Okay, I have purchased the kit to make the copyNES, and it will arrive sometime, I don't know when. But I do have a question. So can I just like for example, buy a Lunar Pool cart, which is an NROM 16k PRG 8k CHR cart. Could I just take the MaskROMs out of that, and put in a blank 27C128 for PRG, and put in a blank 27C64 for CHR, then put that cart in copyNES and dump a 16k PRG and 8k CHR game to that cart? That sounds like a really duh question, but I'm just making sure. I'm almost positive that yeah, I could do that, but I've tried manually programming a 27C128 and a 27C64, and putting them in a lunar pool cart, and it didn't work. So am I missing anything?
You can't do it with EPROMs, since those generally require a special programming voltage.
You also can't plug EPROMs in directly, since their pinouts are not the same as those from the mask ROMs used in NES cartridges - you need to rewire a few pins in order to do it correctly.
You could, however, use Flash ROMs along with a special plugin (would likely require additional client-side code) to program a cartridge. You could also just make a RAM cartridge - it won't maintain its data after poweroff, but it will have an infinite number of write cycles, plus it won't require any extra code since both the DOS and Win32 clients have "RAM Cart" modules already implemented.
You also can't plug EPROMs in directly, since their pinouts are not the same as those from the mask ROMs used in NES cartridges - you need to rewire a few pins in order to do it correctly.
You could, however, use Flash ROMs along with a special plugin (would likely require additional client-side code) to program a cartridge. You could also just make a RAM cartridge - it won't maintain its data after poweroff, but it will have an infinite number of write cycles, plus it won't require any extra code since both the DOS and Win32 clients have "RAM Cart" modules already implemented.
What are generally used with copyNES? FlashROMs are good you say? And can they be dumped to with copyNES? I don't know very much at all about FlashROMs. Thanks 
.
.Flash ROMS would keep the data after being flashed - ie you could pull the game out and put it in another NES. But CopyNES does not support them as of yet.
If you put RAM in the cart CopyNES can load a game to it, but the game would be gone as soon as you shut off the NES.
I'm not sure how easy it would be to setup CopyNES to program flash chips - some reqiure 12v and/or they require special signals on the Write Enable pin from my knowledge.
If you put RAM in the cart CopyNES can load a game to it, but the game would be gone as soon as you shut off the NES.
I'm not sure how easy it would be to setup CopyNES to program flash chips - some reqiure 12v and/or they require special signals on the Write Enable pin from my knowledge.
I also want to use my copynes to write flash memory. I read this post:
http://nesdev.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=632
Does this mean that it would be possible with 29F flash chips?
If I have a cart wired for eproms, should I be able to use the 29F chips without any further wiring?
With copynes, will a different plugin have to be written for every flash cartridge type?
http://nesdev.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=632
Does this mean that it would be possible with 29F flash chips?
If I have a cart wired for eproms, should I be able to use the 29F chips without any further wiring?
With copynes, will a different plugin have to be written for every flash cartridge type?
I'm currently working on a modded RAM cart for CopyNES, that uses a battery backup.
Is there a way to like, permenantly dump a game to a cart with copyNES? And you say you are working on a RAM cart with battery? Is it still like you take it out of the copyNES, and it will get deleted or what?
The idea is that you write to the RAM and it stays when you take the cart out.
sevast wrote:
Does this mean that it would be possible with 29F flash chips?
Yep. The wiring is unique though, it needs a /write signal like RAM. And 29F isn't available with less than 32 pins (that I've seen).
The same deal with bankswitching applies to RAM and Flash carts, if any registers are at $8000-$FFFF (which includes probably every mapper except Squeedo and MMC5) then it needs some extra logic to disable mapper writes.
I've finished a layout for a UNROM board that's rewritable by CopyNES (and with Flash rather than SRAM). I'll be prototyping it pretty soon, would be nice when that works.
Oh, you should make/sell some to me! I want devcarts! I don't know anything about making them though. I don't know the routing system in the NES, or in carts, so I don't know which I/O line goes where, and therefor, I cannot make a cart. But those ideas are very good, and I can't wait till they are up and running/selling on kevtris's site! I hope that's what you plan to do...
Okay. I am pissed! I thought I put together my copyNES all well, it looked so beautiful, I wanted to test it. First of all, is it normal for the DIP cable that you connect to the male to male cable to be so loose? It won't stay on the gold pins, it always just falls off. Secondly, why won't my NES even turn on? When I plug it in, it won't even turn on! This makes me upset! Any ideas why this doesn't work?
