What's new
Got my PCBs and built up an ESPGaluda which seems to be working fine. Instead of using an existing cartridge shell, I had some M3 Nylon standoffs spare which I've used to link the two PCBs and keep them aligned and separated. It seems 8mm is about the right gap, (which I didn't have), so I've used a 6mm standoff and a couple of 1mm washers either side of those to get the right distance. I've only done them up finger tight so there's still a bit of wiggle room.

IMG_2979.jpg
 
Got my PCBs and built up an ESPGaluda which seems to be working fine. Instead of using an existing cartridge shell, I had some M3 Nylon standoffs spare which I've used to link the two PCBs and keep them aligned and separated. It seems 8mm is about the right gap, (which I didn't have), so I've used a 6mm standoff and a couple of 1mm washers either side of those to get the right distance. I've only done them up finger tight so there's still a bit of wiggle room.

IMG_2979.jpg
Love the workaround!
 
Just assembling all the stuff to build a DP3 Dual Boot. In case anyone else is searching around, I think this is how you do it (or at least here's how I'm going to try, and I'll edit when it works!)

stand alone bios: PGM Diag/Test BIOS
pgm program files: Any PGM Conversion info out there?

ddpdojblkbl.zip: can't share the link but you should be able to find it. you want the non-merged version so it has all the files inside (md5 09352efbcd60713f38af7d47401535d5)

unpack the bios file to the same directory as your ddp zip and your pgm program files zip.

command:
python rom_gen.py -b "pgm_bios_single_pcb_vxxxJP.u42" "PGM Program Files.zip"
(this creates patched program rom files for all the games with the upgraded motherboard bios)

then command:
python rom_gen.py ddpdojblkbl.zip
(creates all the other roms)

then use all the files in the ddp_rg folder for a1/a2/a3/a4/b1/b2/t1/t2/m1, but for P1 use: ddp3_p1_dual_qb.bin

also use
PGM_RG_U5_QB.jed
PGM_RG_U6.jed
I had ESPGaluda and Ketsui built and working but I was a bit confused about which files to use for DDP3. This post cleared that up, worked first time.
 
Received my sets of PCBs last Friday. Nice work on these, @Fluffy!
I've burned full set of Espgaluda ROMs. Prog and tile ROMs were all good. Then I went to get sprite ROMs running. And there is a problem.

https://blk.wine/video/pgm/IMG_1971.mov

Then tried to burn Ketsui. Title screen, character selection and starting sequence looked perfect.
These are all made of sprites. I am sure as I have run out of blank EPROMs I used T1&T2 from the Espgaluda set and they would be messed up otherwise. Then as soon the bullets get fired this becomes a big mess.

https://blk.wine/video/pgm/IMG_1975.mov

I measured voltage on +5V rail, read 4.98V.
I don't think it is problem with these game PCBs though. My PGM IGS board may need repair, I presume. The thing is I tested this board with a few games like Kings of Valour Plus and Dragon World 2 &3 in the past and they all used to work nicely before (if I cleaned cartridge board contacts well) but now they have also some graphical glitches.
I tore apart my PGM board, inspected pcb closely and I can see mild damage from the leaked battery. Not severe really, but there are traces of acid in a few spots. Time to order another PGM board I guess.
 
I do have repair videos on my YouTube channel if your keen.

Tim.
 
Check t
Received my sets of PCBs last Friday. Nice work on these, @Fluffy!
I've burned full set of Espgaluda ROMs. Prog and tile ROMs were all good. Then I went to get sprite ROMs running. And there is a problem.

https://blk.wine/video/pgm/IMG_1971.mov
How new are the EPROMs used for the A-ROMs? Sometimes older EPROMs verify good in the programmer, but have longer response time in a circuit.

Edit: If other games have similar problems please check the cartridge connector - I think some revisions use quite cheap connectors. They should be PC-Style ISA slot connectors. Maybe @GC8TECH can sell you some of those he uses for repairs.
 
Last edited:
PXL_20220115_130858796.MP2.jpg

Boards arrived yesterday, got Dai Ou Jou Black Label up and running now! :D

My apologies for not digging through this entire thread, but is there any way to get White Label working? The "Old Version" selection at bootup does not work, and crashes after the region warning screen.



