DARKSOFT [OLD VERSION] STV Cartridge instructions and trouble shooting

[Darksoft]

Well done!

 

[channelmaniac]

Folks, ST-V systems aren't the best designed systems... the PCB flexes too much and operators generally didn't put mounting feet on all the mounting points to keep it stable.

When you buy one the first thing you do is run the self tests. The second is to run the factory tests.

Test mode: Power on. Push the TEST button (SW1) on the PCB. Use the SERVICE button (SW2) to choose the item and TEST to run it. Run your memory tests. Clear the backup data.

Factory Test mode: Push and hold the TEST button on the PCB while you power it on. Run the Slave CPU test. If it fails, reflow both SH-2 CPUs. Ignore the SIMM, RS-232C, and SCSI-2 failures.

There should also be a small circut board plugged into CN5. This is listed in the manual and the board will not operate without it.

If yours is missing that 839-0724 PCB, you can build a replacement using a simple EuroDIN connector with the instructions I have in my repair logs.

Almost every bad ST-V that has crossed my bench for repair has failed that Slave CPU test and required reflowing. One had a fried video output section, but that's a story of someone replacing a monitor chassis with one requiring an isolation transformer that the cabinet didn't have.

 

[Darksoft]

Almost every bad ST-V that has crossed my bench for repair has failed that Slave CPU test and required reflowing. One had a fried video output section, but that's a story of someone replacing a monitor chassis with one requiring an isolation transformer that the cabinet didn't have.

100% that

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

A wild Raymond appeared!

 

[Roch]

Hi,

I just bought an STV multi and here are the games on which I listed a problem :

3 Batman Forever → no sound, I think it's because the original game has a dedicated sound card?

8 Decathlete → graphics issue, maybe because the game is encrypted with specific hardware?

Several games with an error message,

20 Pro Mahjong Kiwame S → error screen in Japanese
44 Magical Zunou Power → "ONSEI BOARD ERROR" screen
45 Microman Battle Charge → "ERROR NO 4" screen
47 Print Club 2 → "Please call attendant" screen
48 Print Club 2 Vol.3 → "Please call attendant" screen
49 Print Club Pokemon B → "Please call attendant" screen
50 Stress Busters → "ERROR CODE 2" screen
51 Technical Bowling → "ERROR 01" screen

I imagine they need specific hardware?

Two games with a black screen (after system checking),

12 Funky Head Boxers
40 Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua

No idea for these two...

It may be normal. Can you confirm all this? I know very little about this system (never tested before).

Thanks,

 

[djsheep]

Batman has no sound for the reason you mentioned.

Decathlete doesn’t work either for the reason you mentioned.

The other games with error messages require dedicated hardware.

Funky Head Boxers should work. Unsure about the wrestling game because I never bothered playing it.

 

[Roch]

Thanks,

Funky Head Boxers should work. Unsure about the wrestling game because I never bothered playing it.

Does anyone have an idea for Funky Head Boxers? And confirm for Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua?

 

[djsheep]

What BIOS are you using. You might want to check your system assignments via the test switch also. Some games needs certain things changed to function properly.

 

[Darksoft]

The Wrestling game only works with Japanese BIOS IIRC.
Funky Head Boxers works well here.

 

[Roch]

Yes thanks @Darksoft, I understood for Zen Nippon Pro Wrestling Featuring Virtua, it was enough to force the Japanese region.

What BIOS are you using.

I think a MODBIOS V1.11.

You might want to check your system assignments via the test switch also. Some games needs certain things changed to function properly.

For Funky Head Boxers, I had already tested by putting "1P", "ALONE" in SYSTEM ASSIGNMENTS, then COMMUNICATION OFF and ID MASTER but still black screen.

 

[Roch]

Funky Head Boxers works well here.

I set the SYSTEM ASSIGNMENTS menu as:

CABINET TYPE → 1P
ALONE/MULTI → ALONE

GAME ASSIGNMENTS:

COMMUNICATION → OFF
ID → MASTER

All memory tests are good (ROM/RAM/CARTRIDGE ROM). Tested another microSD card, the three regions... This is the only game that doesn't start: black screen after system checking. Would you have an idea?

Thanks,

 

[channelmaniac]

Run the factory test: Slave CPU test. Report back.

(hold one of those tiny buttons down on power on to get to factory test mode)

 

[Roch]

Run the factory test: Slave CPU test. Report back.

Thanks, I didn't know this menu. I don't see anything special when testing. It's sometimes indicated "BAD" but I think it corresponds to unconnected hardware elements.

