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PGM Motherboard In Game reseting to Service Menu

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bullet_curtain

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Hi there,

i got a PGM Motherboard which worked well for a while. But then it started to have an odd issue, after a while (5-10minutes) it just resets to the service menu.
At this stage when i do a power cycle, it just instantly goes to the service menu again or occasionally boots the game, but resets randomly on "screen changes" in presentation mode.
Carts are Fluffy Cave's :)

I looked for cold solder joints, because i think it's a temparature issue, on the other hand before that symptom occured, it worked for longer times with no issues.
What i've found was a Capacitor that was not correctly soldered (it layed with both ends on one solder point..), fixed that but it didn't help.

In the meantime i ordered another MB which works fine, so the carts should be good.

Any hints? Maybe Voltage, do the PGM's trend to like "undervoltage" like 4.8-9V? I didn't wanted to stress the MB without any proper knowledge.

Setup is with the diy supergun from here, works fine also with my MVS. I did the tests in the service menu (after the issue occurs) it reports nothing faulty.

Thanks in advance!
 
Hey

I had issues with my carts resetting and graphical glitches with all my CAVE Fluffy carts

Very similar experience you had

I lowered the voltage and that did the trick

On my Minigun I'd have it at 4.6v to 4.7
My HAS Supergun I'd have it between 4.6v to 4.7v

Hope you can fix the issue
 
I always run my PGM at 5.0V even. Make sure the cart edge and cart slot are both clean. A toothbrush dipped in isopropyl alcohol works well for the cart slot. The cart edges can be cleaned with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol.

Also make sure that the cart slot connections to the mainboard are also clean and tightly fit - if the cart edge daughterboard is lifted up from the mainboard on one side then it can cause random resets.

@GC8TECH has a great Troubleshooting video you can check out here:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6fFWhmPfuI
 
shelcoof said:
Hey

I had issues with my carts resetting and graphical glitches with all my CAVE Fluffy carts

Very similar experience you had

I lowered the voltage and that did the trick

On my Minigun I'd have it at 4.6v to 4.7
My HAS Supergun I'd have it between 4.6v to 4.7v

Hope you can fix the issue
Click to expand...
I think i need to try this way for this certain motherboard, i was afraid of lowering the voltage to much. It might be that i had lower voltage, before i fiddled on the +5V going slightly up tiny steps with no success.
As you say i did also build 2 superguns, so one might have had the "better" voltage, it's been a while. I also tend to think those LCD voltage meters might be not super precise.. I take that as a 2nd hint towards this direction.

ShootTheCore said:
I always run my PGM at 5.0V even. Make sure the cart edge and cart slot are both clean. A toothbrush dipped in isopropyl alcohol works well for the cart slot. The cart edges can be cleaned with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol.

Also make sure that the cart slot connections to the mainboard are also clean and tightly fit - if the cart edge daughterboard is lifted up from the mainboard on one side then it can cause random resets.
Click to expand...
Thats the first i did, i do it always when i get new hardware undpack and straight IPA cure. :D
It's a Rev 1 and has also those "2 whiper" connectors, that you recommend.
Of course i found your channel/website. thanks for making them, very helpfull!

Thank you both for chiming in, i will report back after some voltage experiments.
 
bullet_curtain said:
I think i need to try this way for this certain motherboard, i was afraid of lowering the voltage to much. It might be that i had lower voltage, before i fiddled on the +5V going slightly up tiny steps with no success.
As you say i did also build 2 superguns, so one might have had the "better" voltage, it's been a while. I also tend to think those LCD voltage meters might be not super precise.. I take that as a 2nd hint towards this direction.


Thats the first i did, i do it always when i get new hardware undpack and straight IPA cure. :D
It's a Rev 1 and has also those "2 whiper" connectors, that you recommend.
Of course i found your channel/website. thanks for making them, very helpfull!

