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[jewelie]

How do,

Can anyone confirm whether a reset switch (between 'Reset' and 'GND' on the PCB) would work as a better alternative to quick power cycling (QPC)?

I've got a SuperCard coming, and have just fitted such a DIY reset switch to my GBA.    I thought that'd be neater than doing the QPC thing (wouldn't want to unnecessarily risk corrupting a save before copying it to the flash card, and to me QPCing sounds like it would have the potential to do exactly that.)

So, will this reset switch work okay as an alternative?

- Jewelie

[Diablo]

I have exclusively used the QPC method to save my games since I received my Supercard, and have never encountered any saving issues.

However, a switch which performs a QPC (which is simply the process of rebooting, or resetting, the handheld) would not only be easier, but safer, as I know there must be those out there whose fingers have slipped while performing a QPC.

[jewelie]

However, a switch which performs a QPC (which is simply the process of rebooting, or resetting, the handheld) would not only be easier, but safer, as I know there must be those out there whose fingers have slipped while performing a QPC.

Unfortunately, I can confirm that the reset switch does NOT work as an alternative to QPC.  Looks like something to do cryptography; the Nintendo logo is always messed up after reset from a SC game.  Looks like I've got a fairly pointless extra mod on my GBA now, oops!

[Diablo]

Does the logo look like it does in VisualBoy Advance if you load a Supercard-patched ROM?

BTW, what type of switch did you use?  A NC momentary contact?

You could always try wiring the switch directly into the main power wire (positive prong on the switch from the GBA battery, negative prong on the switch to the PCB, second positive prong on the switch disconnected).  That way, when the switch is pressed, the power circuit is broken, then re-connected when the switch depresses.

Couldn't tell you if it would work for sure, though. :wink:

[jewelie]

Does the logo look like it does in VisualBoy Advance if you load a Supercard-patched ROM?

All the patched gbas I've tried seem to look fine to me via VBA?

BTW, what type of switch did you use?  A NC momentary contact?

(For a while I couldn't remember what NC meant.)  No, a normally open, small momentary contact micro-switch.

You could always try wiring the switch directly into the main power wire (positive prong on the switch from the GBA battery, negative prong on the switch to the PCB, second positive prong on the switch disconnected).  That way, when the switch is pressed, the power circuit is broken, then re-connected when the switch depresses.

Unfortunately, I would have thought that this wouldn't really be much different to a quick power cycle though, in that it'd still be removing the power from the SRAM, and causing a potential spike when powered up again.

:-(

Never mind, it was a useful thing to have done anyway, as I don't think I've ever tried to solder something so tiny before, so doing the reset-switch mod was still a bit of a confidence boost for me.

- Jewels

PS Already in love with the SC.  

[Diablo]

Okay, then did it look like this?

And of course a NO switch. :damnit:

It's 4 in the morning and I've been up for 22 hours, so what do you expect...

[jewelie]

Okay, then did it look like this?

Yes, that's the one.

[Diablo]

That's a snapshot of a Supercard-patched ROM running in VBA.  Out of curiosity.....

Copy the pure ROMs to your Supercard, and boot your GBA.  After the GBA has loaded, and you're sitting at the Supercard menu, press your reset button.

Do you still get the corrupted Nintendo logo?  Can you load and play any of the ROMs?  What about doing this with the patched ROMs?

I'm wondering if it's the way the ROMs are patched, the way the Supercard boots, the manner in which the reset switch operates, or the GBA's RAM that is causing the issue. :?:

[jewelie]

Copy the pure ROMs to your Supercard, and boot your GBA.  After the GBA has loaded, and you're sitting at the Supercard menu, press your reset button.

Do you still get the corrupted Nintendo logo?  Can you load and play any of the ROMs?  What about doing this with the patched ROMs?

Already tried it -- identical behaviour, teh same corruption.  Doesn't seem to make any difference either way whether the ROMs are patched or not to that particular issue.  

[Diablo]

So when you're using the reset button, are you tapping it, or holding it for maybe a second or half-second?

It seems like it's the actual switch that's causing the problem:  it's not properly resetting the handheld.  Does the switch work with an original GBA cart?  How about with no cart in the GBA?  Have you tried with the Supercard inserted, but no CF in the Supercard?

[jewelie]

So when you're using the reset button, are you tapping it, or holding it for maybe a second or half-second?

Tried both.

It seems like it's the actual switch that's causing the problem:  it's not properly resetting the handheld.  Does the switch work with an original GBA cart?  How about with no cart in the GBA?  Have you tried with the Supercard inserted, but no CF in the Supercard?

The switch works fine with original carts.  It even works fine with the SuperCard if you've not actually booted into a game.