DARKSOFT The Definitive Guide to Fixing Your CPS2 Multi Kit

[tDRG]

I don't see how the multi kit could cause the color artifacts. Unfortunately I think you might have fried one of the custom chips on your CPS2 A board. But that is only a guess.

Yeah, I tried another B board, still no blue. So the A board is likely damaged. I'll open it up and see if there's anything visibly blown. How would that have happened? I never connected anything incorrectly, I'm a bit hesitant to get another A board and have the kit blow it. Is there anything in the B board I should check for?

I'm running it all through a Minigun on a PVM right now, my cab's disassembled so I can't test it there. I tried a console and the colors came through fine. I'll test the Minigun with another board, but I don't see any blown components on it.

 

[tDRG]

Yep, the color issue is the A board. MVS works fine on the same Minigun with the same video cables, previously working B board also gets no blue with my A board. Easy enough to replace the A, but I'd really like to figure out why it happened before I get another. I can provide pics of the B board if it would be useful, let me know. Here are pics of the A board. Nothing jumps out at me as being fried. It was a little dirty before, so it's kinda hard to tell. Thanks!

 

[tDRG]

Here are pics of the A board. Nothing jumps out at me as being fried. It was a little dirty before, so it's kinda hard to tell. Thanks!

And here's the underside.

 

[ekorz]

@tDRG the multi doesn't effect the color output, it wouldn't fry an A board. More likely it just developed an IC fault due to age, or loosened a cold solder joint during handling. Maybe a broken trace near the jamma edge from fatigue. I just had my multi setup lose audio and I traced it to one bad chip in the audio section -- it had just died on the shelf.

To diagnose a missing color you could start with the output on the jamma edge and measure the signal backwards. Here's the full A board and the video DAC. Could just be a cracked/loose/missing capacitor. I see a lot of color repairs centering around the LS157 chips that are part of the palette circuit. But really the problem can be anywhere in there, and these chips will just have internal faults so you won't see anything without a logic probe or scope.

 

[tDRG]

Cool, thanks for the breakdown, that's all super helpful. I'll see what I can do!

 

[djsheep]

Clean that edge connector using Isopropyl. It looks filthy, possibly burnt? Or maybe it’s the angle on the pics.

 

[tDRG]

I think it's just the angle and the flash, but I'll give it a shot, thanks!

 

[tDRG]

I didn't seem to get any dirt off the edge connector, but the colors are all working again now thanks. I swapped in the shorter LCD cable and I'm still not seeing anything on the screen, I'll mess with the contrast pot again tomorrow.

 

[djsheep]

@tDRG might have been some clear invisible film or something on the edge connector causing the issues. The flash in your pics seemed to pick up on it. Glad it’s working now. Dial in the contrast pot on the multi and you’ll be good to go…

 

[tDRG]

All set! LCD works, colors look fine, I can write all my games. The LCD doesn't light up at all with the longer cable now for some reason, but I'll make the short one work. Thanks again for the help @djsheep @Darksoft @ekorz @the Goat @Mitsurugi-w . Time to play the best CPS2 game..

 

[djsheep]

If the cables aren’t made correctly / carefully and using a proper tool they are prone to failure, or not working.

I’ve heard numerous reports of dodgy cables unfortunately. Personally I hand make mine and test them one-by-one on a LCD before putting them in the “sale” pile.

One thing you can check, that someone else on the forums had luck with, is if the plastic / pins are pushed all the way down onto the ribbon cable. Compare against the working cable that came with the kit and try to make sure it’s built the same way.

 

[Darksoft]

I’ve heard numerous reports of dodgy cables unfortunately. Personally I hand make mine and test them one-by-one on a LCD before putting them in the “sale” pile.

Outstanding.

 

[wigsplitta]

Anyone have any suggestions or think they might be able to offer assistance (UK or EURO) with a Mutli that has stopped working?

It's @bloodhokuto's board and he suddenly started seeing garbled graphics and games would not boot up. I've got it off him as I have a fully working setup, and spare A and B boards that I can use to test. Sadly, I'm seeing pretty much the same garbled screens. The games appears to load correctly.
Physically it looks fine, no bent or broken pins. It's a case of one day it was working, and having not been touched, the next day it's not.

Memory cards - definitley working
A boards - definitley working
B boards - definitley working
Multi bridge adaptor and ROMS adaptor board - definitley working
LCD cable and screen/board - definitley working

Basically I've transplanted his non working multi board onto my working setup, but it's not working

 

[Darksoft]

Anyone have any suggestions or think they might be able to offer assistance (UK or EURO) with a Mutli that has stopped working?

It's @bloodhokuto's board and he suddenly started seeing garbled graphics and games would not boot up. I've got it off him as I have a fully working setup, and spare A and B boards that I can use to test. Sadly, I'm seeing pretty much the same garbled screens. The games appears to load correctly.
Physically it looks fine, no bent or broken pins. It's a case of one day it was working, and having not been touched, the next day it's not.

Memory cards - definitley working
A boards - definitley working
B boards - definitley working
Multi bridge adaptor and ROMS adaptor board - definitley working
LCD cable and screen/board - definitley working

Basically I've transplanted his non working multi board onto my working setup, but it's not working

Seriously? We are still here, supporting and servicing as much as we can. You can send it to me. PM for more info.

 

[wigsplitta]

Awesome, thank you very much. PM incoming

 

[wigsplitta]

Awwww yeah! Thank you so much @Darksoft

 

[Darksoft]

Fantastic news!! I'm glad that it's back in good hands after a repair. When did you buy that multi?
I would like people to see that we care about our users and we will not just let you down if it's in our hand.

Another happy chap.

Cheers.

 

[wigsplitta]

This one (@bloodhokuto ’s) and mine came from very original batch I do believe.

Bit of tweaking here and there, and they are both still going strong, with first class assistance as always if any issues arise.

Thank you so much for everything you do @Darksoft

I might’ve gotten a latest CPS2 Multi recently too that supports stuff like New Legacy. I just need to sort out the undecrypted wiring. I promise to read up before sending out a search party!

 

[bloodhokuto]

Many thanks to wigsplitta for testing and sending on my Kit and also Darksoft for fixing it.

It was a pretty early kit, great to see such support!!

 

[aerobert]

Hi,

A year I ago I bought a CPS2 multi setup that wasn't quite completely assembled. However it was sold as tested and working (which in retrospect i wonder how...).

According to the seller this was supposed to be the very first, or an early, version of the multi. It came with some external flashing tool. I don't know if it's sold before or after october 2017 (does it matter now?) which the older guide points out. The base for the multi is a SF2X board which I assume was suicided. He managed to put it together by gathering info from all over this forum regarding jumpers etc, but some questions remain.

- Where can I find the latest firmware.bin/hex file in order to update my "unknown firmware" Darksoft C-board. Or is it the sd_bootloader.hex file that we should use to flash with?

- When the latest firmware is installed, what do I need to do next time I want to update the firmware, in terms of the SD-card? Add the flash.img file on the root folder of SD-card?

- What type of PAL-chip is this? My B-board came like this....

Here is a picture of the assembled unit, if it helps identify which version it is etc.

I haven't started it up yet.

Thanks!