The Super 138 in 1 without the sub-pcb: using a dipswitch. Game list with binary code.

Tanooki

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I get the deal that this is a special cart as it has pretty much what the 161in1 is missing, but I also know it has that daughterboard some will do the dipswitch change on it so that you can use it in a multi-slot system. I can't do that kind of work, so does anyone actually sell these already modified or what would one expect to pay if they came across it or someone willing to do the work? It has a few games I'd love to crack into but the price of the carts alone are getting pretty prohibitively annoying (like Twinkle Star Sprites, Sengoku 2, etc) on there.
 

nornor1

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I get the deal that this is a special cart as it has pretty much what the 161in1 is missing, but I also know it has that daughterboard some will do the dipswitch change on it so that you can use it in a multi-slot system. I can't do that kind of work, so does anyone actually sell these already modified or what would one expect to pay if they came across it or someone willing to do the work? It has a few games I'd love to crack into but the price of the carts alone are getting pretty prohibitively annoying (like Twinkle Star Sprites, Sengoku 2, etc) on there.

Im working on a premade board, so all you would have to do at the very least is detach cables from the white connector from the daughterboard, and into the premade board. still waiting on parts from china. I found the exact JST connector, but I cant find small breadboards to fit them. so I will be going for a bigger JST connector(the white connector that plugs into the daughter board, but bigger.)

so all you have to do is swap the smaller white connector, with the one I have, then plug it into the premade board. sounds a little complicated, but once I get it together it will make sense. the white connector has little tabs on it, so you can use a little flathead screwdriver to release each cable from the connector without ripping it out. so in theory you are just swapping the wire into the bigger connector. if that doesnt work, then you can always cut the wires off and re-crimp each cable into the connector. here is a pic of the bigger connector I bought.


JST 2.54.JPG
 

nornor1

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here are some pics of what im going to use. Still waiting on the bigger JST connectors :blow_top: . The board will be cut, so it will be pretty small. the new JST will be at a 90 degree angle, not laying down like in the pic. you can see the original cartridge wires and the little tabs to release each wire. hopefully they are the same size as the wider ones I purchased then it will be an easy swap.

Ill show it all together soon. and post detailed pics iof it all installed. maybe create a video of how to swap the JST connector?


nothing is soldered yet in the pics below.

this is how it will look but with less green board.
Dip1.JPG

this is what the bottom will look like.
dip2.JPG

here is the original JST with the wires taken out
dip3.JPG

then plug your wires into the new JST and plug into the Board and BOOM dipswitch goodness.
Dip4.JPG
 

Tanooki

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Seems like a pretty sensible solution, curious to see how it looks when it's finished. I've been wanting that multicart as it has so much the 161 lacks that is fantastic, plus no shitty default to difficulty 8 garbage either.
 

kuze

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Only thing then is you have a cable and breadboard/dip switch hanging from your cart. Not that it would really be a big deal.
 

nornor1

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Update. I am trying to get some PCBs Pre made to make this a truly plug and play option. do you think there would be a demand for this service? I can get like 50 PCBs made for like $160. then put them all together myself. If I get these made, it will include the proper size Female JST connector. so you unplug the Jamma connector, and plug straight into this board. no cutting needed. How much would be reasonable to charge for this? $10-$15 each shipping included?



The new bigger Male end JST connector I found, the pin holes are too big. so you cant just swap the wires into the new connector like I had planned :(.
you can use the old wires and stick each wire 1 by 1 into the Female connector. you just have to wrap electrical tape around each wire so they dont touch each other while connected. like so:

dippackage3.JPGdippackage4.JPG







in the mean time, I can make them with the boards I have now with the bigger White connector. but you will have to re-Crimp the Pins yourself with a crimping tool, or do the Pin swap method above. it will come with the Male JST connector and the Pins you need to crimp to your wires. the tool is like $15-ish bux. you would have to get that yourself.

crimp tool.jpg

here is what it will look like right now.


dippackage.JPGdippackage2.JPG
 
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nornor1

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here is another way you can make the board if you want to do it yourself with regular 10k resistors. you dont have to use the white JST connector, you can solder your wires straight into the board.

dipr2.JPG

dipr1.JPG
 
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pzlate

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I have a new multimeter on its way (mines broke) so will have a poke around when it arrives.....Finally got hold of a new multimeter. check all connections right back to the CPLD & 74 Logic chips - all checks out and connections are good. No crossed or broken wires. dips making good individual connections and VCC + ground fine. I am baffled!

I know this is a two year old post, but I figured out how to fix this, and want to post it for anyone else struggling with this version of the 138-in-1. I was also having problems with only being able to boot a small amount of games. It ended up being a voltage issue.

I wired a jumper between the VCC output pin and the VCC coming in from the card edge on the cart. That solved all of my problems. You probably don't need those extra bypass caps, I was just trying something out beforehand.

JWlUiQz.jpg
 

ovalfastlx

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I know this is a two year old post, but I figured out how to fix this, and want to post it for anyone else struggling with this version of the 138-in-1. I was also having problems with only being able to boot a small amount of games. It ended up being a voltage issue.

I wired a jumper between the VCC output pin and the VCC coming in from the card edge on the cart. That solved all of my problems. You probably don't need those extra bypass caps, I was just trying something out beforehand.

JWlUiQz.jpg
I just did this mod as well, I bought Nor's dipswitch board but found out my cart had the ram errors (board was fine, BTW) Found a 5v source on the cart and added a jumper to the VCC pin. Before adding the jumper to the VCC pin had 1.3v output which is not enough. I figured this out because the VCC was outpin 5v when connected to the daughterboard that the 138 in 1 came with.

