SEGA Game Gear - FLASH Programming using the Willem Universal Programmer

PART #5 of 5 ----------------
This is an Instructional video that I've made to show how to make a Programmable FLASH cartridge for the Classic Sega Game Gear and Nintendo Gameboy.
This will allow you to execute your own assembly code or custom Game files on the Handheld itself.

De-soldering techniques are shown along with a detailed description of Procedures for the best results.

Using this video Along with the following PDF Document and following the written Procedures and the Wiring Diagram; you will be up and running your own Assembly code on the Gameboy in no time.
More videos to come so keep an eye out on my Channel. :)

Download the following PDF Document LINK:

http://www.digital-circuitry.com/DOC/NINTENDO/GAMEBOY/DIY%20Nintendo%20GAMEBO...

This Project was originally done by Reiner Ziegler and was based on his research and amazing designs. He does projects using the Gameboy Color and the Gamboy Advanced. His website Link is shown below, it is definitely worth checking out.

http://www.reinerziegler.de/readplus.htm

Here is an Ebay Link for a 1MByte Flash chip PSOP44 Package Model# AMD-29F800:
http://cgi.ebay.com/5pcs-AMD-29F800-CMOS-FLASH-MEMORY-8MBit-AM29F800-/2506049...

Also, if your having trouble and want to coordinate with other Hobbyists that are working on Similar GameBoy projects, please join the GAMEBOY ELECTRONICS
YAHOO GROUP that I have started up. This is to help everyone with their GAMEBOY related development.

JOIN THE GAMEBOY ELECTRONICS YAHOO GROUP TODAY!!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GAMEBOY_Electronics/

CHeers! :)
P.S. Forgive my uugghhh Stutter. :)

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Willem Programmer
• Universal Programmer
• Flash Cart
• Gameboy Cartridge
• Nintendo
• EPROM

[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

[ZachariasClub]

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

[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.

[zlittell]

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

[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).

[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.