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I’d hold out until it becomes clear if / what can be ultimately done. Mind you, Tops is the higher end on the price scale.

I also believe that @sheep_nova has NOS carts of “Vivid Dolls”.
 
I wish there was a controller adapter board to allow use of N64 with the JAMMAizer! — one of the things JAMMA-Con does uniquely.
 
If you want to play N64 games in an arcade cabinet, the easier proven path is "JAMMA-fying" a retail N64. This is something that has been done since the 90s, check out this thread https://www.arcade-projects.com/thr...-consoles-to-your-jamma-arcade-cabinet.10074/ or google "JammaCon".

One of the first reasons I got my eye on the Aleck64 was to play Mario Kart 64 on "arcade hardware", but then I realized at least for MK64 it would require rom hacking and a building a custom cartridge.... and so I just ended up jammafying a n64 and it works great.

I’d hold out until it becomes clear if / what can be ultimately done. Mind you, Tops is the higher end on the price scale.

I also believe that @sheep_nova has NOS carts of “Vivid Dolls”.


100% agree with both of you- for brizzo, the jammaizer works just fine for this kinda thing too. probably 1000 times more convenient to boot, albeit with some janky controller workarounds required atm. Same thing to sheeps post- absolutely no rush, I've just been collecting damn near everything I can related to niche treasure junk to preserve old artwork and find neat mischief makers things, so the potential this might have to kinda join those two hobbies of mine; arcade and treasure/mischief makers junk is just really fun to think about. I know it would just be the same-old-same-old home version at the end of the day, but, at least for me, it would definitely be a pretty meaningful (albeit useless) showpiece lol.
 
I believe only eleven beat and vivid dolls use this basic cart type
Star Soldier Vanishing Earth, and Mayjinsen 3 also uses the simple cart type.... I really wish I could find some kind of serial flash ROM replacement available it would make converting vivid dolls to Star Solder a breeze. You can tell which games use which PCB because the more complicated PCBs all have an exposed header on the front of the cart. I believe this is for a Mahjong panel and I'd guess that the only reason the non-Mahjong games have one is because they were just reusing hardware.

Interestingly these more complicated PCBs can actually be converted. I've seen it done (IIRC by AMB) Most notably because the more complicated cart uses normal parallel ROMs instead of Serial ROMs. Even more wild is that they have SOCKETED SMD ROMs so there's no soldering required. This was the complicated PCB used to play Star Solder, which to me means that the PCB variant doesn't really matter to the game, unless it was patched in some way. I've also seen Aleck64 Games converted to be played on N64 via Everdrive, So with the exception of a Mahjong game that needs that extra IO header I think you could probably make any game work on any cart type.
 
Star Soldier Vanishing Earth, and Mayjinsen 3 also uses the simple cart type...
You are correct, I was looking for photos but they were labeled by the rom names and not by game. It has been a few years since I've been thinking about Aleck64 :D

You can tell which games use which PCB because the more complicated PCBs all have an exposed header on the front of the cart.
There are actually a bunch of different cartridge types with this connector, because it was also used for gambling machines. (see attached photos). I've bought many of these carts trying to find some missing ones.

wish I could find some kind of serial flash ROM replacement available
Nintendo created a proprietary design, no off the shelf solutions. But the logic isn't complicated and can be reproduced with fpga and parallel flash.
 

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@GeeDee i think it’s better or to go with @brizzo his route and get a jamma converter thingy @ this point. And wait it out how the aleck64 part goes. I will try to work my way in in the controlls and try games like mario64/Mario kart etc. If anyone already have a aleck64 laying around with Mario let me know saves me the hassle buying a card as I’m from the netherlands (pal) and I need ntsc cards :)

@brizzo cool story btw thx, I also found out the indeed aleck64 did some revisions on the boards ,like Mickey has the game roms on the board itself without a card. Also I found out that games like vivid dolls uses bank 2 (dipswitch) nr 7/8 on to switch between the analog sticks and the digital input. And other games uses all
Other settings on the dipswitch. That makes me believe that controlls etc are programmed in the game program and thus talks with the dipswitches correct me if I’m wrong.
 
aleck64 did some revisions on the boards
Indeed, the Disney Magical Tetris is on the E90 pcb (and the only game for this pcb), and E92 is the type with removable cartridges. Attached photos of the boards without the heatsinks, you can see the differences.

That makes me believe that controlls etc are programmed in the game program and thus talks with the dipswitches correct me if I’m wrong.
Yes it is all based in software which control type is used (jamma input vs analog input).

@AMS you were saying that when you boot with the n64 retail cart mask rom installed, the controls do not work?
 

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@brizzo yes if I boot Pokémon photo (don’t know the name of the game see pictures haha) i don’t have digital controlls. Can’t press start and the game also tells me there is no controller connected . But that also can be a game issue as it also needs a cam. So I have to try with other cards tommorow . I will ask a friend to bring his jap collection to butcher haha. Or if someone here has a aleck64 And vivid dolls and some jap games to test .
saves me the hassle
 
@brizzo when I look @mickey isn’t it easy r to use those boards and flash the roms on them to make a multi ?
 
It has been years since I tinkered with N64, but my understanding of why the controls are not working is that the game has been booted using the wrong CIC. During boot, the CIC is accessed by the PIF, which also arbitrates reading controller ports. I remember that depending on the CIC, a different value is loaded into the PIF ram and games can access this as well as a type of check.

