retro Gaming Repairs & Mods
Is there any change to order this ship but already programmed? So I can do soldering my self.
You can probably get it pre-programmed from buyicnow.com.
Thank you, but this is from USA. You are from UK, same country. I will transfere money first + shipping cost to you. If you are interested please inbox me on youtube. Please)
Sorry but I just dont have the time to program chips for people!
on carpet of all things. Can you say static discharge?
+Steve Baker Yes, it's bad practice! My bad! I cannot generate static on that carpet with the clothes and foot wear I use, and I have tried a number of times! That said I do often wear an anti static wrist strap, and I have an ESD mat, and for some things I take ESD much more seriously than others, but for me it's just a personal thing, I've got lazy because I know I can. If you want to watch really crazy disrespect of ESD protection, watch LinusTechTips handling a CPU worth $4000 without taking any ESD protection, now that's crazy imo. If a chip worth £1 or £5 gets damaged by ESD I can live with it.
Great video, I'm picking up a fair amount of information from your channel.I'd like to know if you'd consider doing a short video on the consumables and items you use for your repairs and mods. You mention "blue tack","chip quick"(flux?) etc. I am not familiar with these terms. Any info on the programmers and logic probes you use would be great as well. Thank you!
+Cheatin Chad Will do! I keep meaning to do some of those types of videos at some point soon!
Im late, but do you know where I can buy only the mask rom in english?
I am not sure, other than a cart on eBay... I always thought this was a Japan only release - possibly not... You could get a flash ROM programmed like I showed, buyicnow.com will do that - you just select the chip type and provide the ROM (in the correct format to program).
I have some PlayStation 2s in need of repair and I just cannot figure out what'll fix them. One system I did get a new laser for as well as a laser arm and other things but it still won't read discs. The other I just had a clean out but it still won't read CDs, only DVDs, and the disc tray makes an unsettling sound when opening. Care to help?
+adultmoshifan87 Some of the new lasers don't work very well. I've had 2 or 3 'new lasers' where the CD reads but the DVD doesn't, and in each case another laser solved the problem. If the disc tray makes a strange sound then it sounds like there's some kind of mechanical / alignment issue with the tray / gears etc. Maybe a missing tooth on a gear?
How do you recommend I get a new laser? I wish to avoid getting a cheap Chinese fake laser.
+adultmoshifan87 Sorry for my slow reply! There's no easy answer with PS2 - your best bet is to find a seller with good feedback on eBay!
I had a PS2 get its laser replaced in 2013 but it must be a bad replacement because it gave up rather quickly. I had another system just get its lens cleaned and now DVDs read much quicker and I can use CDs again! However, CDs do still seem to take longer to read than they should, but I've played 2 PSone games on that system and they both played flawlessly despite having taken longer to start than usual!
A good video showing you how to use hot air removal by Silverfox0786 :- th-cam.com/video/lmp2CQmrRuY/w-d-xo.html
Where I can buy this chip to convert my game?
You could try buyicnow.com, UTsource or AliExpress!
Hello, how are you? I wonder, would it be possible to turn Tengai Makyou Zero from Japanese to English through the Japanese donor cartridge. I'd like you to take a video about it. Thanks in advance.
I cannot do customer repairs or mods sorry.
somme ppl are selling those (and they look harrible inside), but it's unknown how to exactly do it yet, but who knows, maybe it'll be known or shared later ^^
Hi , do you have any link to buy MX chip? thankzp
eBay, buyicnow.com, utsource or AliExpress
so i got everything need to do this but only one small problem....
how do i flash the 29L3211MC. I have a top3000 programmer
do i need different software for this chip?
I don't think the top3000 supports the MX29L3211 =/ I had to buy a new EPROM programmer specifically so I could do those chips. I ended up getting a GQ-4X4
Seriously.. ah fuk, after I bought the top3000 for £110...
do you know where I can get my chip programmed or some one program it for me, i'd be happy to pay for it
Yeah, its a pain - as I said at the beginning of the video, I ended up buying a programmer specifically for those chips. buyicnow.com program those types of chips I think. You can add the chip to your basket and then add programming as an option. You can upload the ROM (make sure you remove any header first), and they can program it for you.
thanks
I don't suppose this chip would be a good alternative to that clunky adapter for Star Fox 2?
