Homebrew HDD adapter for Gamecube Tutorial

[emu_kidid]

So I've finally got around to uploading everything that was given to me on how to build this HDD adapter for the Gamecube. The guide is written in the effort that you don't actually need to go out and buy anything to make this (that is, if you have some old ps2 modchips lying around).

I'd prefer that a proper PCB be created for this device, but I am not capable of such a thing, if someone is, that'd be great, then I could update the guide to be more consistent/easier to build (perhaps even just plug and play! like the Viper GC Extreme USB adapter was). It is built to go in the Serial Port underneath the Gamecube, yet it is wired up to the memory card slot B, I would prefer it was otherwise, but for now, this is how it is.

The build instructions are located here
Building the JTAG device can be seen here
Programming the device can be seen here

Note: This HDD adapter will not act as a DVD replacement, and requires a method to boot homebrew on your Gamecube to work.

Any questions/comments/queries, please feel free to post them here and I can forward them via email to the author. It would be awesome if this device could be polished into a nice single pcb that could be sold as it could be quite good for GC homebrew

If anyone does build this adapter, please let me know so I can grab a sample to add in support to the latest sd-boot.

Edit: Attached the unofficial sd-boot that the author of the device has created (it's based off of 0.3).

[r3ap3r]

I have a couple of Modbo 750 v1.93 ( http://www.beebuyer.com/product/458064- ... -750-V1-93 ) Laying around, will they work? i have other ps2 modchips i just cant find them atm. Do you have a complete list of the ones that will work?

[doktor_krotch]

Do you know which components are used specifically? I might be able to have a go at making a pcb for it, and my old high school has the gear to fabricate pcbs. Or rather they had last time I checked, they were downsizing their electronics program, the bastards. I would rather not have to use surface mount components though.

Actually, what do you think of a pcb that you could just solder your PS2 modchip onto and then solder into your gamecube? I think that I could do that, but I don't have any PS2 modchips right now.

[r3ap3r]

I have an idea i have found a place where i can purchase the XILINX xc95144x1 chip used in the PS2 Modchips and i can get PCB's make up for $8, not including components. I think i could produce theres for about $30 a pop minus the bottom Gamecube Port cover. I can also get them pre assembled with the XLINX chip already installed for a little extra. What do you think emu_kidid?

[gtmtnbiker]

@emu_kidid, thanks for publishing the instructions. I would love to try this out sometime this fall after I finish some of my home improvement projects.

Who is the author that developed this? What is his/her handle?

[gtmtnbiker]

In the build your own JTAG cable page, there's a link for the design information on the site warmcat.com. The link is invalid.

Does anyone have any thoughts on making a USB JTAG cable? It seems that it would be possible but I haven't read up enough to verify this.

[tglaria]

As far as I can tell, any chip using a Xilinx should work (I'm not thinking of modchips), the advantage of using a modchip is that they're cheap and already have the in/out pins.

Too bad I can't find any of those around here (only Modbo 4, which I'm guessing won't work)

[deku_scrub]

This is amazing!!!

I'm thinking in buying an old dol 001 just to try this

[darkzero]

Nice to see this out finally, I was little afraid because of the polemic at the beginning.

emu_kidid, are you think any of this will do the job:

http://www.altera.com/technology/integr ... eprom.html

And of course like always, Thanks a lot for your hard work.

[tglaria]

As far as I know Altera uses a diferent programmer than Xilinx.
Although as long as it's verylog/vhdl it should work...

[darkzero]

I did a quick goggling for the Magic-S without luck, just I got few DuoQ around, Its not like I got a lot of knowledge about ICs but my amateur soldering skills are pretty decent this time around (specially after D2key and DMS4 pro), but with just the right IC info and the PCB stuff

[Hucklebuck]

I found " Bluechip v10 modchip ps2" in Eurasia Online shop. Click the modchip pic and it will show you it is XILINX. Here is a link...

http://www.eurasia.nu/shop/product_info ... cts_id=259
http://www.eurasia.nu/shop/images/bluechip_v10_big.jpg

Hope I didn't violate any rules by posting links. If I did I am sorry.

[emu_kidid]

Yeah, it has to be that exact xilinx chip I'm pretty sure. It's quite an expensive cpld to use for such a simple device though. if it's XC95144, it should be ok.

[gtmtnbiker]

I found " Bluechip v10 modchip ps2" in Eurasia Online shop. Click the modchip pic and it will show you it is XILINX. Here is a link...

http://www.eurasia.nu/shop/product_info ... cts_id=259
http://www.eurasia.nu/shop/images/bluechip_v10_big.jpg

Hope I didn't violate any rules by posting links. If I did I am sorry.

Yeah, I saw that earlier but the problem is that it doesn't have the parallel flash EEPROM that the MAGIC-S chip has.

[gtmtnbiker]

I'm reading through the instructions and there are some confusing points for me.

