DDR Arcade Memory Card (Anyone own a machine)

[Shadowolf93]

Hello,
I've been troubleshooting an 8th mix memory card reader and need someone that has a DDR machine with a memory card reader to post the screenshots of the memory card screen in the game menu (Like the ones below). I am not sure if these are normal or if the slot is dead as I don't know why it is showing slot 1 and 2 as disabled (Unless it means no memory card is inserted).

Thanks for the help

[MonMotha]

For the test, you need an original Playstation memory card. PS2 memory cards won't work, though they fit in the slots. 3rd party cards are hit or miss, but real Sony ones are pretty reliable. You need to create the link data using the appropriate CS mix (Japan region only). For DDRMAX through Extreme, use 5th Mix CS and use the "new format" link data option or whatever it's called. That format works with DDRMAX and newer, though once you use it on a new mix you can't use it on the old one anymore.

I don't remember what it says when everything's hunky-dory but no card is inserted. There is also a way to disable them even if everything's working, though I don't remember off-hand where that option is.

The hardware itself uses a USB cable, but it is not USB; it's JVS. Don't you dare plug it into a USB port as damage to the board can result. It is to be plugged in to the JVS (USB look-alike) port on the System 573 main unit only. If indeed it has been busted by doing this - it happens frequently on cabinets that were at one point running ITG - then you may be sunk. However, you might also check that the memory card board has power. It pulls 5V from a little extra adapter harness on the power lines running to the 573's JAMMA connector.

[Ho]

I'll try and get some pics from my machine for you when I'm home and in front of it.

[Shadowolf93]

Thanks I appreciate it.

Also if you could, under the monitor in the back, Can you tell me what port the usb cable is connected to on the controller card that goes to the memory card? I have two ports, one that looks like a printer (Square), in which it was plugged in to and one that looks like a usb plug, however the main board with the CD rom only has what looks like 1 of the usb plugs so I'd have to pick which one to plug it in to and I don't want to risk damaging something (Also the jumpers all appear to be off, which I am guessing is normal, See below)

[Ho]

There's a bunch of ancient pictures of this here:








Sorry for the low res images. I probably took/uploaded those 10+ years ago. It's what I have on-hand (online) right now. I'd have to go home to get either the original, full-res photos or take new ones. But maybe you can see what you need in the meantime.

[Shadowolf93]

That is good, at least I know the plugs are in the right spot. Here is what I've attempted so far.

- I unplugged the greyish usb cable (square end) from the board and powered on the machine, went into the memory card network check and its showing the cable as disconnected, receive status as not connected, so it knows the board isn't connected which is good.

- Swapped out the grey cable with a new one, and it shows connected, but receive status has an > that moves acting like its doing something, both mem cards still show disabled.

- Removed the small white cable that goes from the back of the ps1 memory card reader to the actual ddr board (Small white cable that has 8 or so multi-colored wires leading to the connector on the ddr memory board.) I noticed no change in messages and no error messages. I did verify the memory card reader is getting power as I have a ps1 card with multiple pages and the red light for page 1 came on when the card was inserted (after I plugged in the white cable after powering off and on the machine).

Ho,
If you get some free time, could you please do me a huge favor and disconnect the cable below from your memory card reader, boot the machine, go to the operators menu and do a Memory Card Network Check and post a picture of what it says? I really hope the status says CONNECT and the receive status has a > (like my picture on the top of this thread) that moves across the screen, as if that is the case then I think the reader is dead which would be a $200.00 fix ($500.00 through channelbeat), if yours says different ... then I think its the board the memory card connects to (Anyone know what it's called as I'll be searching for a new (well used one) one.)

Cable to disconnect

[Shadowolf93]

For the test, you need an original Playstation memory card. PS2 memory cards won't work, though they fit in the slots. 3rd party cards are hit or miss, but real Sony ones are pretty reliable. You need to create the link data using the appropriate CS mix (Japan region only). For DDRMAX through Extreme, use 5th Mix CS and use the "new format" link data option or whatever it's called. That format works with DDRMAX and newer, though once you use it on a new mix you can't use it on the old one anymore.

