Pr3tty F1y
Student
Absolutely. That looks like a fantastic recommendation. Thank you!
Cyvern Conversion
- Thread starter djsheep
- Start date
ShootTheCore
Legendary
It's just BIOS code running up to that point, and then it tries to execute the code on the cartridge. Check the CPU code EPROMs located at U8 and U10. Also make sure you're running a Region Free modded BIOS on the mainboard so you don't run into any region lockout issues.
CPU code EPROMs located at U8 and U10 : checked = Ok
Region free modded BIOS : checked = Ok
I'll double check the voltage regulator (5v to 3.3v) after work since last time I mesured 3.9v (I don't know why)
can someone point me to the right spots to connect my regulator to (5v and GND) ?
Region free modded BIOS : checked = Ok
I'll double check the voltage regulator (5v to 3.3v) after work since last time I mesured 3.9v (I don't know why)
can someone point me to the right spots to connect my regulator to (5v and GND) ?
nnap
Grand Master
I usually used the decoupling caps
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nnap
Grand Master
That wire at U10 could be relevant but I don‘t remember if this was cyvern or sengeki striker
Tailsnic Retroworks
Grand Master
@Yippikaye I recommend you to use AMS1117 3.3v regulator like the one in @nnap 's photo. They are sold on aliexpress
Found the culprit (other than my self for a lack of quality control 
) it was the eeprom in U6 (U10) a 27C801 who was faulty (I don't know for what reason since I've checked it good once after burning it)
Replaced it with a new one and my cart is working good
Thanks for the help
) it was the eeprom in U6 (U10) a 27C801 who was faulty (I don't know for what reason since I've checked it good once after burning it) Replaced it with a new one and my cart is working good
Thanks for the help
I wonder if anybody could give me some pointers on a Sengeki Striker conversion? I purchased this from somebody on this forum, but I'm unfortunately missing a background layer on at least level 1 (the holes in the top layer are just black, but there should be ground in them). Here are some pictures of the PCB:
The MX chip (just below NEP-16 silkscreen) in the first pic - it doesn't seem to be connected to anything, but there's a wire connecting two pins on the chip itself. This doesn't seem right to me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!
The MX chip (just below NEP-16 silkscreen) in the first pic - it doesn't seem to be connected to anything, but there's a wire connecting two pins on the chip itself. This doesn't seem right to me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!
Pr3tty F1y
Student
The opposing, lifted, corner pins (i.e,. PIN1 and PIN23) on the surface mounted SOP44 roms all should be connected back to the 3.3V power source.I wonder if anybody could give me some pointers on a Sengeki Striker conversion? I purchased this from somebody on this forum, but I'm unfortunately missing a background layer on at least level 1 (the holes in the top layer are just black, but there should be ground in them). Here are some pictures of the PCB:
The MX chip (just below NEP-16 silkscreen) in the first pic - it doesn't seem to be connected to anything, but there's a wire connecting two pins on the chip itself. This doesn't seem right to me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!
Pr3tty F1y
Student
I created a ROM 3 BOARD Cyvern a couple of weeks ago after my dumb ass soldered the ROM chips upside down on the rear of the PCB, de-soldered them, re-soldered them upside down AGAIN, de-soldered them AGAIN, and then finally re-soldered them the right way. I could blame it on being tired, but I'm also quite stupid (as it is apparent from my actions).
Anyway, I followed the images posted by Nebula here: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/cyvern-conversion.5886/post-163710
I didn't take any pictures of my work so I don't have anything to show, but I played through the first full loop and it worked/played fine.
I need to take some time to post my findings here, but I'm thinking that there may be some security issues with the Lattice chip on the main board next to the BIOS rom and the PALs/custom chip on ROM 3/4 boards that interact. I'm strongly suspecting that the cartridge PCBs maybe be semi region locked (I'm thinking that it may only be Japan region vs. every one else, but that's just a guess).
My ROM 3 board Cyvern was from a Japanese (white cartridge) Jan Jan Paradise 2 and it worked fine on a Japanese board with the Japanese Mod/Universal BIOS.
However, and I'll eventually get around to making a larger post about this, I made a Sengeki Striker on a ROM 4 board from an Asia (green cartridge) Puzz Loop ROM 4 board. I actually didn't screw up making this one. It came out fabulously!
BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK ON THE JAPANESE BOARD REGARDLESS OF THE BIOS.So I pulled my USA main board out of storage and ran it with the Japanese Mod BIOS and Sengeki Striker would run but ONLY as the ASIA version. If I tried to use Japanese region 27C801 DIP32 ROMS for U4/U6, it wouldn't run.
The symptoms changed based on the board region and the BIOS used. The Mod BIOS could usually get the came to kick over to the in game check, but both Puzz Loop and Sengeki Striker gave a "Security Error". Using a non-Mod BIOS would just stall within the BIOS and it would repeat the "only for use in this region" screen.
I'll need to do some tests again to make sure I have all of my facts right, but to my amateur eyes, the only thing that looks like it could be a likely culprit for security on the main board is the Lattice CPLD. And I'm also suspecting that the PALs on ROM and ROM 2 Boards and large custom IC on ROM 3/4 Boards differ by region and are part of this lock and key mechanism. As far as way this only affects certain games - to me it could be region combinations that just work or some games just may not institute such checks (at least that's my running theory).
