Obscure PS1 Modchip Help

[Retro-Hax]

Heya :D
So since around 2 Years i have gotten a PS1 by my Dads Coworker now here lies the Issue it worked but after a Short While the Modchip was broken :P
as in somehow a cable got loose >.>
Now i have pretty much been debating on if i should actually pour that much time into "obscure garbage" (which yes this modchip is obscure garbage as there is no info on it -_-) and to instead go for a PsNee V8 now i do have an Arduino but i decided to instead install it into my Japanese SCPH-5000 PS1 now anyways basically itd honestly really to know what kind of Modchip i have? >.>
Now i sadly only have old Pictures from around 1 Year Ago and basically have already gotten to a Point where the Console is still booting with the Chip installed but just without the CD Drive working >.>
like it works without the Chip like the CD Drive itll turn on and such but once the Chip is installed it will just straight up not move X_X
and im at a point where ill go down and actually decided to ask for help here >.>

Also i cannot seem to attach Images? >.>
so uh have links instead :P
Now these are images from 1 Year Ago so my Phone Camera is basically complete dogwater and wanna excuse myself for that ^^"
https://www.emu-land.net/forum/index.ph ... 5081;image
https://www.emu-land.net/forum/index.ph ... 9153;image

[TriMesh]

I don't recognise the specific chip, but the general design is what's known as a "glob top" - it's just the bare die mounted to a PCB with some epoxy resin globbed over it. The 3 wires that are still connected in the photo are power(red), ground (blue) and clock (black) - the two disconnected wires are the data and gate signals - one of them needs to go to the pad just to the right and below the black wire and the other goes the the pad on the right of the little chip below the point below that. Unfortunately, I can't tell you which way round they go.

Also note that some of those chips are console region specific - the image is a bit blurry, but it looks like the mechacon type code is "C 3030" - which would make it PAL, in which case it's quite possible that it wouldn't work on an NTSC:J board even if it was installed correctly.

Also note that the SCPH-5000 has a boot ROM that checks the license area of the disc and will only boot discs that have the Japanese license data in this area, so if you are trying to boot a non NTSC:J disc you will need to patch the image before burning it. This also, rather annoyingly, stops original non NTSC:J discs from working.

[Retro-Hax]

I don't recognise the specific chip, but the general design is what's known as a "glob top" - it's just the bare die mounted to a PCB with some epoxy resin globbed over it. The 3 wires that are still connected in the photo are power(red), ground (blue) and clock (black) - the two disconnected wires are the data and gate signals - one of them needs to go to the pad just to the right and below the black wire and the other goes the the pad on the right of the little chip below the point below that. Unfortunately, I can't tell you which way round they go.

Also note that some of those chips are console region specific - the image is a bit blurry, but it looks like the mechacon type code is "C 3030" - which would make it PAL, in which case it's quite possible that it wouldn't work on an NTSC:J board even if it was installed correctly.

Also note that the SCPH-5000 has a boot ROM that checks the license area of the disc and will only boot discs that have the Japanese license data in this area, so if you are trying to boot a non NTSC:J disc you will need to patch the image before burning it. This also, rather annoyingly, stops original non NTSC:J discs from working.

Oh yea i forgot to say mine is a PAL SCPH-5502 D:
but i do have a Japanese SCPH-5000 i do wanna mod as well >.>
but uh well i also think that i forgot to close the Lid actually instead of my Disc Drive being dead as i thought X_X
but atleast cool to say that i finally have some info ^^"

[Retro-Hax]

I am probably just being stupid but uh so the Disc Drive works also no short or anything and it can read Legit PAL Discs but still of course struggles to read Pirate and JP Discs -.-
Picture of Install: https://ibb.co/sJKKMBdp
Picture of Chip: https://ibb.co/Zzk01fm4
Anyone got a Idea by chance or could point me to a Diagram? D:
As the only Diagram thats nearer is like this German Piece of Paper Diagram >.>
https://ibb.co/hR20knPd

[TriMesh]

OK, that drawing is showing the correct points - the pin numbers used are:

