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It's not rare to see original customs used on bootleg, for example I have an Out Zone copy with all original ASICs.This happens most likely when bootlegers are not able to reproduce functions of some custom ICs so they are forced to use the original parts.
Interesting, can you post pics of that board? I am looking to buy an Out Zone pcb so I would want to know if its a boot or legit.
I sold the board some time ago but I shoud lhave a picture of it.Anyway you can recognize immediately if it's a bootleg or a legit board.Manufacture of the bootleg is very poor and different (although layout is the sme) compared to the original one.
Found this Out Zone bootleg on Ebay

Boot - Out Zone

s-l1600.jpg
 
I'm trying to convert one of these at the moment, burnt all the ROMs (and used a 27C040 doubled for the 020 since I don't have one on hand) and it won't boot. Donor board is a Puyo Puyo and I've set the jumpers the same way they're set in @twistedsymphony 's photo

The board boots perfectly with the PP ROMs installed and I've checked and double checked the new ones, what am I missing here?
 
make sure you've checked ALL the jumpers. There are a few on these boards that I missed a few times.

If you think the roms are bad you can dump the ones you've burned and compare them against the original files.

My jumpers were changed slightly when I installed the multi, but looking over my pictures I think this is how they should be set for Darksoft's Thunder Force AC ROMS:

JP5 : 2-1
JP7 : 2-1

JP1 : 1-2
JP2 : 1-2
JP3 : 1-2
JP4 : 1-2
JP6 : 1-2
JP8 : Empty
JP9 : 2-3
JP10: Empty

JP14: Empty
JP12: Empty
JP13: Empty
JP11: Empty

JP17: 2-1
JP18: 2-1
JP19: 2-1
JP20: 3-2 *should be 2-1 for multi

JP15: 2-1
JP16: Empty
 
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Cool, I'll go through them and check. It's good to have a reference for the jumpers in the thread too.

The ROMs have been checked and rechecked so they're good
 
I have acquired a Columns II board. I suppose by adding the rest of sound components, it can be converted to C-2 board, right?
 
I have acquired a Columns II board. I suppose by adding the rest of sound components, it can be converted to C-2 board, right?
I know it’s possible but I can’t find the thread at the moment. I believe you have to both populate the sound section and also add support for larger rom sizes.
 
Can anyone tell me the values of RA9, C54 and C53? It's a resistor array and 2 ceramic capacitors.

EDIT: for helping others. They are 151 ceramic capacitors and the array is 5pin A472J
 

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Hi to all. I wanted to share what I discovered about converting System C to System C2. I'm afraid this transformation isn't good because there are more differences in the C board. I have just acquired a real System C2, and I have made these tests:

- Columns II System C, converted to C2 installing rams, jumpers, ADPCM and isolating the 2 reset signals
- Puyo Puyo System C2 original board

I have been doing these swaps:

- Thunder Force AC and Ichidant-R patched roms on Columns C2. Thunder Force has a bug of mute FX sounds randomly (and no more FX sounds after that) in the beggining of the game, and Ichidant-R only plays garbage and has palette color errors on the roulette
- Puyo Puyo original rom set and encryption on Columns C2. The game doesn't boot at all

I have checked all the jumpers configuration. Thunder Force AC and Ichidant-R work good on Puyo Puyo C2 board with the same jumper configuration as the test on Columns C2.

This is why you don't see any C2 conversion on sale parting of a Columns C board. The C boards are only useful for their 2 customs: I/O and color.
 

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Hi to all. I wanted to share what I discovered about converting System C to System C2. I'm afraid this transformation isn't good because there are more differences in the C board. I have just acquired a real System C2, and I have made these tests:

- Columns II System C, converted to C2 installing rams, jumpers, ADPCM and isolating the 2 reset signals
- Puyo Puyo System C2 original board

I have been doing these swaps:

- Thunder Force AC and Ichidant-R patched roms on Columns C2. Thunder Force has a bug of mute FX sounds randomly (and no more FX sounds after that) in the beggining of the game, and Ichidant-R only plays garbage and has palette color errors on the roulette
- Puyo Puyo original rom set and encryption on Columns C2. The game doesn't boot at all

I have checked all the jumpers configuration. Thunder Force AC and Ichidant-R work good on Puyo Puyo C2 board with the same jumper configuration as the test on Columns C2.

This is why you don't see any C2 conversion on sale parting of a Columns C board. The C boards are only useful for their 2 customs: I/O and color.
Here are the details, though I haven’t tried it. I thought they were complete though: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/converting-system-c-into-system-c2.22173/

The thread has two writeups, one from the internet archive from apocalypse.

Spoiler though, it’s probably not worth the effort and parts.
 
Here are the details, though I haven’t tried it. I thought they were complete though: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/converting-system-c-into-system-c2.22173/

The thread has two writeups, one from the internet archive from apocalypse.

Spoiler though, it’s probably not worth the effort and parts.
I followed both tutorials. TulioAdriano's is better because it uses the correct resistances and sound capacitors values. Only is necessary to use Apocalypse's one for knowing the resistor array, the 2 ceramic capacitors around it and the 3 22pF capacitors to put.

Not only not worth the effort, it isn't a real C2 board when converted. In addition, C2 board has an extra 74F00 which System C doesn't have. There are a lot of differences here.
 
It allows to convert almost any System C2 PCB, be it original or bootleg to work as Thunderforce AC, which is in my opinion the best game.
Darksoft my friend, you are not often wrong, but here, I think you missed the Ribbit boat.... :P
 
I followed both tutorials. TulioAdriano's is better because it uses the correct resistances and sound capacitors values. Only is necessary to use Apocalypse's one for knowing the resistor array, the 2 ceramic capacitors around it and the 3 22pF capacitors to put.

Not only not worth the effort, it isn't a real C2 board when converted. In addition, C2 board has an extra 74F00 which System C doesn't have. There are a lot of differences here.
looking at the side-by-side pictures your posted it seems that there are definitely differences in the PCB design itself, not just components missing. Yikes! that could make for a lot more involved conversion for sure!
 
Well, that conversion is really possible using a real System C2 board as donor, I have tested it. The problem is using a System C like Columns, but transformed to C2 with all the known information in the internet.
I think you quoted the wrong person, I have no idea about the conversion, I just think Ribbit is better than Thunderforce AC (which is like a not as good TF3)!
 
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