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twistedsymphony

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The Arcade community has made some good strides in reviving boards with suicide batteries. Recently I found a few non-volatile RAM replacements for battery backed RAM on non-suicide battery backed PCBs, so I thought it might be useful to start compiling a list of PCBs that use battery backups so that maybe we can start identifying ways to rid ourselves of these time-bombs while retaining full original functionality of the PCB...

The ultimate goal is to "move the needle" from left further right on the chart below without sacrificing functionality...

Soldered Battery -> Sealed Battery -> Removable Battery -> No Battery

For Suicide Batteries I'd like to include any and All known arcade boards that suicide. However to keep the list manageable I'd like to stick to just JAMMA boards for the non-suicide batteries.

SUICIDE BATTERIES
Capcom
  • Pang (soldered)
  • Super Pang (soldered)
  • Block Block (soldered)
  • Adventure Quiz: Capcom World 2 (C-Board, Soldered)
  • Captain Commando (C-Board, Soldered)
  • King of Dragons (C-Board, Soldered)
  • Knights of Round (C-Board, Soldered)
  • Quiz & Dragons: Capcom Quiz Game (C-Board, Soldered)
  • Three Wonders (C-Board, Soldered)
  • Varth: Operation Thunderstorm (Japan Version) (C-Board, Soldered)
  • ALL Capcom CPS Q-Sound (C-Board and D-Board, Soldered)
  • ALL Capcom CPS2 (B-Board, Soldered)
  • ALL Capcom CPS3 (Bios Cart, Soldered)
EXAMU
  • eX-Board (Removable Coin Cell)

Konami
  • System 573 (Time Keeper Chip)
  • M2 (Time Keeper Chip)

Sega
  • MOST Sega System 16 (Built Into CPU)
  • ALL Sega System 18 (Built Into CPU)

Seibu
  • Zero Team Original Version (Plugged In and Zip-Tied)

Gaelco
  • World Rally
  • Alligator Hunt
  • World Rally 2
  • Touch & Go
  • Maniac Square
  • Play 2000
  • Thunder Hoop 2
  • Strikes Back
  • Glass
  • Target Hits
  • Salter
  • Super roller


NON-SUICIDE BATTERIES
Atari
  • ALL Denver Hardware (Time Keeper Chip)
  • ALL Flagstaff Hardware (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Seattle Hardware (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Vegas Hardware (Time Keeper Chip)
  • ALL MEDIA GX Hardware (Removable Coin Cell)
Cave
  • ALL CV1000 (Removalbe Coin Cell)
  • ALL PGM Single Board Games (soldered)

Electronic Arts
  • Battletoads (Removable Coin Cell)

IGS
  • PGM System V0-V12 (Main Board, Soldered)
  • PGM System V14 (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL PGM Single Board Games (soldered)

Incredible Technologies
  • Golden Tee Golf (Soldered)
  • Golden Tee 3D (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)
  • Street Fighter The Movie (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)
  • Time Killers (Main Board, Soldered)

Jaleco
  • Mega System 32 (Main Board, Removalble Coin Cell)

Kaneko
  • SuperNova System (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)

Konami

  • Cue brick (Soldered)
  • Golfing Greats (Soldered)
  • Hyper Sports special / Konami88 (Soldered)
Midway
  • ALL Y-Unit (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL T-Unit (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL V-Unit (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Wolf Unit (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Seattle Hardware (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Zeus Hardware (Removable Coin Cell)
  • ALL Zeus II Hardware (2x TimeKeeper Chips)

Sammy
  • Atomiswave Hardware (mobo)
  • Zombie Raid (Soldered)

Sega
  • ALL System 32 (Main Board, Removable Coin Cell)
  • ST-V (Main Board Removable Coin Cell)
  • DIMM Board (plug-in battery pack)
  • Chihiro (Removalbe Coin Cell)

Seibu
  • SPI (main board, Soldered)
  • Raiden II Original Version (Plugged In and Zip-Tied)
  • Raiden DX Original Version (Plugged In and Zip-Tied)

Seta
  • Caliber .50 (Soldered)
  • Pachinko Sexy Reaction (ROM Board, Soldered)
  • Pachinko Sexy Reaction 2 (ROM Board, Soldered)

SNK
  • MVS (Main Board Soldered)

Visco
  • Drift Out '94 (ROM Board, Soldered)
  • Storm Blade (ROM Board, Soldered)


If you know of other PCBs with batteries not listed above, please post.
Also if you know resources for getting rid of the battery while retaining original functionality please post that as well.
 
I recently replaced an nv sram chip on my cruis'n exotica because the settings weren't saving. there's two different ones on the pcb, with different part numbers. I think one holds settings and one holds high scores/profiles?

