Any PGM Conversion info out there?

[98pacecar]

I've been spending a little bit of time looking for info on how to convert PGM games to the 3 Cave titles that run on the dedicated boards, but so far haven't turned anything up. I know there's a guy that does them, but it looks like it might be a fun conversion to try my hand at.

Is the info out there anywhere?

 

[twistedsymphony]

This blog entry is the best info I've found: https://newastrocity.wordpress.com/2013/07/21/cave-conversions/

it lists which games can be used as donors but it's unclear if you can use MAME ROMs or if the ROMs need to be patched to bypass security.

------------------------------
LATEST UPDATE: 2019-15-01
Since this thread has become so huge I've created a list of every IGS PCB Number I can find and if a successful conversion has been documented on it....


PCBs marked with:
* are suitable donor PCBs with successful documented conversions
+ are thought to be potential donors but have no documented conversions yet
- are thought to not be suitable for conversion

~IGS PCB NO-0133-2 (Main board) [the main board of the mobo]
-IGS PCB NO-0134-1 (PRG) - Oriental Legend
-IGS PCB NO-0135 (GFX) - Dragon World II, Oriental Legend, Oriental Legend Super
~IGS PCB NO-0136 (Riser) [cart port on the mobo]

-IGS PCB NO-0162 (PRG) - Dragon World II

+IGS PCB NO-0179 (PRG) - Killing Blade +Espgaluda +Ketsui
*IGS PCB NO-0179-2 (PRG) - Killing Blade *Espgaluda +Ketsui Conversion 1 Conversion 2
*IGS PCB NO-0178 (GFX) - Killing Blade, Dragon World 3, Dragon World 3 EX *Espgaluda +Ketsui Conversion 1

-IGS PCB NO-0189 (PRG) - Dragon World 3
-IGS PCB NO-0189-1 (PRG) - Dragon World 3 EX

-IGS PCB NO-0191-1 (PRG) - Oriental Legend Super

+IGS PCB NO-0212-1 (PRG) - Knights of Valour +DDP DOJ
*IGS PCB NO-0213 (GFX) - Knights of Valour Plus *DDP DOJ conversion 1
+IGS PCB NO-0213T (GFX) - Knights of Valour +DDP DOJ

-IGS PCB NO-0220 (PRG) - Photo Y2K
-IGS PCB NO-0221 (GFX) - Photo Y2K
+IGS PCB NO-0222 (PRG) - Knights of Valour, Knights of Valour Plus +DDP DOJ
*IGS PCB NO-0222-1 (PRG) -Knights of Valour Plus *DDP DOJ conversion 1

-IGS PCB NO-T0236 (PRG) - Puzzle Star
-IGS PCB NO-T0237 (GFX) - Puzzle Star

*IGS PCB NO-0256-1 (GFX) - Knights of Valour Super Heroes *DDP DOJ conversion 1 conversion 2
+IGS PCB NO-0257 (PGR) - Knights of Valour Super Heroes +DDP DOJ
*IGS PCB No-0257-1 (PRG) - Knights of Valour Super Heroes *DDP DOJ conversion 1 conversion 2
-IGS PCB NO-0258 (GFX) - Puzzli 2
-IGS PCB NO-0259 (PRG) - Puzzli 2

+IGS PCB-0292-00 (GFX) - Martial Masters +Espgaluida +Ketsui
+IGS PCB-0293-01 (PRG) - Martial Masters +Espgaluida +Ketsui

-IGS PCB-0313-00T (PRG) - Photo Y2K2
-IGS PCB-0314-00 (GFX) - Photo Y2K2

+IGS PCB-0333-00 (PRG) - Knights of Valour 2 +Espgaluda +Ketsui
*IGS PCB-0333-01-FT (PRG) - Knights of Valour 2 +Espgaluda +Ketsui Conversion 1
+IGS PCB-0333-02-FI (PRG) - Knights of Valour 2 +Espgaluda +Ketsui
*IGS PCB-0333-03-FI (PRG) - Knights of Valour 2 *Ketsui *Espgaluda Conversion 1 Conversion 2 Conversion 3 Conversion 4
+IGS PCB-0333-09-FI (PRG) - Knights of Valour 2 +Espgaluida +Ketsui

*IGS PCB-0334-00 (GFX) - Knights of Valour 2 *Ketsui *Espgaluda Conversion 1 Conversion 2 Conversion 3 Conversion 4

-IGS PCB-0349-01-FL (PRG) - Dragon World 2001
-IGS PCB-0350-00T-FL-A (GFX) - Dragon World 2001

+IGS PCB-0354-01-FN (PRG) - DoDonPachi 2 +Espgaluida +Ketsui
+IGS PCB-0355-00T-FN-A (GFX) - DoDonPachi 2 +Espgaluida +Ketsui

+IGS PCB-0387-02-FV (PRG) - Demon Front +Espgaluida +Ketsui

+IGS PCB-0390-00-FV-A (GFX) - Demon Front +Espgaluida +Ketsui

*IGS PCB-0490-00-GZ (PRG) - Knights of Valour Super Heroes *DDP DOJ Conversion 1 (info) (pics)

*IGS PCB-0568-00-GZ-B (GFX) - Knights of Valour Super Heroes *DDP DOJ Conversion 1 (info) (pics)

---------------------------
These are the ROM files to use:

