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Requirements for 256 to run the IC card reader and connected questions

Mini_Goat_King

Mini_Goat_King

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Hello,

I recently purchased a Namco 256 from the delightful defor, and was interested in getting an IC card reader for use with Tekken 5 DR. However, I cannot find much information on what is actually required to run the card reader. I have seen that a EX CARD PCB is needed, but have not been able to even see what this item looks like. I should be eventually getting one from defor, so this is more for my knowledge/curiousity. Is there anything else? Do any of you currently run an IC card reader? Can the card reader for Tekken 5 DR be used for, say, DBZ?

I would also be curious to know if a replacement IC card has been created that doesn't crap out after 400 uses.

Finally, can old IC cards be erased or re-used, or do they have to be brand new, one-per-character?

Thank you- MGK
 
The only thing I am able to answer is the old cards question,

I have seen no arcade card system where old cards could be erased, once it is used it can only then be used for the remaining uses on said card (like an Initial D card only having 50 uses)

I too would like to know a bit more about the card reader for 256 as I really only know a bit about Naomi 2 card readers.

As far as replacement cards go, I believe the whole how many uses a card has is not related to the card itself but the software that is using it. Since they want to sell more cards the software requires you to buy a new card at a certain point not the physical card itself.

I know when it comes to Naomi 2 cards as long as the card is the same type of card, it does not matter which game it was originally designed for. I have seen people use Derby Owners Club cards with Initial D since they are the same cards, the printing can look weird depending on the design on the top.
 
Well, I found out a little more information...

Apparently, you need three things to be able to run the card reader.
  1. The actual card reader device
  2. The EXCARD pcb
  3. The S-CONVS pcb

Now, to just find all of these things...the card reader seems pretty easy to find and not stupidly expensive, however, the rest of the stuff is proving a bit more difficult to locate.
 
I will be receiving a full Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection system with card readers, s-conv and excard board. Once I get all of that and hook it up I will be posting additional information about how the system works here on this forum. I also ordered a number of Tekken 5 cards so I can test the readers themselves once everything is up and running.

If you have ever opened a Namco System 256, on the right side (when the dvd drive is facing you) there is a slot which is normally covered by a rubber cover, that is where the EXCard pcb connects, it provides ports on the front of the units for the leads from the sconv boards which then directly connect to the card readers themselves. The Card reader manual linked bellow would indicate the readers hook to the psu through the harness somehow.

http://wiki.arcadeotaku.com/w/File:Tekken_5_Card_Reader_Kit.pdf

Of course more to come when I end up doing this myself.
 
Thank for the information man. I actually have the same set-up headed my way and scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Thanks for the tips on where to hook it all up at.
 
Unfortunately mine will not be here until Saturday so if you have any information before I do, please share.
 
Are all of those bits required to play the game, the card reader and the PCBs?
 
jugu said:
Are all of those bits required to play the game, the card reader and the PCBs?
Click to expand...
No! That's only if you want to save a custom character and build up points to buy gear, save character record, "ghost" between games, etc.

The game works perfectly fine as a stand-alone arcade fighting game with the card stuff.
 
Interestingly, most T5 JP setups have the C-CONV PCB inline.. this is mostly for power injection, although the EXCARD PCB is more than adequate to power the card readers' locking mechanisms.
As the export card reader manual shows, that setup has a split cable for powering the S-CONV PCBs that are on the backside of the Control Panels rather than pulling from the EXCARD as well.

I've had lots of good luck connecting the 5v lines to the +5V pins 1/2 on the 12-pin header, such that nothing else is needed.

I'm quite certain that with low-level RFID rewriting, the cards can be blanked, but I haven't tested this yet...

Also I'm inclined to believe that the Naomi IC emulator should work with the 256 EXCARD with only minor modifications.. I will have to investigate at some point if no one beats me to it :)

and interesting note is that the readers are identical to one of the models that SEGA uses, and in fact, the RFID reader modules in my Super DragonBallZ panels are the third revision, and actually bear sega logos, although they were specifically sold for the 256 game.
 
defor' said:
Also I'm inclined to believe that the Naomi IC emulator should work with the 256 EXCARD with only minor modifications.. I will have to investigate at some point if no one beats me to it :)
Click to expand...
Does this mean that I may run into issues running the Card Reader with my Naomi I/O board?
 
nono- the naomi IO board (JVS IO) has nothing to do with the IC card reading on the naomi (or 2x6 for that matter).
I use the Sega Type 1 JVS IO myself on most of my machines, test setups, etc.
 
Got my system today, board that came with it would not do anything so I installed the disc and dongle into my known working 256, I will be transferring the EXCard board as well.

The only thing that's a bit of a mystery here is the power lead for the card readers, can you provide any information on that?
 
Defor would be the man to ask, but I believe it is powered from the system through the EXCard. I only have on line that runs down and plugs in the whole thing into that card, into the system.
 
Installed the EXCard pcb into the 256 I have working, nothing connected to the two pin's which come off of the connections that go into the front of the 256 into the EX card and the other end not connected to the s-conv, I am guessing those 2 pins need some voltage (+5 I am guessing since they are red) and that would power the card readers and make the game boot, perhaps that is why the other system would run since the card reader assembly needs power for the system to boot at all?/

Edit: Card R/W is now online, I will report further with more details, its giving me 500 plays per card, started me at beginner and I get money for each fight.

I was correct that the 2 pins at the end of the EXCard to S-Conv looms needed to be connected into the +5/Ground of the psu and the other end hooked to the s-conv boards.

More to come
 
Last edited:
Plugged a controller into port 2, seams to only give you rank up when playing against real people.

When I beat the ai it only gives me 25g but when I beat player 2 it gives me 1000g. Plus when I beat player 2 5 times I went from beginner to 9th kyu.
 
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