↓ see pics in spoiler ↓

Spoiler: Pictures

Second MEMORY CHECK to verify the BACKUP-RAM BATTERY :

 

[9999 Damage]

Hi. My multi was working fine before I soldered anything (i.e. no reset wire, no LCD selector). Then I learned noob-level soldering and set up the reset wire and LCD selector. Now, even using jumpers and with the LCD selector removed, the multi only ever boots Cotton Boomerang (the last game I flashed before starting soldering). It appears to flash a game (two LEDs light up), then auto-resets to Cotton Boomerang. Edit: On power cycle, it will flash again even if I haven't changed the jumpers. It seems like nothing is actually writing.

Things I've tried:

1. Redoing all my soldering. I've improved it from 110% noob to 90% noob. It's still ugly, but I can't see any bridges.
2. Motherboard tests I've tried all pass (memory, VDP RAM, dual CPU).
3. My one original cartridge, Die Hard Arcade, works perfectly.
4. Tried a few different jumper configurations in case some particular game had an issue.
5. The SD card is the same one I used when everything was working, and I can read it on my PC.

In case it matters, I installed a MODBIOS 1.11 from Ebay. It was working fine with the multi previously.

Here's my noob soldering, both so you can see if you can spot any bridges and for your entertainment/horror.

 

[djsheep]

Your soldering looks good.

Where are you 5v and ground pins connected?

 

[Roch]

Regarding my problem with Funky Head Boxers. I had tested everything on Supergun.

I tested on my BLAST and magic: the game works. I retest on supergun, it also works...

It's good now . Maybe a bad contact on the jamma connector, but why only this game didn't work? Arcade mysteries.

 

[9999 Damage]

Your soldering looks good.

Where are you 5v and ground pins connected?

The 5v and ground wires from the multicart terminate in Dupont (F) connectors. When I don't have the LCD selector hooked up, they just hang out off to the side of the motherboard-- currently lying on some cardboard. Shouldn't be an issue if they're not connected, right?

@Mitsurugi-w wrote in the LCD selector thread where I first started looking at this:

To me sounds like an issue with the cart reading the SD card. If the cars is not there or unreadable it will always boot the last game loaded.

I've now tried 3 SD cards: Samsung 32GB Pro Endurance (UHS-1), Samsung 64 GB Evo Select (UHS-3), and Sandisk 128GB Extreme Plus (UHS-3), all formatted to FAT32 with identical contents. They all showed the same behavior (appears to flash a game, but then reboots to Cotton Boomerang). I've ordered an 8GB Sandisk class 4 that appears nearly identical to the one sold on highscoresave.com to see if that behaves any differently.

 

[9999 Damage]

To me sounds like an issue with the cart reading the SD card. If the cars is not there or unreadable it will always boot the last game loaded.

I've ordered an 8GB Sandisk class 4 that appears nearly identical to the one sold on highscoresave.com to see if that behaves any differently.

The Sandisk 8GB card arrived. I formatted it as FAT32 with 32KB sectors. The behavior is identical to the other three cards I tried: it appears to flash a game (two LEDs on), then reboots to Cotton Boomerang (the last game I flashed successfully) regardless of the jumper settings. In contrast, if there's no SD card present, it boots straight to Cotton Boomerang, so that implies the SD card is doing something. All in all, it seems like everything works except that flashing a new game doesn't actually happen.

See prior post for other things I've tried. What else can I try? Cotton Boomerang is pretty good, but I was hoping to play some other games too.

 

[Darksoft]

It is possible that during your soldering a blob of sloder fell somewhere close the ARM processor. It could also be that some shortcut happened and some IC went south. Check for solder remainings and leave the multi 100% in the state that it was before when it was working. That should clarify if the error is something you installed or not

 

[9999 Damage]

It is possible that during your soldering a blob of sloder fell somewhere close the ARM processor. It could also be that some shortcut happened and some IC went south. Check for solder remainings and leave the multi 100% in the state that it was before when it was working. That should clarify if the error is something you installed or not

Had a chance to take a look while the wife and kids are traveling. I cleaned up some messy solder, cleaned off my no-clean residue, scrubbed out some dust between the pins of the Altera chip, and can't find anything that AAHHHHHH WHAT THE HELL IS THAT

I looked at an older photo and saw the damage there, too.

@Darksoft Fair to say this could cause the behavior I described above? Is there a noob-friendly fix? A pro fix? Or just a $349.99 fix?