Quick Kazoo cartridge "INL Retro" Dumper-Programmer question

I'm thinking of picking up one of these:
http://www.infiniteneslives.com/aux3.php

Reason being is that I have around 100 famicom carts, mostly bootlegs and multi-carts, that i've collected over the years.

Question is, will I be able to dump them? I see it can dump common mappers and such, but since most of these are those thai and china bootlegs, do I just buy it and try?

Thanks

Chances are the provided scripts wouldn't work. You could try your hand at writing your own scripts, but it would probably be a challenge just figuring out how the mapper works so you can begin to write the script. If you're not comfortable with that I wouldn't suggest the 'buy and try method.' That said, if you return something in the same condition it was received I generally honor returns for a refund less shipping charges.

Reverse engineering a mapper is more a job for CopyNES's step debugger. It was invaluable in figuring out what was actually a bankswitch and what was a decoy in the hacking of Earthworm Jim 2.

thanks for the replies and the link

I have a usb copynes i installed awhile back, im pretty sure i can get a script working, just need to find my fc to nes adapter

I'll probably pick up one of these as well just because it's neat.
i haven't read enough into it yet, but it seems the scripts work on copynes and kazoo?

No, the scripts aren't compatible with each other.

I see, the copynes plugins are written in assembly, not sure on the format for the kazzo, still reading on it, anago script some sort of vsscript

It's difficult to dump all the carts!
Some carts need keep the waveform on phi2（maybe keep on high always is good）!
In most case you need write new scripts.

you can use tapedump!

Sorry to interrupt, but I have a quick question about this device: can it update the PowerPak's boot ROM?

That's a good question.

I don't own a powerpak, depending on how the bootROM is wired up and controlled it is possible. I assume that it is easy enough to select as the boot ROM should look like a standard 32KB (or less) PRG-ROM at power up. The question is how are the control lines configured (/OE, /WE, /CE) I'm guessing the FPGA has control over those signals. Although if /CE were grounded that'd be just fine. If I knew how to control those three signals then I could write a script to support. I wouldn't be surprised if /WE is 'stuck' high, in which case we'd be in trouble.

If there's a lot of interest in that, re: updating the PowerPak's boot ROM, let me know and I can temporarily send+loan you my PowerPak, inl.

Thanks koisu, I might take you up on that offer.

I suppose we could get the answer on the FPGA's control of the boot ROM from someone who's written powerpak mappers. thefox might be able to clue us in.

Pictures of the PCB might also be good enough...

Might be good enough to tell us if there were a deal breaker such as /WE tied to Vcc or /OE tied to GND. /CE can be tied to GND, but /OE and /WE need to be able to be toggled from the 72pin. The PCB image won't tell us how the FPGA controls the /WE and /OE pins assuming they're routed to the FPGA. If the FPGA holds them high/low then an update to the powerpak mappers could allow the boot rom to be writable via the kazzo. In reality though, the powerpak should be able to update it's own boot ROM (albeit risky) if the FPGA/72pin controls the /OE and /WE lines at a minimum.

PCB images FWIW.

Back:
http://imgur.com/4L7ZXXu

Front:
http://imgur.com/sFqKsKb

Any change you could take a picture of the chip on the upper-right corner (ST M29F010B) from above it instead of below? The pertinent question is whether we can see a trace connected to the second pin from the cartridge connector on the side facing the component labelled C15. The one I've put in a red box.

In the picture, it kinda looks like CPU A11 is connected to it, but there's no way that's right.

I think yes,but you need know the command and the address to write!
It seems the PowerPak is newer , where I can find it?

@lidnariq is this OK?

http://imgur.com/dwo3s1d

Perfect picture, thanks!

Looks like /Write isn't obviously disabled (by being connected to the adjacent Vcc pin), so it's probably available.

Interestingly, A16 is disabled; it's tied to ground.


... Actually, has anyone tried asking bunnyboy?

Just let me know via PM if you need me to send my PowerPak out to you.

And loopy has done PowerPak mapper work, so he might also know.