Sadly no, I believe the SFX boards use an 8bit ROM chip, whereas the one on Super Mario RPG is 16bit.
Would it be possible to just buy a rewritten chip from you for Mario RPG? I have the japanese cart I just need a rewritten chip.
I cannot offer that service sorry - you might be able to buy a chip from buyicnow.com which is pre-programmed - you have to upload the ROM with the order (assuming they sell that IC).
@@GadgetUK164 it would just be so much cheaper for everyone to just buy the language patch chip. That way people dont have to pay all the upfront cost for the gear and the people who bought the gear can have it pay for itself. Oh well thanks for the tip anyway.
Awesome vid. So glad I've found some uk based snes repro videos. I'm pretty new to this (have an eprom programmer and am waiting on EPROMs and eraser to turn up in post) I'm looking to convert some super famicom games to their Pal counterparts. Wanted to start with chrono trigger. Is it just a case of swapping the Roms (byte swapped and wired if necessary) and then swapping the cic chip if the cartridge has one?
Thanks =D It can vary depending on the game you are doing - in this example the ROM did not need byte swapping, but some do - do a search in google first, chances are someone has asked about that chip or board revision before with regards to whether it needs byte swapping or not, and often you will find suggestions for a suitable EPROM. But beyond that, yes just the CIC chip to deal with.
GadgetUK164 cheers gadget i will do some more digging. Gaining knowledge slowly but surely. Keep the sines vids coming man!
I know this is an old video but hope ypu’ll respond just the same, can this mod be done to Mega Man X2 and 3? They both cost way too much today.
The easy solution really is to get an SD2SNES!
By the way did you have any trouble to burn your Eeprom with the ADP-019 ? Mine I had to change a resistor to make it works.
+The Real Phoenix I found that at one point it was failing the verify every time after trying to write a few times. I closed the software down and tried again and it then worked first time. This one is a GQ-4X4 (I think the extra 4 means its revision 4) so maybe they've fixed it?
+GadgetUK164 Yup That's what I'm talking about. The solution is not really on the GQ-4X but on the ADP-019. There's a small 2.2k resistor next to the SOP socket and the border of the adapter that has to be reduced to 1k (1.2k will do, that's what I've done). Also, adding a 0.1µF capa between the VCC line and the GND Under the SOP socket helps.From that I could have 100% successfull burning.
Thanks for that info, I will modify mine! =D
I initially replaced the 2.2k resistor with 1.2k but it still didn't work. Ended up with a 680k resistor plus a 100nF capacitor. Now works perfectly every time :-)
Just a thought here. In regards to your video where you made a working copy of Star Fox 2 couldn't you have used a ROM chip like the one used here? Or is the pinout or specs different. Just asking because it seemed like you went through allot of trouble trying to get that little adapter board on the cartridge PCB.
+Robert NES816 They have different pinouts - completely! The chip on the Starfox 2 is an 8bit chip, so only has 8 data lines. The chip on the Super Mario RPG is 16bit = 16 data lines.
+GadgetUK164 Oh okay. I know zero about making games then lol.
+Robert NES816 Your point was a valid thought though! It's always good to think outside the box and with some carts the other chip would work fine probably.
hi ... What recorder do I use to record the eprom MX29L3211 ... I see people using the Minipro Tl866cs a lot but I do not know if I can get this recorder.
GQ-4x4, plus the correct adapter PCB as shown at the start of the video there.
Do you change the batteries also?
+Andrew Littleboy Yes, I've got one on the way for this. I sometimes fit a CR2032 holder as well.
Shows how times have changed that this was never given a PAL release
+Christopher Kelly I didn't know that!
