Plug and play drive replacement adapter Idea

[MockyLock]

So we should get ready with our credit card !
May i ask a question please ? What is BSoD ? Some kind of another wondeful item ?

[Benni]

BSoD?
YEAH!
It is in deed a WONDERFUL Item!
Do you want one?
I can sell as much as you want!

(Maybe i´m wrong but BSoD = Blue Screen of Dead? a special Feature of Windows!)

[megalomaniac]

Bastard Sons of Dial-Up

a user group, not an item/project

[MockyLock]

Thank you for the reply.
I "googled" the word BSoD and found the Blue Sreen of Death, but i guessed that it was not that here ^^

[megalomaniac]

...get ready

[MockyLock]

My credit card is already in my hand...

[megalomaniac]

GO!! viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1235

[siphoned]

The MEGADrive board that connects to the GC mainboard has 32 holes that line up to the 32 pins of the dvd port (once removed). The holes are like the quick solder points on chips like the Xeno. All 32 points will have to be soldered unless I'm using WKF with SD only (which would not need GC pin 1, 3 & 5). Is all that correct?

If the DVD port connector is removed without desoldering the pins, than the pins could be ran into each hole and soldered in place? Skipping the desoldering step of the dvd port connector would save time. I wouldn't need the port connector (with its pins) for any other reason, right?

If I desolder the DVD port connector from the GC main board and drill out each hole, I could place my own short pins into the mainboard and slide the MEGADrive onto those pins. Like on the old XBox modchips. Are the specs for the holes on the MEGADrive board 0.5mm?

Also, I just want to be sure on this, for audio streaming on WKF...... you are just making a wire harness connection between all 3 pins (GC Drive 1, Mainboard 1 and WKF 28)?

[megalomaniac]

not to cause confusion for anyone who wants to use the MEGAdrive, solder all 32 points between the adapter and main board.

The MEGADrive board that connects to the GC mainboard has 32 holes that line up to the 32 pins of the dvd port (once removed). The holes are like the quick solder points on chips like the Xeno. All 32 points will have to be soldered unless I'm using WKF with SD only (which would not need GC pin 1, 3 & 5). Is all that correct?

to answer your specific ( "advanced installation") questions:
you only need one GND and one 5v conection...
so 18 signals + 1 gnd + 1 5v = 20 solder points
20 solder points - 3 audio streaming = 17 solder points minumum connection

If the DVD port connector is removed without desoldering the pins, than the pins could be ran into each hole and soldered in place? Skipping the desoldering step of the dvd port connector would save time.

you could try...
if your lucky to be able to perfectly align all 32 pins (17 pins) to push the board onto the pins...
it might be easier to desolder than to try for a prefect alignment..

I wouldn't need the port connector (with its pins) for any other reason, right?

the original dvd port serves to provide power gnd and data communication between the mainboard and the drive only...
since removal of this port is required, the MEGAdrive replaces the port and includes the dvd drive insert adapter to ensure full functionality to use a GC dvd drive, plus also allows connection to a wii dvd drive using the ffc connector...

will you need the original connector? hell no!!
will you need the original pins? yes, you will recycle the pins to connect the MEGAdrive to the main board..

If I desolder the DVD port connector from the GC main board and drill out each hole, I could place my own short pins into the mainboard and slide the MEGADrive onto those pins. Like on the old XBox modchips.

i would not suggest drilling...never, ever..
just remove the black plastic port connector then easily desolder each pin
once you start trying to remove the port connector, you will see how easy it actually is to remove...

Are the specs for the holes on the MEGADrive board 0.5mm?

0.5mm +- 0.05mm

Also, I just want to be sure on this, for audio streaming on WKF...... you are just making a wire harness connection between all 3 pins (GC Drive 1, Mainboard 1 and WKF 28)?

here is my very simplified explanation about audio streaming: The DVD drive itself uses hardware ( an onboard chip ) to convert the audio and send to the mainboard.


WKF and WODE do not have this hardware.
WKF and WODE may not be able to emulate the hardware functions in firmware.
To play audiostreaming titles (currently) a dvd drive is required. WKF and WODE allow passthru mode for the DVD drive but only WODE passes the signals correctly. WKF breaks one data signal. To fix this broken signal, one wire is soldered between the MEGAdrive port adapter and the MEGAdrive DVD insert.

this soldered wire will act as a bypass during WKF passthru mode to allow the audiostreaming data to successfully transfer from the DVD drive to the mainboard.

[siphoned]

I see, run pins through the holes, solder in place, cut the pins down to size. Add a wire for audio and everything else is plug and play. For WKF, it will need a switch on pin 29, right? I wouldn't NEED to connect that switch to the lid or reset switch if I didn't want to, right?

One more thing..... the pin 29 switch loads the WKF as if it was a disc in the drive. Is that right? So does firmware 1.3 on the WKF remove the need for pressing that switch/button? Does the firmware 1.3 and below take you to the WKF menu direct from start up?

[siphoned]

Skip that, I think I will just desolder each pin and not try to feed the drive pins into the holes.

