UniROM 8.0.K - GDB Debugging, install/backup to/from memory card, homebrew from memcard, etc

[sickle]

Update to 0.44

For shame... I was looking through the code, and it seems I've already had to good sense to check if the pin started low, *then* went high, incase (like with a gameshark) it was high by default. Trouble is it wasn't resetting the check to 0 when rebooting... just using whatever value was left in ram, which explains why power cycling/resetting seemed to help.

That *should* be fixed for now, and there's a few frames of delay before it starts reading port values now, just incase.
Would love to hear back if everything's working now, and on which cards!

[Squaresoft74]

Will try and report as soon as i get some blank CDRs, thanks for the update !

*edit*
The .rom files in your archive are still the 0.24 (12-08-2015) version.

[sickle]

Wow, really silly mistake, sorry about that CDR!
That's it uploaded again on the same URL. I've added the line "V0.44" to the top of x_readme.txt so you can be sure your're not grabbing the old cached version.

[sprite]

hi sicklebrick i have the unirom 0.24 , and i can launch unirom with x-flash in my "action replay pro 3" and my "game enhancer" , it is necessary in x-flash of push l1 before push O for reset , and it's good !

i have not a 0.44 ,i know not if in 0.44 it's necessary the l1 push (my english is bad)

and thanks for your good work sicklebrick

[sickle]

Ooh, that's good to know, cheers Sprite ^^
I saw your posts over on Metagames, but was waiting on my account activation to ask.

0.44 mostly just fixes a problem where the cart sometimes boots back to xflash *every* startup (except on XPlorers), so unless you're having problems, you're not missing anything

[Aergan]

Upgraded to UniROM 0.44 on my Xplorer FX Pro this morning (previously on 0.2). Many thanks!

[XeCuTioNR]

I just flashed the standalone UniROM to a Mini Goldfinger Cart (128K) and I have a few questions.

1. When you say you have Catela bulit in, it's only available with the bigger flash roms right? Your modified Catela rom you used (with the NoMoney code injected) is not flashable as a standalone rom or did I oversee it?

2. Im using this on a NTSC TV & Console and noticed (at least for me) that top & bottom of the menus (where it says UniROM) flickers alot, is it formatted for PAL TVs and why it flickers when moving through the menu choices or when I press a button (like R1 for NoCash, the top of the menu will flicker and stop when I stop pressing it)

3. Is AR/GS codes a possibility for a future feature? Maybe have a built-in Import Player Lite function for PAL/NTSC + X/Y fixes?

Otherwise, awesome AR rom replacement! Looking forward to see more out of this project!

[sickle]

@Aergan:
Those are some .. really nice pictures lol. Dunno what it is, they're just very pleasing to the eye! Glad it working for yah!

Edit:
It cool if I stick that picture on the front of the thread ?

@XeCuTioNR:

1)
Yeah, the combined ROM is only for 256k carts. It's around 200k right now, so it would be pretty tough to squeeze 'em both into 128k. Might be doable but that doesn't leave much space at all, even without for XFlash and PSXSerial.

2)
Hmm, I thought I'd solved this! But admittedly, my TV card doesn't do NTSC so well, and I'm not sure my TV does either - I'll take a peek at the code next time I'm in there! The left/right flickering *is* deliberate, lol... I (lazily) use it to check when the CPU's locked up, etc. Is it ...really flickery, or just the odd frame?

3)
Weirdly... I've still not actually ever looked into how the fucking codes work! I've theorised a few ways to implement them manually but beyond that I don't know if the cart or external ROM has some builtin callback function I've overlooked. Or you just set a memory hook on something that's called every frame... or a memory hook on the area that sets the memory hook so you can still use whichever hook a game might want to use.

Essentially there would be sooo much involved in putting a whole new ROM together from scratch with stuff like codes and I've had no inclination to even try, especially since all the UniROM bits are pure assembly with various portions pre-compressed and hardcoded, etc. Heheh.


I suspect what a lot of people want is a straightforward Caetla with nocash unlock built in, but that's slightly problematic because I'm big on crediting contributions, and would have to put in some kinda menu or overlay to make it clear that it is a hack, and who did what bits.

[gwald]

I suspect what a lot of people want is a straightforward Caetla with nocash unlock built in, but that's slightly problematic because I'm big on crediting contributions, and would have to put in some kinda menu or overlay to make it clear that it is a hack, and who did what bits.

That's what the readme is for

[Aergan]

@Aergan:
Those are some .. really nice pictures lol. Dunno what it is, they're just very pleasing to the eye! Glad it working for yah!

Edit:
It cool if I stick that picture on the front of the thread ?

Sure, be my guest

[XeCuTioNR]

@Aergan:
Those are some .. really nice pictures lol. Dunno what it is, they're just very pleasing to the eye! Glad it working for yah!