+GadgetUK164 yeah and I think as it was a later fx game the USA version wouldn't work on a lot of the earlier converter even ones that could run star fox and stunt race. I have a USA copy and the prices it goes for now mean something like this is cool. It is anyway.
what is the 2nd song that plays on your vids mate?
+morsoe1 No Second Prize - from the Amiga!
+GadgetUK164 Thanks!!! cracking tune!
Certain chip programers cant do the 12v that some chips need
where do you get the 3v regulator from?
Have a search on eBay for AMS1117 (3.3v) - Do check its the 3.3v version though, that same part number AMS1117 comes in different versions which provided different voltages.
Awesome, Thanks for the info
so cool I tried to do a similar project once but I think my adapter was wrong or faulty. i may give this a shot :-)
+The Great Jonzini I think the hardest part is programming the chip (finding the right adapter and programmer) and removing the old chip.
Hi! I have a little question. The file that you send to Buyicnow, is the typical ROM.sfc (whithout header) or you have to do something with it before? One more thing. Sorry about my english, I don't know if I wrote everything ok, I hope that you understand my question. Thanks for this great video!
Would this work with a legit chip from a US copy if you had a bad board or something?
Yes, the only thing that you need to think about is the CIC on the cart needs to be the same region as the system you want to plug the cart into. Or you could have a region free SNES and then the CIC wouldnt matter.
Hi GadgetUK , I bought a japanese super mario rpg to mod it to English like you did after stumbling upon the same blogs. I feel its not worth the investment for the limited amount of cards i would mod ( after this maybe star fox 2 and star ocean and 2 of each at the most ) to buy all the equipment. I wondered if i could buy some chips off you pre flashed so i just need to install them. Maybe i could get in touch with you through email? thanks in advance.
buyicnow.com can pre-program EPROM / EEPROM chips when you buy chips from them. That's you're best bet! I just dont have the time unfortunately.
Thanks for the tutorial :) I just did it like you did, and the cart works, except I get garbled backgrounds sometimes. (I'm playing on super NT) can you elaborate why you need the cap ? would that help with my issue ? thanks. (turns out I do have a 100nF cap on hand I could use for this :))
The cap is just a bypass cap - required as there's no decoupling on the 3.3v side of the regulator. That's where the cap should be connected, between 3.3v and ground. That might be causing your issue, but it could also be a bad connection or a fault or just some incompatiblity with the Super NT - hard to tell.
I see. you mean I should solder the 100nF cap between leg1(GND) et the VCC out (the tab on the other of the voltage regulator) can I keep my wire solder somewhere on the tab, not directly to the cap?
thanks for the help^^
HOLY SH*T, it did fix it I think !! I exited and re entered the same area like 10times, and usually I would get garbled bacground 1 time in 3, or more, now it's perfect!! (I wired it pretty much like the C4 cap is setup on the 5V line) Thanks a ton :D
Hehe, great =D I think I might have had the same or similar issue. I think on mine I also found that 20% of the time the system wouldnt boot the cart too, but once the cap was on there it worked every time.
Yes - some people stick the cap on the regulator pins or nearby as its easy to fit there.
I have a top3000 Programmer i am really looking for adapter for it , I just got one from Aliexpress giving me error .
"PSOP44 to DIP44/SOP44/SOIC44/SA638-B006 IC test socket adapter For RT809H programmer" Can someone please help
super clean chip removal and replacent, it looks factory. Never played the game tho as I think it came late in Snes life.
+Beaps73 Thanks =D It's a really good game, I am really enjoying it. Someone said it was never released on PAL =O
I bought a GQ-4X programmer and the adapter, and copied your video after writing the read fails every time...
The programmer see's my ADP-019 V4.1 adapter as a ADP-019 V3.
See the comments below from "The Real Phoenix" - try that mod, maybe you've got the same problem he had?
Incredible guide, thanks so much for putting it together! Does a No-Intro Super Mario RPG ROM need any conversion (swap bin, etc) to prepare it for burning?
Sent you a PM through YT - please check and let me know when you've got the file.
You don't need to byteswap this particular game btw. Just remove the header from the file before you burn it.
