Rom Hunter mkII | MSX Resource Center (Pagina 10/11)

Van Manuel

Ascended (19691)

07-07-2019, 11:12

Gdx, can you update the wiki article?

Van gdx

Enlighted (6445)

07-07-2019, 11:27

Thank you Bifi and Manuel. My first impression was the good one.

It only remains to know how the RAM is configured exactly for each Mapper. The mappers may be reproduced aproximately. Software seems

D7h to DBh values of byte to identy the mapper type are useless because the cartridge the cartridge does not contain SRAM, only 256kB of RAM.

Manuel wrote:

3FFF is a configuration register

That corresponds to the description in your two messages above. :thumb:

Manuel wrote:

the software seems to work fine. But I noticed that not all games run on all MSX machines with ROM Hunter Mk2.

I also noticed that the software need an update. The cartridge could be more effective.

@Manuel: You also have the right to edit the wiki.

Van Takamichi

Hero (652)

07-07-2019, 15:45

It's good to know emulation is steadily going. And has anyone succeeded running the Rom Hunter mkII image on, say, Megaflashrom? Can it transit to the BASIC screen instead of booting another cart upon SKIP CARTRIDGE?
My concern about Rom Hunter mkII changing the mapper of the dumped game image is that the image will not be "authentic".

Synthesizer was the nonstandard Konami cart released by 1986 so it might be one of the supported "unknown" rom types. On the other hand GM2 was released 1988.
Off topic: I've drawn my Solid Snake icon for better identification

Van gdx

Enlighted (6445)

07-07-2019, 16:30

Note that if you have any Megasram (ESE-Ram) or MegaflashRom, you can write the ROM (8KB) of Rom Hunter mkII and use it to copy your ROMs in the same way as with the RH mkII. For example, Megaflash below does the job very well and it's not expensive.

http://www.ebsoft.fr/shop/en/home/18-kob-mapper.html

Van Manuel

Ascended (19691)

07-07-2019, 21:41

Takamichi: as far as I'm concerned, emulation is finished, at least as far as the software uses the hardware. Details (which are not relevant for running the ROM and disk software that comes with ROM Hunter Mk2) may be incorrect and could be fixed later, but that requires special testing on the real hardware. Quite some effort and not that much gain, so I consider this little project finished.

Insetad of "SKIP CARTRIDGE", you can just use "QUIT" to run the disk software.

The dumps are authentic and unpatched, unless:
- the mapper type is not supported (most importantly: Konami SCC mappers)
- the ROM is a plain ROM, but not 32kB. All plain ROM dumps will be 32kB with this dump tool.

All in all, the dumps made with this tool were not meant to be authentic. They were meant to be runnable with the same tool. And that works fine

Van Takamichi

Hero (652)

08-07-2019, 11:26

[5] QUIT causes the cart in the other slot to boot instead of booting BASIC, doesn't it?
I worried about the authenticity because dumping something with Rom Hunter mkII and shouting "look I dumped a new ASCII 8 megarom, take this!" won't be a right thing to do despite it's a useful tool.
Whatever, I sent the RH cart to Retrotechie. I hope he will enlighten us with new findings about 26 swarming onboard chips.

Van gdx

Enlighted (6445)

08-07-2019, 12:36

I used SKIP CARTRIDGE not QUIT to make dumps of cartridges (using the RH Rom in a flashRom into real MSX with floppy disk drive).

Van Manuel

Ascended (19691)

08-07-2019, 16:00

Takamichi wrote:

[5] QUIT causes the cart in the other slot to boot instead of booting BASIC, doesn't it?

Yes, but I was talking about *running* a previously saved ROM to disk. Then you can just QUIT and the disk program will boot. (There is no cartridge inserted you would want to skip )

Van Manuel

Ascended (19691)

09-07-2019, 08:27

@gdx: what would you change in that software to make it more effective?

Van RetroTechie

Paragon (1563)

15-07-2019, 18:39

And... Rom Hunter mkII cartridge (+ that Y8950 sound card) have arrived safely @ RT's lair! So any mysteries as to the Rom Hunter's inner workings shall be uncovered shortly. Drawing a nice / full schematic might take a while though. In the meanwhile I intend to add some bits & pieces of info to the Wiki article.