Edit:
It cool if I stick that picture on the front of the thread ?

@XeCuTioNR:

1)
Yeah, the combined ROM is only for 256k carts. It's around 200k right now, so it would be pretty tough to squeeze 'em both into 128k. Might be doable but that doesn't leave much space at all, even without for XFlash and PSXSerial.

2)
Hmm, I thought I'd solved this! But admittedly, my TV card doesn't do NTSC so well, and I'm not sure my TV does either - I'll take a peek at the code next time I'm in there! The left/right flickering *is* deliberate, lol... I (lazily) use it to check when the CPU's locked up, etc. Is it ...really flickery, or just the odd frame?

3)
Weirdly... I've still not actually ever looked into how the fucking codes work! I've theorised a few ways to implement them manually but beyond that I don't know if the cart or external ROM has some builtin callback function I've overlooked. Or you just set a memory hook on something that's called every frame... or a memory hook on the area that sets the memory hook so you can still use whichever hook a game might want to use.

Essentially there would be sooo much involved in putting a whole new ROM together from scratch with stuff like codes and I've had no inclination to even try, especially since all the UniROM bits are pure assembly with various portions pre-compressed and hardcoded, etc. Heheh.


I suspect what a lot of people want is a straightforward Caetla with nocash unlock built in, but that's slightly problematic because I'm big on crediting contributions, and would have to put in some kinda menu or overlay to make it clear that it is a hack, and who did what bits.

If when & can get around to doing it, would some screen shots or even a video help with the NTSC problem? ATM im using a very lousy netbook & the middle of rebuilding my new PC so I cant do it atm but I can when i can everything up and running if that helps.

As for the Caetla No Cash credit, hows that for a credits mockup? Im sure you might can do a better job but it's what I was thinking about. Or if you can think of somthing better as a credits screen..maybe like before the menu pops up ala the Zippy AR Rom does.

[XeCuTioNR]

Ive also had some game incompatibilities using the NoCash code as well, not sure if it's a bug with UniROM or just how the NoCash code injection works but Ive had some games work great, some stay in a boot loop (like FIFA 99 or Bugs Bunny Lost in Time for example). I just thought I would bring this also to your attention, sicklebrick. Again thanks for replying and your efforts with coding this rom!

[sickle]

Lol okie, definitely seems like this is a thing that's wanted. Not sure if/when it'll happen though as I'm pretty tight on time (hence the bursts of updates and long gaps inbetween!), and it's not particularly interesting.... but eh.. maybe :p

Edit:
Woops, yeah about the nocash code not always working. I *think* I remember nocash himself saying he's only tested it with like 2-3 discs and I've only tried with a handful too (mostly homebrew). I guess it could even be some kinda anti piracy measure?

[Aergan]

It's likely a game checking for "Cheat cartridges or region bypass devices" (Pretty much just Caetla & early FCD ROM variants). Such methods are more common on licensed games late-1998 & onwards.
I think the original intention was to mostly stop people importing games but then burners became popular & so did piracy.

[sickle]

Yeah, I remember having to use an XPlorer to get Parasite Eve or something running (modchip check)... and then there was that one game which did an Xplorer check, but which you could patch out with the XPlorer itsself... there are definitely all kinds of checks going on in the later games >.<

[Greg]

Unirom on NTSC psx with some menu display issue.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDoe98VheMw[/youtube]

[XeCuTioNR]

Bingo, Greg! That's the same issue that Im having on my NTSC PSX consoles. Thanks for uploading the video in a timely manner.

As for the NoCash, it seems to vary on title to title. Like with some of my finding as i previously mentioned. I, too wonder if it's a check or something to like that the game is looking for.

[Traace]

Hi there, i'm new here

To bad the flash tool is not working here:) My EEPROM just says Unknown, no doubt it's a very cheap "PS Hacker" Card.

Well it's easier for me to get a whole xploder fx than mess around with x-killer on this boy

[sickle]

Aaah bugger, that's a weird flickering... I'm guessing it's doing some kinda flickering and phasing in/out at some sort of rate that my TV/Card aren't picking up on? Really not sure! Will let you know if I make any progress, thanks for the vid!

Hi there, ..

Mmh yeah, can be a wee bit hit & miss as to whether you can write to the flash chips (Hell, I'm convinced some of them are just ROMs!), but you should have a good time with an XPlorer

[CyrusDevX]

sickle, its working flawless on my vmem, 0.44, much more stable on my stripped vmem board. 128kb, with just unirom + plugin firmware. thanks bud.

oh and im having top logo area rendering skews and just blue up there. idk its been this way from the start. might be cuz of my stripped down vmem.