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Ciudad de méxico, MX
RG wrote:

Just so I'm clear, only the PRG needs to be removed/replaced? What about CHR? I was always under the impression CHR contained the necessary graphical elements.

yes! just that one.

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Milwaukee, WI

Witchcraft! Thanks!

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UK

:) the chr is deffo where the gfx sits on the nes/famicom but on these type of cartridges the CHR (Character) ROM is replaced by RAM which can be populated by the program data \o_ more info here if you are interested :-) http://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/CHR-ROM_vs_CHR-RAM

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WOW MAN!

Aren't you lucky that I converted NTRQ to use CHR RAM - it used to be ROM but I 'converted' it so that it would be compatible with Munchausen cart.

smile

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UK

*grin* too right! its a hell of a lot more soldering pain to get the CHR replaced too (oodles more wires and bent up pins!) hehe \o_

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rochester, ny
neilbaldwin wrote:

Aren't you lucky that I converted NTRQ to use CHR RAM - it used to be ROM but I 'converted' it so that it would be compatible with Munchausen cart.

smile

yeah i was wondering about this! that's awesome.

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UK

btw I'm just waiting for some bits to arrive so I can bung the ace PR8 on a Famicom cart - will keep u all posted how it goes - :)

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Ciudad de méxico, MX
ne7 wrote:

btw I'm just waiting for some bits to arrive so I can bung the ace PR8 on a Famicom cart - will keep u all posted how it goes - smile


DO PULSAR PLEASE.

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UK

hey analog - board type/layout is the same for pulsar so the findings/guide will hold true for that too smile

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WOW MAN!

Yes, Pulsar and PR8 = exactly same 'format'

This is getting interesting big_smile

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UK

Right, awesome news, you can follow the exact same guide I did for NTRQ at the start of this thread, but substitute the sacrifice cart for Famicom Final Fantasy I & II (note thats One + Two - together on one cart) - see here: http://www.ffmusic.info/images/ff1_2fam.jpg ... in order to get Pulstar + PR8 running on real H/W.

Note: to get into a FF I+II cartridge you need to have a NES security bit screwdriver as the cart case is different from normal Famicom cases (on the plus side you dont have to force/snap the thing open *grin*)
I have just built a fully working Famicom Pr8 cartridge out of one > the only downside is that the carts that confirm to this board type only came out in Japan which is a bit more troublesome. Tho you could easily get them running thru a Famicom to NES adaptor...


^ Do post piccies if you build one btw smile

Famicom carts you can use are: Best Play Pro Yakyuu Special + Final Fantasy I + II

>>> However

... I've been doing quite a lot of reading up on the layout of these cart boards and it should be possible to customise existing NES boards into the SxRom type (which is what Pulstar and PR8 use) – I’m just waiting for various different chips and bits and bobs to arrive but more news soon \o_

Last edited by ne7 (Jan 30, 2012 4:07 pm)

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Sweden

Since the link for FF I & II cart didn't work here are some links for the boards you suggest:
Final Fantasy I + II - http://bootgod.dyndns.org:7777/profile.php?id=3642
Best Play Pro Yakyuu Special - http://bootgod.dyndns.org:7777/profile.php?id=3757

So these carts could acctually work like a "multi cart" with both programs on it, and support for save etc?
Then I really have to get one of these and try making one!

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UK

hey Kreese, unfortunately there's no h/w on the FF I+II board to auto swap out PRG rom pages (thats built into the FF I+II romfile itself, tho you can fit a PRG upto 512kb on the board) someone could code up a menu perhaps tho to allow you to choose what you want to run when it boots smile both progs would have to share half the save slot storage they normally do and be relocated tho is the only thing (which is how square did the FF I+II cart as far as i'm aware)...

Last edited by ne7 (Jan 29, 2012 12:32 am)

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UK

PS - there is also yet another way to get PR8 and Pulsar running on h/w as a stand alone cart; with Retro USB's Repropack MMC1 dev board, I'll pop up a guide on that soon too (as soon as they get em back in stock + i can order some... )

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UK

quick update, I think i've found a lickle bug big_smile bear with me... dont build anything in regards to PR8 + Pulsar yet (NTRQ is fine and dandy tho smile

Last edited by ne7 (Jan 30, 2012 4:06 pm)

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Milwaukee, WI

Hey dudes! It looks like there's trouble in paradise. This is only half working for me and the only person I know who could help me is currently out of town. Perhaps someone here could assist?

I managed to get NTRQ "running" on the NES using an NES Open golf cart I had laying around. Why in quotes? Because there is no audio, the pattern editor is filled with random values and when I go to change a note the screen goes black and freezes - except for the current note and NTRQ logo in the corner. I am using the latest version.

I used ucon64 to strip the ines header (and double-checked in a hex editor). Although, even if something was wrong at this step I wouldn't know what to look for. All I know is that the header is removed. I triple-checked the settings for the GQ-4X to make sure they were set correctly. I quadruple-checked my soldering job and wiring. I burned three different 27c010 eproms to make sure it wasn't a faulty eprom. Hell, I even removed the solder and soldered a second time to make sure that wasn't the issue. Boy was that a pain in the prostate.

Are there any suggestions as to why this would only half work? The NES works fine, my hack-job unfortunately does not.

Should the Ascii display for the hex editor have any special message ie "Written by Wow Man" or should it just be a bunch of random characters? Like I said, I have no idea wha I'm looking for here.