Yes, it can load/save the SRAM from any cart running the patched version of LSDJ. Or you could grab a Reader/Writer from Ninstrument.com and get direct access to all the saves on any flash cart
289 Jan 20, 2015 6:55 pm
Re: Best cart for LSDJ? Multiple *.sav files? (20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
290 Jan 20, 2015 6:53 pm
Re: Eu sellers of carts? (7 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Can give free postage to EU on the BennVenn Cart
291 Jan 20, 2015 2:59 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
The cap on the upper right looks to be the DC bypass cap for the speaker (will confirm when I get home) which will float at 2.5v DC with audio riding on it. If that 2.5v isn't there then either the ribbon is not making contact from the main PCB to LCD board, or there is a 5V issue from the power supply to the Main PCB.
292 Jan 19, 2015 8:51 pm
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Which capacitors in particular? If the 5 x 1uf went dry you would see a very noisy image, if one or more went low resistance (Almost never a failure mode in a low voltage/capacitance electrolytic) you might get a full white/clear image. The switchmode caps are most likely to fail due to the ripple current they are designed to reduce.
How the LCD side of the GB works is the -19volts is divided into a range of voltages (labelled as V1 to V5 in the schematic) These voltages set the drive voltage of the LCD, the greater the voltage the darker the shade. These are set by IC IR3E02 and are varied by the voltage from the contrast wheel.
These 5 voltages are fed into the LCD driver chip (located on the flexible cable). The logic level on DATAOUT0 and DATAOUT1 sets the pixel intensity (selects which of the voltages to gate through to the pixel), the remaining lines are for clock, sync etc to advance the columns and lines.
If the capacitor voltages are more or less correct, I would be looking at the data and control lines. This is a simple continuity between the main CPU and the ribbon cable to the LCD. It could be the flexible cable between the two PCB's (clean with an eraser), a dry joint on the flex cable socket or something in-between. You know its not on the main PCB as you've swapped it out so your almost there!
If it is a dry joint you can press down on certain points to try restore the image
293 Jan 19, 2015 7:20 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Those 5 black caps on the back of the pcb are responsible for the 'shades' of the pixel. Let me know if they measure OK and we can go on, or find out why they're not
294 Jan 19, 2015 7:00 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
The voltage at the contrast pot should read -13v (for good contrast on my GB). Just taken a photo and adding the values to it now.
EDIT
295 Jan 19, 2015 3:07 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Yes thats the board, there should be four wires at one end of the board. Cant remember the order from the top of my head, but there should be a GND line, a Battery line (battery voltage anywhere from around 4-6v) a -19v line (-18 was fine) and a 5volt line.
If they are all OK, next up will be the LCD board, and that IC (IR3E02)
Try find it and make a note of the voltages on the pins, as well as the voltage on the contrast wheel.
When I get home I'll take a photo and overlay all the voltages where they should be
296 Jan 19, 2015 3:00 am
Re: BennVenn GB cart & reader's now availble in US. (41 replies, posted in Trading Post)
Let me know if you decide to get it and I'll write you a custom firmware for the board to make it easier to code for.
297 Jan 19, 2015 12:49 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
I'm at work so don't have a pic handy, can you locate the small board near the battery housing?
298 Jan 19, 2015 12:14 am
Re: BennVenn GB cart & reader's now availble in US. (41 replies, posted in Trading Post)
The ROM's need to be aligned to boundaries depending on their size and SRAM requirements. Then the Menu ROM needs to be ammended to point to the ROM's locations on the Flash. This can all be done in the command line if you don't mind converting a few numbers from decimal to Hex. Before I finished my compiler code, it was all done this way. After a few compilations, I could build the ROM file and patch the Menu in around 5 minutes.
I can talk you though it if you want to have a go.
299 Jan 19, 2015 12:10 am
Re: DMG screen stuck on max contrast? (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Your old analog multimeter will be fine, to measure negative voltages, just reverse the leads.
I think you have one dead line (which isnt being driven properly) and you still have the original fault.
I'd start with checking 5v and the -19v are OK. If you want to try fix this I'm happy to take voltage measurements on mine and post them up so you can compare. Do you have a soldering iron?
300 Jan 19, 2015 12:03 am
Re: BennVenn GB cart & reader's now availble in US. (41 replies, posted in Trading Post)
I've got working code for the core program (Transfer of ROM's on and off) in python which is compatible is all OS's
I haven't attempted the ROM compiler (combining multiple roms for use on the one cart). How confident are you with python?
You can always dual boot
301 Jan 18, 2015 10:36 pm
Re: Best cart for LSDJ? Multiple *.sav files? (20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Cyberic,
The Bennvenn(256) can store 3 versions of LSDJ (Can fit 4 with a patch) which will store 4 128K saves (And many many other ROM's)
I can work on a LittleFM style program to provide the same features LittleFM does, but I think a Link port dongle is the way forward. Makes for easy transfers, backups and sharing as well as a whole lot more storage and isn't limited to the derp (which is one of the more higher priced carts)
302 Jan 18, 2015 10:26 pm
Re: Best cart for LSDJ? Multiple *.sav files? (20 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Yes, though no current link cables I have found have the pin fitted, and needs to be fitted manually. I've just used the GND pin, relocated it to pin one and use the shield as GND. Seems to work OK, though a corroded Link port might cause problems. I might just sacrifice one plug to make up 4 others with pin 1 fitted.
303 Jan 18, 2015 5:58 am
Re: BennVenn's Backup Block Linker (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Sockets are too hard to come by so It will either be DMG or the Pocket/Colour size plug. Possibly both
304 Jan 18, 2015 3:04 am
Re: BennVenn's Backup Block Linker (16 replies, posted in Nintendo Handhelds)
Sounds like a good idea.
I've got the hardware sorted, like egr suggested, a Link plug on one end, and usb male on the other.
One problem is adding the 5v pin to the link plug. Not an issue with GBC but DMG style plugs require sacrificing one plug to make upto 4 DMG plugs with the extra pin. (OR sacrifice the gnd pin and use the shield which is also grounded)
The price is slowly rising with the necessity of a higher rated MCU with a 3rd SPI port (for USB functionality) plus a USB-TTL module.
And there will be a bit of manual labour fitting the fifth pin in the link connector, cutting and grinding to make it pcb compatible. That will be up to the customer if they want to tackle it themselves or have me do it.
also going to embed the whole lot in polyurethane. I cant see any other reliable way to remove stress from the PCB-Connector infterface.