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PGM single game PCB assembly and troubleshooting

@rewrite @xodaraP Two more questions: Which type of GAL are you using? And can you check the resistor R1?

If DDP3 works and Espgaluda or Ketsui fail it may be an odd conflict between the game program and the on-board BIOS.
 
GAL16V8 - Lattice branded, eBay China recycle in case it makes a difference but it shouldn't. I've tried multiple.

Resistor is a 100R as specified in the instructions

I have to admit I haven't had time yet to diagnose this further, have been fixing stuff for others and finishing a couple of projects
 
No problem - this isn't urgent, but I need to work out if this is something I need to fix on the PCB before I make the next order.
Is there a speed rating printed on the GAL?
 
I didn't go away? At the moment I don't know when I'm going to order exactly, as real life is a bit messy right now, but if there is a problem with the current version I need to fix it.
I am ordering in batches to minimise risk from production problems, while balancing with the volume discount you get for a larger order. This is a hobby project, so I don't really want to invest a lot of money or manage unsold inventory.
 
Last I spoke to you, you had some personal stuff going on....and I had hoped that it sorted for you. I hadn't seen you around much, and you didn't seem to think you were gonna get a second batch at all, possibly.

I hope life is better, or at least getting that way, sincerely!

Whenever you get these sorted, and are ready to order....I'm still in.
 
Hey All,

Just adding some diag info. I was having Ketsi and Espgelda running FINE on my set of PCBs. BUT when i swapped in DoDoPatshi (DDP). the game didn't run properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTrMADwp7-c

So i replaced the T1 and T2 roms with new chips and code.... No change. So i thought maybe U6 GAL was faulty. Burnet another gal.. and that was it!!! Game now runs perfectly :)

Wanted to document it here in case anyone gets the same issues.

Tim.
 
Fluffy said:
I didn't go away? At the moment I don't know when I'm going to order exactly, as real life is a bit messy right now, but if there is a problem with the current version I need to fix it.
I am ordering in batches to minimise risk from production problems, while balancing with the volume discount you get for a larger order. This is a hobby project, so I don't really want to invest a lot of money or manage unsold inventory.
Click to expand...
I have Built all 3 of the CAVE games this week with Only one issue which was a faulty chip. Everthing else works fine. This is using board ordered from the last run... BUT my test boards (with sockets on them) are quite odd.. and still work fine too....

T.
 
I've been looking into using low-profile sockets for the graphics board. Mill-Max makes a line of ultra-low-profile DIP sockets that would be of some use for the TTLs on the graphics board, but sadly they don't come in a 42-pin version. For the actual graphics ROMs, the Peel-A-Way sockets might work - these are strips of individual pin sockets that are soldered into the PCB, held together by some kind of Kapton-like material that rips away once they're all in place.
 
I found that the soldering while time consuming was pretty easy and even fun for these 3 sets of boards. Only problem I had was inserting the Gpal at U6 backwards and burning the chip. After receiving a freshly made gpal the problem was fixed and all the games work. I initially wanted the milmax pins incase I needed to change anything out but I haven't experienced any problems with these games. Granted I haven't played them a whole lot because currently without cases for them I have to take apart one of my other original games and use the casing. I don't like doing that. Eventually someone will come up with a case for these or I will just have to bite the bullet and 3D print them.

Point is I haven't experienced any problems so I feel the milmax pins might be overkill for a one and done creation. What is this other issue people are talking about with a resistor? I just purchased from digikey the bom and they all seem to work fine.
 
Its easy enough to have 1 set of 2 board WITH sockets. And you use it to test your game chips BEFORE perminate soldering to the PCBs. That way you don't need to use sockets on "Finished" carts... Well the grafics rom board anyway....

T.
 
I get that. But that's useful if you plan to make more than one copy of each game right? I don't plan on mass producing these carts, and since they are proven to work fine, all you gotta do is solder the chips in. I understand chips sometimes can claim they are fine in the programmer then not work on the real deal so a test board would be good to pass around. I just feel the instructions and troubleshooting are good enough to not have to hassle with those super expensive milmax pins.
 
Kavas said:
What is this other issue people are talking about with a resistor? I just purchased from digikey the bom and they all seem to work fine.
Click to expand...
I don't know, I'm just throwing random ideas at the wall. Once this virus stuff is over I'll probably send a known working board out so people can replace individual pieces to see what is causing the problem....
This is either something I need to fix in the board, or update in the documentation.
 
Hey guys!
I'm having a little problem with DDP3:
When booting with the "Version A - old" option, the game hangs with an error right after the legal screen. When I immediately throw in some coins and mash the start button, I can play the game though.

"Version B - new" strangely works absolutely fine.

I've tried ddp3_p1_dual and ddp3_p1_dual_qb and even built a completely new set of carts... No difference.



Has anyone else encountered this problem?
 

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it's a known bug. I'm not sure there is a fix.
 
Ah, okay.
At least it's good to know that it's not something I did wrong or a problem with my motherboard. ^^
 
It’s a known bug? I can play this cart without issue. How do I reproduce it?
 
It's been awhile since I had the dual rom on but it was random. Sometime I get it sometime not. Even try clearing the nvram only way for me to get pass it was to coin up. Could be a mobo revision thing or bad eprom. I myself have not look further into it
 
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