Correct PIC programmer for this ?

[bigsanta]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Microchip-Pickit2-PIC-Programmer-DTL-1001-/220713481830?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item33638c7666
Microchip Pickit2 PIC Programmer

I now want to start getting into PIC micro controller work ,so i just want to be sure that the kit above will work  ,especially with the PIC that seb uses in his switchless saturn mod below ,a PIC16F630  
http://seb.riot.org/saturnmod/

Thanks people

[l_oliveira]

You can build a super simple region mod with just a 74LS74 chip.

Just need to rig it in a way it latches the reset button (and/or) the lit state at the time the power is turned on. 

It's principle of operation is simple as the LS74 chip is a flip flop (1 bit of memory). By connecting the clock pin to the master reset circuit and the input to either the reset pin or the lid switch you can make it remember what position the lid or reset button was when the console was powered on.

The only drawback is that you get only two possible status. On my system (an JPN gray saturn) I connected half of it to make an JPN/USA switch. You turn the console on normally it boots as JPN. You turn it on while holding the front RESET button and it boots as an USA console.

And it remembers that state until it's switched off.

If you're interested I may post the schematics.

[KeepGood]

I wouldnt go for that programmer. It looks like an ICSP programmer, which means it has the ability to program the microcontroller 'in circuit (after its been installed in the target circuit).  This is a good thing but if you accidentally program the incorrect configuration bits into the microcontroller you can switch off ICSP programming. Its an easy mistake to make. This essentially locks you out of the chip.

If you source out a parallel programmer you would be better off.  Parallel programmers can reset the configuration bits, essentially blanking it all back to default.  They usually have ICSP ability too so you dont lose any features from the Pickit2.

I'm basing this info on Atmel's AVR's; I know you are going Microchip PIC's but as far as I know the principles are the same.

[bigsanta]

You can build a super simple region mod with just a 74LS74 chip.

Just need to rig it in a way it latches the reset button (and/or) the lit state at the time the power is turned on. 

It's principle of operation is simple as the LS74 chip is a flip flop (1 bit of memory). By connecting the clock pin to the master reset circuit and the input to either the reset pin or the lid switch you can make it remember what position the lid or reset button was when the console was powered on.

The only drawback is that you get only two possible status. On my system (an JPN gray saturn) I connected half of it to make an JPN/USA switch. You turn the console on normally it boots as JPN. You turn it on while holding the front RESET button and it boots as an USA console.

And it remembers that state until it's switched off.

Post away my friend !

If you're interested I may post the schematics.

[l_oliveira]

Connect the MASTER RESET input of my circuit into pin 15 of the SMPC chip on the SATURN. That pin pulses only once when the console is powered on. I suggest you use the Reset button input (Pin 53 of the SMPC chip) as "toogle" for region changing. As you can hold the RESET button while powering on the system, the state of the flip flop will be locked with the state of the reset button at the time of the master reset.

As the majority of discs I play are Japanese, I wired the two output wires in a way the console is Japanese when the system is powered on with the button released. If you hold it and power the system on, it changes to USA.

The second 74LS74 can be omitted if you don't need it (50/60hz toggle)

[hellbelly]

When I wanted to do Sebs switchless mod, I picked up a cheapo serial port JDM programmer from ebay, it cost a couple of quid, but it looks like prices have gone up now :-(

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Serial-PIC-programmer-8-18-28-40-pin-microcontrollers-/280591766654?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item415492947e#ht_3084wt_932

I then got a cheapo Willem parallel port programmer so that I could mess around with MegaCD MultiBIOS and NeoGeo Unibios, it does the 16f630 also.

Pete

[l_oliveira]

MEGA-CD Multibios is a thing of the past. An hacked BIOS that boot all discs exist for a few months now.

[hellbelly]

yeah, I'd seen that, nice work :-)  this was a long time ago I did a multibios!

[bigsanta]

When I wanted to do Sebs switchless mod, I picked up a cheapo serial port JDM programmer from ebay, it cost a couple of quid, but it looks like prices have gone up now :-(

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Serial-PIC-programmer-8-18-28-40-pin-microcontrollers-/280591766654?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&hash=item415492947e#ht_3084wt_932

I then got a cheapo Willem parallel port programmer so that I could mess around with MegaCD MultiBIOS and NeoGeo Unibios, it does the 16f630 also.

Pete

Well instead,i'm just going to knock together one of those jdm programmers for the snes
http://www.semis.demon.co.uk/uJDM/uJDMmain.htm

Just noticed,it only does 16x84 chips!

[bigsanta]

Connect the MASTER RESET input of my circuit into pin 15 of the SMPC chip on the SATURN. That pin pulses only once when the console is powered on. I suggest you use the Reset button input (Pin 53 of the SMPC chip) as "toogle" for region changing. As you can hold the RESET button while powering on the system, the state of the flip flop will be locked with the state of the reset button at the time of the master reset.

As the majority of discs I play are Japanese, I wired the two output wires in a way the console is Japanese when the system is powered on with the button released. If you hold it and power the system on, it changes to USA.

The second 74LS74 can be omitted if you don't need it (50/60hz toggle)

What i'll be using is a PAL UK saturn and have it playing only  jap and PAL games .Anything different  needed for that (incase there are any PAL 6ohz games out there). 

[l_oliveira]

What you need to observe is the way the jumpers are setup on either position and wire the things accordingly.

Since it's PAL and JAP you need, things are different but shouldn't be too hard. But it's well within what the circuit allows for (two states).




You know of any truth table for the region jumpers ??

[bigsanta]

http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=imports:sega_saturn .

Can you explain the action/wiring of the "tray out" connection(on Q 2) 2nd flip flop for my  50/60 hz switching ?

[l_oliveira]

http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=imports:sega_saturn .

Can you explain the action/wiring of the "tray out" connection(on Q 2) 2nd flip flop for my  50/60 hz switching ?

It's as simple as taking pin 12 of the 74LS74 chip to the tray switch signal and take one of the outputs of the flipflop chip to the PAL/NTSC selection pin.

Depending of you wanting the lid to be open or closed to mean JPN discs, you connect either the inverted or not inverted output to the PAL/NTSC selection pin.

Here's how you program the mod to work:
You change how you wire it into the system.

[bigsanta]

http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=imports:sega_saturn .

Can you explain the action/wiring of the "tray out" connection(on Q 2) 2nd flip flop for my  50/60 hz switching ?

It's as simple as taking pin 12 of the 74LS74 chip to the tray switch signal and take one of the outputs of the flipflop chip to the PAL/NTSC selection pin.

Depending of you wanting the lid to be open or closed to mean JPN discs, you connect either the inverted or not inverted output to the PAL/NTSC selection pin.

Here's how you program the mod to work:
You change how you wire it into the system.
So,what IC is the tray signal found at?

[l_oliveira]

So,what IC is the tray signal found at?

It's at the drive board. I suggest you connect to the switch itself as I don't know which Saturn model you have. All Saturns have the same SMPC chip but they have different CD drives...