Settings:
ST M4T28-BR12SH1 Snaphat Battery & Crystal, 2.8V Nominal, Lithium, 48mAh, 32.768kHz Oscillator, 12.5pF Load, SMD-28

These are compatible and are for the high scores:
ST M48Z128Y-70PM1 DIP 1 Mbit 128Kb x8 ZEROPOWER SRAM
DALLAS DS1245Y-70 DIP-32 1024k Nonvolatile SRAM
 
There are a lot of cave games with those VARTA batteries on them. not the removeable coin cell kind.
 
From what do i recall Zero Team does have a Suicide Battery
I fixed mine here: arcadecollecting.com/dead/
There's also many other mentions
Thanks, I had assumed it was similar to Raiden II/Raiden DX on the same hardware in that the battery just prevents save games from storing.
Unfortunatly no. However this applies only for the "Zero Team USA" revision. The last revisions (New Zero Team & Zero Team 2000) does not have battery at all.
 
Yes, I think you're right. I just remember having some, on closer inspection it was my ketsui board. I don't remember if my DDPDOJ had one before I sold it?
I believe they all have it from the factory.
 
Also, on

-IGS
PGM System (Main Board, Soldered)
PGM Single Board Games (soldered)

You should break out the version numbers as the later versions (v14 I think) have coin cell, so it would be good to know that.
 
You should break out the version numbers as the later versions (v14 I think) have coin cell, so it would be good to know that.
it's not a replaceable coin cell though, it's still soldered isn't it? I'm only specifying the battery format when it's removable.
 
You should break out the version numbers as the later versions (v14 I think) have coin cell, so it would be good to know that.
it's not a replaceable coin cell though, it's still soldered isn't it? I'm only specifying the battery format when it's removable.
I'm not sure about the earlier versions (can't tell from the pics) but v14 is listed as "shipped with a battery holder rather than a soldered battery", but the guy who posted those pictures is unreliable... better to ask the master.

PGM Motherboard Versions

Paging @GC8TECH can you confirm which motherboard revisions had factory coin cell holders (not soldered in place)?
 
half off topic... but in case anyone was wondering (no one was wondering).

Here is my list of capcom batteries I need to maintain... I have a spreadsheet that has the change dates of all these batteries.
Code:
Captain Commando
Knights of the Round
Varth

19XX
Dimahoo
Marvel Super Heroes
Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter
Marvel vs. Capcom
Marvel vs. Capcom
Marvel vs. Capcom
Progear
Street Fighter Zero
Street Fighter Alpha 2
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix
Super Puzzle Fighter II X
Super Street Fighter 2
Super Street Fighter 2X
Super Street Fighter II Turbo
Vampire
Vampire Hunter
Vampire Hunter 2
Vampire Savior
Vampire Savior 2
X-Men: Children of the Atom
X-Men vs Street Fighter

Street Fighter III: New Generation
Street Fighter III: Second Impact Giant Attack
Street Fighter III: Second Impact Giant Attack
Street Fighter III: Second Impact Giant Attack
Street Fighter III: Second Impact Giant Attack
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (JJK)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (JJM): Heritage for the Future
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Street Fighter III: Third Strike
Warzard
 
You should break out the version numbers as the later versions (v14 I think) have coin cell, so it would be good to know that.
it's not a replaceable coin cell though, it's still soldered isn't it? I'm only specifying the battery format when it's removable.
I'm not sure about the earlier versions (can't tell from the pics) but v14 is listed as "shipped with a battery holder rather than a soldered battery", but the guy who posted those pictures is unreliable... better to ask the master.
PGM Motherboard Versions

Paging @GC8TECH can you confirm which motherboard revisions had factory coin cell holders (not soldered in place)?
The ONLY PGM Revision with a proper coin cell (CR2032) is REV 14. Everything below the V14 had either a NiCAD or NiMH rechargeable battery.. that always leaks!!
You CAN fit a coin cell to the earlier PCBs.. BUT you have to DISABLE the charging circuit. Like what i do in the Pre-Modded PGM Motherboards i sell....

Some of the "Single Board" games DO have a proper Coin cell just like the REV14... I forgot to mention it!

Tim.
 
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Maybe the information to disable the PGM and Neo Geo charging circuits can be linked to this post too? Very simple mods to do!
 
I recently replaced an nv sram chip on my cruis'n exotica because the settings weren't saving. there's two different ones on the pcb, with different part numbers. I think one holds settings and one holds high scores/profiles?

Settings:
ST M4T28-BR12SH1 Snaphat Battery & Crystal, 2.8V Nominal, Lithium, 48mAh, 32.768kHz Oscillator, 12.5pF Load, SMD-28

These are compatible and are for the high scores:
ST M48Z128Y-70PM1 DIP 1 Mbit 128Kb x8 ZEROPOWER SRAM
DALLAS DS1245Y-70 DIP-32 1024k Nonvolatile SRAM
These "batteries" don't make the cut? Cruis'n Exotica is on the Zeus II hardware. The batteries are not coin cells, but more like little IC blocks.
 
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