You say par cable connection is loose with the female end of the IDC cable? No, it should be snug, it is on mine anyhow.
As for it not turning on, this is a stupid question but, did you make sure you reconnected the switch assembly to the main board?
As for it not turning on, this is a stupid question but, did you make sure you reconnected the switch assembly to the main board?
Memblers wrote:
I've finished a layout for a UNROM board that's rewritable by CopyNES (and with Flash rather than SRAM). I'll be prototyping it pretty soon, would be nice when that works.
Wow that's so cool! Keep us updated please!
Can you translate some of that into newbie? I have a mmc3 cart rewired to take eproms. I believe you're saying that I can rewire it to use the 29F flash, but the mapper chip will cause problems trying to write in the copynes. Are these logic problems hardware problems or software problems? If I use some other method to write to 29F chips is there a problem using them in my mmc3 homebrew cart?
Is it possible to have a devcart that writes to 29F chips and then use the chips in other carts? It's probably easier just to buy a programmer, but it's an interesting thought.
Yeah, I've reconnected the controller ports and the blue plug. But the funny thing is, is when I put the power cord in the back, and I press the switch, the light doesn't turn on, but the metal peice with by the power source gets really really hot. So there must be some connection. I think maybe I didn't solder the capacitor by the lockout chip correctly. It might be facing the wrong way. Does that matter? That's the only thing I think I may have done incorrectly.
Celius, I had the exact same problem because of a badly connected capacitor next to the lockout chip. If you're using the capacitor Kevin sent you, it shouldn't matter which way you put it.
You should try removing the CopyNES board and putting back the CPU in its socket on the NES board. If you still can't switch power on, it's not CopyNES' fault, but more likely something with that capacitor.
You should try removing the CopyNES board and putting back the CPU in its socket on the NES board. If you still can't switch power on, it's not CopyNES' fault, but more likely something with that capacitor.
Hmm, the problem isn't the capacitor, it's actually something wrong with the copyNES board! When I pulled the copyNES board off, I was able to turn the machine on. Did I place something incorrectly? Were you supposed to stick those 4 things into where the CPU used to be? And I didn't get 2 seperate things that connected the copyNES board and the NES board, I got 1 connected thing. I hope I was right in assuming that 1 connected thing took place of those two connected things. But yes, I put my CPU in the slot, and it luckily fit. But! I did burn a little plastic on the slot that you stuck the CPU in, I don't think it did damage though. Are the capacitors on the CopyNES board supposed to be facing a certain way? And! One final question. The Connector that connects the cable to the copyNES board. The plastic is supposed to be on the bottom of the board, correct? And you are supposed to connect the cable to the side with the plastic, yes? I'm sorry, there's like 10000 questions that are like (DUH.), but I just want to see why my copyNES won't work.
Celius wrote:
Oh, you should make/sell some to me! I want devcarts!
Cool, yeah I should be able to make enough for everyone. When I get some prototypes of that, you can get one of those if you want (the real fun will start a few weeks after I verify the proto).
I have Squeedo pcbs also that are available to anyone, both revisions just sitting around needing something to do, but I haven't bought the PICs yet to fully build more (or serial adapters, actually I'm really thinking I may make a USB adapter though the parts are more expensive).
Well, I discovered the main source of the problem with my CopyNES. I have yet to fix it though. My 4.7K ohm resistor was facing the wrong way. The dot was lined up with the 10 instead of the 1. I broke it in half on accident when taking it off the board. I have to buy another one from kevin. Hopefully he'll sell me one...
Hey memblers, are your carts RAM carts? Or do they still carry the game when the copyNES is shut off? And how much do you think it will cost when they are ready?
Celius wrote:
My 4.7K ohm resistor was facing the wrong way.
I feel I should let you know that resistors do not have polarity - it doesn't matter which way they are facing. Diodes and (most) capacitors, however, do.
Hmm, well he said to make sure that the dot was lined up with the 1, so I'll just trust his judgement. But when I took it off, my NES turned on again, so that must have been the problem.
EDIT: I quote mr. Horton on his copyNES assembly guide:
[ ] Install RN2 - 4.7K ohm resistor network (marked 472G. Make sure
dot on the resistor network lines up with the small "1" marking on PCB!
EDIT: I quote mr. Horton on his copyNES assembly guide:
[ ] Install RN2 - 4.7K ohm resistor network (marked 472G. Make sure
dot on the resistor network lines up with the small "1" marking on PCB!
Oh, you were referring to the resistor 9x10 network - those are quite different from normal resistors, as they do have polarity.
