Darksoft's CPS2 Multikit Tech Support Thread (No Killing B-Boards!)

[MitsurugiW]

so I take it that I can rule out Rom or SD card issues?

As Darksoft said some people are having this issue with their cards. In most cases a complete reformat and reload of the card fixed the issue.

[bloodhokuto]

Thanks for the feedback all.

Some progress has been made! But I still have problems.

Firstly I am using a Samsung c4 8GB Sd, so that's ok.

Secondly I reformatted and updated the card with the latest avalanche Roms and put it in folder called games on the SD card.

Thirdly, it appears that the code that was provided by dan lane didn't work for me. However I went looking and did the following.

------------

Code to run in Terminal to show hidden files on Mac (OS X Yosemite only);

Paste the following then hit enter (return);

Code: Select all

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true ; killall Finder

- (to re-hide hidden files afterwards), use;

Code: Select all

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean false ; killall Finder

To remove all the now un-hidden folders (you can't just delete them manually);

In Terminal type the following then press enter (return);

Code: Select all

cd /Volumes/CPS2

- (replace CPS2 with whatever you name your SD Card as).


Then for the next entry line paste this;

Code: Select all

rm -rf ._.Trashes .Trashes/ .Spotlight-V100/ .fseventsd/

Close Terminal and eject the SD Card. Please note that should you re-mount / reinsert your SD Card it will write the hidden folders again.

------------------

Anyway, I did all that and I managed to get a game to display. However, it displays some vertical lines (see the screenshot).

Also, for some reason it seems to run worse (more garbled) when the LCD screen was unplugged.

Perhaps both of these issues relate to contact issues with pins. Now whilst the Multi-CPS2 mini boards look fine, it could always be connection to the A Board.

I did have some problems in the past with the B board, it was a progear that had been pheonixed (not conversion). Last time I shorted the Cap near the battery and it seemed to work fine.

I did test it before I took the chips off and had this issue again, but got it working alright. Now the glitches aren't the Cap problem, it might be a connection, trace issue, or the connections on the B Board to A Board plug.

[Spectre]

Check your A and B boards are connected really firmly.

[fluxcore]

I had a similar issue with columns of missing graphic data. My B-board was a fixed battery damaged board, and there was some residue on the connector on the B-board that the multi uses - I scraped it away thoroughly and the graphics reappeared. It's fairly likely a connection issue, but yeah could be A->B board connector or B->Multi connector. Probably the connector(s) nearest the graphics ROMs.

[darksoft]

For those who keep asking about the 2nd batch.
New flash memories already arrived. We go to the production oven on the 1st of July. Then comes hand soldering, programming and testing. I will be sending them between 8th and 10th of July.
I'm checking how to increase the compatibility with MAC and with cheap microSD. At the moment microSD cards and bad jumpers seem to be the main problem for people, so please double check that if you have any issues, specially bars on graphics or broken sound and as David L. Jones says "don't trust your eye. Trust your meter!".
http://www.eevblog.com/

[mrjamma]

Hi IDC
Just wondering if there was any update on the Super puzzle fighter turbo 'no audio from first round onwards' issue as posted by other users previously in the old thread.
You mentioned it needed to be looked into.
A previous post also shows that your version and the phx version both have the same issue. Is it possible one of the other rom files are corrupt?
Thanks in advance

[Yodd]

Received my Multikit a week or so ago and tackled the install this weekend.

Video works fine, loads roms find. Did the auto reset wire option, also works great.

However, I get pops and clicks in the audio. I used a Rev 4 board. Installed the G pal and did the wire from pin 9 of it to J17 on the main multikit board.


Any ideas?

[aoiddr]

If the audio crackle is only in certain game files (like D&D:SOM and AvP) and not all of them, a possible theory is that it might be those files and not the boards. Mitsurugi-w said he was going to investigate.

Fox1 over on Neo-Geo posted a video showing the problem with D&D: SOM.
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3911511

[jassin000]

Fox1 over on Neo-Geo posted a video showing the problem with D&D: SOM.
http://www.neo-geo.com/forums/showthrea ... ost3911511

I have the same issue with every game I've tested, at some point in the demo/attract sound mode I get at least 1 pop or crackle.

Its really not a huge deal to me, I'm very happy with my multi cart over all. But yes minor audio issues with every game... And as I've been saying from day one, every decrypted version of Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, the sound fails out after the first few mins (round one normally).

