Dev cart building

[patroclus02]

I want to build a dev cart to test roms.

My first idea is to mod a original cart, take out ROM, solder 2, 8 bits flash ROM for 8Mbit (4+4).

This requires lots of wires and soldering work.

Do you find a better (easier) solution?

Another way would be a PCB conected to expansion port. Wire address bus (up to 256Kb, I know), data bus, and /ROM and /AS signals I think. While not cart in the connector, I suppose it shoul load the expansion port ROM at $000000

Thank you.

 

[Kaneda]

tototek card ? 😉

else Devster's board

 

[ExCyber]

If you can find an unlicensed cart with a suitable ROM layout you might be able to get things done with fewer wires; they often use pairs of 8-bit ROMs instead of a 16-bit ROM. Also, you don't need /AS for a ROM; cart /CE implies a valid address.

 

[patroclus02]

where can I find info about Devster's board??

Also, you don't need /AS for a ROM; cart /CE implies a valid address.

/AS was in case you conect ROM to expansion port.

cart /CE (B17 of cartridge conector) is not present in expansion port.

cart /OE (B16) is, but not /CE.

For ROM acces you should have a /CE and a /OE... that's why I was looking for a /CE signal in expansion port

 

[Kaneda]

Devster is at http://devster.monkeeh.com/segapage.html

 

[Edge-`]

I love my Tototek cart. If you can a bit extra to afford one, get it!

 

[patroclus02]

Edge, which one do you have?? the 32M one or the 64M one?

The 64M runs 32X roms too... that's good, but it's more expensive.

Does it work well under Windows XP?

Does the programmer let you back up original cartridges, or read its save ram??

 

[Edge-`]

I've the 64Meg one that didn't work with the 32X (I got it before the 32X model was released). Unless you plan to do 32X development in Assembly (or maybe use DevSter's Basic compiler), or have a strong want to play 32X games (which minus a few titles I can't really say I personally would 😀) I would say the normal model is fine. 32M is more than enough to test your roms with. Some people just like having a ton of roms on the flash cart at once.

I run it under Windows XP just fine. Just a matter of making sure your printer port is configured right for the right mode. I *think* the newer versions of the software allowed you to backup the roms, at the least the save games. It definately lets you backup the save games of the flash cart itself and upload saved ones and such. Has a fairly nice cheat feature and region modding on the fly too.