meneerbeer
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:43 am

Re: N64 region mod

Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:33 pm

This sounds good. If I understand correctly, you only have the PAL PIF connected at the moment?

The HDMI mod will definitely fix your problem. I think you have a 50Hz video signal with the colors at NTSC carrier frequency at the moment. If you swap some of the crystals as well it should fix it I guess.

Most modern TVs can handle 60Hz with colors at NTSC and PAL frequency. 50Hz with color at NTSC frequency is probably very uncommon/does not exist.

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:45 pm

Exactly, just hooked up the PAL chip. Have both chips on SOP to DIP converters now, so "easy" to swap. The picture really is horrendous hehe 8-) Just tried swapping to the NTSC chip, and now I have no picture at all. Gotta recheck the soldering... Guess I need NTSC cable. Have placed an order for S-video cables, 1 PAL and 1 NTSC.

Yeah I figured the HDMI would clear it up, won't do any gaming until that is out so I'm not that concerned about swapping crystals. But when the HDMI is available I'll have 94 games, thought I had 100+ but can only find 94, to play through :D

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:58 am

Out of curiosity I bought a RGB modded 64 that also had region mod from Otaku's yesterday, if I knew these were available I probably wouldn't have started this journey :-) But I'll finish my mod as well, and I'll probably mux some new clock frequencies as well just to make it a wee bit more complete then Otaku ;-)

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:36 am

So some more reading online and found this on Assemblergames(written by TriMesh), and it might be worth a try:

One of the pins on the PIF (pin 7?) is connected to the NMI line on the R4300 - it's asserted when the PIF successfully synchronizes with the CIC in the cartridge. That would tell you if you have selected the correct one or not. Probably the easiest way of implementing this would be to use a CPLD - you could use it for both the control logic and the multiplexers.

Select PIF "A"
Assert reset in to PIF (CIC is connected to COLD_RESET/ output on the PIF)
Wait for NMI assertion - if you get it, then this is the correct chip
Select PIF "B"
Assert reset in to PIF
Wait for NMI assertion - if you get it, then the other PIF is correct
If you time out in both modes, you have either no cart or a hardware problem.

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Wed Dec 31, 2014 9:35 pm

Happy new year everybody!!!

Streaming some NHL here in Sweden at 04:30 :-)

Bought some more wires today, so now I can finish my breadboard setup and then start thinking of the FPGA stuff. So moving forward but slowly, I'll blame this cold I got even though I drink fish liver oil everyday :'( And when looking through my components I think I'm missing one of the crystals I ordered a month ago, so tomorrow I'll have to open yet another claim at eBay...

meneerbeer
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:43 am

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:23 am

I think I can help you with the FPGA code. Do you have experience with VHDL or Verilog?

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:30 am

Help would be appreciated very much :-) No real knowledge in HDL, only code I have some knowledge in is ABAP, Java and VBA. Hopefully taking an ABAP course in February if my boss is ok with paying for that hehe.

So my thought was to first try out just some chip switching before going forward with crystals. I'm doing it on bread board before doing the mod properly. My headache right now is that if my jap console switch to jap PIF I have no way of knowing if it works seeing I have no cable/display to support that. Should I modify a PAL console to verify that the switching works? Thought?

meneerbeer
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:43 am

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Jan 05, 2015 4:09 pm

So my thought was to first try out just some chip switching before going forward with crystals. I'm doing it on bread board before doing the mod properly. My headache right now is that if my jap console switch to jap PIF I have no way of knowing if it works seeing I have no cable/display to support that. Should I modify a PAL console to verify that the switching works? Thought?
I don't understand. You tested a JP N64 with a PAL PIF before right? Does your TV not take JP signal? It most likely will, I think.

Yes, the chip switching is most interesting to start with.

Tsurugi_Takuma
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:26 am
Location: Sweden

Re: N64 region mod

Mon Jan 05, 2015 5:51 pm

Gotta try it again but last time:
Ran JAP 64 with PAL chip --> Black and white picture
Ran JAP 64 with NTSC chip --> No picture at all

Maybe there is a bad solder joint on the SOP-DIP converter, I'll check that as well.

meneerbeer
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:43 am

Re: N64 region mod

Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:06 pm

What kind of TV are you using? I think your TV should at the very least give a black and white picture.

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