SNES lockout modding

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Johan_H
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SNES lockout modding

Post by Johan_H »

I just had confirmed the hard way that simply killing the lockout chip doesn't work with every game (I have SFC versions of Kirby 3 and Super Star/Deluxe that I can't play).

I searched around a bit and came across this.

Sounds really simple, and allegedly enables one to play any SNES/SFC game. Has anyone here tried it?
badinsults
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by badinsults »

SA-1 games (like Kirby 3 and Superstar) have a different lockout chip than other snes games.
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Johan_H
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by Johan_H »

Yeah, apparently. But does that mean this mod might not work?
Information on this particular modification seems pretty sparse, despite it being known about for more than six years if that tread is to be believed, which is getting me a bit doubtful.
kode54
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by kode54 »

Correct. The SA-1 will not boot if it cannot handshake with the system's lockout chip.

I had thought of a simple lockout chip bypass that would also satisfy the SA-1 games, but nobody seemed to respond to it the last time I mentioned it. It involves disconnecting the output of the lockout chip from the CPU's reset line, so even if the game doesn't handshake with it, it won't reset the system. This should also allow for SA-1 games to function, since they will still see the lockout chip and communicate with it. Can any experts tell me why this method would not be feasible?
Johan_H
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by Johan_H »

OK, I tried doing this on a PAL unit with no 50/60 Hz switch, and it's functionally exactly the same as a disabled lockout chip, as far as I can tell.
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by blackmyst »

I bough my multi-region SNES pre-modded (I didn't wanna mess with my own original PAL console, rather leave it to someone who knows what they're doing) so I don't really know how the mod was done or if this info is even useful.

But Kirby's Dreamland 3 works fine on it. That is, as long as I keep the switch set to 60hz at all times. As soon as it detects for even a moment that it has been running at 50hz at any time, at next boot it will wipe all my savegames. Cute.

On the other hand Kirby Superstar (or Kirby's Fun Pak as it's called here) doesn't work on my modded system at all. It works fine on my unmodded PAL system so it's not the cart that's defective.

Is it weird that one game works and the other doesn't, even though they both use the SA-1?
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Johan_H
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by Johan_H »

Hmm, and it just hit me that my PAL copy of Kirby's Fun Pak starts on a unit with a disabled lockout chip, and in 60 Hz.
This shit is making no sense!

So does Kirby 3 refuse to boot in 50 Hz or do you get a "Wrong region!!" screen?
blackmyst
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by blackmyst »

I don't get anything at all when booting at 50. Also, when I've switched it to 50hz at any point during the game, strangely it seems to refuse to boot up in 60hz either the first few times after that, like I actually have to reinsert the cartridge a few times before it'll work again, and I'll get like a random glitchy sound when trying to start it. And then, of course, when it finally works again, no more savegames.

Seeing how I 100%'d the game a while ago I don't really fancy experimenting with it any further, lol.
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paulguy
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by paulguy »

I imagine switching regions while powered on isn't a good idea overall. I imagine switching the clock speed and whatever else might produce some odd floating voltages or just irregular pulse trains for a decent amount of time on some bus or clock line or whatever (not familiar with how these are done), which would probably hang the CPU or some other chips. I could be wrong, but it just seems like a bad idea.
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Johan_H
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Re: SNES lockout modding

Post by Johan_H »

Well shit. This means that to be sure, I'll have to do this mod on the one with the Hz switch also.

Or I'll just do this I guess.
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