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Alien Front Naomi Online

schmoo

schmoo

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I got modem working because the SH4 IF on the Naomi one is converted to RS422.

https://github.com/anderss90/softwareSerial_RS422

I used this software to try it; a real RS422 dongle would be better.

An rs422 version of the Arduino softwareSerial library. It has two TX pins, TX+ and TX-. It only uses one pin for RX, as the positive pin of rs422 can be read as normal rs232.

If the device only listens to one RX pair it can be read as RS232 @Darksoft @MetalliC

This is how I did it without the mystical and fabled modem; I have the server software and extensive knowledge of the sames and differences between the two software versions on either Naomi or
Dreamcast;
I have a GDI equippped Dreamcast and a Classic Naomi with a Netdimm with a currently broken Pic slot that still boots off Triforcetools.py.

Stay tuned ..
 

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Ask @Miku he is the dumpster behind this
 
Dan tested the proof of concept on my forum and it seemed to work with a standard US robotics modem
 

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Ive been playing since August of 2019 like this on dreampi but did not have the correct JVS I/O
 
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The location test was the last time I heard this was possible and I never gave up; I wish I didn't forget my alien front poster at my old house.
 
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It took me a while to figure out the comms system with LEDs and a multimeter; it looked similar enough to RS485 I had assumed it was until I realized the differential pairs could safely ignore the RX negative on the PC side; assuming 0v was 5v on the phantom RX negative as per the Arduino code.
 

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I uploaded the code to GitHub but lost it in the kerfuffle of repos I dig around in.
 
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supposedly this shouldn't be possible according to many sources they left this part out in the alien front cartridge; but it's present in the US copy via some menu adjustments.
 
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How does someone manage to get banned after 12 posts? Really?
 
nam9 said:
How does someone manage to get banned after 12 posts? Really?
Click to expand...
I was falsely lead to believe that p1pkin was behind arcademodbios; I don't appreciate Mr. 'JacKc' Silva's ethic (yes I called you out) profiting from multicarts while contributing actively to other mame projects ; and strongly implore him to share his valuable expertise in preserving our Friend Naomi instead of Squandering it and keeping us in the dark.
 
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@nam9 he was talking shit about this forum in the first place and yes I think he knows stuff. You know this forum is like Area 51 we like to keep things inline :rolleyes: And people who try to expose get rid off ;) :P
 
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AMS said:
@nam9 he was talking shit about this forum in the first place and yes I think he knows stuff. You know this forum is like Area 51 we like to keep things inline :rolleyes: And people who try to expose get rid 8o
Click to expand...
Consider this a formal apology for misplaced grief to @MetalliC
 
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That's awesome. I have an AF Twin cab. Would be cool to challenge someone with that thing.

The 'Battle On-Line' text means nothing though. It's part of the attract. However, the second screen (modem being detected) is definitely interesting.

nam9 said:
How does someone manage to get banned after 12 posts? Really?
Click to expand...
Bad blood between them and AP.
 
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nem said:
That's awesome. I have an AF Twin cab. Would be cool to challenge someone with that thing.

The 'Battle On-Line' text means nothing though. It's part of the attract. However, the second screen (modem being detected) is definitely interesting.

nam9 said:
How does someone manage to get banned after 12 posts? Really?
Click to expand...
Bad blood between them and AP.
Click to expand...
A lot of my misplaced frustration with the forum itself was finding value information kevinne posted; only for the trail to go cold by ban and it frustrated me as he had come up with many great things in the time I had associated with him on the candy cabs group on Facebook.
 
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schmoo said:
nem said:
That's awesome. I have an AF Twin cab. Would be cool to challenge someone with that thing.

The 'Battle On-Line' text means nothing though. It's part of the attract. However, the second screen (modem being detected) is definitely interesting.

nam9 said:
How does someone manage to get banned after 12 posts? Really?
Click to expand...
Bad blood between them and AP.
Click to expand...
apparently the location test modem was an RS422 modem that plugs into that serial communication connector and Miku figured out how to make a differential reciever out of Softmodem code; it looks like hacked ROM was used to change the server to the dreampi IP...so this wouldn't work with an ordinary aliens front cartridge but works fine with hexedited game like how phantasy star online is modded on le dréamcast
Click to expand...
the Naomi 2 guy didn't need the adapter since the second naomi could speak RS232 out of the box; simply a few wires to a US robotics modem with a proper handshake.
 
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Edit:

https://github.com/Kazade/dreampi/blob/master/dreampi.py#L381

Here is the github, looks like it chats to it as a serial device, so possibly a USB to RS422 will suffice and it'll just work without the modem?

I'm a bit young to understand modems lol...

---

I'll get a confirmed answer soon, but I'm fairly certain all that's required is:

1 - Get an RS422 to RS232 converter
2 - Wire up CN8 to the RS422 side:
CN8 6 pin cable to db9 with the following pin out:
CN8--DB9--Function
1--2--Rx
2--3--Tx
3--5--GND
4--7--RTS
5--8--CTS
6--5--GND
3 - Plug that into a serial modem (they seem to use one by US Robotics or something)
4 - http://blog.kazade.co.uk/p/dreampi.html Setup a dreampi and plug your modem into the USB thing they get you to buy

Then I think dreampi just ignores whatever number it dials, and forwards the info from the dreampi server and so it'll play.

I'll update as I get more information...

As an aside, the whole serial -> modem -> other modem -> computer thing is obviously a bit silly, and I'm sure someone could take the serial data and pass it straight into the dreampi software, and then all you'd require is a USB to RS422 converter.

On the Naomi 2 it can speak RS232 using a jumper, and so you don't need the RS422 to RS232 converter stage (although seeing as those are very cheep + small, you might as well get one).
 
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@bobbydilley cool story, but why I see in debugger NAOMI AlienFront tries to detect modem at G2 bus (i.e. Dreamcast's modem), and see no any access to serial port ?
 
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