Jamiko PC-II / Is it a clone?

[fasman]

Hi every one, I hope Im in the right section, but Ive recently been given a Jamiko PC-II IC Card system console , but I dont know anything about PC Engines and would like to get to know a bit more about the console, for starters if its an official PC engine or a Clone system as I cant find much on Jamiko.

Other Strange thing about it is that it has a AV cable coming directly out of the console where the expansion port is, and the serial number is very low (00000000003) I honestly have no idea about PC engines so any info would be great :)

Heres some pics:

[fasman]

Oh and allmost forgot it came with a game.

[BM-Viper]

My initial assumption would be that it is a clone but only because of the controller, which has actual turbo(?) buttons above the normal buttons. I've only ever seen controllers with sliders to control the turbofire and controllers that lack a turbo function.

[Calpis]

Yes.

[fasman]

So its a clone then :)

The next logical question would be, is it any good?

[Alchy]

You might find this interesting, if you haven't stumbled on it yet:
http://nfggames.com/games/pceclones/
Neither look like yours, though. Interestingly, yours has the edge connector, which makes me wonder if it has better compatibility.

[fasman]

Thanks for the link , it eventually lead me to http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg80-pc_eng.htm it seems that Jamiko made another clone called "Jamiko PC Boy" , but it doesnt have a expansion port so Im going to open mine up tonight and see what chips are used inside, who knows it might use some discarded nec chips , in order for the expansion to work :)

[Yakumo]

Interesting clone. Odd to see this one all in Japanese on the box.

By the way, what's the difference between a Core Grafix and a Core Grafix II?

Yakumo

[haynor]

Wikipedia says - they aren't differences (marketting trick?)

[Calpis]

The case and controllers are different, and CGII matches the Super CDROM.

BTW, this clone is probably pretty good and useable. Clones get a bad rap due to the prevalence of poorly implemented Famiclones, but in theory a clone is a clone and a clone's digital characteristics should yield full game compatibility. Most clones aren't made by some really smart person reverse engineering every chip (that's inaccurate no matter how smart that person is), they're made by smart people with serious optics equipment. That isn't to say all will be well, the controller's molding and buttons may suck as may the PCB's layout, analog A/V circuits and (lack of) shielding etc that might not be identical to the original PCE.

[ProtonX]

I like your serial number 3.

[ave]

Can you find out if the ext.-port is connected to the PCB so you could connect a CD-ROM system? It's odd that they put in a system card on the box although it's only required if you want to play CD's.

Also great how it says "IC system" instead of "HE system" in the lower left corner as if there's a way to design a game console without IC's :P

[Tatsujin]

They even bothered to put in the PCEs huge expansion port. For what reason ever :D

[fasman]

Sorry it took so long to respond (worked flew me out due to an emergency) None the less I disassemble the console , it only had four screws holding it together , and poped open surprisingly easily.

The Expansion port appears to be connected to the IC marked "215" but its hard to tell because most of the traces lead to random Via's ,not all of them are visable(the PCB has to be a multilayered one)

You cant see what chips they used as all of them are only numbered with no other markings, the transistor had a huge heatsink connected to it (its on the left of the console)

The AV out was definatly after market , as they cut into the case to actually get the cable to fit, ts connected in parallel to the RF Box, Im probably going to remove it and fit something better :)

The case and controllers are different, and CGII matches the Super CDROM.

BTW, this clone is probably pretty good and useable. Clones get a bad rap due to the prevalence of poorly implemented Famiclones, but in theory a clone is a clone and a clone's digital characteristics should yield full game compatibility. Most clones aren't made by some really smart person reverse engineering every chip (that's inaccurate no matter how smart that person is), they're made by smart people with serious optics equipment. That isn't to say all will be well, the controller's molding and buttons may suck as may the PCB's layout, analog A/V circuits and (lack of) shielding etc that might not be identical to the original PCE.

I know my only concern was that it might have been a system on a chip or similar bad clone, but opening it has put me at ease a bit it seems pretty well made and the controllers actually feel pretty decent , I actually review famiclones on my channel and somewhat collect them, some are pretty good, others terrible, its just with this one I dont have much to compair it to :)


Ps Does any one know anything about the game that came with it??

[Calpis]

This is an original design due to the PLCC chip packaging (still common in bootlegs). To me it doesn't look particularly well-made, but it's interesting. I don't think it's by whoever made the other PCE clones.

[ASSEMbler]

Most likely after hours chips made on the very lines the real chips were.

[Mystical]

Most likely after hours chips made on the very lines the real chips were.

yeah quite a common occurance however mainly come across it with disc-pressing, i.e. they would run normal pressings during the day for the corporate clients and at night knock out some extra ones for the market boys ;)

i think you have an excellent looking little machine their mate, clone or not as long as it does the job!

[rosewood]

Ps Does any one know anything about the game that came with it??

That's Aoi Blink, not a bad game at all...

http://www.pcengine.co.uk/HTML_Games/Blue_Blink.htm

[Spriggan]

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I was googling for info on this system. I have the same clone but not the powersupply. Can you tell me the output of the powersupply so i can track down a replacement? Thanks in advance.