J Dee

I am in the market for ram, I'm currently 16k but would do the 64k. 26-3136 machine with 8040517 ram currently installed. Where is the best place to grab this?

I think I am going to practice on my [absent] soldering skills on this. I imagine someone here buys the caps, where do you normally purchase these from? I think I am going to try the 47 and 22 mentioned above (or any suggestions anyone here might have) and see if I can get it to play to find out exactly what it is. Thank all of you for your help!

Oh, and I meant to mention, thank you! Not only for the picture but for taking the time to help! I also am updating this edit with the following link: http://www.guardiana.net/MDG-Database/Mega Drive/Dune II %3Bdouble%3B Battle for Arrakis/#v1578 I finally found this and this, I believe definitively, shows that the game is not Dune, as you pointed out because of the PCB number. Now, maybe I can use this site to find the number.

I went looking to see if I could identify the chip by the number, the short of it is I was unable to locate it. The cart number For Dune: MPR-15043 W52 9231KD029 Rampart Dune: Battle for Arrakkis https://www.smspower.org/Development/ROMPartNumbers - site that seemed to have the most games listed, had neither of these or dune listed. I couldn't say if it is PAL or NTSC, I'm not even all that smart on this and I don't know if I would know the difference. I picked up the cartridge in Oklahoma some 5+ years ago. I was attending a military school and had some free time on my hands...there isn't much to do in Oklahoma except gamble and drink (I dabble in both however, I'm fluent in neither). I picked up a Sega and several games. I was never able to get Dune to work, but I feel I only spent $5 - 10 on it and was deep into desert, jungle, and urban strike, so I just put it aside. Everything about this scream spitefulness. Before pulling it apart, I was able to get the no unauthorized reproduction screen to come up. Perhaps, the chipset isn't for Dune, but the individual could get more for Dune, so they swapped out chipsets and knew enough to not let the game load so if it is tested, they would hopefully see the initial screen load up, decide that is works, and throw it aside for the $4.00 extra of store credit. If you look at the Dune Cart PCB, you'll notice that the pins on the radial cap side of the board are cut from top and bottom, versus next to each other. The solder on the back of the cart looks factory done. With all that being said, I am kind of determined to get it working just to see...though I am in the market for a Dune and have a lot lined up that includes Dune, a Sega and several other titles for $150 that I haven't committed to just yet (I will still try to get this game going). What is the harm if I put the wrong hardware in?

You're probably right, I'm judging yesterday by today's standards. Things were made to last then and that was probably the case with this too.

If you do take it apart and let me know, I would be very appreciative. I could go buy another one, but there is a feeling of fulfillment when you get something working that was a dead cause!

Dune: Battle for Arrakis, the cart alone is worth about $50 (working of course). I picked this up years ago for $5.00 (prior to the "retro gamers"). I'm hoping that it was done for the purpose of fixing another cart; though cutting the ROM seems very juvenile and almost like it was a giant F-U. I can't really think of a reason I would personally do that. The blue dots are just like that on rampart and several other carts I have. I'm not certain if these are replacement boards or just the cheap boards of the time. I've got a local guy who does board level fixes; he seemed like it would be no big deal to do everything for $15.00. I just have to find what the resistor and capacitor values now. Anyone have a cartridge to take a picture of or a good place to post to and try to get one? I've sent out several on EBay postings but no cigar yet.

So, what your saying is it is possible! Would soldering this close to the chip run the chip? I'm debating on taking it to a guy in town who works component level or giving it a go myself. Were the same resistors and capacitor sizes used for most cartridges? Funny thing is, I'll get the sega logo but then it stops. So I have hope it is still working.

I picked this up about a decade ago, but just dusted off my system to go back in time. I couldn't get it started so I went in for a deep clean and it is obvious this was bone yarded. The capacitor, resistor(s), and 4 pins were cut. Lost cause or worth the effort (I really only want to play the game and went to look for a replacement to see genuine copies of Dune, Bartle for Arrakis are 70 plus bucks).