TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Conversions

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Danexmurder
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by Danexmurder »

jd213 wrote:Any specific programmer recommendations for these SA-1 hacks? Did a search and found someone one NesDev talking about one from Aliexpress that could read but not write the ROM: https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=23754

I can solder OK but never had a programmer before, so not sure what to get. If possible, would like to get one that can also do the ROMs for the Turtles in Time PCB conversion: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads ... post-61296
I really like the Flashcat USB programmer. It's super handy and modular. Great company too. They've added support for new chips and made new adapters for me when I've asked them.

https://www.embeddedcomputers.net/products/FlashcatUSB/
jd213
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by jd213 »

Thanks, I believe I've seen them recommended by Voultar or someone before as well. Will try emailing them.
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NewSchoolBoxer
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by NewSchoolBoxer »

Is putting a non-laggy Gradius 3 on a real cart actually what this is for? Don't get me wrong, 6t8k's guide is very impressive and I don't doubt their good intentions, but isn't 99% of the population content with playing the modified ROM on an emulator or flash cart? Non-laggy Gradius 3 never existed IRL so playing on real cart doesn't strike me as particularly enticing.

I think what really happens is people use the instructions to make repro Super Mario RPG carts that they pass off as real and sell. Nice to list the obscure Japanese carts so Kirby's Dreamland 3 doesn't have to bite the dust.

Also not accusing anyone who posted in this thread for help as wanting to do anything beyond make a cart for their own personal use.
jd213
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by jd213 »

For me at least, I just thought it would be a fun soldering project to repurpose some of the old unwanted 100-yen Shining Scorpion carts I found in Japan. Plus I sometimes like to play my favorite games from actual carts rather than a flash cart.

IIRC I also read that these hacks might not be 100% accurate when played on a flash cart, but even if true I dunno how noticeable it would be.
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Danexmurder
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by Danexmurder »

NewSchoolBoxer wrote:Is putting a non-laggy Gradius 3 on a real cart actually what this is for? Don't get me wrong, 6t8k's guide is very impressive and I don't doubt their good intentions, but isn't 99% of the population content with playing the modified ROM on an emulator or flash cart? Non-laggy Gradius 3 never existed IRL so playing on real cart doesn't strike me as particularly enticing.

I think what really happens is people use the instructions to make repro Super Mario RPG carts that they pass off as real and sell. Nice to list the obscure Japanese carts so Kirby's Dreamland 3 doesn't have to bite the dust.

Also not accusing anyone who posted in this thread for help as wanting to do anything beyond make a cart for their own personal use.
Some people just really prefer hardware. I don't own an SNES rom cart but wanted to try these out. I literally didn't have another method for trying the rom out. Plus, even if I had a rom cart I love to tinker with this stuff and still would have done it this way. I really like to make "ultimate" versions of games and make my own cartridges. Here's an example of one I did for Castlevania 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EywUsAJX3mQ

It's a fun process.

I'd be shocked if there were a lot of people out there using this tutorial to make Super Mario RPG repros that they're passing off as legit.
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muffinchops
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by muffinchops »

Danexmurder wrote:Sorry to necro-bump but I thought this info might be helpful for folks.

I was finally able to get this process to work. I was able to make R-Type, Gradius 3, and Super Mario World Carts. It turned out there were two key problems for me.

1. For my Flashcat USB programmer the patched roms HAD to be in .bin format. If I tried to burn .SFC files they wouldn't work.
2. The ram I was using didn't work. When I swapped out for AS6C1008-55SIN (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... IN/4234577) it worked. I was previously using IS62C1024AL-35QLI-TR.

So if you are having problems those are two more areas you can check. Thanks again to everyone in this thread for posting what did and didn't work for them.
Just wanted to say thank you for this post. I was finally able to get a SHVC-1L5B-20 test board working using the AS6C1008-55SIN RAM.

Successfully tested Mega Man X, Contra 3, R-Type and Super Mario World on the SHVC-1L5B-20.
Mizuho
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by Mizuho »

I've tried this multiple times now, I got three PCB's from oshpark and not once have I have a success. I saw this via voultars youtube a few years ago, so I got the exact same game (Mini Yonku) as him, which has a chamfered SA-1 and 256kb SRAM, so that should all be fine. I was bad at soldering when I first tried it, but even then, I got it to boot to the white grid, but it just buzzed and wouldn't go any further.

