How do 60 to 72 pin converters work?

[Salduchi]

I just purchased a Honeybee converter so I can play Famicom games on my front loading NES. But now I am wondering...how do these things work?

How do they get passed the NES's lockout chip?? Do they have a lockout chip installed on the PCB to make famicom games run on the NES?

Thanks for any answers.

[P]

Yeah they normally have a lockout chip on the converter. Some use the infamous stun circuit which can be harmful for the NES. Don't use those.

Modern adapters may use one of the open-source clones using a microcontroller (usually a PIC or AVR) instead.

[Salduchi]

Yeah they normally have a lockout chip on the converter. Some use the infamous stun circuit which can be harmful for the NES. Don't use those.

Modern adapters may use one of the open-source clones using a microcontroller (usually a PIC or AVR) instead.

Is the Honeybee converter safe? I just bought the full sized one so I can play FDS games but if it uses a stun circuit than I don't want to use it.

[P]

I would assume so as I think only Tengen made a CIC clone back in the day.

I guess you could mod it with a modern CIC clone. You probably needs to mod the adapter anyway for expansion audio and cartridge VRAM.

A CIC clone was made some years ago, then Bunny Boy bought the rights for it and used it in the Powerpak. Later Krikzz made a new one using an ATtiny13 which he used in his Everdrive. The Krikzz one is open-source, but I think they both work pretty much the same way, supporting all NES regions (NTSC, PAL-A, PAL-B and Asian). It's probably not pin-compatible with a real 10NES CIC, and also different from the stun circuit, so I don't know how easy it is to install on a Honeybee.

[FAMICOM_87]

In aliexpress there are convertors with cyclone IC

[Salduchi]

I would assume so as I think only Tengen made a CIC clone back in the day.

I guess you could mod it with a modern CIC clone. You probably needs to mod the adapter anyway for expansion audio and cartridge VRAM.

A CIC clone was made some years ago, then Bunny Boy bought the rights for it and used it in the Powerpak. Later Krikzz made a new one using an ATtiny13 which he used in his Everdrive. The Krikzz one is open-source, but I think they both work pretty much the same way, supporting all NES regions (NTSC, PAL-A, PAL-B and Asian). It's probably not pin-compatible with a real 10NES CIC, and also different from the stun circuit, so I don't know how easy it is to install on a Honeybee.

Thanks for this info!

Come to think of it, I have never heard of an NES or Famicom being damaged from a stun circuit from an unlicensed game or converter. People talk of it online a lot, but I can't find a single example of proof anywhere. Is this just a theory?

[P]

Well damage can't be that common or the unlicensed makers wouldn't use it in the first place. But sending a voltage spike like that sounds like a very brutal method and probably shortens its life. The makers probably weren't concerned over longtime ill effects.

It's too bad that there is no good adapter for using an FDS on a NES. You can't just easily make one in eagle either due to the bent design required.

[Salduchi]

Well damage can't be that common or the unlicensed makers wouldn't use it in the first place. But sending a voltage spike like that sounds like a very brutal method and probably shortens its life. The makers probably weren't concerned over longtime ill effects.

It's too bad that there is no good adapter for using an FDS on a NES. You can't just easily make one in eagle either due to the bent design required.

Yeah I was really excited about my full sized Honey Bee until I learned about voltage spike. It's really is the only way I know of to use a FDS on a NES without modification. Oh well. I'll just use it sparingly.

[FAMICOM_87]

Just disable the lockout chip in the NES and cut the coresponfig pins in adaptor so this voltage pick to go noware, or remove the capacitor responsible for it (I am just guessing that is done by capacitor)

[P]

I'm just guessing it uses a stun circuit though. If you open it and post detailed pictures of it, it should hopefully be clear how it works and what could be done about it.

[Salduchi]

Just disable the lockout chip in the NES and cut the coresponfig pins in adaptor so this voltage pick to go noware, or remove the capacitor responsible for it (I am just guessing that is done by capacitor)

I would disable the lockout chip but I got a test market NES with an 01 motherboard. I want to keep it all original.

[P]

I agree, don't mod rare stuff like that. Old things should be repaired and kept in good shape, but generally not be "upgraded". That's why I don't like too much modding (especially if you need to cut holes in the plastic and the like). Old antiquities drops hugely in value if they are altered in any way that isn't normal repairs, and I don't see why video games wouldn't be any different, although they aren't that old yet.

BTW is this test marked NES the N0000131 one that someone discovered some time ago?

[Salduchi]

BTW is this test marked NES the N0000131 one that someone discovered some time ago?

Haha no that would be Nesmaniac that has that low serial NES. Mine is in the N0045000 range and has the same motherboard as Nesmaniacs. I also have a N0056000 NES with an NES-CPU-02 board, so I think the switch from 01 to 02 happened somewhere in the early 50,000 serial number range.

[FAMICOM_87]

I agree, don't mod rare stuff like that. Old things should be repaired and kept in good shape, but generally not be "upgraded". That's why I don't like too much modding (especially if you need to cut holes in the plastic and the like). Old antiquities drops hugely in value if they are altered in any way that isn't normal repairs, and I don't see why video games wouldn't be any different, although they aren't that old yet.

BTW is this test marked NES the N0000131 one that someone discovered some time ago?

I Agree, especially with the cutting and making holes in the plastics, but the mods can be revocable

[P]

Yeah soldering can (and must sometimes be done anyway for reflowing or recapping jobs), but lifting pins on the chips for example wears them out and could break them if reversing the mod.

BTW is this test marked NES the N0000131 one that someone discovered some time ago?

Haha no that would be Nesmaniac that has that low serial NES. Mine is in the N0045000 range and has the same motherboard as Nesmaniacs. I also have a N0056000 NES with an NES-CPU-02 board, so I think the switch from 01 to 02 happened somewhere in the early 50,000 serial number range.

But it has the first known NES board at least. What is the CPU and PPU version? It would be nice to know how early the NES goes for chip versions.