Need some help: Sophia Systems Programming Box

[samael64]

I just picked up a Sophia Systems Programming Box and have some questions. Hopefully someone can help me out. Pictures can be found HERE (http://assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=205483#post205483).

First off, when I power up the system it does not display video or audio. I do not get the intro screen that I have read in other threads should be there. I checked the dip switches against the settings posted oh so long ago by retro and they all seem to be in the right place. But just in case I got something wrong, here are my dip switch settings:
SW1
on on off on off off off off
SW2
off off off off on off off on

The CD/VCD switch is set to CD.
The CD player spins the disc, and the laser seems to be working just fine (adjusts itself properly and such). The CD player itself was a little crooked, but I un-screwed it and reset it, and now it is fine.
I've tried the Mega-CDR that came with the system, a USA retail game and a music CD, all of which give me the same results, a black screen.
Also, I am using a retail AV cable if that makes a difference.
Any idea as to what my problem is and how I can fix it?

Additionally, I am curious what the pod thing hooked into the back of the systems is. It has its own *cough*Property of*cough* sticker on it so I assume it is not a mandatory piece for the kit. And I haven't seen any photos or heard anything about it before.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, the tag on the pod is covering up a word that ends in "HI". Hitachi maybe?

My next question pertains to the CDR. It isn't labeled with anything that really informs me as to what it contains (Duck 3.0). I popped it into my computer after realizing I wasn't getting anywhere with the Sophia. My computer wouldn't recognize the contents, i.e. would not let me explore the disc, but did indeed say there was a CDR in the drive. I tried out ISO Buster, and it likewise was confused. It found two tracks (00 and 01), but could not show me the contents of either. Track 00 was said to be over 8,000 GB which obviously it can't be, but that it didn't seem to contain any real info. Track 01 was said to be about 650 MB, and while it looked like there may have been more to it, ISO Buster could not access it. I tried searching for lost files, and ISO Buster started to make an ISO of each track on my harddrive for that purpose, but it seemed to "stall out" after reaching 100% on track 00, so I canceled it. Any idea as to what this disc may be and why it is acting the way it is in my computer?

Thanks for any and all help!
:icon_bigg

[samael64]

UPDATE:
The Mega-CDR is now recognized by my computer, no idea as to what changed.
A bit disappointed as it is not a game...but, it is something interesting none the less.

************************************************** ************************
The Duck Corporation
TrueMotion(R) S Developer Disk for Sega Saturn
Release 3.0
October 11, 1995
************************************************** ************************
************************************************** ************************
LICENSE
************************************************** ************************
Before making use of any materials on this disk, please read the file
LICENSE.TXT and become familiar with existing restrictions on distribution
and use of the various items included here.
************************************************** ************************
ACROBAT READER
************************************************** ************************
Some documents on this disk have been supplied in Adobe Acrobat format.
An Acrobat reader application (ACROREAD.EXE) is included on this disk.
There is an Adobe license agreement which you will be asked to agree to
during the installation process.
************************************************** ************************
CHANGES IN THIS RELEASE
************************************************** ************************
For information about new features and changes in this or previous releases,
read the file RELEASE.TXT.
************************************************** ************************
ABOUT THIS CD-ROM
************************************************** ************************
This is a Bootable Sega Saturn CD-ROM disk. If you run it, a Duck
TrueMotion player will execute, playing the AVI files in the root of this
disk one by one. A button on the Saturn keypad will end play of the
current file. Other buttons on the keypad rotate and/or move the display.
************************************************** ************************
DEMOS
************************************************** ************************
**************************
24 BIT DEMOS:
**************************
Sega Gumbo Promo
GUMBOS1.AVI intERframe, 15 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 296x208
GUMBOS2.AVI " " " "
= Tank Girl Promo
TGP24S.AVI intERframe, 24 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 288x192
+ Excerpt from The Horde
ZHORDE.AVI intERframe, 15 fps, DK4BIT mono, 296x200
**************************
COMPRENDING DEMOS:
**************************
= Tank Girl clip
@ Shaq commercial
The Comprending(R) demos demonstrate real time compositing of
TrueMotion-S video sprites over a motion video background.
Each demo allows 2 video sprites to be manipulated individually
with one of the Saturn game controllers. Sprite position can
be manipulated using JOYSTICK LEFT and RIGHT. Two possible
sprite actions can be triggered using JOYSTICK UP and DOWN.
**************************
16 BIT DEMOS:
**************************
@ Diet Coke commercial:
* COKE25MO.AVI intRAframe, 25 fps, 22kHz mono, 288x184
COKI25S4.AVI intERframe, 25 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 304x212
Sega commercials:
GMBI15M4.AVI intERframe, 15 fps, DK4BIT mono, 304x208
SATI15S4.AVI intERframe, 15 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 312x224
MONI24S4.AVI intERframe, 24 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 312x216
@ Shell commercial:
~ SHEL15MO.AVI intRAframe, 15 fps, 22kHz mono, 304x208
= GTE commercial:
GTEI30M4.AVI intERframe, 30 fps, DK4BIT mono, 312x216
+ Star Control intro:
STCI30S4.AVI intERframe, 30 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 280x200
Quarantine intro:
^ QUAI20S4.AVI intERframe, 20 fps, DK4BIT stereo, 312x176
* was compressed with Compression Level set HIGH (see codec help)
@ Courtesy of R/Greenberg Assoc.
+ Courtesy of Crystal Dynamics.
= Courtesy of GTE.
^ Courtesy of GameTek.

