353 Reply by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Oh by the way, here's the rom I was using to test with: https://archive.org/download/palette_202407/palette.gb

Fredrik Brundin made it for me, what a nice guy!

Jul 29 2024: replaced dead google drive link with hopefully permanent archive.org

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

354 Reply by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

nitro2k01 wrote:
catskull wrote:

The yellow line is the trace coming off the via to the CPU pin. So the header pin I soldered the chip to wasn't contacting the CPU pin at all.

Yes. And also, if you don't also cut below the via, you're connecting an output to an output! The deadly sin. (At least potentially deadly to the chip outputs although it probably didn't cause permanent damage in this case.)

Wait how do you figure? It looks to me like that pad wasn't connected to anything.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

355 Reply by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

My problem was the method I used to install the bivert. I cut the traces between the LCD connector and that little header thing, but in the wrong place. Here's how I cut it:

As you can see, I cut it ABOVE the via, not below. If you look at the back of the board you can see why this is a problem:

The yellow line is the trace coming off the via to the CPU pin. So the header pin I soldered the chip to wasn't contacting the CPU pin at all.

The vias on my board are not plugged like they are in that picture, so soldering a wire to the via didn't work. Instead I just soldered a peice of wire wrap from the cpu pin to the other side of the header pin, and voila! It worked perfectly.

Now time to go fix every other DMG I own....

As a side note, what the heck is the deal with this HHL bivert board needing the wire for ground? There's a ground on the LCD board right on the end with a huge blob you could easily bridge. What's the deal with that? Kind of makes me want to make my own bivert board with only a 2 gate chip. I really like the design of the HHL board otherwise.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

356 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Oh yeah, I was mistaken. I thought the capacitors next to the atmega was an ftdi header. The atmega is socketed though, so if you have an arduino with that same chip you should be able to pop it out and put it in the arduino to reprogram it. Or maybe you could just ask xiwi?

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

357 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

It looks like there is a header on the PCB for a programmer. You need a FTDI usb to serial adapter (you can get them on ebay for a few bucks) and then you will be able to program it. Or just get someone else to do it for you!

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

358 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

The Laohu wrote:

On a related note, how would I update my existing arduinoboy to the most recent code release? I have a midi-usb cable.

You need to plug it in via usb to your computer, then use the arduino IDE to upload the new code.

EDIT: Like not the midi cable, but the actual usb jack on the arduino (assuming it has one).

If you bought it from me, I have added some things (like for the PS/2 jack), so you'll want to use my build.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

359 Reply by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Images fixed. I tried to go off google photos instead of imgur since imgur is user hostile now.

Anyways, I figured it out! Though I'm kind of curious what you have to say jazz before I reveal the issue! I'll give you a hint: it had nothing to do with the HHL installation.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

360 Reply by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

361 Topic by catskull

(20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

I have done bivert mods on two gameboys and both of them have the same issue. Only two of the 4 shades of grey will display.  I was just using some off the shelf hex inverter chip I had laying around, but I figured maybe that was causing the problem so I bought some of the hand held legend bivert boards and I get the exact same result. Also running my finger around the bivert board while it's booted causes graphical glitches. It seems like it's maybe a problem with some connections somewhere, but I'm not sure where to check. Any help would be appreciated!

Here's some pictures:

This is what I get:

Here's what it should look like (GBA SP):

Here is what it should look like (inverted, non biverted DMG):

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

362 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

The only other thing I can think of is start+select+A (I think) turns the display off. Theoretically this could help mGB perform better, but honestly I'd be a bit surprised if it did much (chime in if I'm wrong). Pressing B will reset all your presets.

I am kind of working on a little instruction manual, but we'll see if that ever gets finished.

Thanks for the kind words!

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

363 Reply by catskull

(7 replies, posted in Tutorials, Mods & How-To's)

Well now with the whole bash on windows thing, the unix driver will work on windows. That's my preferred method of flashing it.

Go to forum: Tutorials, Mods & How-To's

364 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

Yep, that's correct. Again, the first two channels (PU1 and PU2) can only make square waves. So to have all the sounds the same, channel 3 (WAV) must be set to a square wave.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

365 Reply by catskull

(28 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

You have to set up the sounds to all be the same. So the first two are just square waves, the 3rd is the wave channel which also needs to be set to a square wave (it's a triangle by default). highlight the wavefrom, the hold a and go left/right to change the waveform.

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

366 Reply by catskull

(38 replies, posted in Trading Post)

frank angotti is dead wrote:

I just looked up rated and to send there from here its a extra $59.50, so  all together with shipping to u its $105

That seems crazy! Go to paypal.com/shipnow, select first class international. Should only be like $15 max.

Go to forum: Trading Post

367 Reply by catskull

(16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

herr_prof wrote:

Might be a placebo effect, according to Tim in the new version "The special bit and byte delays are no longer used. They are hardcoded to stable numbers"

Crap, I wasn't going to say anything, but now the code will know he knows!

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds

368 Reply by catskull

(8 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)

That seems to be a funky spot to install the backlight power. It's right on the edge connector. I'd re-wire it following this guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0PlML-q4Lo

Go to forum: Nintendo Handhelds