The Blog

Sega Dreamcast Controller Function Checker Overview

Nix McRetro // 7th September 2018 // Devkit, Sega

This is one interesting piece of hardware. The ROM from the cartridge was dumped a couple of days ago in Dreamcast Arcade Stick Checker Version 2.00 ROM, and indicated that even at version 2.00 it was from August 1998. The 27th November 1998 was the launch date of the Japanese... Continue reading

Dreamcast Arcade Stick Checker Version 2.00 ROM

Nix McRetro // 5th September 2018 // Sega

At long last, the Dreamcast Arcade Stick Checker Version 2.00 ROM is free of the black box it has been living in for the past twenty years. The hunt for 1.00 begins, and the betas? Will the search never end? In other news, I have some 4K videos of the... Continue reading

Sony PVM-9044QM Overview and Minor Repair (Part 3)

Nix McRetro // 3rd March 2018 // Repairs, Sony, YouTube

Always connect your video ground - that’s the lesson learnt here! Nice and simple. That picture looks amazing. Here’s to the next 20 years of that screen working without any intervention! :P We then have some glitching video of Sonic 1 which I believe was a test video I had... Continue reading

Sony PlayStation Modchip Installation Guides

Nix McRetro // 28th February 2018 // Guides, Sony

Sony PlayStation Modchip Installation Guides

PIC12C508, 12C508A, 12C509, 12C509A, 12F508 and 12F629 are all small 8-pin PIC devices, but “same pinout” does not make them automatically firmware-interchangeable. The 12C5xx/12F508 family and the 12F629 are different devices internally, so the HEX file and wiring diagram need to match the PIC family they were actually written for.... Continue reading

Sega Saturn Modchip Installation Guides

Nix McRetro // 27th February 2018 // Guides, Sega

Use the model-identification guide first, then choose the matching Phantom Universal installation guide by Zer0-2k11. Some oval-button Saturns have Model 2 internals, so check the board and drive rather than relying on the case alone. Unplug the Saturn before opening it and keep clear of the power supply. Before installation,... Continue reading