I'd like to think I'm better at soldering now, I had to repair a few traces that I broke when I first tried it, but I've basically gotten it to boot to the white grid again, on multiple systems, with the buzzing noise. Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks

Edit:
Ah never mind, Voultar just didn't mention that he upgraded the RAM on the mini yonku game, luckily I had a spare one I got a while ago that worked, so now I have it working fine :)
hidden0
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by hidden0 »

Since couldn't find accurate info around for 1L3B-xx boards
Would like to Add in case of 1L3B-xx boards ,

I used IS62C1024AL , You can also use Other 1mb variants.

Pins on the chip are quite wide but it can be Squished and chip can be installed on the original sram pads.

Install the Sram with Pins 1/2/3/28/31/32 Lifted with the Pins 1/2/31/32 Hanging out.


Pin 1 of IS62C1024AL NC will go to SA-104 (Via available)
Pin 2 of IS62C1024AL A16 Will go to SA-86 Directly to the chip
Pin 3 of IS62C1024AL A14 Will go to SA-87 Directly to the chip
Pin 28 of IS62C1024AL A13 Will go to SA-103 (via available)
Pin 31 of IS62C1024AL A15 Will go to SA-105 Directly to the Pin
Pin 32 of IS62C1024AL VCC Will go to Any VCC used C5 smd cap to get the Vcc

Image

Don't mind the nasty job I was experimenting
Last edited by hidden0 on Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
hidden0
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by hidden0 »

jd213 wrote:Any specific programmer recommendations for these SA-1 hacks? Did a search and found someone one NesDev talking about one from Aliexpress that could read but not write the ROM: https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=23754

I can solder OK but never had a programmer before, so not sure what to get. If possible, would like to get one that can also do the ROMs for the Turtles in Time PCB conversion: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads ... post-61296
That was my post and i still haven’t found any solution if u found any please let me know for 29L chips
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BuffaloWing
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Convers

Post by BuffaloWing »

Danexmurder wrote:
jd213 wrote:Any specific programmer recommendations for these SA-1 hacks? Did a search and found someone one NesDev talking about one from Aliexpress that could read but not write the ROM: https://forums.nesdev.org/viewtopic.php?t=23754

I can solder OK but never had a programmer before, so not sure what to get. If possible, would like to get one that can also do the ROMs for the Turtles in Time PCB conversion: https://www.arcade-projects.com/threads ... post-61296
I really like the Flashcat USB programmer. It's super handy and modular. Great company too. They've added support for new chips and made new adapters for me when I've asked them.

https://www.embeddedcomputers.net/products/FlashcatUSB/
I don't have the Flashcat programmer but I download their software to check out its functions. I notice it has Endian mode and bit swap functions. Do you have to choose them before programming? Or is it automatically chosen base on the file loaded? I have the old version GQ4-4X and it only has Byte swapping which not the same thing as bit swap, right?
Sarcarean
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Conversions

Post by Sarcarean »

I am the creator, designer and programmer of FlashcatUSB (both hardware and software). Wow, it's been almost 20 years since I created the original Flashcat (yes, there was a version prior to USB). Originally, it was a serial and JTAG only programmer. First developed for the ATMEGA8, then redesigned for the AT90USB162 and later ported to ATMEGA32U2 and U4. Since it was only serial, when people would ask me to support parallel NOR chips, I developed an SPI to port expander board, called the Extension Board. It worked okay, but that lead to the development of the XPORT (which is for eXtension PORT). The first version of XPORT, only had a single microcontroller and could only program 3V or 5V memory. It was actually Voultar who reached out to me and requested I add support for the old EPROMs that were found in old arcade machines or retro console mods (i.e. 27C). Since these chips require write pulses of 12V on the VPP, I redesigned XPORT PCB 2.0 to include a 5V to 12V rail circuit. And version 2.2 has some improvements on that as well.

It's great to see how people all over the world have found my work and have done amazing things with it.

@6t8k - Love the guide. I remember playing this game back in the early 90s at a friend's house. And I remember the slow-down! :)
@Danexmurder - thanks for the kind words, glad I could have helped.
PC Engine Fan X!
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Re: TUT: Slowdown-free Gradius 3: Building SNES SA-1 Conversions

Post by PC Engine Fan X! »

Saw that an Etsy seller had a single SNES SA-3 modded Gradius 3 cart up for sale and snagged it. Thanks for bringing up this thread back from the grave/dead. I do have a stock un-modded Gradius 3 cart with it's usual slowdown issues. Great to finally be able to play it with the slowdown issues removed.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~
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