Celius wrote:
Hey memblers, are your carts RAM carts? Or do they still carry the game when the copyNES is shut off? And how much do you think it will cost when they are ready?
They use Flashrom, so they'll keep their programming. I also put a pull-up resistor to the CopyNES' extra control line, so the cart would also run in an unmodified NES (if the cart's lockout chip is installed, of course). A single assembled one I imagine would be $15 or so.
Sweet! I'll be definitely looking into some of those purchases. You know, I'm so tempted to put my game on a cart and sell it on ebay, but that is not very legal. Do you think they would notice? By they I mean baddy look-out-for-people-doing-bad-things people? I wouldn't sell it on ebay, I'd sell it on... I don't know. I don't know if I should. And I think people might get mad, and I don't know. How 'bout I just forget I said that.
Celius wrote:
I'm so tempted to put my game on a cart and sell it on ebay, but that is not very legal. Do you think they would notice?
If you can demonstrate to eBay that you are the copyright owner of your work, then eBay permits you to list copies of your work.
Okay, I've brought up this dead forum like 10000 times, but this is the last. I have put my copyNES together, and so far, the NES part of my copyNES works, but I don't know if the COPYNES part of the copyNES works. He said something about how to test it that I didn't get. How am I supposed to test and see if the copyNES part of the copyNES is working with the PC?
I hope it works, I did notice a small tear in an I/O line by the cable connector, but I made the lines touch again, and I attempted to have a wire starting from 1 end to the other end of the I/O line, but it sort of broke off. Would that work? just a solder wire going from point A to point B substituting for a broken I/O line? I think the line should still be connected though. What are you even supposed to do for a broken I/O line?
I hope it works, I did notice a small tear in an I/O line by the cable connector, but I made the lines touch again, and I attempted to have a wire starting from 1 end to the other end of the I/O line, but it sort of broke off. Would that work? just a solder wire going from point A to point B substituting for a broken I/O line? I think the line should still be connected though. What are you even supposed to do for a broken I/O line?
Sorry, I know that you are supposed to somehow use the copyNES program to test it, but I get an error message each time. It's the one that's like: "Path not found in line No line number in module NESDUMP at address 0FAA: 4BE0 Hit any key to return to system. "
First of all: what? Second of all, what does that mean? That's the error message you get when the thing isn't on/connected/related to the computer in any way. My copyNES is on, the cord is connected, a game will play in the copynes, but it isn't associated with the computer in any way. Okay, let me just ask a few questions. Are you supposed to turn the power on at a certain time? Are you supposed to insert a cartridge at a certain time? Is the copyNES supposed to allow you to play a cart like a regular NES all the time? Sorry, I'm just trying to fix my copyNES, and I'm confused why it doesn't work. It makes me upset! Thanks to anyone who responds. =)
First of all: what? Second of all, what does that mean? That's the error message you get when the thing isn't on/connected/related to the computer in any way. My copyNES is on, the cord is connected, a game will play in the copynes, but it isn't associated with the computer in any way. Okay, let me just ask a few questions. Are you supposed to turn the power on at a certain time? Are you supposed to insert a cartridge at a certain time? Is the copyNES supposed to allow you to play a cart like a regular NES all the time? Sorry, I'm just trying to fix my copyNES, and I'm confused why it doesn't work. It makes me upset! Thanks to anyone who responds. =)
Oh yes, I am running on XP. But I'm confused about how to use your software. I've read the thing, but this error message saying "Unable to open plugins list!" keeps popping up. What shall I do? And you were saying to restore the directory structure, I'm sorry, what do you mean by that?
Celius wrote:
I've read the thing, but this error message saying "Unable to open plugins list!" keeps popping up.
That's because you extracted the Win32 client to the wrong directory. You need to extract it to the SAME PLACE as the MS-DOS client - specifically, in the same directory as the file "MAPPERS.DAT".
Celius wrote:
And you were saying to restore the directory structure?
That's for extracting the QBASIC client, which you already did a long time ago.
EDIT: Scratch all of that. I got it to read my version, but it took a while. And it seems the cart has to be pushed down, being read, with nothing on the TV in order to be read by the software. It's rather annoying. But when I try and dump the cart, it unloades any exsisting plugin, then it initializes port, and tries and loads the plugin, but the operation times out. What is wrong here? Is the cart not inserted well enough? is there something wrong with my BIOS settings? I'm pretty sure I've tried it on both Biconditional and EPP. I know I've tried it on Biconditional, but I'm not sure about EPP. I'll go try EPP. That's what it's supposed to be set to correct?