1: +VE supply (red wire in your original photo)
2: Clock (black wire in original photo)
3: SCEx data (disconnected in photo)
4: GATE (disconnected in photo)
5: GND (blue wire in original photo)

So you basically have two possibilities in connecting it - which correspond to either SCEx/GATE connected correctly or swapped - if you have an original NTSC:J or NTSC:U/C disc then test with that - the sign that the chip is working if is you get the black boot screen with "SCEE" at the bottom when using an out-of-region or copied disc. That "SCEE" normally comes from the wobble groove on an original PAL disc so if you get it on an imported or copied disc then it has to be coming from the chip.

IF you are getting the black screen but it won't boot past there then it's possible that you have a weak optical pickup - especially if you are using a CD-R.

If you don't get the black screen at all then suspect bad connections on the chip or a defective chip.

[Retro-Hax]

OK, that drawing is showing the correct points - the pin numbers used are:

1: +VE supply (red wire in your original photo)
2: Clock (black wire in original photo)
3: SCEx data (disconnected in photo)
4: GATE (disconnected in photo)
5: GND (blue wire in original photo)

So you basically have two possibilities in connecting it - which correspond to either SCEx/GATE connected correctly or swapped - if you have an original NTSC:J or NTSC:U/C disc then test with that - the sign that the chip is working if is you get the black boot screen with "SCEE" at the bottom when using an out-of-region or copied disc. That "SCEE" normally comes from the wobble groove on an original PAL disc so if you get it on an imported or copied disc then it has to be coming from the chip.

IF you are getting the black screen but it won't boot past there then it's possible that you have a weak optical pickup - especially if you are using a CD-R.

If you don't get the black screen at all then suspect bad connections on the chip or a defective chip.

I have decided to follow the DIagram and now it doesnt even get into the PSX Menu at all D:
I honestly believe that chip is fried :(
tho it would not wonder me as it was behaving rather weird
https://www.emu-land.net/forum/index.ph ... 5086;image
This Image was from back when it was working after not being turned on for like 10 Years or so >.> (atleast according my Dads Friend he did not turn it on in a long Time tho it did work after we recieved shortly)
I will probably just install a PsNee into it as thats much "easier" than just trying to work with this Chip which i dont even know how to connect properly :((((
Here is my Install interms of how the diagram shows it for example
https://ibb.co/8DQHDPMF
Also incase you are asking why the Chip is like having 2 Gaps in it >.>
i have like no idea afterall i am working with a Black Box and my Dads Friend is in his 50s so i doubt hed remember something he did 20 to 25 Years Ago

[TriMesh]

Yeah, it does sound like the chip is toast - and honestly PSnee is a way better chip than these old ones anyway.

My guess is that the two unused pins are there because the chip supported both the older (up to PU-20) boards and the later (PU-22 and up) and they typically used different physical connections for each mode because the mechanism that you have to use to inject the SCEx data is different.

[Retro-Hax]

Yeah, it does sound like the chip is toast - and honestly PSnee is a way better chip than these old ones anyway.

My guess is that the two unused pins are there because the chip supported both the older (up to PU-20) boards and the later (PU-22 and up) and they typically used different physical connections for each mode because the mechanism that you have to use to inject the SCEx data is different.

That was honestly my Plan anyway since 1 Year but i was reluctant on it as i hate throwing away electronics :((((
but yea orderer 2 Arduino Pro Minis (ATmega328@16Mhz) and im gonna just install a PSNee V8 in both and just use those :P
Thread can honestly be locked by the Mods if wanted >.>

[aaronramsdale]

While tinkering with old hardware and modding is a fun hobby, there comes a point where you have to ask yourself Incredibox game “Is it worth it?” If your current modchip is an “obscure mess” as you put it, it might be better to invest in a well-documented solution like PsNee, rather than continuing to fiddle with something that no one can support. Are you willing to put in the extra time to fix this, or would it be easier to replace it with a more reliable system?

[MasterLink]

The bot above is dropping shameless URL's with nefarious intent.

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