FixEight - possible bootleg?

quoth09 · Post by **quoth09** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:49 pm

I received this from a distributor that is saying it's official and they got it from their Korean supplier. Game loads up saying Korea region, however as far as I was aware, there is no Korean region version of the game, only JP and possibly a US license.

I have found a few sources that list this as a bootleg, but just wondering how many people here have this game, and if yours matches this?

The components and layout scream bootleg as well - Goldstar chips tend to not be on anything legimate PCB wise. Also the Capacitors at the top are of a different type than what the board layout is showing (the connector is at the top for them, not free standing), and also there is traces for resistors to the left of just about every chip, but yet, only a few have them.

http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/mm68 ... %20Photos/

Any help would be appreciated, especially with photos.

yojo! · Post by **yojo!** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:10 pm

I came accross one bootleg a few years ago the sound was crappy as hell but the graphics were ok.

quoth09 · Post by **quoth09** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:14 pm

Yeah, supposedly due to the bootlegs having an underpowered OKI chip at .875 Mhz. I haven't heard any sound issues yet, but I also haven't played it enough either.

All I know is that I paid for as much as a JP region board costs almost, and I expected to not get a boot, as they quoted original, and now the distributor is stating they can only refund cost of the board, among other problems with other product I have received.

yojo! · Post by **yojo!** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:52 pm

I thought that my bootleg had poor sound because of the Hitachi MCU protection (just like Fire Shark); I found an orignal Toaplan fixeight PCB a few weeks later and it almost felt like a new game (Even though the game is crap IMHO).

Post by **system11** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:53 pm

The surface mount chips with TOAPLAN stamped on them suggest it's probably genuine. Most bootleggers didn't bother with things like faking company logos on the circuit board, printing JAMMA on the edge connector and so on. At worst case it's a licensed cheaper production run or something.

rtw · Post by **rtw** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:21 pm

This is a licensed for Korea PCB. To save money the PCB was assembled in Korea with Korean parts.

rtw

quoth09 · Post by **quoth09** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 8:23 pm

yojo! wrote:I thought that my bootleg had poor sound because of the Hitachi MCU protection (just like Fire Shark); I found an orignal Toaplan fixeight PCB a few weeks later and it almost felt like a new game (Even though the game is crap IMHO).

That's true, I forgot about the MCU protection on these titles.

bloodflowers wrote:The surface mount chips with TOAPLAN stamped on them suggest it's probably genuine. Most bootleggers didn't bother with things like faking company logos on the circuit board, printing JAMMA on the edge connector and so on. At worst case it's a licensed cheaper production run or something.

That has crossed my mind more than once, especially with them saying it is original from Korea. I mean too much stuff matches up, but at the same time, the whole thing seems funny, so no telling at this point, as I can't find anyone that has a Korean variant that is actually stated as being official.

Does anyone have this game, and if so, photos of your board?
If someone has this same exact version, their input would be nice as well.

caldwert · Post by **caldwert** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:46 am

http://arcade.ym2149.com/pcb/toaplan.html

My board is the exact same as this. I did have this way back when, like 2001 but sold it when I sold my first cabinet. My friend has it now and I could swear the board was different than this one. I just played mine and its the US Version and its licensed to Taito. The other version I had was the European version. I'll have to get ahold of my friend and have him take a picture of the board. I'd say its definitely a legit board.

quoth09 · Post by **quoth09** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:26 am

caldwert wrote:http://arcade.ym2149.com/pcb/toaplan.html

My board is the exact same as this. I did have this way back when, like 2001 but sold it when I sold my first cabinet. My friend has it now and I could swear the board was different than this one. I just played mine and its the US Version and its licensed to Taito. The other version I had was the European version. I'll have to get ahold of my friend and have him take a picture of the board. I'd say its definitely a legit board.

Yeah, I spotted that when I was first curious, and it looks very close, but as you can see: different chips, different cap layout, different resistor values, resistors missing, just comparing makes me think it's a boot for sure, or just like what bloodflowers said, cheaper production run.

If you can, please send me a photo or post one here, that would be really helpful.

I'm also leaning towards what rtw said; To save money the PCB was assembled in Korea with Korean parts.

I think I need to heavily play this a bit more and really listen to the sound as a lot of evidence points to the boots having bad sound.

Still, if someone has the same one I do, please comment.

caldwert · Post by **caldwert** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:34 am

Let me get a pic up in a minute here. I just put it away.

edit: Camera batteries are dead so give me an hour or so. I'm currently running all my CPS1 and CPS2 boards on my different cabinets for a while to ensure they last a bit longer.

edit #2: I'll try tomorrow as the batteries didn't seem to charge right.

caldwert · Post by **caldwert** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:33 am

quoth09 · Post by **quoth09** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:37 am

Thanks for the photo - yours is a US license version I assume?

caldwert · Post by **caldwert** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:11 am

Yeah, it is the USA version. I got it off of some guy on Ebay who was in New York. I think he's got a route or is a vendor.