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Retrostage's PCBs don't work Or at least there's no way I can get them working.

May 05 at 4:53:25 PM
JPBarroso (0)
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(Javi ) < Cherub >
Posts: 6 - Joined: 08/29/2018
Spain
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So I bought a bunch of MegaROM 2.0 PCBs from @retrostage, but I haven't been able to make them work for the life of me on my PAL SNES. I have followed the instructions to the letter. My console recognizes there's a bootable cartridge (gives signal to the TV, something it refuses to do when I insert a SFC game) but then, nothing happens.
Here's what I have done:
  • Properly burned and verified both the 27c322 with the ROM and the 16f629 with the SuperCIC Key. On my first try, I burned a Chrono Trigger, but then, to ensure full compatibility, I burned a Spanish Terranigma, which should load perfectly on my Spanish SNES.
  • Soldered every component the instructions asked me to.
  • Resetted the console several times so the cart's SuperCIC can match the console's CIC.
  • Ensured every chip and component was facing the right way and soldered to the right holes, from the diodes to the battery.
  • Prayed.
I use a MiniPro programmer with an adapter that verifies every EEPROM bank. But I don't know what else to do and I think I wasted 60€ on those.
Any ideas?

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YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
-- Death, Hogfather.

May 08 at 1:07:11 AM
Final Theory (2)

(Final Theory) < Crack Trooper >
Posts: 141 - Joined: 09/23/2015
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So are you burning a SNES rom to a EEPROM? If so, is the format of the rom .smc or .sfc? If its not working with .smc extension, then use SNES purify (a program) to change the extension to .sfc

May 08 at 5:23:31 AM
JPBarroso (0)
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(Javi ) < Cherub >
Posts: 6 - Joined: 08/29/2018
Spain
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It's .sfc. Tried with both formats so far.

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YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
-- Death, Hogfather.

May 08 at 2:08:33 PM
Final Theory (2)

(Final Theory) < Crack Trooper >
Posts: 141 - Joined: 09/23/2015
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When you burn the chip, you have to burn it with the right option. Also make sure that when you insert the game in the snes that it is facing the right direction. If you don't have it in a shell then sometimes its easy to insert the PCB backwards in the snes.

May 08 at 4:41:09 PM
JPBarroso (0)
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(Javi ) < Cherub >
Posts: 6 - Joined: 08/29/2018
Spain
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Please define "right option". And yes, I insert them on the right direction.

-------------------------
YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.
-- Death, Hogfather.

May 09 at 7:36:40 PM
newo (0)

< Cherub >
Posts: 12 - Joined: 05/02/2013
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I've used the MegaRom board to do a Tales of Phantasia Cart on a PAL snes, it should work. The format of the rom shouldn't matter. Have you also removed the header of the rom before burning it?

Can you also post a picture of the PCB, that might help identify the problem.

May 15 at 3:53:07 PM
dra600n (300)
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(Adym \m/) < Bonk >
Posts: 16989 - Joined: 09/16/2010
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Originally posted by: Final Theory

When you burn the chip, you have to burn it with the right option. Also make sure that when you insert the game in the snes that it is facing the right direction. If you don't have it in a shell then sometimes its easy to insert the PCB backwards in the snes.



There is no "right option". You write the data to the eprom.

OP: try removing the snes header if you haven't.

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Proud owner of post #1800 in Inner Circle HQ thread

May 20 at 4:26:58 PM
Muramasa (18)
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(Muramasa TheNinja) < Crack Trooper >
Posts: 181 - Joined: 08/24/2012
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So the biggest mistakes I find that people make.

1. Not programming the supercic chip properly. (Since you get a video signal this isn't your issue)
2. Running swapbin. No new PCBs that I know of need swapbin.
3. Not populating the capacitors. For some reason people seem to think they are optional. This is not the case.