EDIT:
Just after posting this I found this post in the PGM Conversion Info thread, and lo and behold, putting coins in and mashing Start during the region warning does indeed work! However, if the game ever hits the 'attract mode', it crashes immediately.
So it is possible to play credits of White Label, it's just very awkward to set up and use. I'd still love any advice on a better way to do this.

Original post continued below:



It occurs to me now looking at the file names -
The output from the rom generator tool a creates few different P1 files:
ddp3_p1_amb.bin ddp3_p1_bl.bin ddp3_p1_dual.bin

The main advice I have seen is to use the ddp3_p1_dual.bin file as the program data, but after seeing that there is one that seems to be specific to Black Label (ddp3_p1_bl.bin) does that mean that the other one is specific to White Label (ddp3_p1_amb.bin)?

I'd be happy to make another ROM just for White Label, but I'd really like to be able to play it.

Thanks @Fluffy and others who've contributed to this thread and the knowledge base around this project, been very fun to work with so far.

Just assembling all the stuff to build a DP3 Dual Boot. In case anyone else is searching around, I think this is how you do it (or at least here's how I'm going to try, and I'll edit when it works!)

stand alone bios: PGM Diag/Test BIOS
pgm program files: Any PGM Conversion info out there?

ddpdojblkbl.zip: can't share the link but you should be able to find it. you want the non-merged version so it has all the files inside (md5 09352efbcd60713f38af7d47401535d5)

unpack the bios file to the same directory as your ddp zip and your pgm program files zip.

command:
python rom_gen.py -b "pgm_bios_single_pcb_vxxxJP.u42" "PGM Program Files.zip"
(this creates patched program rom files for all the games with the upgraded motherboard bios)

then command:
python rom_gen.py ddpdojblkbl.zip
(creates all the other roms)

then use all the files in the ddp_rg folder for a1/a2/a3/a4/b1/b2/t1/t2/m1, but for P1 use: ddp3_p1_dual_qb.bin

also use
PGM_RG_U5_QB.jed
PGM_RG_U6.jed
Just wanted to mention that this advice was excellent, and was what ultimately got my Dai Ou Jou cart working. Thanks also to @bodgit for mentioning it recently and drawing it to my attention.
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20220115_040946585.jpg
    PXL_20220115_040946585.jpg
    270.1 KB · Views: 85
Last edited:
It occurs to me now looking at the file names -
The output from the rom generator tool a creates few different P1 files:
ddp3_p1_amb.bin ddp3_p1_bl.bin ddp3_p1_dual.bin

The main advice I have seen is to use the ddp3_p1_dual.bin file as the program data, but after seeing that there is one that seems to be specific to Black Label (ddp3_p1_bl.bin) does that mean that the other one is specific to White Label (ddp3_p1_amb.bin)?
The only information I've got is this (from the rom_gen.py script):
Code:
    # ROM from Mame ddpdojblkbl romset, contains "WWW.ARCADEMODBIOS.COM" string at 0x100:
    "616500180768e79fd13cc786de3b357062076c6f866de13add309a0c7f8b3cde": ( True, False, True, ((0x00000, 0x400000, "ddp3_rg/ddp3_p1_amb.bin"),)),
    # Patched ROM by Asure based on version above, enables selection between white/black label
    "b91881322f262316db2c43e01bb8ee871955a2c5552f50b80bf2f405fdbbe72e": ( True, False, True, ((0x00000, 0x400000, "ddp3_rg/ddp3_p1_dual.bin"),)),
    # unknown version from oneleaf86's ROM collection, doesn't contain AMB string:
    "ac18adde4dee77652c15df505d1e79fec09b7a50999bec78c9737fd0ad3531c3": ( True, False, True, ((0x00000, 0x400000, "ddp3_rg/ddp3_p1_bl.bin"),)),
I'm not sure what makes the white version work, some people can play it up to the second loop before it crashes. Maybe that is why it was disabled before Asure patched it back in.
 
I had the exact same issue with the daioujou dual boot rom. Black label works fine, white label I have to coin up before attract mode to play. I never had it crash on me white playing; ran through the full game. Just make sure there are enough credits to not go back to attract mode. I may just flash the regular black label rom as that's what I play 99% of the time.
 
