How to use / Open Source Cartridge Reader

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Open Source Cartridge Reader 

User Guide

The Cart Reader shield for the Arduino Mega features SNES, Megadrive, N64 and GBA/GBC slots all on one pcb.

Lots of other uses.

 

Slots

🟥 Snes and Super Famicom

🟦 Sega Megadrive/Genesis

🟨 Nintendo 64

🟩 Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advanced

🟧 Micro SD card

Never change a cartridge while the Cart Reader is powered on and never insert more than one cartridge at the same time.

Power Options


⚠Hardware reset button(only present on some Arduinos) *Not attached

  • USB port, connect to a PC or a mobile phone charger (5V, 2A)
  • The barrel plug does not have a function anymore, DO NOT USE!!!

⚠The micro USB connector of the arduino used in Cartridge Reader is very fragile and easily broken, so we strongly recommend using a magnetic cable.

*The warranty applies to any magnetic cable.
It does not matter which market you purchase in your country.
We hope will reduce the number of sad accidents.

    Configuration Switches

    The little arrow printed on the pcb itself shows the direction the switch needs to be set to be enabled.
    By default all switches should be disabled and only enabled if explicitly instructed to do so.

    Voltage select switch, right for 5V, left for 3.3V.

    🟨 5V devices: SNES, Megadrive, GB and GBC and 5V flashroms like the MX29F032, MX29F1610.
    3.3V devices: N64　*If an error occurs, it can be tried with 5V, GBA and 3.3V flashroms like the MX29L3211.

    🟥 Enables a 1K pull-up resistor if set to the right(only needed for N64 eeprom and controller).

    🟩 Switches the CLK0 line(extension clock) to the clock generator if set to the right.

    🟦 Switches the CLK1 line(CPU clock) to the clock generator if set to the right.

    Buttons


    OLED display, all information will be displayed here.

    🟩 Button 1

    • Press once to move the selection down.
    • Double-click to move the selection up.
    • Hold longer to execute current selection.
    • While inside the filebrowser you can go to the next page by moving the selection down once more after you reached the last item on the current page.
    • In a similar fashion you can go back one page by double-clicking while the first item is selected.
    • You can enter a folder by holding button 1 pressed longer.
    • You can go back to the SD's root folder by double-clicking until you reach the first selection of the first page and then double-clicking once more.

    🟥 Button 2

    • Press to execute current selection.
    • When in filebrowser mode enters a directory.

    Before dumping a cartridge you should clean the gold contacts with a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol until it does not come out black anymore.

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