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Cyvern Conversion

Update news. I have been seeing in mame driver the only games that come with ROM-1 16mbit board are:

Gals Panic 4
VS Block
Saru-Kani-Hamu-Zou

Seeing at first glance the logic of the ROM-2 board, there is new logic needed to be implemented for 32mbits roms, and my VS Block cartidge is broken. I will search for new cartridges different from that ones.
 
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Has anyone converted or has a ROM1 cartridge converted to Cyvern? If so please post some pictures of the PCB. Thanks.
 
Another question. A Sengeki Striker, Asia eproms, Korea motherboard and modbios Korea, throws Security Error message. Do I have to use Asia regular bios?
 
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Almost confirmed, but this is my opinion about ROM-BOARD.

I have been inspecting these 3 board revisions in my hands:

ROM-BOARD
ROM-2-BOARD
ROM-4-BOARD

The "mistery" of "why" ROM-2-BOARD hasn't the 4th spritegen slot and ROM-BOARD yes (as said in the famous table), it's because ROM-BOARD has only 2 spritegen sections divided in 4 x 16mbit slots.

Also ROM-BOARD hasn't gfx3 section. The 4 slots are only for gfx2 section, 4 x 16mbit slots.

In ROM-2-BOARD, they made the extra logic for using theorically 4 gfx sections with 32mbit roms (2 x gfx2 and 2 x gfx3). Also they added 2 possible slots for CPU eproms, so the physical space where reduced to using 3 x 32mbit spritegen roms.

On ROM-3-BOARD AND ROM-4-BOARD they used a custom, implementing the 2 x PAL logic and all the TTLs support for archieving 4 x spritegen 32mbit slots.

Also there is a misterious jumper pair, R1 and R2, which is necessary to be changed for Sengeki Striker. The R2 trace goes to the custom, so it must be something internal. Probably this is a jumper for activate the high line for 64mbit roms. Gals Panic S3 is the only game uses them.

So, games like Gals Panic 4 and VS Block aren't worthy for conversion.
 
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More info. In progression, this is the ROM-BOARD graphic availability list:

ROM-BOARD
16mbit roms
2 spritegen zones in 4 banks
2 gfx2 zones in 4 banks
2 PALs logic encryption

ROM-2-BOARD
32mbit roms
3 spritegen zones in 3 banks
2 gfx2 zones in 2 banks
2 gfx3 zones in 2 banks
2 PALs logic encryption

ROM-3-BOARD
32mbit roms
3 spritegen zones in 3 banks
2 gfx2 zones in 2 banks
2 gfx3 zones in 2 banks
Custom processor has logic encryption and graphic processing

ROM-4-BOARD
32mbit-64mbit roms
4 spritegen zones in 4 banks
2 gfx2 zones in 2 banks
2 gfx3 zones in 2 banks
Custom processor has logic encryption and graphic processing
R1-R2 Jumper for activating 64mbit line on spritegen and gfx2 (Gals Panic S3)
 
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More news. Trying to convert a ROM-BOARD and ROM-2-BOARD to Sengeki Striker causes this screen on boot-up (VIEW3 CG):

Screenshot_20240309-012548_Galería_1.png


This is something CPU and PALs related, because with a ROM-4-BOARD (Gals Panic SU), even not changing any mask rom and only changing CPU eproms for Sengeki's, the game boots perfectly but with incorrect graphics.

Definitely, there is a routine in the code that "chains" games to specific rom boards. So ROM-BOARD and ROM-2-BOARD have 2 PALs, and ROM-3-BOARD and ROM-4-BOARD don't have them because the encryption logic is inside the custom, so is different for the games that are destined to.
 
If not documented, in all the cartridges revisions there are 2 internal rams (D431000AGW):

PXL_20240315_151744554_1.jpg


Thanks to a broken ROM-2-BOARD, I have checked what is the purpose of those rams.

When loading a game, there are 2 graphic phases:

- Phase 1: Kaneko bios screens pre-game ("Super Kaneko Nova System v1.0.0" logo screen is the last one)
PXL_20240315_230705568.jpg


- Phase 2: game test and final load. We can play it.

The game in my case was perfect, and only all the bios screens were bad. Culprit: those 2 damaged rams

Screenshot_20240316-001020_Galería_1.png


That screen and all the previous ones were bad. Replacing the 2 rams solved the problem. I can say this because after this last screen, we enter the game, and all the I/O pins of those rams begin to register no activity at all.

Kaneko hardware sure is really strange. I hope all this info works for someone.
 