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Tailsnic Retroworks
Grand Master
Sengeki Striker uses a 7th graphic ram which is inside the custom ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD bring installed. Sure you are going to have graphic glitches
I tried that convert in the past in a ROM-2-BOARD and the test says this:
That VIEW3 CG error is related with a 7th graphic ram which is added on ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD.
On MAME driver, says that ram is used for tilemap decoding, because Sengeki Striker uses 4x32mbit sprites roms and 3x32mbit tiles roms: 7 rams needed.
I tried that convert in the past in a ROM-2-BOARD and the test says this:
That VIEW3 CG error is related with a 7th graphic ram which is added on ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD.
On MAME driver, says that ram is used for tilemap decoding, because Sengeki Striker uses 4x32mbit sprites roms and 3x32mbit tiles roms: 7 rams needed.
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Pr3tty F1y
Student
You are correct. I'm juggling so many PCBs that I'm losing track (hence why I need to get my notes in order before doing a more formal assessment). My Sengeki Striker is ROM 4 board. Someone in this thread (maybe it was you?Sengeki Striker uses a 7th graphic ram which is inside the custom ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD bring installed. Sure you are going to have graphic glitches
I tried that convert in the past in a ROM-2-BOARD and the test says this:
That VIEW3 CG error is related with a 7th graphic ram which is added on ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD.
On MAME driver, says that ram is used for tilemap decoding, because Sengeki Striker uses 4x32mbit sprites roms and 3x32mbit tiles roms: 7 rams needed.
posted an legit ROM 4 board Sengeki Striker - However, their U4/U6 ROMs didn't match the naming in MAME so I'm wondering if they were an undumped revision. I think they were SG* prefix instead of SS*). The issue still persists though with this Asia region cartridge NOT wanting to run on the Japanese main board with any BIOS but happily running on my USA main board with the Japanese Mod BIOS (but only if I use Asia region U4/U6 roms). I'll get some concrete testing done before I report back.
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So, the chip at U8 - I notice there's nothing there on Nebula's cart, but mine has a chip there. Mine is a JP Jan Jan Paradise 2 as well, fwiw. Do you simply remove the rom at U8?I created a ROM 3 BOARD Cyvern a couple of weeks ago after my dumb ass soldered the ROM chips upside down on the rear of the PCB, de-soldered them, re-soldered them upside down AGAIN, de-soldered them AGAIN, and then finally re-soldered them the right way. I could blame it on being tired, but I'm also quite stupid (as it is apparent from my actions).
Anyway, I followed the images posted by Nebula here: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/cyvern-conversion.5886/post-163710
I didn't take any pictures of my work so I don't have anything to show, but I played through the first full loop and it worked/played fine.
I need to take some time to post my findings here, but I'm thinking that there may be some security issues with the Lattice chip on the main board next to the BIOS rom and the PALs/custom chip on ROM 3/4 boards that interact. I'm strongly suspecting that the cartridge PCBs maybe be semi region locked (I'm thinking that it may only be Japan region vs. every one else, but that's just a guess).
My ROM 3 board Cyvern was from a Japanese (white cartridge) Jan Jan Paradise 2 and it worked fine on a Japanese board with the Japanese Mod/Universal BIOS.
However, and I'll eventually get around to making a larger post about this, I made a Sengeki Striker on a ROM 4 board from an Asia (green cartridge) Puzz Loop ROM 4 board. I actually didn't screw up making this one. It came out fabulously!
So I pulled my USA main board out of storage and ran it with the Japanese Mod BIOS and Sengeki Striker would run but ONLY as the ASIA version. If I tried to use Japanese region 27C801 DIP32 ROMS for U4/U6, it wouldn't run.
The symptoms changed based on the board region and the BIOS used. The Mod BIOS could usually get the came to kick over to the in game check, but both Puzz Loop and Sengeki Striker gave a "Security Error". Using a non-Mod BIOS would just stall within the BIOS and it would repeat the "only for use in this region" screen.
I'll need to do some tests again to make sure I have all of my facts right, but to my amateur eyes, the only thing that looks like it could be a likely culprit for security on the main board is the Lattice CPLD. And I'm also suspecting that the PALs on ROM and ROM 2 Boards and large custom IC on ROM 3/4 Boards differ by region and are part of this lock and key mechanism. As far as way this only affects certain games - to me it could be region combinations that just work or some games just may not institute such checks (at least that's my running theory).
Also, how strict is the 3.3v requirement on these conversions? I notice that my Sengeki Striker voltage regulator outputs like 4.x volts, but the cart works (other than the background layer missing on first stage).
Tailsnic Retroworks
Grand Master
For all the interested ones, I have put here a thread with many info and files you'll need for your converts.
Pr3tty F1y
Student
Awesome! Thank you to both you and Darksoft. I'm wondering if this also will solve the Security Error that Puzz Loop likes to throw... I'll check later.
Pr3tty F1y
Student
@Tailsnic Retroworks and @Darksoft
My newly Japanese region'd Sengeki Striker on an Asia-region ROM 4 Board is working great on my Japanese board w/ Japanese mod BIOS! Thanks again
My newly Japanese region'd Sengeki Striker on an Asia-region ROM 4 Board is working great on my Japanese board w/ Japanese mod BIOS! Thanks again
