I got a Radica Genesis today

Want to just shoot the breeze? Forum 42 is the place!

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segasonicfan
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Post by segasonicfan »

Okay I found VCC, it's pin 33. It's actually running from a place market "VDD" whatever that means. I also scraped off all the white stuff under the ROM. They also use it on PS2 constroller and other PCBs. It's very annoying because it hinders the ability of seeing the traces. It's all off on mine though, so I can see where everything goes. I'll see if I can get a pic up so it can help out everyone.

So here's what I got-
1-ground
23-VCC (connected to 33)
32-ground
33-VCC (+3.27v)

I can also tell which traces run to which chips (the ones under the PCB, not the Main 'drop chip' cause it doesn't have pins) if anyone thinks that would help out. LMK!

-Segasonicfan
stereth
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Re: More Info...

Post by stereth »

Use code tags for ascii art.

Code: Select all

 SideB                  SideA
(front)                 (Back)

       -----------------
   1B -|SL1         GND|-  1A
   2B -|!H_RST      +5V|-  2A
   3B -|SR1          A8|-  3A
   4B -|A9          A11|-  4A
   5B -|A10          A7|-  5A
   6B -|A18         A12|-  6A
   7B -|A19          A6|-  7A
   8B -|A20         A13|-  8A
   9B -|A21          A5|-  9A
  10B -|A22         A14|- 10A
  11B -|A23          A4|- 11A
  12B -|YS          A15|- 12A
  13B -|VSYNC        A3|- 13A
  14B -|HSYNC       A16|- 14A
  15B -|EDCLK        A2|- 15A
  16B -|!OE         A17|- 16A
  17B -|!CE_L        A1|- 17A
  18B -|!AS         GND|- 18A
  19B -|CLK          D7|- 19A
  20B -|!DTACK       D0|- 20A
  21B -|CAS          D8|- 21A
  22B -|D15          D6|- 22A
  23B -|D14          D1|- 23A
  24B -|D13          D9|- 24A
  25B -|D12          D5|- 25A
  26B -|!CE_H        D2|- 26A
  27B -|!RES        D10|- 27A
  28B -|!WR_L        D4|- 28A
  29B -|!WR_U        D3|- 29A
  30B -|!S_RES      D11|- 30A
  31B -|TIME        +5V|- 31A
  32B -|!CART_IN    GND|- 32A
       -----------------
I've got a bunch of Genesis games at home. I'd love to make a pocket-sized console for them, even if I don' t put a screen on it. VDD and VCC are often the same, or at least connected to each other.
JackFrost22
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Post by JackFrost22 »

I dont know if it can be done I guess I'll get one on Ebay
benheck
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Post by benheck »

I tested the GND and the VCC to be the same as a Genesis cart ROM. You're saying the other stuff doesn't fall in line?

I dunno, I say this can be done!
JackFrost22
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Post by JackFrost22 »

If it doesn't exist. Build it
segasonicfan
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Post by segasonicfan »

VCC is connected to pins 23 and 33. On a normal Genesis VCC is pin 2. Pin 2 is a data line on this Radica though...

-segasonicfan
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Post by MM007 »

...I hope this works...if so, I maybe able to have a small SMS/Gen player...

would it be easier to try testing with a Master System cconnector (fewer pins and mostly jumpers to connect), get that working, and then use that data to connect a Genesis connecter?
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benheck
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Post by benheck »

I don't see how this could be that hard. The hardest part will be fixing the trace pads that got torn off :)

Some games may not use as many leads on the card-edge because they may not have as much memory. Example, In the old days you need 16 address bits to address memory in a 64k space (which is why all the 6502 based computers had 64k, that was the limit of the 6502). Every additional address bit doubles the amount of memory you can access.

Systems such as the NES started using bankswitching chips in the carts (the MMC chips) to allow larger games to be sequentially loaded in. Kind of like disk-swapping!

The Atari 2600 could have accessed more than 4k per ROM (without bankswitching) but there weren't enough address pins on the cart edge connector (this they did to save 50 cents per machine by using only 24 pin connectors)

So if you have 20 address bits you could access 1024k, and by adding 1 pin you'd get that up to 2048 and so on. This is why different ROMs may have different #'s of pins going to them. A lot of the older Genesis games like Sonic 1 are just 512k.
MM007
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Post by MM007 »

benheckc wrote:I don't see how this could be that hard. The hardest part will be fixing the trace pads that got torn off :)

Some games may not use as many leads on the card-edge because they may not have as much memory. Example, In the old days you need 16 address bits to address memory in a 64k space (which is why all the 6502 based computers had 64k, that was the limit of the 6502). Every additional address bit doubles the amount of memory you can access.

Systems such as the NES started using bankswitching chips in the carts (the MMC chips) to allow larger games to be sequentially loaded in. Kind of like disk-swapping!

The Atari 2600 could have accessed more than 4k per ROM (without bankswitching) but there weren't enough address pins on the cart edge connector (this they did to save 50 cents per machine by using only 24 pin connectors)

So if you have 20 address bits you could access 1024k, and by adding 1 pin you'd get that up to 2048 and so on. This is why different ROMs may have different #'s of pins going to them. A lot of the older Genesis games like Sonic 1 are just 512k.
I talked to a Genesis buff, and he says that it is possible that they removed the functionality for all games above 512K and just used the 512K roms. Is there an indication otherwise on the board?
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shelter pitfall
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Post by shelter pitfall »

hmm, this is getting interesting..
even though they only know more software stuff, I'll poke around SWS2B forums. I think one time they pointed out segasonicfan's cdx portable or something.
JackFrost22
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Post by JackFrost22 »

Anyone think it can be done I do Now I'm off to ebay
NiN^_^NiN
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Post by NiN^_^NiN »

I dont want to put a damper on your efforts but i think this genesis pad is a custom thing.

Only reason i think this is a custom cpu is a 68k cpu alone is just to big to be emulated in shuch a small area.

there are 2 chips which must be emulated 1 for sound 1 for game/graphics

I just dont think there is a chip out there powerful enough and that small to emulate the 68k cpu but i hope im wrong :)

If they did emulate the 68k source only then u will find not all games have sound as the genesis games sometimes used the 68k core for all video and sound processing skipping the sound chip.

Please someone prove me wrong :) just think its highly unlikely that its a full genesis system.
JackFrost22
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Post by JackFrost22 »

If only it was illegal right
scherzo
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Post by scherzo »

NIN, you keep saying "emulated". I'm sure nothing is emulated in the Radica. Everything is the hardware equivilent. And I don't think it's unlikely at all. I mean, how long have NES-On-A-Chip systems been in development? Many years actually. Probably since the Tristar64 came out. The Genesis and it's supporting hardware isn't that much more powerful.
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segasonicfan
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Post by segasonicfan »

...and they already have the equivelent of a Dreamcast on a chip out. So Genesis on a chip is very likely. Also, there are other chips on the board for audio, video, etc. Not sure what the other chips to though but they must be for something! Hrmmm, lemme look them up and see what I can find...

-Segasonicfan
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