Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

The place for all discussion on gaming hardware
Post Reply
flex
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:54 pm

Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by flex »

Hi Guys,

I have recently purchased a kit from http://www.oldskoolconsoles.com in the UK to fit to my 2 chip PAL SNES the installation went ok except I lifted a couple of pads when removing the original CIC chip, however I have found alternative solder points for these (instead of pad 7 I soldered to C4 underneath and instead of pad 8 I soldered to the bottom right of reset switch) as indicated on the installation guide.

I have a really strange issue in that the SNES refuses to start up normally and I get a black screen on normal carts, however if I use my Everdrive cart and hold reset for a couple of seconds after switching on (it boots up initially with black screen like the other carts), I can then play a game, switch between 50 / 60hz modes using the controller with the LED changing colour correctly. The only thing that doesn't work is the button presses for reset actions appear to do nothing. The reset button itself also appears to do nothing at all once the system has started up, holding it down does not switch modes either.

Also one other oddity I have noticed is that if i press my finger onto pad 10 of the original CIC (where the wire is soldered going to rst out) I can get the snes to reset and show "This game PAK is not designed for your region blah blah" for a few seconds which is odd because its a PAL cart in a PAL system or with the Everdrive cart it starts up although it quite often resets again after a few seconds. Sometimes this is the only way I can get the machine to do anything at all, very very strange and I can only assume its me adding some extra resistance or something that is causing this behavior.

I have checked continuity from the supercic and igr IC's on the board using a multimeter to the relevant CIC cartridge pins and the other solder points around the board and this all checks out as expected so I am at a bit of a loss and really I am just looking for any suggestions as to where to look or what I may have done wrong that would cause this behavior. It all feels like it is somehow connected to the CIC / reset circuit as the 50/60hz switching seems to be working fine, as does the controller inputs to change mode when I have the system running.

Install guide I followed:

https://github.com/borti4938/SNES-AddOn ... MR_QID.pdf

This is the kit I purchased:

http://www.oldskoolconsoles.com/product ... -cic-board


Any help would be much appreciated as I am ready to chuck it all in the bin and start again!
flex
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:54 pm

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by flex »

Here are some images off the mod:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/goimUkR6q7jmtZLP9

I can also provide a video of the behavior if it will help.
borti4938

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by borti4938 »

Try to reflow the connections to the cartridge slot - especially the outer ones and the single one in the middle. Black screen is often caused by a bad solder joint there (or at on of the three top ICs).

For the reset button you may try to open it and re-bend the mechanics a bit. By soldering directly to the button it sometimes happens that the springs inside do not get contact any more if the button is pressed.

Good luck!
flex
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:54 pm

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by flex »

Thanks for the tips.. makes a lot of sense.

I had a desoldering gun delivered today so I removed the board and tested the system without and it behaves exactly the same, I've resoldered all those points and again it's still the same. I even have a board schematic out just to double check I haven't damaged any adjacent ppu pins when lifting the pins etc and that all seems to check out so far, my gut feeling is pointing at the kit itself as it feels like the cic circuit is non existent and keeping the system in reset.

I am hopefully picking up another SNES console tomorrow so I can try again and confirm.
flex
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:54 pm

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by flex »

Sorted! It was the kit board.. I have just fitted the version without the board just the 2 pic's (supercic and uigr) with wires everywhere... nowhere near as clean but everything is working great now.

Wonder if there is anything I can do to salvage the board though... maybe I could purchase the required IC's for it somewhere and replace them? I suspect it's the supercic chip on it at fault.
rama
Posts: 1373
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2017 3:15 pm

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by rama »

Do you have a programmer for these PICs?

@borti4938:
Is there a way to test the 2 micros once a board is in the hands of a customer?
The other day I desoldered a SuperCIC and read the program. It had a few bad bytes in the beginning, for some reason.
I don't know how that can happen. The modder surely reads back the device after programming, as it's such a simple step to verify your work.
Maybe these chips can loose their programming somehow?
flex
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 4:54 pm

Re: Help! SNES SuperCIC UIGR Mod Kit

Post by flex »

rama wrote:Do you have a programmer for these PICs?
Nah i was thinking of getting them sent to me pre-programmed and just replacing them or something, depends how much a programmer is I guess. Seems a shame to waste it if I can do something to save it.
Post Reply