Noob question on Cave-PGM Hardware...

Golgoth13 · Post by **Golgoth13** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:20 pm

Hello there,

I should say that battery on a pcb always makes me nervous !!
Therefore I feel unconfortable with Cave latest hardwares that always have one...

About Cave-PGM hardware - on which run games such as DaiOuJou, Ketsui, EspGaluda - that green thing just near the brown switch is a battery right ??
Isn't it willing to leak someday ??? pouring it's acid liquid on the pcb...
Damn ! I would fell mad if it's a Ketsui or DaiOuJou pcb... or even any Cave game !!!

Please, what could I do to prevent this to happen ?
Especially considering that it is soldered to the pcb... It can't be removed and just swaped with a new as for Cave 2nd hardware (Ibara, Mushihime, etc.), right ?

Please, could someone confirm the real purpose of that green battery on PGM boards... Is it meant only for saving highscores ?... Settings maybe...
And about that brown switch ? Is it for resetting the highscores or something else ?...

Thank you for your advices.

kernow · Post by **kernow** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:29 pm

On the PGM boards the battery is just for saving settings, not high scores. You can remove it if you like, or just replace it, just keep an eye on it. I know some people here have removed them, no big deal.

And yes that switch is the reset switch.

The exact same battery is still purchasable so its an easy swap if you needed to do it. Just keep an eye on the ones you have.

I have both a DaiOuJou and a Espgaluda and I worry about this happening too, but not enough to enjoy them as much as possible also!!

robivy64 · Post by **robivy64** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:42 am

kernow has a good point.

I have had the battery in my Doj board to start leaking, and I just removed it entirely. Since it is in that metal shell, I don't have to worry about opening it up to check it every so often.

You CANNOT remove the battery on a Doj Black Label PCB, as it is required to function. All other Cave-PGM boards are safe.

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:22 pm

kernow wrote:And yes that switch is the reset switch.

The brown switch is NOT a reset switch it resets the contents of NVRAM.

rtw

kernow · Post by **kernow** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:29 pm

rtw wrote:
kernow wrote:And yes that switch is the reset switch.
The brown switch is NOT a reset switch it resets the contents of NVRAM.

rtw

I'm being a dick , I was thinking of the earlier boards where it was a test switch (still not a reset) apologies!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:12 pm

Just replace the battery on the PGM-based Cave arcade shmup PCB that you have in question and you're good to go for another five or six years. ^_~

I've recently got my DDP-DOJ PCB's battery replaced and there wasn't any bulging battery issues to contend with at all. But it is better to be safe by replacing battery now than to be sorry for not doing so in the nearby future.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Golgoth13 · Post by **Golgoth13** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:47 pm

Thanks to all for these replies !!

robivy64 wrote:had the battery in my Doj board to start leaking, and I just removed it entirely.

And you did not have it replaced, right ?
What's the consequence of that ?... do you only have to set your settings each time you power up the cart ?
I've never seen a cart with the battery removed, so I'm wondering... Therefore it seems so much simple and trouble free.

rtw wrote:The brown switch is NOT a reset switch it resets the contents of NVRAM.

Please, could you explain in a few words what's that NVRAM ??
...
I've read your Ketsui glitches thread with great care... But I'm still not so sure about what does the switch.
Is it meant to be toggled when the cart is powered or when it is off ?
Does it still make something if battery is removed ?
...
Out of that switch, if I follow robivy64's advice and definitely remove the battery on... ie a Ketsui pcb, what consequences will it have ?
I guess that I will have to deal with the demonstration crash each time I power up the cart... right ?
I guess a revised version would solve the problem... (...) right ?

Is there something else that one should keep in mind with that battery removed ??... I guess that the cart would be more difficult to sell after that. Is it why so few batteries are removed ?

Well... looks like I'm full of guesses. Please set me free !!!
THANK YOU.

Kernow wrote:I worry about this happening too, but not enough to enjoy them as much as possible also!!

Special thanks to kernow who often sends a reply after a post from me

Golgoth13 · Post by **Golgoth13** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:55 pm

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:I've recently got my DDP-DOJ PCB's battery replaced and there wasn't any bulging battery issues to contend with at all.

But that battery... with three (?) soldering points... seems so weird !! I don't even know if I can find one here.
I assume... I don't even like Cps2 batteries

It may sound stupid... but I would think "why keep messing with a battery if it could simply get removed."
I guess that not a lot of people do that... this is why I'm asking.

kernow · Post by **kernow** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:31 pm

Golgoth13 wrote: Only have to set your settings each time you power up the cart ?

Yes

Golgoth13 wrote: Please, could you explain in a few words what's that NVRAM ??

Its the battery backed memory that saves the board settings.

Golgoth13 wrote: if I follow robivy64's advice and definitely remove the battery on... ie a Ketsui pcb, what consequences will it have ?

You'd have to perform board settings every time, or leave it default

Golgoth13 wrote: I guess that I will have to deal with the demonstration crash each time I power up the cart... right ?
I guess a revised version would solve the problem... (...) right ?

Yes

Golgoth13 wrote:
Is there something else that one should keep in mind with that battery removed ??... I guess that the cart would be more difficult to sell after that. Is it why so few batteries are removed ?

Probably, its easy to put back in though, I'd prefer to have one that DID save settings, so would most.

robivy64 · Post by **robivy64** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:36 pm

Mine defaults to the factory settings on power up.

thegreathopper · Post by **thegreathopper** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 7:19 pm

rtw wrote:
kernow wrote:And yes that switch is the reset switch.
The brown switch is NOT a reset switch it resets the contents of NVRAM.

rtw

So what is the NVRAM? Sorry already asked above. Please ignore.

Golgoth13 · Post by **Golgoth13** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:21 am

Thanks a lot to all of you guys !!
I can feel more confident now.