Do Don Pachi Dai Ou Jou
-Program ROM (Black Label Only): ddpdojblkbl
-Program ROM (white Label Only): [unavailable]
-Program ROM (Dual Boot): [undumped]
-All other ROMs: ddp3

Espgaluda
-Program ROM: espgalbl
-All other ROMs: espgal

Ketsui
-Program ROM (Original Only): ketbl
-Program ROM (Arrange Only): Any PGM Conversion info out there?
-Program ROM (Dual Boot): Any PGM Conversion info out there?
-All other ROMs: ket

---------------------------

Other useful threads:
Ketsui Trap Arrange ROM:
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

Ketsui dual boot ROM:
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

Ketsui dual boot switch wiring:
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

Ketsui dual boot switch mounting:
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

non-board specific PAL Modification Instructions for Ketsui and Espgaluda
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

program ROM PCB mapping
Any PGM Conversion info out there?

 

[Apocalypse]

I've got all the information you need on my computer.
Will post it here later.

[EDIT]

Links to the PGM romsets:

http://www.filedropper.com/dodonpachidojblpgm
http://www.filedropper.com/espgaludapgm
http://www.filedropper.com/ketsuipgm

Suitable donor games:

For Espgaluda and Kestui:
- Knight of Valour 2
- Demon Front
- Martial Master
- Killing Blade
- Dodonpachi 2 Bee Storm
- Gladiator

For DoDonpachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label:
- Knight of Valour Super Heroes

Chips needed:

Example for Espgaluda:
- 1 * 27C322 for main program (espgaluda_u8.bin)
- 4 * 26L6420 for graphics (t04801w064.u19, a04801w064.u7, a04802w064.u8, b04801w064.u1)
- 1 * 29L3211 for music (w04801b032.u17)

Of course you'll have to desolder u1, u7, u17 and u19 from the donor game.

The messy part is 26L6420 and 29L311 chips are 3.3V powered when the PGM cart only provides 5V.
It's not really a problem for buses, levels are still within the TTL tolerance but chips power supply must be adapted.
This can be done with resistors to drop the voltage from 5V to 3.3V or even better with a 3.3V regulator (the solution I prefer).
VCC pin of 26L6420 and 29L311 chips mustn't be soldered to the board but lifted and connected to the 3.3V regulator.

 

[rewrite]

I've had all the stuff to do this for a while now, but am paranoid about trying to solder those types of chips.. I have second-hand Joerg conversions for Ketsui and DOJ, but still need Espgaluda. Going to start practicing and learning on a broken board before risking my spare Killing Blade.

 

[98pacecar]

This is why I love this place! Thanks!!!

 

[ThisGuy]

very cool thank you @Apocalypse

 

[Darksoft]

Nice Post. Has anyone seen other games converted?

 

[NGAES]

Just a pity good titles are sacrificed.

 

[PascalP]

So these would be good donors?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.nl/ulk/itm/282783695803

 

[twistedsymphony]

So these would be good donors?

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpr…Fulk%2Fitm%2F282783695803

I believe Knights of Valour 2 and Knights of Valour 2 Nine Dragons are two different games.

https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/pgm.cpp

I'm not ashamed to admit that as soon as I saw this thread I went on ebay and scooped the first last Knights of Valour Super Heroes and Knights of Valour 2 that I found.

 

[RGB]

And to think I was considering selling my consolized PGM

 

[udongein]

Here's hoping Darksoft will work on a PGM multi one day so we don't have to sacrifice any existing games for conversions...

 

[Derick2k]

Yeah, I think he will get to it eventually.

 

[kuze]

Here's hoping Darksoft will work on a PGM multi one day so we don't have to sacrifice any existing games for conversions...

 

[PascalP]

So these would be good donors?

rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpr…Fulk%2Fitm%2F282783695803

I believe Knights of Valour 2 and Knights of Valour 2 Nine Dragons are two different games.
https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/pgm.cpp

I'm not ashamed to admit that as soon as I saw this thread I went on ebay and scooped the first last Knights of Valour Super Heroes and Knights of Valour 2 that I found.

same here, bought a KoV Super Heroes from Sheepnova (last one he had)

 

[XeD]

Nice, time to pick up some cheap carts. What would be a good programmer for these chips?

 

[twistedsymphony]

Nice, time to pick up some cheap carts. What would be a good programmer for these chips?

http://www.buyicnow.com/

 

[nam9]

Suitable donor games:

For Espgaluda and Kestui:
- Knight of Valour 2
- Demon Front
- Martial Master
- Killing Blade
- Dodonpachi 2 Bee Storm
- Gladiator

For DoDonpachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label:
- Knight of Valour Super Heroes

So... possible to convert Killing Blade to either DDP2 Or The Gladiator?

 

[twistedsymphony]

Chips needed:

Example for Espgaluda:
- 1 * 27C322 for main program (espgaluda_u8.bin)
- 4 * 26L6420 for graphics (t04801w064.u19, a04801w064.u7, a04802w064.u8, b04801w064.u1)
- 1 * 29L3211 for music (w04801b032.u17)

This seems like the example for DoDonPachi DOJ BL I don't see those files in the other ROM sets. There are a lot of included files that you don't list here too. Are these not needed?

 

[Darksoft]

I thought only program rom changed. Any reason why you included the gfx and sound roms in DoDonPachi DOJ BL?