So it is possible to play credits of White Label, it's just very awkward to set up and use. I'd still love any advice on a better way to do this.
I had great luck with the version that has the embedded bios. On that one black and white label work for me and the highscore table is not corrupted on white label.
 
I had great luck with the version that has the embedded bios. On that one black and white label work for me and the highscore table is not corrupted on white label.
I'm pretty sure that's what I am doing - I followed the exact procedure mentioned here: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads/pgm-single-game-pcb-assembly-and-troubleshooting.10015/post-172566

Embedded modified BIOS in the ROM, QB version of the PAL, etc.

Is that what you're using, or are you doing something different?
 
By the way, the games are only 2 MB, so you can burn two versions into the same program EPROM and then use J2 to switch between them.

This doesn't work for the QB version, as that is shifted a bit to allow for the BIOS.
 
Hmm, so can we just program PGM_RG_U5.jed instead of PGM_RG_U5_QB.jed and use the jumper on J2 for White Label? Think I'd rather just have a cart designated for White Label then worry about issues..
 
@digitron I agree with you completely. But right now I don't think there is even a working ROM for White Label (other than its partially-functional inclusion in the Dual mode ROM).
I'd really love to hear more detail from @nnap about how he managed to get the dual version working in White Label...

I tested some ROMs last night after talking a bit with @GC8TECH , and it seems like none of the program ROMs that are used for these carts right now work for White Label. There are two Black Label only ROMs (the AMB and BL versions), and the Dual version seems to work fine in Black Label, but it crashes for me when it hits attract in White Label.

There are several WL ROMs available for MAME, but I believe they are all encrypted, so I don't think they would be a drop-in option for the carts in their current state.
 
did some tests. Initially it booted to the stack trace error screen again. Then I put in a normal pgm game and put ddp back in. It still failed to boot. Then I started black label which worked. After that my white label worked again. I think the white label version is not initializing the settings correctly. Starting up BL seems to initialize it correctly and after that white label booted every time. From what I remember, when you use the 'coin at copyright screen' trick, the highscore table is corrupted. This is not the case when you start BL first and then run WL.
 
did some tests. Initially it booted to the stack trace error screen again. Then I put in a normal pgm game and put ddp back in. It still failed to boot. Then I started black label which worked. After that my white label worked again. I think the white label version is not initializing the settings correctly. Starting up BL seems to initialize it correctly and after that white label booted every time. From what I remember, when you use the 'coin at copyright screen' trick, the highscore table is corrupted. This is not the case when you start BL first and then run WL.
Yeah wow, this totally works!

Ran through a loop of attract with Black Label, and then went to Test menu to launch White Label. Seems to be working fine so far.

Thanks so much!!
 
There's been more great info posted here in the last days than my brain can hold. Thankfully the forum is hanging onto it for me :)
 
There are several WL ROMs available for MAME, but I believe they are all encrypted, so I don't think they would be a drop-in option for the carts in their current state.
The encryption is not the problem. The other DDP3 ROMs are encrypted as well, and are decrypted before being written out. If you copy the decryption function from Mame you can do that for WL as well.
The problem is that some of the work is offloaded to an ASIC on the cartridge (compare a picture of a proper PGM cart with my boards...), so that needs to be patched out.
 
The encryption is not the problem. The other DDP3 ROMs are encrypted as well, and are decrypted before being written out. If you copy the decryption function from Mame you can do that for WL as well.
The problem is that some of the work is offloaded to an ASIC on the cartridge (compare a picture of a proper PGM cart with my boards...), so that needs to be patched out.
Ah okay, I thought that the purpose of using the bootleg and AMB ROMs was that they were already decrypted.

I was aware of the ASIC as a feature of regular carts, but I did not realize that the Cave single-board PGM games used the ASIC in their original form.

My apologies.
 
Ah okay, I thought that the purpose of using the bootleg and AMB ROMs was that they were already decrypted.

I was aware of the ASIC as a feature of regular carts, but I did not realize that the Cave single-board PGM games used the ASIC in their original form.

My apologies.
As always, these things are complicated and the info is buried in long multi-page threads...
 
Back
Top