AES No Sound

Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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I got a couple of junk AES systems from Japan. This one is a 3-3 board, and was not powering up. I removed the dead NEO-POWER daughter board inside that was converting the system from 5v to a higher voltage. The system powers on now and plays. The video looks good. However, there is still no audio.

There is no audio from the headphone jack or the A/V out. Should I buy a cap kit like this one?
https://console5.com/store/neo-geo-aes-neo-aes-3-5-cap-kit.html

I'm not great at replacing caps. Is this problem most likely a cap issue, or is it possibly a problem with a chip? Is there any way to test if the caps are for sure the problem?

audiocaps.jpg
 
nic034

nic034

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Hello,

It's a common problem on MVS and AES, replace first all caps on motherboard with same farad value (or upper value for voltage only).
Always take your time when remove them : the ground pin on caps are always more difficult to desolder and need more heat.

Regards
 
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Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Thank you.

I tried to pull audio directly from pins 10 and 11 of the YM3016 and got nothing. Does that mean I'm hosed?

Edit:
Actually, I only have one game to test with - Magician Lord. Maybe it's the game. I will find out.
 
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Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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I'd test the audio system using the diagnostic bios plus cart.
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Cart and system have been cleaned well with distilled water prior to any use.

If it's not the caps, what am I likely to find? Bad Z80?

I appreciate the honest answer of what a professional would do in this situation. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I'm willing to do the work of bios modding, getting the blank chips, getting my cheap eprom programming to work again, and finding a cart for the diagnostic rom.

I may have to just sell this as broken to someone willing to fix it.
 
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Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Xian Xi, do you think the diagnostic rom will work through a converter? I have a bootleg with sockets I can use, and I was thinking about getting a new converter anyway.

Again, what kind of problem do you think I will be likely to find with the roms, and how fixable will that be?
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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I put in a Unibios. The jukebox player says "cannot start sound".

I put in the Diagnostics bios. All tests pass without the Z80 test. With the diagnostics M1 chip in the slot, I get the same communication error as I do with any game in the slot -- "Comm error" "FF".
 
Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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Just to add, a comm error usually means that there's a communication error between the Z80 and the 2610. Check the continuity between both. If the YM2610 is really hot, replace it. I don't mean warm as that's normal. I mean hot like you accidentally touched a frying pan.
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Sorry. I see that the rest is important now.

It's the same error as with any game in the slot.

Z80 DEAD / ERRORED / COMM. ISSUE

EXPECTED: C3
ACTUAL: FF

The YM2610 is somewhat warm.
 
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Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Leaving it on for a while now, and it is getting pretty damn hot actually. Not burning my hand to touch it, but surprisingly warm.
 
Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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What do you mean by any game? It will only read the custom M1 for testing and the S1 to display the text on screen.

Check the IRQ line on the 2610, if it's low then the 2610 is bad. But if it's high then you need to check all the communication lines between the Z80 and 2610.
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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I mean the Z80 test is giving me the same result regardless if I have the custom M1 in the slot or not.

My setup is a little dicey -- a bootleg CHA board through the Daedalus. I may try another board. The Daedalus has loaded every game on the first try with this AES though.
 
Neo Alec

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It's high. All the connections between the YM2610 and the Z80 tested good.
 
Neo Alec

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Just ran the Z80 test with a known good cart through the Daedalus and got the same error.
 
Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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Check the Z80 itself with a logic probe or if you want to just shotgun it, replace the Z80.
 
Neo Alec

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I did my best to check the Z80 with my multimeter, and everything looks good. I replaced the Z80 with a good one, but nothing's changed. I'm still getting the same error.
 
Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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Just to make sure, you are using a diagnostic cart, right?
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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Yep. With a Daedalus convertor. I tested it in an MVS. It plays the tones on the other AES I've been working on.
 
Xian Xi

Xian Xi

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I would check everything from the ground up. Start with the slot connector to the sound system. Download the system schematics from ngdev wiki.
 
N

NEODASH

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Hello, I have been with the same problem, curiously works normally all games with the Japanese region BIOS, and does not work if I change the BIOS by an American version or Unibios.
 
N

NEODASH

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Hello, I have been with the same problem, curiously works normally all games with the Japanese region BIOS, and does not work if I change the BIOS by an American version or Unibios. When I use the Unibios or another appears on the screen "work Ram Test" and no longer comes out of this screen.
 
Neo Alec

Neo Alec

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That doesn't sound like the same problem from earlier in this thread. That system was showing a z80 error in the diagnostic bios.

I wonder if your system could need some of the last pins tied together to use the Unibios. Other people here would have a better idea if that even could have anything to do with it.
 
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