Make your own NES! Really!

[peppers]

I dont relly want to screw over SgtBowhack but if you need info chanses are someone here knows y not just post your question here

[SgtBowhack]

Yeah, I agree... I don't know anything too fantastic Unless you're in Japan and want to know places to get stuff in the Osaka area *shrug*. But right now I'm in Tokyo and raiding Akihabara

[dudegladstone]

Fair enough. I have a few questions that I have repeatedly had no success with, even on nesdev. I'll limit it to one now. For anyone other than SgtBowhack, what is the EASIEST way to put more than one set of PRG and CHR on one cart, such as done in multi-carts and on-board games. It seems the problem is always the mappers. But from my findings, plenty of the games I have are put together with the same mappers. I know it's possible because I remember Assembler talking about it on some (ezboard) message board. Anyone?

[MM007]

Fair enough. I have a few questions that I have repeatedly had no success with, even on nesdev. I'll limit it to one now. For anyone other than SgtBowhack, what is the EASIEST way to put more than one set of PRG and CHR on one cart, such as done in multi-carts and on-board games. It seems the problem is always the mappers. But from my findings, plenty of the games I have are put together with the same mappers. I know it's possible because I remember Assembler talking about it on some (ezboard) message board. Anyone?

Well....lemme see....what I'd do is connect all the PRGs to the same PRG connections, and the CHRs to the same CHR connections, except for the Vcc.

I'd route the Vcc through a DIP switch, so I could select which chips got power. Each line from each switch would go to two chips (a PRG and a CHR).

Maybe there is an easier way, but you should be able to simply flip a switch on the cart and play that game without any software modification.

Be ready for a LOT of soldering, but it should work.




There may be an easier way in software, but you have certain...limitations.

I mean, I believe you can't have any spare space on the ROM(correct me if I am wrong, because I very well may be), meaning you have to have every byte full of games and your code to switch between them.

Since most games are in multibles of 8K, as are most 27Cxxx(the EPROMs used to replace normal ROMS), you'd have to find a way to do one of 2 things:

1. leave 8K of space in the ROMs which are not games and put your game switching software inside, and somehow fill the remaining 7-point-something K with junk data that won't screw with anything in the NES

2. optimize the code in the games until you have JUST enough space for your game switching program.

I opt for the hardware solution in this case. ^^

[peppers]

if you dont end up with quite big enoth could you just add some zeros to the end of them in a hex editor? or would that not work

[JackFrost22]

that wouldnt work

[peppers]

have you tryed it?

what would be the correct way to put smaller roms on larger chips useing software?

[gannon]

have you tryed it?

what would be the correct way to put smaller roms on larger chips useing software?

You need to use chips the same size as the game file. I think it has something to do with the amount of data on each address line.

Edit: Oh, and to answer the question better, you'd need to make a bankswitching program. You also might have to reprogram the games, but I'm not sure about that.

[MM007]

You need to use chips the same size as the game file. I think it has something to do with the amount of data on each address line.

That's why I like the use of multiple chips and the dip switch: It is clear-cut and should work fine without programming.

[peppers]

have you tryed it?

what would be the correct way to put smaller roms on larger chips useing software?

You need to use chips the same size as the game file. I think it has something to do with the amount of data on each address line.

Edit: Oh, and to answer the question better, you'd need to make a bankswitching program. You also might have to reprogram the games, but I'm not sure about that.

I guess I will have to go over to nesdev and beg them to explain it to me although it seems the people in the know there dont relly want to give up any of there secrets so it will be like pulling teeth through the ass end

[wallydawg]

wow, meijer has NOAC's? I have 2 stores in my town, never seen them there...

[MM007]

If all else fails, try to do it in hardware. ^^

[NESJohnny]

Interesting concept--I came up with a few ideas just lookin at the pic.

I'd like to make my own. Anyone seen the NES or Famicom guts being sold in America? I live on the west coast and don't have a meijers to visit.

Thank you!

[Epicenter]

I found that crap in my friend's all-plastic Famicom clone. Horrible copulate thing. It's built like garbage, and was practically falling apart. I'm appalled it even worked. The regulator wasn't even heatsinked! The audio was copulate horrible (most of the time samples were too high or low volume or turned ot static), controls were glitchy and laggy, and the 6502 clone was godawful-- it ran like my NES underclocked. Thanks for posing a fire hazard, Plasticom!

Why ANYONE would want to work with such a horrible, inaccurate chip is beyond me. It acts like a NES that was run over by a truck.

At any rate, an interesting find.

[peppers]

Interesting concept--I came up with a few ideas just lookin at the pic.

I'd like to make my own. Anyone seen the NES or Famicom guts being sold in America? I live on the west coast and don't have a meijers to visit.

Thank you!

jst go to the mall you will probubley be able to find some sort of faniclone it probubley wont say its one it will be in the shape of a N64 controler and will probubley come with a light gun and controller