Advice recognizing PCBs

[kyuzo]

So a lot of people seem to be really good at seeing a picture of a PCB and knowing what it is... Is there any trick to this? Or does it just require a lot of hands on time with a buncha games?

Case in point:

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h138868148

YAJ auction of some dude selling a PCB, but apparently 24 bids say it's worth (at least) $175, how do I figure out what game this even is?

Any help greatly appreciated

[jonny5]

So a lot of people seem to be really good at seeing a picture of a PCB and knowing what it is... Is there any trick to this? Or does it just require a lot of hands on time with a buncha games?

Case in point:

http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h138868148

YAJ auction of some dude selling a PCB, but apparently 24 bids say it's worth (at least) $175, how do I figure out what game this even is?

Any help greatly appreciated

its all right there....babel fish my friend.....

dont guess...translate

according to the info on the listing, it seems they dont know what it is....

i dont recognize it either...sorry

[pcb_revival]

Genpei ToumaDen. Namco System 86.

[kyuzo]

Genpei ToumaDen. Namco System 86.

^-- magic

[Magic Knight]

First thing to do is obviously check for any manufacturer name, the big companies usually had their name printed either on the board or on a sticker.

Next, have a look at any other markings on the board/ROMs. The above example is easy, actually. You can clearly see GT1 on the ROMs closest to the camera. Type "GT1 ROM" into Google, and you should see a link to the Namco 86 driver on Maws, click on that, find the GT1 reference, and indeed the game is Genpei Toumaden.

Another example, same seller: http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b108027647
You can see on the board, and the seller tells you, that it's a Nacmo NB-2 board. Check System16.com, find that it's either Mach Breakers or Outfoxies. The ROMs have MB1 printed on them, hence this is Mach Breakers. And so on.

This seller's pictures aren't great, though. You can't really get a good look at the markings.

Bootlegs are the biggest problem. A lot of the older ones especially can be a complete mystery.

Biggest thing is experience though. After a few years and you've owned a few hundred boards, you'll get used to seeing a variety of boards and will be able to identify them quite quickly.

[pcb_revival]

Genpei ToumaDen. Namco System 86.

^-- magic

Recognised that the pcb looked very similair to Rolling Thunder. Checked with System16 and saw only a few games on that particulair hardware platform.

So the GT1 Eprom was proberly only going to be Genpei ToumaDen.

[kyuzo]

Cool, thanks guys, that helps a lot

The only thing I could think of checking for was the T0369, but then again I was guessing that was a serial number anyway... At this point the only stuff I'd recognize (in terms of bare PCBs) is CPS1 and some of the cave and raizing boards, so I guess I've got a ways to go

[Ed Oscuro]

The only thing I could think of checking for was the T0369, but then again I was guessing that was a serial number anyway...

Apologies for being pedantic, but that's no serial number, more like a board identifier (like the Konami GX (number) used on their boards throughout a period of years). Serial numbers will be larger unless that Genpei Touma Den is a really rare board

[kyuzo]

Yeah that's more what I was hoping when I searched for it, but then nothing came up with any search params I could think of (jp or en) so I figured it must've just been an early board in the run or something... Maybe I'm just naive... hehe