So, it sucks that it is not a game, but pretty cool that it is an SDK.

[retro]

Sorry for the delay in response.

It seems you've already discovered that indeed the CD did tell you what it was - the Duck Truemotion video player. Still quite a cool thing to have!

The pod sticking out the back is.... err, a pod! You're quite lucky to have that... whilst I have the pod I don't have the PGA adapter, so it won't work. OK, so without the POD, your Sophia wouldn't work. You see, the Saturn has TWO SH2 processors. The Sophia comes with one, and an empty socket. You need to do one of the following:

1. Populate the socket with a PGA-style SH2 (i.e. not one from a retail Saturn)
2. Populate the socket with an E7000 ICE.

The E7000 is an in-circuit emulator. It emulates the SH2. You have the pod sticking out the back, which is a start (and the hardest part of the battle won - finding that damn PGA adapter whiich invariably goes missing - it actually came with the Sophia, not the E7000), but you also need an E7000 to which it interfaces.

You have, unfortunately, hit upon one of the reasons as to why it is increasingly harder to get a Sophia to work, e.g.:


The software is usually missing
Unless it was populated with a 2nd SH2, the ICE is usually missing
The CD-ROM is quite prone to breaking down

[Druid II]

Can you try booting the Duck Mega CDR in a Saturn? There was a similar SDK disk dumped before, which was version 1c (or earlier). I have a copy of that.

[samael64]

So retro, what do you think my chances are of getting the necessary parts to get it working? I only want it to be able to play discs, not looking to develop. Is it a bit of a lost cause?
So the pod is part of E7000? Doesn't do much by itself then? Is the E7000 a free standing unit, i.e. does it in turn need to be hooked up to something to run?
I assumed it had two SH2s as the chip in the other bay seems to be the same (as far as I can tell without removing the pod, wanted to but didn't want to damage anything) chip that the pod is sitting on top of/connected to. I wish I had a diagram pointing out which chips were which and such, the officail docs don't really show too much.
I'll probably have more questions, but thats it for now.
Thanks for the response!

Druid II: It is version 3.0, a bit later than 1C.

************************************************** ************************
CHANGES IN RELEASE 3.0, October 11, 1995
************************************************** ************************
The last release was version 2D, dated September 21, 1995.

[retro]

Chances are slim, but not impossible. The plus side is that you have the PGA adapter, and the E7000 isn't solely for Saturn (well, AFAIK there wasn't a custom card in it). The problem is that you might then need software to tell the E7000 what to do.

Your best chance of 'simply' getting it to boot would be a chip, but finding a PGA SH2 is quite tricky!

If the POD is in the machine, then yes, it definately doesn't have a second chip. The pod sits in the socket, so there's nowhere for it to be!

To be honest, it makes a fairly poor novelty Saturn - as the drive is prone to breaking. I wouldn't really suggest it as an everyday console!

On the other hand, if you have any comic books with bent pages, this is perfect for flattening them out!!!!! :thumbsup: :lol:

[samael64]

So the thing connecting the pod to the board is the PGA adaptor? Thats good to know.
Is the cable that connects the pod to the E7000 prorietary? There are two conectors on the back of the pod, are you thus in need of two cables?

And I collect comic books! So this is the perfect accessory!

[samael64]

Does anyone happen to have any docs pertaining to the E7000? Particularly its user manual? I'd be very appreciative if someone could help me get a pdf(s) of them.
Thanks.

[vbt]

The previous version of the TruMotion SDK (By Borisz) was this one :

TrueMotion(R) S for Sega Saturn / Hitachi SH2
Developers' Reference
Preliminary Version TM 102
Dec 1994
Copyright 1994-95 The Duck Corporation

EDIT : The readme says :

The Duck Corporation
TrueMotion(R) S Developer Disk for Sega Saturn
Release 1c
April 1, 1995

Do you plan to release this SDK ?

[samael64]

Do you plan to release this SDK ?

Not certain just yet, have been mulling it over...implications and such...plus the disc has been difficult to rip. Have yet to rip it with out errors. We'll see...