[megalomaniac]

all WKF / Wode installs will require a pin29 switch to emulate the action of the Wii's eject button...

you may not want to consider using v1.0, v1.1, or v1.2 wkf firmware as these versions do not have full support to show GC titles in the menu...
i have decided thru testing that version 1.3 offers the best solution for GC with a dvd drive since it offer DVD direct boot (dvd auto-load) capabilities...meaning, boot up GC with no SD card in WKF slot and the DVD drive will boot up a disc...
version 1.4 and 1.5 are also acceptable to use but do not automatically load a dvd titles...meaning, to boot a DVD title, you must enter the WKF menu, remove the SD card, maybe insert the card and remove again, to see an option to load DVD...

all of this information may not make much sense until you actually try it out and see for yourself how the firmwares behaves



the MEGAdrive was designed to be very versatile to the needs of home consoles or portablizers...
the lid switch pads for example:
in home console with a dvd drive and the original lid switch, just jumper the two lid pads together as i have shown in a previous pic and the original lid switch will function as normal...
for portablizers or home consoles with no dvd drive or no original lid switch, the lid pads will have wires soldered to them going to a replacement normally closed lid switch..

[siphoned]

Got it. Thanks man!

It's a good thing megalomaniac isn't just one person, or he wouldn't have time to do all this and answer all these questions. Good thing he's actually seven people and an android.

[megalomaniac]

Got it. Thanks man!

It's a good thing megalomaniac isn't just one person, or he wouldn't have time to do all this and answer all these questions. Good thing he's actually seven people and an android.

we are the megalomaniac
sobriety is futile

[megalomaniac]

all WKF / Wode installs will require a pin29 switch to emulate the action of the Wii's eject button...

just to add...
a relay is also a switch...its an electromechanical switch which can function as normally open or normally closed...
here is a great yet simple animation on how a relay works http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/relay1.htm


next time you go out to search for a switch or pick up other parts, if you happen to find a mini 3v relay ( such as the NTE R70-5D1-3) make sure to buy it along with a basic tact switch...should cost no more than 5$ total...
i will be using these items in my next project....

[MockyLock]

Hello
megalomaniaac, i know that you talked about some of tutorial for installation weeks ago.
Some ideas like this relay are really good.
Will you do some kind of "how to" for the best GameCube configuration (hardware like drive replacement and its soldering and accessories, ide-exi adapter or software for the best version) ?

[megalomaniac]

ive been meaning to write a how to install for this design...
just keep getting side tracked with other projects and ideas...


the simple fact of the matter is:
all the instructions previously written by ashen on how to install a wkf/wode also apply to this board...


the key difference is instead of soldering all the wireporn from the dvd port to an ffc adapter, you are just soldering the MEGAdrive into the dvd port...
with on-board 3.3v regulator, there is no need to solder an extra power lead
the lid pads and pin29 pad have been explained in previous post
there is an extra 3.3v pad and 5v pad just in case they are needed
the pad labeled WKF is only a solder point between the MEGAdrive boards only to correct audio streaming issues for WKF
other than that there is not much more to it...


ill see what i can come up with for an install guide

[megalomaniac]

MEGAdrive INSTALL MANUAL


PORT REPLACEMENT


DRIVE INSERT

[kel01]

Nice install manual mega. Thanks for posting.

[Plastic]

So I have to install the drive insert to keep my DVD drive and will have to have a xeno installed inorder to play burned games?

[megalomaniac]

So I have to install the drive insert to keep my DVD drive and will have to have a xeno installed inorder to play burned games?

yes, WKF cannot patch the GC DVD drive...
only GC modchips can patch the drive to read backups....

[Plastic]

Thanks, That's what I thought.

[megalomaniac]

QOOB
thanks pr0ton for the qoob so i could perform this investigation...

Now QOOB owners can join in this fun also.
QOOB has been verified working with this setup..the great thing about this is the qoob IPL can play audio streaming titles from DVD backup.
it was a long process to test since this is my first time using qoob and i had a lot of quick learning to do about how to use it...(not like its difficult, but in this setup shown below, anything can go wrong)

high res pic here >> download/file.php?id=885




key information to get this set up working:
1. WKF SETTING: OFF
As i have mentioned before about the WKF settings, WKF must be set to OFF.
With the WKF menu setting ON, The WKF is recognized as "the DVD drive" and displays the message "drive not supported."

WKF SETTING ON


WKF SETTING OFF with DVD in drive




2. USE WKF FIRMWARE 1.3
Firmware 1.3 must be installed, this is not an option. One more time, this is not an option.
Later versions, 1.4 and 1.5 do not allow DVD direct boot. This will ALWAYS result in the qoob detecting the WKF as "the DVD drive" and displays the message "drive not supported" as indicated above. Dont even attempt this out of curiosity because you will have to unplug your qoob just to be able to reflash the WKF to firmware 1.3. You have been warned, save yourself the trouble and do not try it.



3. BEFORE POWER ON, remove the SD card from the WKF slot.
When the card is in the slot, the WKF is recognized as "the DVD drive" and displays the message "drive not supported" as indicated above.



4. TO ACCESS WKF, boot the original BIOS.
After power up hold the B button to open the qoob main menu options. Insert SD card in WKF slot and go to BOOT menu to boot Original BIOS. After original bios is loaded, hit pin29 switch to load WKF iso.




5. AUDIO STREAMING TITLES must be a 1 to 1 dump.
While testing audio streaming DVD backup, i tried my Eternal Darkness disc which was CleanRip dumped with a xeno connected. This resulted in having a mismatched MD5sum. Even though i have been able to use this disc with no issues on a drive with a xeno, i ran into issues with qoob not entirely supporting this backup. I then performed another CleanRip dump with unmodified DVD drive and Original BIOS with a matching MD5sum. Qoob was able to play this dump successfully with no issues.




INSTALLATION:
1. unplug qoob
2. install MEGAdrive
3. test WKF functionality
4. upgrade WKF firmware to 1.3
5. test functionality again
6. plug in qoob
done

[Plastic]

Could you post a picture of the dvd insert installed?

[megalomaniac]

viewtopic.php?p=14544#p14544


did you want a real picture??