I hope Wu_swordsman has figured this out too.

pzlate, are you doing the sound fixes on that cart? If so I'm trying to that next but have questions, like how caps are needed etc.
3d2cf886eb90076e69dc155617cd3c4a.jpg
 

Syntax_x

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I just did this mod as well, I bought Nor's dipswitch board but found out my cart had the ram errors (board was fine, BTW) Found a 5v source on the cart and added a jumper to the VCC pin. Before adding the jumper to the VCC pin had 1.3v output which is not enough. I figured this out because the VCC was outpin 5v when connected to the daughterboard that the 138 in 1 came with.

I hope Wu_swordsman has figured this out too.

pzlate, are you doing the sound fixes on that cart? If so I'm trying to that next but have questions, like how caps are needed etc.
3d2cf886eb90076e69dc155617cd3c4a.jpg
That chip you guys are feeding 5v into runs on 3.3v logic...
Do not wire 5v to it.
If you have errors your voltage regulators are bad. It happens. If you feel you must wire 5v there cut the trace to pin.
If you trace that pin back it has a resistor pulling that line high or feeding via the 3.3v rail. Putting 5v there is just a bad idea.
If you cut the trace though your fine because the game selector chip runs on 5v logic. It's a safer solution.
Just cut it right at the pin your soldering to.

I had 1 bad regulator in a recent install which resulted in errors on cold boot and a.c. interference on screen which would clear up. Replaceing the regulators fixed this.
 
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ovalfastlx

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That chip you guys are feeding 5v into runs on 3.3v logic...
Do not wire 5v to it.
If you have errors your voltage regulators are bad. It happens. If you feel you must wire 5v there cut the trace to pin.
If you trace that pin back it has a resistor pulling that line high or feeding via the 3.3v rail. Putting 5v there is just a bad idea.
If you cut the trace though your fine because the game selector chip runs on 5v logic. It's a safer solution.
Just cut it right at the pin your soldering to.

I had 1 bad regulator in a recent install which resulted in errors on cold boot and a.c. interference on screen which would clear up. Replaceing the regulators fixed this.
So you are saying theres bad regulators on the cart itself or the actual MVS board? Thanks
 

Syntax_x

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So you are saying theres bad regulators on the cart itself or the actual MVS board? Thanks

I'm saying if you replace the diodes on the game cart with regulators there's a chance you can get a bad regulator which throws A.C. interference down the line.
Ac will make the dip switch flutter high/low and cause errors, it will also create lines on your screen that eventually clear as the regulator warms up.

My personal experience with bad regulator gave cold boot issues and after it "warmed up it was ok.
New regulators it's rock solid.

That line only has 3.3v through a 4k resistor so it's probably around the correct voltage.

Bypassing may of fixed your issue but it's masking a bigger problem with your cart power.
Ensure BOTH 3.3v regulators are outputting 3.3v dc.
 
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ovalfastlx

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I'm saying if you replace the diodes on the game cart with regulators there's a chance you can get a bad regulator which throws A.C. interference down the line.
Ac will make the dip switch flutter high/low and cause errors, it will also create lines on your screen that eventually clear as the regulator warms up.

My personal experience with bad regulator gave cold boot issues and after it "warmed up it was ok.
New regulators it's rock solid.

That line only has 3.3v through a 4k resistor so it's probably around the correct voltage.

Bypassing may of fixed your issue but it's masking a bigger problem with your cart power.
Ensure BOTH 3.3v regulators are outputting 3.3v dc.
I currently have not regulators on the cart only the diodes. Stock 138 in 1cart except for jumper. I plan to do the sound glitch fix which will ad the regulators, would that help?
 

Syntax_x

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I currently have not regulators on the cart only the diodes. Stock 138 in 1cart except for jumper. I plan to do the sound glitch fix which will ad the regulators, would that help?

If the jumper is working for you keep it but cut the trace near it so that big square chip is not getting 5v. Its max voltage is 5.3 before it fries.

Try wire a long wire from 5v to the dip switch first if you're worried, that will feed the 5v you want and bypass the big chip.
 

ovalfastlx

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If the jumper is working for you keep it but cut the trace near it so that big square chip is not getting 5v. Its max voltage is 5.3 before it fries.

Try wire a long wire from 5v to the dip switch first if you're worried, that will feed the 5v you want and bypass the big chip.
Oh I see. I'll wire it up with the long wire. I appreciate your help, thanks
 

superfry63

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I know this is a two year old post, but I figured out how to fix this, and want to post it for anyone else struggling with this version of the 138-in-1. I was also having problems with only being able to boot a small amount of games. It ended up being a voltage issue.

I wired a jumper between the VCC output pin and the VCC coming in from the card edge on the cart. That solved all of my problems. You probably don't need those extra bypass caps, I was just trying something out beforehand.

JWlUiQz.jpg

This just saved me from tossing my 138-in-1 into the trash a few days ago. Same thing happened, I received my pre made dip switch from nornor1 and nothing work boot past the bios or the winners don't do drugs screens. I could get some games to boot with random codes, but the graphics were all garbled even the unibios menu.

So i check the VCC voltage at the dip switch - it would just jump between 1.20V and 1.30V, which even at 1.3 was not enough.
I ran a 5v line like in the picture above - but I cut the trace going back to the big square SMD chip which runs at 3.3 logic as Syntax_x mentioned. (I'm really hoping nothing on the other end is going to have a problem with the 5V)

I'm assuming the voltages should not jump back and forth like that. I am wondering if one or both regulars are bad. (I've performed the 138 in 1 fixed by gadgetUK which involves removing the diodes)

Nornor1 was nice enough to check the voltage at the dip switch on his setup and it reads about 2.97 volts. Would it be worth me trying to lower it down to that amount? (mine is like 4 volts at the dip switches)
 
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