Well done sir, care to share the pins you tapped? eventually ?
I hope you got some fun output on that UART! I'm guessing all sort of debug messages galore. =]
Probably not; reasoning being that there is no standard application to use it for. Was running custom application/code on N1 to accept commands from PC to control SH4/G1BUS while watching with logic analyzer. Similar deal to how I was able to solve cart algorithm used by the Atomiswave.
Looking through several of the games seems to imply they do indeed have some sort of debug output, the question is where is the intended destination of the printed messages? I would expect this UART you are poking at, wouldn't you?
Here are some examples games that you may test out if you have time.
$ strings AtomisWave/AW-MetalSlug6.bin | grep SCIF
Startup SCIF 115200 BPS Buffer[%dByte]
All these files have the same "Startup SCIF" string as Metal Slug
Binary file AtomisWave/AW-ViolentMetalSlug6.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/MetalSlug6.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/NeoGeoBattleColliseum.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/basschanllenge.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/gdrom_KOFXI.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/gdrom_KOFXI_controles_JVS_OK_Video_OK_v4.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/gdrom_KOFXI_v5.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/gdrom_KOFXI_v5_AllFighters.bin matches
Binary file AtomisWave/kofxiallfighters.bin matches
...
Binary file Naomi1/MeltyBloodActCadenza(RevA).bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/MeltyBloodActCadenzaVerB2_v3.bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/MeltyBloodActCadenzaVerB_v3.bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/MeltyBloodActressAgain.bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/MeltyBloodActressAgain_v6.bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/ShikigamiNoShiroII_v6.bin matches
Binary file Naomi1/TetrisKiwamemichi_v6.bin matches
...
I suppose I can just Saleae the output pins myself, it would be easier if you'd just share what you already know about the pinout of course.
I recall Dknute sharing once that he had found a log on his Harddrive from an emulator logging said output:
" I just found this serial port log sitting on my hard drive. Try to guess which game it came from (don't let the text fool you, it's from NAOMI):"
https://dknute.livejournal.com/31480.html
Nindows2 for DREAMCAST version 2.12(C)
SEGA ENTERPRISES SYSTEM R&D Library Team
Startup SCIF 115200 BPS Buffer[1024Byte]
HEAP INITIALIZE Address = $8dc16140
Size = $00027c00I know
"Nindows" (and Gindows) is a Sega debugger that can be enabled in various games.
https://assemblergames.com/threads/where-does-the-gindows-debug-library-come-from.66906/"Gindows and Nindows, as the name implies, are very Windows looking debug user interfaces for use in Dreamcast games.
Where does Gindows actually come from? I've only seen it in Rez so far. Nindows however has popped up in a few places like Sonic Shuffle, beta 836 of Rez, and multiple sdk samples and tech demos (Tower of Babylon, for example)"