SEGA Game Gear - FLASH Programming using the Willem Universal Programmer

[ssl666]

Hi and thanks for the awesome vids!

I've been wondering what other FLASH memory could do the job, and if I could program it in a different/more convenient way (for example, like JTAG for MCUs).

[Haunted360]

OK I am a little lost. If you order say, a 4 Mbit EEPROM, that's only 512 Kilobytes. My Gameboy ROM file, is 1 MB (1024 Kilobytes). How does this work? Is HEX smaller in size or something??

[NLEproGUY]

@Haunted360

Nope. You are understanding correctly. The cartridge I have in this instructional video is a MAX size of 512Kb.

In order to move up to the 1MByte size you need an extra Address Line on your Flash chip. So you'll need to get yourself a 1 or 2MByte Flash chip, like the AM29F800B or AM29F016B and interface that to a Cartridge that has the MBC5 controller Chip. The Zelda DX cartridge is the best choice for this as it has the RAM chip also.

Check Reiner Ziegler's website for Schematics.

[NLEproGUY]

The link to his website is under the Description of this Video. And check out the Homemade Cartridges section. Look at the 16Mbit one 2MBytes. In there he has posted a PDF with the Wiring interface for that size of Flash chip. There some soldering to the MBC5 that has to be performed for the added Address line.

Hope this helps.

-Gerry

[Haunted360]

@NLEproGUY Ah ok. Can you give me a link to one on eBay? I am in Australia, so it is hard to find most EEPROMS...

[NLEproGUY]

@Haunted360

Ok I posted a Link to a 1MByte Flash chip model# AMD-29F800 under the Description of the Video.

Cheers! :)

-Gerry

[zlittell]

@Haunted360 i think you are confusing sizes. the chip is 4 megaBIT which is only 512 megaBYTES.

[ZachariasClub]

What language can you program .ROM or .gb files in that will work for games?

[NLEproGUY]

@ZachariasClub

Well if you are talking about the language for programming your own custom games, then most people use C or C++. They then use a compiler program that translates the C++ into assembly code format to use with the Gameboy. If you know how to program in Assembly code then you can just use that language directly, as "Assembly" is the language format for the Gameboy's 8-Bit Z80 Processor. If you have not done any Computer programming before, then I would start using C or C++ first.

[NLEproGUY]

If you want to start to learn how to program for the gameboy...then do a search on Google for "Gameboy CPU manual" and also "Gameboy Programming Manual" you can learn allot from these manuals that you can download in PDF. Also look around into forums for Gameboy Development.

[Haunted360]

This will work for a Gameboy Color ROM correct? Just need a bigger size EPROM right?? Does it have to be a battery cartridge that has SRAM???

[NLEproGUY]

@Haunted360

No not really. However, it all depends on the Gameboy ROM image you are loading onto the Flash chip. If you know for a fact that the original cartridge the ROM was downloaded from, didn't need the extra RAM to function correctly...then it should be fine. By using a Gameboy Cartridge with the SRAM like "Zelda DX" then it will be able to load any Gameboy ROM out there. This just allows you more game selection for your cartridge.

[j7512]

One question can I program any EPROM chip that I find from say, broken GPU, computer motherboards and etc?

[Haunted360]

@j7512 are you serious? A GPU?? Oh yea, lets make my PlayStation 3 run its GPU off of a ATMEL 1 Mbit EPROM -_- lol. You could do your BIOS, but there is no point.

[j7512]

@Haunted360 I know nothing about electronics, I was merely asking if it was possible, to use a EPROM chip from an old GPU that is all.

[Haunted360]

@j7512 ah, ok. lol. Sorry. Uh, I am pretty sure you can use a EPROM from it. Yes. They use it mainly for a buffer I think. Unlike the newer cards, that have GDDR RAM which is Graphics Double Data Rate Random Access Memory. Look up the data number on the chip you pull out, and look at its datasheet. It will tell you everything. Size, pins etc...

[j7512]

@Haunted360 Great, thats all I wanted to know thanks! I visited your website and I bookmarked it as I liked what I saw, I have also subbed to you as well. I think it's time we bring back the old consoles as they were the real gaming gems.

[Haunted360]

@j7512 thanks! Added you as a friend. I will try the EPROM myself, and make a video eventually when I get around to it, as I want to play Little Sound DJ (LSDJ) on my Gameboy Pocket.

[Hackinghacker125]

im not sure if this would work but would it be possible to use the nds trainer toolkit

[NLEproGUY]

@Hackinghacker125

Unfortunately no. This is a Gameboy DMG-1 flash cart that I have focused on here.So it's targeted for Gameboy classic (Grey Brick) games only. The NDS trainer toolkit is targeted specifically for their own hardware and code. So this is unfortunately just two completely different systems.

However, If you check Reiner Ziegler's website (The link is in the Video description of this video) under Gameboy Color, you will find a few homemade programmers you can build yourself.

[NLEproGUY]

@ZnaxQue

Yes that chip would be fine as long as you can match up the correct pin connections. These chips have an read access time of 35ns which is more than fast enough. The only issues is that it's a UV erase EPROM. This is really the downfall, but if you already have the EPROM programmer than it's worth it. :)

Let me know how it works out. Regards, -Gerry

[NLEproGUY]

@ZnaxQue

Also remember that this chip is a 1Mbit and not a 1Mbyte. 1Mbit is equivalent to 128kb of memory space. So your .gb image can be no larger that 128kb for use with this chip. If you use a 4Mbit then you have 512kb of space and so on.

Just a reminder. :)

[javy1389ls]

i have been looking all over could not find the answer was hoping you could help. so here it goes. can you use a pickit 2 to do the same as this video

[NLEproGUY]

@javy1389ls

No not really. You need to use a Memory chip that has an 8-Bit DATA output.

That meaning there has to be 8 Pins on the Chip for DATA outoput.. As seen in my accompanying PDF document, the Wiring diagram shows Connections for "D0 to D7" this being an 8-Bit data output. The PIC series EEPROM chips are all programmed and read in a serial format. So you would have to design additional logic to feed the data from your PIC EEPROM into a SRAM chip that has the 8 data pins.

[NLEproGUY]

@javy1389ls

It would be best to just use a Flash chip like the ATMEL series that has the 8 DATA outputs already. But if your willing to attempt it, it is possible. Just allot more work. If you can find a Memory chip that the PIC2 can program in serial format, but yet has the same necessary connections the Gameboy requires.. Like the 8 bit DATA output pins and the Addressing pins that could work.

But I'm not sure if a PIC memory chip like this even exists. You'll have to do some research.