1. I understand that the guide is for a Xilinx XC95144 CPLD which is used by some older PS2 mod chips.
2. What I don't understand is why we have different gc_ide.ucf for the different mod chips. If they're
all using the same CPLD, they should be using the same pins, right? But I guess the issue is that they all
have a bunch of pads that are connected to various pins of the CPLD. In other words, they don't use the
same pins of the CPLD.

As a contrived example (not real data), let's say that we want to hook up exi_clk. For magic S, this is Pin 86 of the CPLD which is hooked up to some pad on the board (let's say that it's N). For the Bluechip, this is pin 27 which might be hooked up to pad Q (the pad assignments are made up). So you really need to look at the modchip and see which pads go to which pins on the CPLD.


3. There are some instructions for making a JTAG cable but I don't see anything for connecting it to the CPLD. I guess you need to identify the pins on the CPLD that need to be connected to the cable and solder them together. Then you program it and then desolder the connection.

In the tutorial, I see the same picture of the JTAG cable used 3 times. I wonder if there are two other pictures missing?

[gtmtnbiker]

Reading some more about programming CPLD and JTAG cables, etc, I can see why emu_kidid was looking into making a PCB board. It seems it would be a lot easier to create your own PCB board that has a CPLD socket (so you can easily remove the Xilinx for programming).

Another option might be to use alligator clips to attach the jtag cable to the CPLD. That's assuming the pins for programming the CPLD are connected to pads on the board which I doubt.

[emu_kidid]

I'm reading through the instructions and there are some confusing points for me.

1. I understand that the guide is for a Xilinx XC95144 CPLD which is used by some older PS2 mod chips.

Correct.

2. What I don't understand is why we have different gc_ide.ucf for the different mod chips. If they're
all using the same CPLD, they should be using the same pins, right? But I guess the issue is that they all
have a bunch of pads that are connected to various pins of the CPLD. In other words, they don't use the
same pins of the CPLD.

As a contrived example (not real data), let's say that we want to hook up exi_clk. For magic S, this is Pin 86 of the CPLD which is hooked up to some pad on the board (let's say that it's N). For the Bluechip, this is pin 27 which might be hooked up to pad Q (the pad assignments are made up). So you really need to look at the modchip and see which pads go to which pins on the CPLD.

Correct.

3. There are some instructions for making a JTAG cable but I don't see anything for connecting it to the CPLD. I guess you need to identify the pins on the CPLD that need to be connected to the cable and solder them together. Then you program it and then desolder the connection.

In the tutorial, I see the same picture of the JTAG cable used 3 times. I wonder if there are two other pictures missing?

This is how it was given to me, but the cable should be simple to build.

Reading some more about programming CPLD and JTAG cables, etc, I can see why emu_kidid was looking into making a PCB board. It seems it would be a lot easier to create your own PCB board that has a CPLD socket (so you can easily remove the Xilinx for programming).

Best option would be to produce a PCB with JTAG pins going to the CPLD via some traces on the board so we can connect a cable to update the software. Taking the CPLD out generally isn't a good idea.

[emu_kidid]

The author has told me that this chip can be used but it will require some modifications on the PCB.

Also, he's working on getting a pcb design out so that you won't have to stuff around too much with all these chips.

More to come

[gtmtnbiker]

The author has told me that this chip can be used but it will require some modifications on the PCB.

Also, he's working on getting a pcb design out so that you won't have to stuff around too much with all these chips.

More to come

I definitely appreciate his and your efforts to the GC scene. It's nice to see the output of talented contributors. I plan to work on this in the winter. I have to finish some home improvement projects first.

[darkzero]

The author has told me that this chip can be used but it will require some modifications on the PCB.

Also, he's working on getting a pcb design out so that you won't have to stuff around too much with all these chips.

More to come

Indeed so much appreciated all your efforts, I'll definely try to build this

darkzero

[gtmtnbiker]

Reading some more about programming CPLD and JTAG cables, etc, I can see why emu_kidid was looking into making a PCB board. It seems it would be a lot easier to create your own PCB board that has a CPLD socket (so you can easily remove the Xilinx for programming).

Best option would be to produce a PCB with JTAG pins going to the CPLD via some traces on the board so we can connect a cable to update the software. Taking the CPLD out generally isn't a good idea.

If and when someone decides to design a PCB board, one suggestion that I have is to make sure that the board is the right thickness. One problem that I have with my Viper GC Extreme USB board is that it's loose in the socket. In order to use it, I have to wedge it slightly while doing any transfer or flashing the memory. Sucks to do this.

[emu_kidid]

My viper gc extreme usb adapter is perfect thickness, perhaps it's the Serial Slot which has had the pins bent in too far?

[gtmtnbiker]

I'll have to check the pins on the slot sometimes. Thanks for the suggestion.

[emu_kidid]

Just letting everyone know that I'm looking into producing 100 of these (ready to go - plug and play basically) but it will take a couple of weeks as I'm doing some research on how to get costs down whilst I'm also going to build 2 for myself to test with (based on the original guide).

[gtmtnbiker]

Cool that you're doing this. I'll definitely will get one from you.