NES Pro Action Replay - DIY

[Modman]

I have not yet made a model of the shell, but it is on my to-do list. I am wrapping up a few other projects right now and will be able to get to that soon

[Kruciatus]

I have not yet made a model of the shell, but it is on my to-do list. I am wrapping up a few other projects right now and will be able to get to that soon

thanks, I'm going to make a copy instead of palce 20v8h I'll use atf20v8b, and h7660 I'll replace icl7660aibaz

[NARN]

Hello! I am also going to do this, only for Famicom slot 60pin. Using gal20v8b-dip24, am29f010, from what is available.

[lidnariq]

and h7660 I'll replace icl7660aibaz

Please don't keep that part of the circuit - it's a CIC stunner, and that can only damage your console.

Either add a modern avrciczz, or leave that bit out entirely. For the latter, disable the CIC in your console with the two-wires mod instead.

[Ben Boldt]

I must have missed something; why does the PAR need to touch the CIC at all? Why not pass that directly through from the cart just like a Game Genie?

[TakuikaNinja]

I must have missed something; why does the PAR need to touch the CIC at all? Why not pass that directly through from the cart just like a Game Genie?

There's a switch which enables a CIC bypass for out-of-region cartridges.

[Fiskbit]

This is a PAL device and PAL had multiple CIC regions, so a CIC bypass makes sense.

[gorgyrip]

Here are the KiCad files, dumped PALCE JEDEC, and dumped PRG and CHR binaries for the NES Pro Action Replay. Happy making!

Thank you! I've been looking for the palce dump since 2019. I also looked for a runfei programmer to dump it, but those are hard to find and are really expensive.
Yesterday i found the dump at pldarchive and soon after that, here. So i assume your user name is also Apocalypse.
I've noticed that the two files are a little different at the end (i've attached a picture). What file do you recommand to use? Or it doesn't matter?

I've tested both files on a GAL20V8B-15LP with a few cheats for smb3. I also used the trainer to find an infinite life code. Both files worked great.
About the diodes, what part numeber are they? something like 1n4148 will work?
And about the sram, what is the slowest speed that will work? 150ns will work?

[Modman]

Here are the KiCad files, dumped PALCE JEDEC, and dumped PRG and CHR binaries for the NES Pro Action Replay. Happy making!

Thank you! I've been looking for the palce dump since 2019. I also looked for a runfei programmer to dump it, but those are hard to find and are really expensive.
Yesterday i found the dump at pldarchive and soon after that, here. So i assume your user name is also Apocalypse.
I've noticed that the two files are a little different at the end (i've attached a picture). What file do you recommand to use? Or it doesn't matter?

I've tested both files on a GAL20V8B-15LP with a few cheats for smb3. I also used the trainer to find an infinite life code. Both files worked great.
About the diodes, what part numeber are they? something like 1n4148 will work?
And about the sram, what is the slowest speed that will work? 150ns will work?

Hi! I am not Apocalypse, but I'm familiar with his work. His dump was generated by brute forcing the PLD JEDEC. He deciphered the logic by studying the chip operation. What I have provided is the actual JEDEC from the original chip. I believe his logic is missing one term in one of the equations compared to mine, but is otherwise identical. I am not sure how important that term is, but I'd use my dump as it is a 1:1 of the original and that missing term from his JEDEC might be important at some point.

For the diodes, I can't verify right now but I believe I chose a 4148 and it worked perfectly. I will have to defer to someone with a bit more technical knowledge about the NES to say if there are any limits on which speed RAM will work or not. I have only tried the same speed as the original. I'm glad you built it and got it working!

[gorgyrip]

Understood. Thank you again, for releasing it.
You got me started again with the PAR madness. Tomorrow i will scan the pcb for the snes one

[Modman]

Understood. Thank you again, for releasing it.
You got me started again with the PAR madness. Tomorrow i will scan the pcb for the snes one

You’re welcome! I’m glad this was a valuable project to pursue. Also, for the snes ones, if you want to save yourself some time, I’ve already done the MkI - Mkiii. They are all available in GitHub repository here: https://github.com/RWeick/REF1080-SNES- ... Replay-Mk3

I just haven’t done the cplds yet if you want to tackle those!

[gorgyrip]

You’re welcome! I’m glad this was a valuable project to pursue. Also, for the snes ones, if you want to save yourself some time, I’ve already done the MkI - Mkiii. They are all available in GitHub repository here: https://github.com/RWeick/REF1080-SNES- ... Replay-Mk3

I just haven’t done the cplds yet if you want to tackle those!

I did made a schematic a long time ago for MK3, but it didn't crossed my mind to scan the pcb. I don't know how to reverse engineer ics.
Omg! What' s on your github! I'll download everthing a little later. By any chance do you still have the original scans for all your projects?
about MK3, what is the file Programmable Universal Adapter v1.0.bin?

I've finished the scan for PAR1 famicom 2.2 REF1003 8.3.93
I also received today a very interesting PAR1. the back connector is green. It can be seen that it has been cut from a longer connector. the pcb is FAMI2, 5/92. the main ic is different. LZ95F39 and it has 6 logic chips. the rom is 1.01. The code doesn't have 7E preset at the beginning.

[Modman]

You’re welcome! I’m glad this was a valuable project to pursue. Also, for the snes ones, if you want to save yourself some time, I’ve already done the MkI - Mkiii. They are all available in GitHub repository here: https://github.com/RWeick/REF1080-SNES- ... Replay-Mk3

I just haven’t done the cplds yet if you want to tackle those!

I did made a schematic a long time ago for MK3, but it didn't crossed my mind to scan the pcb. I don't know how to reverse engineer ics.
Omg! What' s on your github! I'll download everthing a little later. By any chance do you still have the original scans for all your projects?
about MK3, what is the file Programmable Universal Adapter v1.0.bin?

I've finished the scan for PAR1 famicom 2.2 REF1003 8.3.93
I also received today a very interesting PAR1. the back connector is green. It can be seen that it has been cut from a longer connector. the pcb is FAMI2, 5/92. the main ic is different. LZ95F39 and it has 6 logic chips. the rom is 1.01. The code doesn't have 7E preset at the beginning.

Hi, yes I still have original scans for all of my projects. The programmable universal adapter seems to be how datel planned to sell the rest of its MKIII components but for a lower price. It’s the same pcb as the Action Replay but with a different rom and missing some components. (The footprints are still there). They can be bought cheap and easily converted to be a MKIII if you add the missing components and the correct rom.

I don’t have scans for the REF1003 yet, or a rom dump! I’d be very grateful if you could share those with me. I’m also very interested in the odd PAR1 you’ve found

[gorgyrip]

Hi, yes I still have original scans for all of my projects. The programmable universal adapter seems to be how datel planned to sell the rest of its MKIII components but for a lower price. It’s the same pcb as the Action Replay but with a different rom and missing some components. (The footprints are still there). They can be bought cheap and easily converted to be a MKIII if you add the missing components and the correct rom.

I don’t have scans for the REF1003 yet, or a rom dump! I’d be very grateful if you could share those with me. I’m also very interested in the odd PAR1 you’ve found

Never heard of the programable one.
Can you please upload somewhere your scans?
Here are the 2 scans:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QrUXj3 ... R3SdHIModn
PS: if you're from Uk, there's a snes PAR with only the top connector on ebay at 26gbp.I think that was the first version ever released.