I've been over my jumpers twice, they are correct.
I've checked my pins for contact with the B-board, they are all making proper contact.
I've formatted a few different SD cards a few different ways and re-copied files, if the card works the issue is always present.
Even tho I have a rev 7 B-board, I lifted pin 9 of the GPAL and ran it directly to the Kit pin J17, it made no difference at all.

Inproper contact from bent pin fixed with jumper wire | GPAL pin 9 lifted and jumped to J17


Bonus: Darksoft Multi at Bitfest 3 Boston MA

[darksoft]

To everybody,

can you please send me by mail or PM picture and exact model of microSD which is not working for you? I'll try to increase compatibility.

[monouchi]

I can also confirm pops in the sound. Ex: Progear ending.
Uslng the recommended SD card.

[Yodd]

So far I have tried maybe half a dozen or so different roms. Cracks and pops in all of them. Seems to be either at the beginning or end of audio samples.

I am using a Sandisk Class 4 microSD card.

[Spectre]

Getting the same thing. It's not particularly noticeable in-game, but you can hear it during some intros etc where there isn't as much going on. A good example is the q sound jingle.

[jassin000]

It's not particularly noticeable in-game, but you can hear it during some intros etc where there isn't as much going on. A good example is the q sound jingle.

Yes, this perfectly describes what I've experienced with every game (except SPF2T that has zero sound after about 1 min).

[leonardoliveira]

It's not particularly noticeable in-game, but you can hear it during some intros etc where there isn't as much going on. A good example is the q sound jingle.

Yes, this perfectly describes what I've experienced with every game (except SPF2T that has zero sound after about 1 min).

It's possible that under certain configurations the QSOUND DSP is unable to read the second sound ROM chip region (ROM 12) and that will cause audio channels and effects to be muted.

The Capcom board has tons of pull-ups everywhere (weak resistors that hold the bus at high logic level when disconnected) to make sure so open bus always read as "1" in binary and that means "transparent pixel" for the graphics hardware/muted sound for the sound hardware. I've already talked privately to Darksoft about this and I am waiting a device in the mail. Once I get it here I'll study it, the way it interconnects to the board and I'll try to give suggestions to Darksoft on how to improve the device the best way I can.

Hopefully we can come up with simple, creative solutions for all minor problems with this stuff.

[Spectre]

Personally it's no big deal, doesn't effect my enjoyment of the device, but yeah... it would be good to have a fix.

[gojira54]

OK I just tried this out, I have two kits on hand. One has the audio crackling & popping, the other doesn't.
I tried swapping over the A board and the proved that it was NOT the fault.
I'm running the boards through a 'Last Bandit' supergun via RCA breakout to a hifi system, during testing system 5V is >5. Both are using identical Sony branded microSD 4GB speed 4
'good' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 6 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 1st revision firmware multi board
'bad' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 7 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 2nd revision firmware multi board with auto reset wired

I'm going to try swapping over the multi boards, if the audio persists on the rev 7 it's the B board...

[MitsurugiW]

OK I just tried this out, I have two kits on hand. One has the audio crackling & popping, the other doesn't.
I tried swapping over the A board and the proved that it was NOT the fault.
I'm running the boards through a 'Last Bandit' supergun via RCA breakout to a hifi system, during testing system 5V is >5. Both are using identical Sony branded microSD 4GB speed 4
'good' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 6 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 1st revision firmware multi board
'bad' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 7 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 2nd revision firmware multi board with auto reset wired

I'm going to try swapping over the multi boards, if the audio persists on the rev 7 it's the B board...

Thanks for this. Let me know the results.

[monouchi]

OK I just tried this out, I have two kits on hand. One has the audio crackling & popping, the other doesn't.
I tried swapping over the A board and the proved that it was NOT the fault.
I'm running the boards through a 'Last Bandit' supergun via RCA breakout to a hifi system, during testing system 5V is >5. Both are using identical Sony branded microSD 4GB speed 4
'good' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 6 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 1st revision firmware multi board
'bad' setup;
JPN A & B board, rev 7 with G PAL with NO jumper wires, 2nd revision firmware multi board with auto reset wired

I'm going to try swapping over the multi boards, if the audio persists on the rev 7 it's the B board...

great work gojira.

[gojira54]

OK just confirmed it - B board is the issue.