What happened with SNES CIC reverse engineering?

ichigobankai · Post by **ichigobankai** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:42 am

Thanks Mottzilla

The problem you explain is like when I'm putting a ntsc game on a Pal console or vice versa, no problem to understand this.

I've just miss a thing, i've put the 12f629 on a "simple" original Pal game (Dragon Ball Z -the game is in french-, only 1 rom and a D413 CIC (originally) on board).

The strange things for me, is that the game start in ntsc but not in pal, its original region. That why i would like to change the code in the asm file (I've seen some 09 for NTSC and 06 for PAL) but impossible to compile it for me (i've tried with Mplab..but errors appears) maybe can Ikari01 tell me which software i should use to make a proper hex file ?

ikari_01 · Post by **ikari_01** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:11 am

Put the game with the 12F629 in an unmodded PAL console and switch it on.

The CIC clone on the cartridge will switch to PAL. The game will probably not boot before you push reset but that's irrelevant.
Afterwards the SuperCIC will detect the clone as a PAL CIC and switch to PAL accordingly.

btw I'm using Piklab with GPUTILS

ichigobankai · Post by **ichigobankai** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:31 am

Hi, ikari_01 !

So I've tested this and I've added the led on the 12f629 (pin 3 of the 12f629).

Again, the key seems to works only in my switched snes and only in NTSC. I tested with two 12f629 (just in case) but the games refuse to start in pal on my original PAL SNES or with my "switched" SNES forced in pal...

In ntsc the led is OFF when I put the game in a PAL snes (or switched in PAL) the led turn "ON". When I press RESET nothing seems to happen...always this fuc**** black screen.

I 'm sure that I wire it correctly (very very simple soldering mod) so I don't understand why

Jeroen · Post by **Jeroen** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:21 pm

I don't see hwo pal vs ntsc would effect the operation of the chip though....thats kinda odd. (unless I missed something here)

ikari_01 · Post by **ikari_01** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 12:38 am

So to clarify: It does not run at all on a non-modified console?
Then there's a communication problem between the Host CIC and the cartridge CIC. The most likely causes are:
- wiring problem (maybe Data0 and Data1 are swapped?)
- fuses setting on the 12F629 (especially clock source)

The hex file contains fuse settings. You might have to force your programming tool to set them on the PIC.

ichigobankai · Post by **ichigobankai** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:15 am

So, I've checked the connections one more time, they are exactly as in your ASM file (supercic-key.asm)

Maybe the fuse settings, I'll look at my programming software...

Thanks ikari_01

Edit. Awesome Ikari, it was fuses settings ^^
So if anyone have a Wellon, change Oscillator Type in Config panel as a RC(GP4:CLKOUT) to make it working (by default set on "EC") !

ikari_01 · Post by **ikari_01** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 2:27 am

Interesting... EC (external clock) should be the correct setting.

Link83 · Post by **Link83** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:46 am

Quick question, was the NES CIC clone finished? If not is someone still working on it? It just seems a shame if there is still no open source NES CIC clone

3gengames · Post by **3gengames** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:04 am

Someone made it, then bunnyboy bought it, so somebody will have to make the program again for the PIC for it to be released.

thefox · Post by **thefox** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:52 pm

3gengames wrote:Someone made it, then bunnyboy bought it, so somebody will have to make the program again for the PIC for it to be released.

Or AVR.

That someone was kevtris and the CIClone was based on the reverse engineered Tengen CIC. Now we also know the instruction set and the behaviour of the actual Nintendo CIC since segher reverse engineered it. A clone could be based on either one of those.

3gengames · Post by **3gengames** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:58 pm

Okay, someone needs to get on this, I don't want to be buying lockouts for $4 each for a 10 cent pic. Not that I don't appreciate the work, it's just....markup is over 100%.

I'z cheap.

atarimike · Post by **atarimike** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:07 pm

3gengames wrote:Okay, someone needs to get on this, I don't want to be buying lockouts for $4 each for a 10 cent pic. Not that I don't appreciate the work, it's just....markup is over 100%. I'z cheap.

Seems like jims cool was on it... but then he disappeared. Anyone got his contact info? Moderators?

consolingmyself · Post by **consolingmyself** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:35 am

atarimike wrote:Seems like jims cool was on it... but then he disappeared. Anyone got his contact info? Moderators?

I sent jims cool some CIC chips (NES and SNES) way back in July last year. Was supposed to be helping him test his work but haven't heard from him since.

Hilmarf · Post by **Hilmarf** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:24 am

Thank you for the supercic Ikari_01! Love it

Post by **Memblers** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:49 pm

3gengames wrote:Someone made it, then bunnyboy bought it, so somebody will have to make the program again for the PIC for it to be released.

kevtris developed it, we have the code from the Tengen clone. The algorithm was posted in C and assembly. kevtris already released the PIC code for it at the time, it works by manually clocking the CIC. Mostly it's only the timing in the program that needs to be changed for it to work synchronized at full speed. So all the info is out there.