Thank you both for chiming in, i will report back after some voltage experiments.
Click to expand...
I forgot to mention

I have two mobos as well
One early revision and second later revision

Both demonstrated the same issues only with the CAVE Fluffy carts

Cave Fluffy carts were brand new bought by sheep nova

Regular PGM carts ran fine on 5v

Also the Minigun and HAS Supergun ran on two separate PSU but the same model
 
nem said:
Pretty sure sheep_nova does not sell Fluffy carts.
Click to expand...
When I purchased them he asked which versions I wanted

Fluffy or converted

I asked what the difference was he mentioned that the Fluffy carts don't have the issues with artifacts

The carts do look new
I don't think sheepnova would deceive me 😅
 
Maybe when I get a chance I'll upload PCB pictures later this weekend

I just went with what I was told
I know for sure they don't look anything like original PGM PCBs
 
GC8TECH said:
@shelcoof I have a ton of info on my site. If you need some spefic help. Just let me know. I have a Discord server you might be keen on as well. I'm always here to help out another PGM user :)

Tim.
Click to expand...
Tim

You were the first resource I found when I was getting into the PGM
Subbed to the discord and youtube channel too :D

Not having any issues right now its bullet_curtain
Hopefully he can figure it out
 
These are the CAVE PGM carts from sheep_nova

He calls them Fluffy
They definitely aren't converted boards

ESPGALUDA
DoDonPachi BL
Ketsui

All three CAVE games identical with the same PCBs

The duck tape is from me covering up the EPROM window

Ketsui wasn't burnt on an EPROM out of the three

Other than that after adjusting the voltage accordingly they all ran perfect

And I had my PGM run on my Supergun for 18 hours straight too 😁
 

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The BIG issue is they run 3.3V Flash chips with 5V I/O data. Which is a bad thing!! "REAL Fluffys" PCBs (Which I build / and Sell) are ALL 5V Chips.. so doesn't have any issues!
@shelcoof Did you see my youtube videos on Fluffys PCBs etc???

Tim.
 
GC8TECH said:
The BIG issue is they run 3.3V Flash chips with 5V I/O data. Which is a bad thing!! "REAL Fluffys" PCBs (Which I build / and Sell) are ALL 5V Chips.. so doesn't have any issues!
@shelcoof Did you see my youtube videos on Fluffys PCBs etc???

Tim.
Click to expand...
To be honest I didn't get a chance to go through all of them 😅

Being new to the scene I knew something was different but thought it could of been due to a different revision or something

Didn't realize 3.3v flash chips were used
What problems potential problems could occur due to the voltage difference?

I'm assuming what we already know the game resetting and graphical glitches

But any permanent damage to the hardware?
 
The 3.3V FLASH chips WILL DIE in the end. You May do damage to the PGM Motherboard.. but that's less likely... Bad sound / Corrupted GFX / Weird stuff are signs of the Flash chips dieing....

PLUS your not Killing / Using a PGM game cart to make Fluffys PCBs. Thats a HUGE Plus in my book. I even bought a 3D printer to print Care cases for Fluffys PCBs. Hopefully soon i can offer 3D Printed cases with the Fluffy PCBs i sell :)
 
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GC8TECH said:
The 3.3V FLASH chips WILL DIE in the end. You May do damage to the PGM Motherboard.. but that's less likely... Bad sound / Corrupted GFX / Weird stuff are signs of the Flash chips dieing....

PLUS your not Killing / Using a PGM game cart to make Fluffys PCBs. Thats a HUGE Plus in my book. I even bought a 3D printer to print Care cases for Fluffys PCBs. Hopefully soon i can offer 3D Printed cases with the Fluffy PCBs i sell :)
Click to expand...
I'm always learning something here everyday I'm browsing around
Really appreciate the information

I'm assuming by lowering the voltage to get these carts stable from 5v to to 4.6v moves it closer to 3.3v?

I read somewhere else here that the glitching and resetting were due to the chips overheating
Reducing the voltage helps
That's what I did to remedy my problem

I guess even at 4.6v it's still much higher than 3.3v and is something that would eventually fail long term?
 
shelcoof said:
These are the CAVE PGM carts from sheep_nova

He calls them Fluffy
They definitely aren't converted boards
Click to expand...
Odd. :) I noticed he listed "Fluffy" carts, but just assumed since I released the Gerbers that he gives people a choice between lydz and my boards. lydz boards are easier to "mass"-produce, or maybe they've got lots of stock?
 
Fluffy said:
Odd. :) I noticed he listed "Fluffy" carts, but just assumed since I released the Gerbers that he gives people a choice between lydz and my boards. lydz boards are easier to "mass"-produce, or maybe they've got lots of stock?
Click to expand...
Forgive my lack of knowledge regarding these boards :facepalm:
I've tried searching and haven't found much

So the boards I have uploaded earlier are lydz boards then?
Just wondering what the differences are between Fluffy and lydz board?

From what I could tell Fluffy boards use EPROMs
While the lydz boards use 3.3v flash chips?

Flash chips prone to fail due to the voltage difference 5v i/o data
 
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