Excellent, thanks a million for confirming :D
Did you get the zip I uploaded for you?
Yes, I got it, thanks :D
Hi! It's been 7 years. Can you send me via email the exact rom you use? Im trying to order now on their site 🙂
Sorry but I cannot email ROM files - just search online, they are easy enough to find!
@@GadgetUK164 no prob! I think i got confused with the header part. I guess any rom on the internet is ready to burn on the chip? Also, do you have a video where you add the capacitor? Anyways great video mate!
Might want to point out that this should not be done on carpet due to both static and fire hazards.
Yes, static risk - Chance of static damage is pretty slim tbh!
Mainly directed at the newbies :-)
Yeah, no worries - both totally valid points! I tend to throw caution to the wind with some things. Static is one of those things where I tend to go off experience rather than following rules all the time. For example, when handling MOS chips on the C64 - I always wear an ESD strap and use the mat, because you litterally have to look at them the wrong way and they get ESD damaged.
a cap...i knew it!!!!!!!!!!!!, hahahaha OMG that was great! Good one Mate!
+Amy Marie Hahaha! Thanks =D
You should have a go at making your own flux. That would make a good video.
Not got bbc micro yet then ?
+Michael Lowery Don't fancy messing with chemicals if I am honest - there are some good videos on making flux but I much prefer to just buy it ready made. Have you made your own? Not got a BBC yet, I used the BBC a fair bit as school and was my first exposure to programming (BASIC). I will get one at some point but it might be a while yet. Nice machines BBC, really well built etc.
+GadgetUK164 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol Liquid 30ml of, 1 gram of rosin.
Stick both in a glass jar leave over night to dissolve,
that will be perfect for drag-soldering.
Still looking for help :/
idea for next time, etch off the top of the chip so you can uv erase it and reprogram it.
+Gillian Seed I didn't know you could do that with flash EPROMs! I thought it used a different type of technology to 'erase' the contents? Might give that a try at some point!
6:21 you used a lighter and tipped the board upside down till it fell off lol ;)
No I didn't lol! :o) I used chip qwik solder (low melting point solder) on one side, lifted one side up, then just heated and lifted the other side with normal solder. The best technique is either with chip qwik on both sides, or just use hot air (as I've shown a lot recently in MVS repairs).
lol OK I'll let you off then. Enjoying your vids & just about to subscribe. Also, your carpet reminds me a lot of the carpet My Mate VINCE works on... (I'll own up to having used the lighter on through hole stuff in an emergency CRT TV repair once or twice haha, wouldn't trust uncontrolled heat near surface mount though!)
But alt the end it is not longer a Original Game...
Ehhh... Is there any alternative to spending a hundred bucks for a programmer I'll probably never use again? Thanks for the video btw :)
Yes, you could order the chip pre-programmed from buyicnow.com! If you do that, perhaps buy more than 1, just in case one chip ends up with a dodgy byte or bit flipped etc. You just add the chip to your basket, and add programming option, attach the ROM (make sure you remove header or do any byte flipping required etc first. Then they will program it for you.
Thanks for your help. This sounds amazing, but sadly I've zero knowledge about rom hacking. I found this page romlaboratory.dbwbp.com/romlab/prepare.htm about "snes-tool". It doesn't look very simple.
I found out that my ROM didn't need any modifications, so I did exactly as you said, then did some soldering, tested and the game works great!
igano111 Great!!!
It's worth pointing out that whilst it runs perfectly, I will add a cap later. Just re-watching this after uploading it and I've realised that the cap that's on there is for the 5v rail - see where the rail runs to the left hand pin (pin 23) which is now lifted and fed 3.3v. So it probably should have a 100nF cap. I will put the cap across the regulator output and ground.
I tried this mod today and it didn't work until I added the 100nF cap. Chuffed that I managed this, and you're right that the Chip Quick flux makes soldering such small pins possible. I now have 9 spare MX29L3211MC's as they come in a pack of 10. Are there any more carts that can be modded with these?