PowerPak on Twin Famicom (and fried Famicom)

PowerPak on Twin Famicom (and fried Famicom)
by Splashman on 2010-04-29 (#60626)

Heya guys.

I got me a shiny new PowerPak. It works fine on my PAL NES, but for obvious reasons I want to enjoy the majority of the games in full 60hz. To solve this, I also got a Sharp Twin Famicom (AN-500B) and a regular Famicom (HVC-CPU-GPM-02 board from 1989). The 72-60 pin converter I got from StoneAgeGamer.

Currently, I only have one genuine PAL cartridge (Duck Hunt+SMB), but it seems to run fine with the pin connector on the Sharp FC and the cart label faced the other way. However, the PowerPak only gives me a solid white screen, no matter how many times I press reset, which way I turn the cart, or how much I fine tune connecting position. Does anybody know about this issue?
I don't know squad about FC connector details, but If it helps, I'm including reference pictures of the connector insides here:
Front
Back

Of course, I'd have already tested out the PowerPak on the regular Famicom, if I didn't (possibly) kill it with reverse polarity (yeah I'm stupid). Since I can't see or smell the severity of the damage, can anybody enlighten me with the most common damage types that reverse polarity can cause to an FC?
And for that matter, if only something on the RF modulator were broken, would it still be possible to salvage the rest of the mainboard? Since I'd AV-mod the console anyway, maybe I could just throw out the RF board and give it a 5V+ feed instead.

by Xious on 2010-05-01 (#60684)

Your PowerPak is locked into PAL mode. Insert it, then try hitting reset a few times. This should solve the issue and reset the PowerPak's circuitry to NTSC.

From the PowerPak manual:

Plug in the PowerPak and turn on the NES. The PowerPak includes the Ciclone multi region lock out chip. If your system Is blinking but shows video try pressing the reset button. This will tell the Ciclone to try the next region. When the correct region is found it will be saved so this process should only be needed once.

If you have hit reset 8 times and It is still blinking your 72 pin connector Inside the NES may need to be cleaned or replaced Blowing on the cart will add condensation that will damage the cart.

Do can also get a PAL<->NTSC cart adapter for problems like this on any cart. These products are called the ‘GameKey” and can be purchased off a few websites.

Would you like to see the busted FC for parts? If so, please PM me. I’ve made this mistake too, when I was tired and didn’t pay attention to what connector I was handling, so I know that 'I’m a dumbass' feeling.

I can use some broken FC units for parts, so sell me your bysted systems damnit!

-Xiois

by Jeroen on 2010-05-01 (#60685)

Yeah except the famicom doesn't have a lockout chip . So no the problem isnt that its locked into pal mode.

by Xious on 2010-05-01 (#60687)

That chip also sets the PowerPak into NTSC or PAL mode.

Jeroen wrote:
Yeah except the famicom doesn't have a lockout chip . So no the problem isnt that its locked into pal mode.

by Xious on 2010-05-01 (#60688)

It's also important to note that when you insert the PowerPak into the adapter on the Famicom, the label should face backwards. Are you inserting it correctly?

Make sure the label on the adapter faces the front, and the PowerPak is reversed so that the label faces the back of the Sharp Twin.

-Xious

by Splashman on 2010-05-01 (#60699)

Xious wrote:
Your PowerPak is locked into PAL mode. Insert it, then try hitting reset a few times. This should solve the issue and reset the PowerPak's circuitry to NTSC.

It's also important to note that when you insert the PowerPak into the adapter on the Famicom, the label should face backwards. Are you inserting it correctly?

I did both of that. I tried pressing reset up to 10 times, but all I get is a short black flicker that leads to a white screen. I also plugged it with the label facing the other way, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten my PAL cart to run.
Upon discovering the manual for the pin adapter, I noticed it's in fact a Yobo product. I've read on this board that those aren't really suited for use with the PowerPak. Maybe there is a way to mod them for PowerPak compatibility?