@brizzo when I look @mickey isn’t it easy r to use those boards and flash the roms on them to make a multi ?
If you look at the right side of the photo, the DIP28 chip is also a proprietary N64 mask rom, just like what is used on Aleck64/N64 carts.
 
@brizzo if I get you right Then what I’m thinking . Can’t I take chips of a n64 for the controlls on a aleck ? So it reads the right value and will work?
 
@brizzo if I get you right Then what I’m thinking . Can’t I take chips of a n64 for the controlls on a aleck ? So it reads the right value and will work?
No, this is another question mark about the E92 board. we assume has some custom code inside the NUS-PIF chip different from the retail N64.
 
@brizzo Haha oké shit, then this is not that easy as I thought it would be... I do know a bit about hardware etc and to do things I did but the things you just said are like a magic show to me :) hope when you have time and feel the need to do a little digging yourself I’ll be here waiting .
 
Can’t press start and the game also tells me there is no controller connected
Are you just trying JAMMA controls or are you using the controller ports (the 4 colored connectors to the right of the JAMMA edge) on the mobo connected to the official Aleck64 Control Panel?
I would guess that JAMMA controls don't work and only the controller port controls do.

the official panel uses special joysticks that are both analog AND digital and there is a PCB that translates the 3 wires on the controller port into all of the buttons on the control panel; it really is like a N64 gamepad in control panel form.
 
@twistedsymphony awsome! Ive seen this in a manual ..

328E0B4F-746B-445C-9333-E9F0CE1966E5.jpg

If that’s what you are referring to?
Makes sence yes

Hmm I was trying the digital jamma inputs. The analog works I think but then I need to find that pcb that does the digital . Any idea or a pinout?
 
As of today we have a fully working aleck64 thats boots normal jap/USA n64 games and also is playable with a n64 controller. Im working on getting the everdrive working as we speak Also I’m trying to make a adapter to use both the original aleck cards and the n64 cards

That said you now can play n64 on your cabinet! In the highest rgb image possible! Sound goes via the Jamma edge or the dedicated stereo output

the pcb we needed was al along in the controller itself as with the dedicated analog panel you need to hardwire it in the analog pcb

If you want you can use a n64 padhack to have it go direct to your panel but may cause some input lag or use the original aleck64 analog panel with the digital inputs

Will put a breakout wiring matic up in the next few days

EB06B7E0-1FB6-4A22-BF89-5137252BC921.jpeg

Here is the movie of it playing star soldier 64 japan card

https://trol666.stackstorage.com/s/jSlYNkIpQYFiC3dj
 
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Nice testing! I suspected that would work.

I snapped some photos of my NOS panel if you're curious: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ej2Bg45tqd7ssUF59

it's pretty interesting since all of the controls are routed into the 3 pin headers.

Man Has Nintendo had an arcade version of every major console up to the WiiU?
NES -> Nintendo PlayChoice 10
SNES-> Nintendo Super System
N64 -> Seta Aleck64
GameCube-> Sega TriForce
Wii -> Capcom TvC
 
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@twistedsymphony

thank you for the pics!
Yes that pcb board you have is dedicated for the aleck board analog It makes somewhat a connection That is selected by the game (original aleck) as the aleck64 system tells the controll panel to switch from analoge to digital inputs so from the 3pin input to the Jamma edge it’s the games that depends that switching how it was made to work . If that’s makes sence how I type it here now. And that pcb you have in there is the same pcb that the n64 controller have build in.

So all n64 cards will follow that 3pin and ground setting but some original aleck 64 games will be or Jamma connection and dip switch to toggle between analog and digital or analog all alone.

so nicest thing would be yes if you use a dedicated panel but also a pad hack should do fine on digital controll shooters or use a Naomi analog panel like zombie or Virtua striker but you then still need to hack the controller as it needs to speak via that pcb.

so better hack a n64 controller and go!
 
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That is selected by the game (original aleck) as the aleck64 system tells the controll panel to switch from analoge to digital inputs so from the 3pin input to the Jamma edge it’s the games that depends that switching how it was made to work . If that’s makes sence how I type it here now. And that pcb you have in there is the same pcb that the n64 controller have build in.
I don't think there is any switching... the joysticks in the panel are capable of both digital and analog at the same exact time! Given that there are only 3 pins the, ground, Vcc, and Data. it is likely only 1-way communication from the control panel to the mobo. So both the analog and digital data are being sent all the time and the game just decides which data it wants to use.

The PCB is unique to these control panels but it has the same CNT-NUS chip used in the N64 controllers and the surrounding circuit: https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/n64-controller-cnt-nus-required-components.3267/

it seems as though it covers all of the N64 buttons excepts for L, L, and Z, though if it's the same chip those functions could be added back in.

I've never used these panels with my Aleck 64, only ever used the JAMMA edge so I'd assume for most Aleck64 game either will work, but it looks like N64 games are control panel ports only unless the game is patched somehow to also accept JAMMA. That at least proves it's a game level and not likely a bios level.
 
Yes you are right as the dipswitches on the vivid dolls made me switch between Jamma and the analog parts but it must be software coded as n64 card won’t do anything via the Jamma edge except for sound

I think there are some pinouts on that dedicated panel pcb to hardwire a few extra buttons for the Z etc etc. Next thing I’m doing is checking if the aleck64 will run the extra video meg games(expansion pack) as it’s a Jamma board most times it also has the more video mem. Let’s hope so. :) I keep you updated
 
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