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Need help dumping INTV prototype found


paul_da_programmer

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I recently picked up what is clearly a prototype version of INTV Parker Bros Empire Strikes back

After playing it it seems wickedly hard compared to the release version although I'm basing this assessment on looking at videos of people playing the standard version.

 

The roms are labelled v .11 and I'd like to get them dumped but I want to do it locally. I'm in NJ and would travel in the tri-state area to do this.

The roms are EPROMS but they are not socketed so I'd like to know my options. Can someone read the ROM contents without unsoldering the ROMS?

 

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I don't see an easy way, but 24 thin hook clip you could solder these to a socket and put it into a programmer for reading.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Logic-Analyzer-Cable-Probe-Test-Hook-Clip-Line-10-channels-Random-Color-/271715723156?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f4384e794

That does look promising ... I was hoping there's some gizmo out there that accepts an INTV cart and can just drive the address lines to read the entire address space with no monkeying around needed.

 

A knowledgeable user had said he could desolder the EPROMS / put in an EPROM reader / solder in EPROM sockets and plug the EPROMS in. The problem is he's on the west coast and (gulp) I just found this in the wild and I'd say its the 3rd or 4th coolest thing in my classic video game collection so I'm really not excited to gamble with it.

 

I've heard various estimations of the lifetime of these EPROMS but the consensus is that good quality EPROMS can last a long time in not forever if protected from UV light. These are very good ones (Intel 2732) which if you read the spec sheet have crazy operation limits (http://www.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/pdf/157887/INTEL/2732A.html) -65C to +125C as these are the 'enhanced' Intel EPROMS. Of course there's no guarantees but I've put the chips back in the case and the EPROMS stickers are intact and opaque.

 

Anyway ... I'm hoping there's an easy way to do this without physically screwing with the board ...

Edited by paul_da_programmer
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Thanks GroovyBee this is exactly what I was looking for!

I don't know if I want to spend $75 on this though as I'll only need it once.

 

Anyone in NJ (US) area want to help out?

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Uh...hmm...how can I put this...

 

In this particular case, since Empire Strikes Back isn't exactly sliced bread, I personally couldn't care less, and so I won't lose any sleep over this. And you'll most likely be alright if you decide to use that device to do this. But for the record...

 

I would personally NEVER use some hobbyist contraption, designed & built as a one size fits all adapter & plug it into a rare & unique board, which utilizes unique architecture & additional IC's & then hope it applies voltage to the right place & parts of my cartridge & properly reads the data on my eprom(s) & hopefully does not damage it as a result and/or corrupt the data as well.

 

HELL F...ING NO!

Absolute laziness & completely unnecessary risk.

Not worth the risk.

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I would personally NEVER use some hobbyist contraption, designed & built as a one size fits all adapter & plug it into a rare & unique board, which utilizes unique architecture & additional IC's & then hope it applies voltage to the right place & parts of my cartridge & properly reads the data on my eprom(s) & hopefully does not damage it as a result and/or corrupt the data as well.

Its considerably better than the alternatives :-

  • EPROM removal and dump on a programmer: EPROMs could be damaged by heat, lose/bend legs and then you need to solder them back in or socket them later. In both cases the cart would no longer be classed the same as the original find, in my mind.
  • Attach a flying clip and dump on a programmer: This runs the risk of over-driving the output enables and chip selects of the EPROM, thus causing damage to the supporting logic chips.
Atarimax have designed (and produced) SD based multi-carts for the Colecovision and the 5200 as well as providing reprogrammable carts e.g Maxflash to the A8 community. Based on those products alone I'm quite sure they have a good electronics knowledge and their cart dumper isn't going to damage your prototype. Besides that, people have already used the Atarimax Inty cart dumper without any reported problems.
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Its considerably better than the alternatives :-

  • EPROM removal and dump on a programmer: EPROMs could be damaged by heat, lose/bend legs and then you need to solder them back in or socket them later. In both cases the cart would no longer be classed the same as the original find, in my mind.
  • Attach a flying clip and dump on a programmer: This runs the risk of over-driving the output enables and chip selects of the EPROM, thus causing damage to the supporting logic chips.
Atarimax have designed (and produced) SD based multi-carts for the Colecovision and the 5200 as well as providing reprogrammable carts e.g Maxflash to the A8 community. Based on those products alone I'm quite sure they have a good electronics knowledge and their cart dumper isn't going to damage your prototype. Besides that, people have already used the Atarimax Inty cart dumper without any reported problems.

 

 

I'm in complete agreement. Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I've just found a rare and interesting item and now I would need to do destructive modification to it (potentially) to ensure it is read.

Also thinking about it ... I would think that any modification to the original (even if an improvement like socketing the roms) should from a collectibility standpoint lower its value.

 

I would think an attempt to externally read the ROM is better than desoldering chips from a 30+ year old circuit board. If this Atarimax thing is able to dump INTV ROMS it shouldn't matter much that the ROM is an EPROM. I mean after all the INTV doesn't seem to notice any difference. I'll try it out on my INTV II I have as well although I'm sure it will play fine.

 

Also I started looking into EPROM use for classic video game systems and I learned something new. All Adventrure vision carts are actually EPROMS as well as some Neo GEO AES (The arcade compatible boards) use EPROMS for games from the factory. Many people claim there has been no reports of failures of these games as long as they are sheilded from UV.

I can always keep it wrapped in aluminum foil :) https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/can-aluminum-foil-block-the-suns-uva-rays.743058/

Edited by paul_da_programmer
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