Anyway, about my Famicom... the Famigods have granted me a great deal of luck. It only seems to have busted a diode and a fuse on the RF board. Getting the Mario music out of it after further testing means the mainboard is still well and breathing.
I guess I'll try to cut out the edge of the RF board with unneeded parts to make room for the AV mod. But it looks like the voltage controlling transistor is pretty important to make it run.

by ibeenew2 on 2010-05-01 (#60700)

its the adapters fault look at the back pict. theres 2 sets of pins connected one set for audio (ok) and one set for grafix (BAD). stupid yobo wires all their crap wrong. bet 4 screen game like gauntlet doesnt work too.

by Jeroen on 2010-05-01 (#60725)

I'm pretty sure it DOESN"T set the powerpak in ntsc or pal mode...as theres no real need for an ntsc or pal mode. (plus iirc theres no "mode" pin on the ciclone that could be used for this)

edit: in fact I can prove it....it works on my famicom. The famicom doesnt have a lockout I "set" the chip to pal once...I cant "set" it without a proper lockout being connected.

edit2: I've been thinking about why it doesn't work. I recall a thread awhile back about a guy having a similair problem. The problem had something to do with his import adaptor connecting some pins or something.

by Splashman on 2010-05-01 (#60728)

Jeroen wrote:
edit2: I've been thinking about why it doesn't work. I recall a thread awhile back about a guy having a similair problem. The problem had something to do with his import adaptor connecting some pins or something.

Are you referring to this thread? Guess that one doesn't really help if nobody has replied.

I still haven't gotten to test the PowerPak on the Famicom yet, but I guess I we can safely say it has everything to do with the Yobo adapter being crap. What I'm looking for now is a way to fix the adapter I have, or places where I can buy better ones. Any clues?

by ibeenew2 on 2010-05-01 (#60729)

on your back pict cut the left set of 2 pins that are connected together then solder wires to the unused pins on the front pict to the right of -1 on the board. u will have to use pinout to check which ones go where but thats all thats needed.

by Splashman on 2010-05-01 (#60731)

ibeenew2 wrote:
on your back pict cut the left set of 2 pins that are connected together then solder wires to the unused pins on the front pict to the right of -1 on the board. u will have to use pinout to check which ones go where but thats all thats needed.

Ok, so I found this data sheet on the web. According to you, I need to connect the FC pins 47 (CHR RAM WR) and 48 (VRAM CE) to the NES pins 57 and 56 respectively. Something like this:

Is this correct?

by Xious on 2010-05-02 (#60740)

The Yobo adapter is junk and if you want it to work with the PowerPak, you’ll need to cut traces and lay new lines. (This is a known issue, as mentioned.)

Your sure bet is the 'Family Converter', another brand of NES72F->FC60M converter. I have one and it works splendidly on my Sharp Twin. The only guy who was any left is in England and wants around £15 for them, although that may include VAT, so they may se less to post stateside.

I’d like to source more, in bulk (at a bulk price), but as that's proving difficult, so I may have some made to the same spec instead.

-Xious

by MitsuoExcel on 2010-06-12 (#62922)

OK I bought a 72 to 60 Pin converter and it won't work with the powerpak on my original famicom. Here's a link to the pictures.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Excel.Mitsu ... mPowerPak#

and for the person with the yobo i found this i'm not sure if it'll help you.

http://bakutendo.blog87.fc2.com/blog-entry-196.html

Thanks!

by Xious on 2010-06-15 (#62973)

MitsuoExcel wrote:
OK I bought a 72 to 60 Pin converter and it won't work with the powerpak on my original famicom. Here's a link to the pictures.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Excel.Mitsu ... mPowerPak#

and for the person with the yobo i found this i'm not sure if it'll help you.

http://bakutendo.blog87.fc2.com/blog-entry-196.html

Thanks!

I may have some awesome converters coming in, and if I do, I will offer a couple for sale. These are pretty sharp, but my cost is high...sadly.

I have been considerimg using them as a master-design to pump out a run of them for a lower cost... We shall have to see what my production cost will be.

-Xious

by MitsuoExcel on 2010-06-15 (#62981)

Sure if you have one for sale then ill buy.