Hi guys,

Can anyone tell us Step by Step the how to do the conversión process to cyvern? I read all posting did not understand XD
 
Casaborg said:
Hi guys,

Can anyone tell us Step by Step the how to do the conversión process to cyvern? I read all posting did not understand XD
Click to expand...
You need at least a game with ROM-2-BOARD. Gals Panic S is good enough. A 3.3V regulator and a total of 6 flash roms 29L3211
 
Yes a tutorial on this would be awesome. Have a Puzz Loop Rom 2 board I am looking to convert.
 
Just a question, the 3.3v jumpers are only needed when doing a conversion? I have an s2 at home and I’m looking for a motherboard. I don’t need to do those jumpers to play this on my NAC right?
 

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hrvat9 said:
Just a question, the 3.3v jumpers are only needed when doing a conversion? I have an s2 at home and I’m looking for a motherboard. I don’t need to do those jumpers to play this on my NAC right?
Click to expand...
if you want to play the cart as-is then don't make any modifications to the cart. it's that simple.

contact @sheep_nova if you're looking for a mobo.
 
Darksoft said:
Very nice job! I can see that you added a LDO, capactitors and even a level shifter. Am I seeing right? Can you please post more pictures of your small PCB? Would you have some more to sell?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Very simple board, really. CBTD16211 for 24bit single 5V supply 3.3V level shifting (non-buffered) and a small LDO. Since there is a hidden ChipSelect line hidden under the PCB, you pass a little magnet wire jumper underneath the PCB. Surely you have done way more complicated designs on your products !

1713420349421.png
 
Very nice design! Do you have spares of these or are the gerbers available somewhere?
 
I'm just posting here to share my thanks and gratitude to those who shared images and information relating to this conversion.

I was able to successfully convert a Jan Jan Paradise to Cyvern and it's awesome. That being said, this likely is the most shoddy, embarrassing, clearly-beyond-my-skill-set conversion that has been attempted, but it does indeed still work (even though I lifted a pad and half-assed removing/re-inserting the voltage step down power modulator due to soldering the audio ROM upside down and I was quite tired at that point in the build - but a bodge wire fixed it; after I figured out what direction I needed to go. So that's why there are two white wires :D).

So my work isn't great, but this was my first soldering project ever and I needed something that I actually wanted to achieve to kick my butt into gear to jump in and give it a try.

I have a couple more carts, so I think a Panic Street and Sengeki Striker conversions are in my future as I already have a USA board with a real USA Puzz Loop (which is what got me into the Super Nova to begin with.

In particular, I'd like to thank:
  • oneleaf86
  • pacman70
  • vaughan14
  • twistedsymphony
Your images/info got me through this (although it may not look like it from the crusty board with wires with burn marks, etc., etc., etc. below :D)

Also, if anyone has any pointers for how to best solder two wires to the lifted rom legs, I'd also be happy to hear from you. It was by far the most frustrating part of this work and I'm still quite crap at it as it seem like I need 3 arms to do it :)

jjp_to_cyvern_1.jpg

jjp_to_cyvern_2.jpg


jjp_to_cyvern_3.jpg
 
Pr3tty F1y said:
I'm just posting here to share my thanks and gratitude to those who shared images and information relating to this conversion.

I was able to successfully convert a Jan Jan Paradise to Cyvern and it's awesome. That being said, this likely is the most shoddy, embarrassing, clearly-beyond-my-skill-set conversion that has been attempted, but it does indeed still work (even though I lifted a pad and half-assed removing/re-inserting the voltage step down power modulator due to soldering the audio ROM upside down and I was quite tired at that point in the build - but a bodge wire fixed it; after I figured out what direction I needed to go. So that's why there are two white wires :D).

So my work isn't great, but this was my first soldering project ever and I needed something that I actually wanted to achieve to kick my butt into gear to jump in and give it a try.

I have a couple more carts, so I think a Panic Street and Sengeki Striker conversions are in my future as I already have a USA board with a real USA Puzz Loop (which is what got me into the Super Nova to begin with.

In particular, I'd like to thank:
  • oneleaf86
  • pacman70
  • vaughan14
  • twistedsymphony
Your images/info got me through this (although it may not look like it from the crusty board with wires with burn marks, etc., etc., etc. below :D)

Also, if anyone has any pointers for how to best solder two wires to the lifted rom legs, I'd also be happy to hear from you. It was by far the most frustrating part of this work and I'm still quite crap at it as it seem like I need 3 arms to do it :)

jjp_to_cyvern_1.jpg

jjp_to_cyvern_2.jpg


jjp_to_cyvern_3.jpg
Click to expand...
If you allow me a tip, on next installations use Kynar cable
 
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