[Segafreak_NL]

The previous version of the TruMotion SDK (By Borisz) was this one :

TrueMotion(R) S for Sega Saturn / Hitachi SH2
Developers' Reference
Preliminary Version TM 102
Dec 1994
Copyright 1994-95 The Duck Corporation

EDIT : The readme says :

The Duck Corporation
TrueMotion(R) S Developer Disk for Sega Saturn
Release 1c
April 1, 1995

Do you plan to release this SDK ?

I've leaked a Duck Dev disc to the Saturn-dev guy from Germany (you know who I mean). Ask him to send you a copy and say I gave permission.

[vbt]

I've leaked a Duck Dev disc to the Saturn-dev guy from Germany (you know who I mean). Ask him to send you a copy and say I gave permission.

I think it was the 1.01 release.

[Segafreak_NL]

Was it? Hmm.. I'll take a look later.

[samael64]

Still looking for info on the E7000, especially the cables that connect it to the ICE pod. Any and all help will be much appreciated.

[samael64]

So I finally managed to find the E7000 user manual in pdf form, but other than showing how to set it up and explaining how to run commands, it doesn't really help me in figuring out what kind of cables were used in connecting the E7000 to the ICE pod. They are just refered to as station-pod interface cables. If anyone knows the name/type of cable used please let me know. I'm really hoping they are not proprietary but I have a bad feeling they might be. If I could source them cheaply though, I'd be quite happy.

[retro]

Yes they are.

[samael64]

I'm just surprised I can't even find a part number for the cables...I really doubt that internally Hitachi refered to them soley as station-pod interface cables, but I'm also not familiar with the inner workings of large electronics companies...or small ones for that matter...

[retro]

Renesas took over the SH2 from Hitachi. Their manual is available here (http://documentation.renesas.com/eng/products/tool/esh7604_e7000gui.pdf). The original Hitachi manual can be found here (http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/HitachiSemiconductor/mXwuszq.pdf).

Hopefully they may be of some use (if only to put you off using the E700! :110: ). The Hitachi one has some stuff on connectors, but it looks like the wrong one to me. I'll see if I can find my E7000 when I go home, I fear it may be in storage, though.

[samael64]

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[samael64]

Success!
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6118/dsc02044tl0.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02044tl0.jpg)

[Segafreak_NL]

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/4751/24805bpthesimpsonsmrburij3.jpg

[ConsoleFun]

Success!
http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6118/dsc02044tl0.th.jpg (http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc02044tl0.jpg)
Congratulations!!!!!!

What did you do? Did you get a PGA SH2??

[samael64]

Yup. I got the Graphics box that ccovell was nice enough to give away in the free stuff thread and then I transplanted one of the SH2's into the programming box. Works like a charm now!
It actually seems to be the easiest way to get one of these to work as the E7000 is a pain to find complete.

[ConsoleFun]

Yup. I got the Graphics box that ccovell was nice enough to give away in the free stuff thread and then I transplanted one of the SH2's into the programming box. Works like a charm now!
It actually seems to be the easiest way to get one of these to work as the E7000 is a pain to find complete.
Sweet! I believe I have read that the Sophia programming box accepts CD-Rs and CD-emulators (without the need for the usual System Disc to unlock the CD system). Is this correct?

[samael64]

Sweet! I believe I have read that the Sophia programming box accepts CD-Rs and CD-emulators (without the need for the usual System Disc to unlock the CD system). Is this correct?

It plays the Duck CD-R just fine, but I haven't tried a game on cd-r yet. I've been meaning to try out that beta that Segafreak_NL released two years ago, but haven't yet. I'll try to do that today and let you know.

[babu]

that's really cool :D
allways nice to hear a dev system being brought back to life.

[samael64]

Wow, I am lazy...
I tried out Xtreme today, but it wouldn't load. Then I tried out the Scud beta that Segafreak released this past week and it works great! Don't know if Xtreme burned improperly or if I do indeed need a system disk for that one, but I would think it odd not to need it for one game but then to need it for another. ::shrug::

[ConsoleFun]

Wow, I am lazy...
I tried out Xtreme today, but it wouldn't load. Then I tried out the Scud beta that Segafreak released this past week and it works great! Don't know if Xtreme burned improperly or if I do indeed need a system disk for that one, but I would think it odd not to need it for one game but then to need it for another. ::shrug::Strange... have you tried more discs?

I am happy that the Scud beta worked. It makes me believe that the Programming Box can run CD-Rs without a system disc (aka. key disc) like the official Sega docs says....

[samael64]

The Earthworm Jim beta works great as well. I tried extreme again, and while it doesn't resognize the disc as a saturn game, it does play an audio track with a japanese woman saying this is a sega saturn game disc...Then I thought I remembered someone saying the disc is region coded to japan. I'm gonna check the dipswitches and see if I can change it from us to japan and see if that helps.

UPDATE:
Changed the dipswitches to japan region coding and now extreme works just fine. I guess this confirms that a system disc is not needed to play betas on the sophia. Now I just need to get my hands on an original saturn beta...