I don't remember what it says when everything's hunky-dory but no card is inserted. There is also a way to disable them even if everything's working, though I don't remember off-hand where that option is.

The hardware itself uses a USB cable, but it is not USB; it's JVS. Don't you dare plug it into a USB port as damage to the board can result. It is to be plugged in to the JVS (USB look-alike) port on the System 573 main unit only. If indeed it has been busted by doing this - it happens frequently on cabinets that were at one point running ITG - then you may be sunk. However, you might also check that the memory card board has power. It pulls 5V from a little extra adapter harness on the power lines running to the 573's JAMMA connector.

Thanks for the information MonMotha,
I checked the board and found it has power, I tested a multi-page PS1 memory card and the lights come on, indicating that the memory card is pulling power from the machine, I also tried an original Sony PlayStation 1 memory card, with 5th mix sync data on it and it still shows as disabled.

By any chance do you think this could be the actual memory card reader because I noticed this. When I unplug the cable below from the memory card reader (See below), it does the same thing as when the cable is plugged in, so what I hope is that it just isn't seeing the card reader due to the card reader not responding.

[Ho]

I got kind of busy last night and never made it downstairs to go look at my machine, take any pictures, or try anything for you. Sorry about that. I'll try to get to it tonight.

It's been a long time since I've looked at any of this stuff, so my memory is pretty fuzzy on it. One thing I will say, however, is that one of the connectors going to that unit should power the bezel lights for the memory card slots. I'd imagine that this is not required for operation of the slots as it's really just to make it look nice. It could be that whatever plug you're disconnecting that doesn't seem to affect the machine's ability to see that the memory card reader is installed is for these lights. Just an idea...

[MonMotha]

The board mounted to the back of the front bezel that actually holds the memory card slots is totally passive. All the brains are in the larger box that has the JVS cable and 5V power going to it (with the DIP switches, because Konami loves DIP switches, etc.). There's no way for the system to distinguish a connection fault between those two pieces and just no card being inserted in the slot.

Power for the lights on the front bezel is on a different harness than the power to the JVS interface board. It just re-uses the original cabinet wiring whereas the card slots get power by interposing into the JAMMA power wiring as a retrofit.

[Shadowolf93]

Any idea where I could find a replacement board for that and just to be clear, the picture of the board you linked in another post (Below) would be the one I need to replace right? Not the large board that the CD Rom is connected to at the bottom of the cabinet.

Also any idea what the board is actually called and where I might start looking for a replacement?

[Ho]

Ok, here's those pictures of the operator menu screens.

memory card options

WP_20160106_21_27_28_Pro.jpg (115.13 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

memory card check (no cards inserted)

WP_20160106_21_27_57_Pro.jpg (117.24 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

memory card network check (no cards inserted - receive status > travels from left to right

WP_20160106_21_28_07_Pro.jpg (118.3 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

memory card check (card inserted in 1p slot)

WP_20160106_21_28_25_Pro.jpg (118.26 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

1p card check (card inserted in 1p slot)

WP_20160106_21_28_37_Pro.jpg (109.78 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

1p card file list display

WP_20160106_21_28_47_Pro.jpg (115.63 KiB) Viewed 27711 times

I hope that helps you. Let me know if you want pictures of anything else.

[Merk]

Damn those are some good quality piccies.

[Ho]

Heh. I just took those with my phone and then downscaled them because I didn't want to upload 20MP images into the thread.

[Shadowolf93]

Thank you very much Ho for doing that,
Looks like my card reader is probably bad then (Since all the other screens are normal), so I'm going to see about ordering a new one.

[MonMotha]

Have you tried testing with an official Sony card? The 3rd party cards were notoriously unreliable in this application.