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Really cool to see these boards going out to their new owners. Hopefully some more posts/pictures from others to show them off ^^
 
Yay they are arriving! Boo you have an issue!

The graphics glitches are caused by faulty video sdram on your board. Top Blade uses a different section of video ram than the other games.

I definitely made sure to program and test every cart before sending them out.

Slot 5/6/7 are empty, but Slot 8 should have Urachacha
hi :

Are you still taking orders or was it a closed run?

regards
euphoria
:)
 
Really cool to see these boards going out to their new owners. Hopefully some more posts/pictures from others to show them off ^^
Looking at the tracking info, a few more people will receive their packages tomorrow and Wednesday.

hi :
Are you still taking orders or was it a closed run?

regards
euphoria
:)
I will do another run and build more if there is interest.
 
hi :

Great. I really appreciate the reply.


kind regards
euphoria
:)
 
hi :

Sure i would be interested. But that is up to you, brizzo and does not derrick need one?
Detrick first please. If not i am interested, as long as no one is first.


regards
euphoria
:)
 
Yay they are arriving! Boo you have an issue!

The graphics glitches are caused by faulty video sdram on your board. Top Blade uses a different section of video ram than the other games.

I definitely made sure to program and test every cart before sending them out.

Slot 5/6/7 are empty, but Slot 8 should have Urachacha
Maybe as a precaution/maintenance the ram should be replaced. Have you noticed any difference between motherboard revisions as far as ram failure?
 
Yay they are arriving! Boo you have an issue!

The graphics glitches are caused by faulty video sdram on your board. Top Blade uses a different section of video ram than the other games.

I definitely made sure to program and test every cart before sending them out.

Slot 5/6/7 are empty, but Slot 8 should have Urachacha
Yes, like my first system (that I'm actually still looking for) this one also had a leaky battery, but not as bad. It has scratch sound. Is this RAM near the battery area? With my first system, I have bought a few extra RAM chips, but I can't find it or the system right now.

EDIT: Ok, so tested some things out. 8 does work, but same issues as Top Blade. When I press on the smallest chip it clears up the graphics issues, so maybe just needs to be warmed up so the solder sticks again. As for Wuly Buly, it plays too fast, so something is wrong. Game 1, with the roaches is fine, but game 2 and 3 (especially 3) are going too fast to actually play. Is this an overlooked protection issue?

Some questions:

1. I want to run my soldering iron over the small chips legs with some flux to help fix a potential cold solder issue. I'm new at this, what temperature should I set my iron to for attempting this? I don't want to damage the chip or anything around it. The most I've done so far is replaced about 10 caps. Never surface mount like this chip.

2. The sound has an issues when I press on the sound volume pot. Is there anything I can spray in it to help it work better, or does it need replacement?

3. Any ideas of Wuly Buly? Is it some setting or my bad RAM that makes the game so fast?

Thanks @brizzo again for making this, it's still very awesome!
 
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Which chips are you pressing on?

These are the SDRAMS

2020-03-05_7-22-53.jpg

HY57V651620BTC-10S
 
Small one to the left of your bottom chip and below right of your left chip. It's clearly working fine if I give it a tiny amount of pressure.

EDIT: Also, get that battery out ASAP man!
 

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Have you noticed any difference between motherboard revisions as far as ram failure?
No evidence to support that theory, but perhaps we will be able to answer that as more carts arrive :)

When I press on the smallest chip it clears up the graphics issues, so maybe just needs to be warmed up so the solder sticks again.
That chip itself may be faulty, but reflowing the solder is good place to start. I solder pretty much everything at 750F/400C myself, but not every iron is accurate at temp. With flux it only takes a second to reflow a joint. Best to practice on a junk piece of electronics before something you care about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uiroWBkdFY -- watch the whole thing, but the part at 2:20 is the technique you need. Any 1.5 to 2mm tip is fine, you don't really need a bevel tip like shown.
As for Wuly Buly, it plays too fast, so something is wrong. Game 1, with the roaches is fine, but game 2 and 3 (especially 3) are going too fast to actually play. Is this an overlooked protection issue?
3. Any ideas of Wuly Buly? Is it some setting or my bad RAM that makes the game so fast?
I don't recall wuly buly having a speed problem on my end, but I will hook it up later and see what I get. There is no protection chip for wuly buly, so that is not a problem. I have a feeling it might be related to the battery acid problem, which could have effected the nvram used for game settings. If you press both service+test buttons on the motherboard, then press reset, it takes you into the crystal system bios menu. Try resetting the nvram and booting into the game (without turning the power off).
 
Small one to the left of your bottom chip and below right of your left chip. It's clearly working fine if I give it a tiny amount of pressure.

EDIT: Also, get that battery out ASAP man!
I had this one on identical hardware that just needed the V-Ram reflowing:


The game seems to share the same file system as the crystal system.
Not sure on the changes between V render zero and V render zero +.
Sadly game is useless for the multi as it needs a bowling lane controller ;)
 
That chip itself may be faulty, but reflowing the solder is good place to start. I solder pretty much everything at 750F/400C myself, but not every iron is accurate at temp. With flux it only takes a second to reflow a joint. Best to practice on a junk piece of electronics before something you care about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uiroWBkdFY -- watch the whole thing, but the part at 2:20 is the technique you need. Any 1.5 to 2mm tip is fine, you don't really need a bevel tip like shown.
I have one of those irons that lets me set the temp that Voultar recommended (the internals are like his).


I'm assuming it keeps accurate temps, but I don't know for sure. 750F sounds really high, I did those caps at 400F and with the flux it was pretty easy. I'll do 750F, but I'm just nervous as the area is so small. I have 5 kinds of tips, so I'll see what fits better.
 
Screw temps on cheap irons. Do it by feel, touch solder wire to the tip and observe how it responds. Not melting well, increase temp. Melting too much and not adhering, lower temp.

Don't overthink things or think there's a magical universal number.
 
Screw temps on cheap irons. Do it by feel, touch solder wire to the tip and observe how it responds. Not melting well, increase temp. Melting too much and not adhering, lower temp.

Don't overthink things or think there's a magical universal number.
Got it, put iron on finger, feel it out. Unless you mean another, more precious tip. Nah, I'll stick to the finger!

Thanks Frank!

OK, joking aside. Man, I bought the solder everyone recommends and it melts pretty fast and on a low setting. Is it the solder melting point I care about? I thought I had to heat the component up enough for the solder to move over to it!
 
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