Anyone? Am I considered a spammer now? Is there a particular reason (that isn't due to lack of knowledge) that I haven't recieved a reply to any of my posts on nesdev since I posted the "post edited" indicator that was deleted?
I didn't delete anything. I still need to get my CopyNES kit.
I wasn't accusing specificly you, maybe some another moderator/administrator did, because my post was in fact deleted. Not by me though. I don't really care anyways. Just wondering if anyone has any common problems, or knows what would be causing these problems.
Celius wrote:
I wasn't accusing specificly you, maybe some another moderator/administrator did, because my post was in fact deleted. Not by me though. I don't really care anyways. Just wondering if anyone has any common problems, or knows what would be causing these problems.
I deleted it, since it consisted entirely of "I've just edited the above message" , which has no purpose whatsoever - you could have just as easily included that in your original post.
Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to make this like some who-deleted-my-post investagation, because as far as I'm concerned, I don't care. Yeah, I could've just copied the text from the post being edited, deleted the old post, posted a new message, pasted the text from the old post into the new post, and wrote "EDIT: ...." on the bottom. If you don't know what I mean, don't bother trying to, because it doesn't matter, really.
But did anybody experience these types of problems while using CopyNES? What are some reasons for a random almost-full-functioning CopyNES, as aposed to a not functioning system telling the software that it is CopyNES v.0? What connections on the copyNES board might be not well? AND! CopyNES only seems to return proper information about it's board while a game is in the system, pushed down, power on, and a gray screen. The thing is, I think data is still being read from the cart while it shows a gray screen. It's weird, and it randomly works, and I don't know why, and I'd appreciate a little advice. Anybody have any?
But did anybody experience these types of problems while using CopyNES? What are some reasons for a random almost-full-functioning CopyNES, as aposed to a not functioning system telling the software that it is CopyNES v.0? What connections on the copyNES board might be not well? AND! CopyNES only seems to return proper information about it's board while a game is in the system, pushed down, power on, and a gray screen. The thing is, I think data is still being read from the cart while it shows a gray screen. It's weird, and it randomly works, and I don't know why, and I'd appreciate a little advice
. Anybody have any?Celius wrote:
The thing is, I think data is still being read from the cart while it shows a gray screen.
That sounds about right though. The CopyNES BIOS wouldn't use the PPU because it would have to use every cart's CHR, which could be anything.
I don't understand the randomly not working though. Seems like it should always work, or never work.
Memblers wrote:
The CopyNES BIOS wouldn't use the PPU because it would have to use every cart's CHR, which could be anything.
Not necessarily. I can think of some address line connections that would single-screen-mirror all nametables to one 1 KB bank of internal VRAM and all pattern tables to the other bank. Try running PPU A13 to CIRAM A10 and see what doesn't blow up. This would potentially give 64 tiles to work with, more than enough for uppercase ASCII. As for why Kevin Horton didn't think of doing this...
tepples wrote:
Memblers wrote:
The CopyNES BIOS wouldn't use the PPU because it would have to use every cart's CHR, which could be anything.
Not necessarily. I can think of some address line connections that would single-screen-mirror all nametables to one 1 KB bank of internal VRAM and all pattern tables to the other bank. Try running PPU A13 to CIRAM A10 and see what doesn't blow up. This would potentially give 64 tiles to work with, more than enough for uppercase ASCII. As for why Kevin Horton didn't think of doing this...
It would've taken extra chips and things to do that, and then there was no guarantee it'd work with all carts. Also, I had run out of I/O on the port chip, so I would've had to add some other things possibly.
Though, personally, I don't know how useful being able to display stuff on the PPU would be anyways- you can't display anything when you're dumping CHR, unless you want to dump it really, really slowly (during vlblank). Also, the LCD was removed from the design for a similar reason to not using the PPU... the PC displays all of the needed status information and then some.
The LCD, while cool, was just absolutely worthless IMO.
kevtris wrote:
I don't know how useful being able to display stuff on the PPU would be anyways- you can't display anything when you're dumping CHR
Unless you only use a few scanlines, controlled by sprite 0. Wait for sprite 0 to be deasserted, dump a bit, turn on the screen, wait for sprite 0 to be asserted, and then dump a bit more.
Quote:
Also, the LCD was removed from the design for a similar reason to not using the PPU... the PC displays all of the needed status information and then some.
Except for being able to display more information that would be useful in troubleshooting connection problems.
Perhaps CopyNES version 2 could put some more logic on a CPLD. It seems to be working for the people selling PassMe adapters for Nintendo DS homebrew.