SONY PLAYSTATION - adaptation unit repair. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering / Телевидение

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Sony PlayStation video game consoles are popular all over the world. Those that are most often dealt with in Russia and other CIS countries usually have adaptation blocks (sellers often call them "universal chip", "decoder chip" or simply "chip"). They are equipped with video set-top boxes before they are sold in the countries from which they come to us for sale. The author shares with readers the secrets of this block, which he managed to unravel, and the experience of its repair.

The adaptation block [1] is needed for the "Sony PlayStation" to work with game CDs of South Asian production, as well as those containing Russified versions of game programs. Firms engaged in adaptation are in no hurry to part with the "know-how" that brings them considerable income. But nevertheless, if the adaptation unit fails (and such cases are known), then you can repair it on your own.

There are several generations of these video game consoles: "ones" SCPH-1xxx (1995). "threes" SCPH-1996xxx (5), "fives" SCPH-1997xxx (7). "sevens" SCPH-1998xxx (9) i. finally, "nines" SCPH-1999xxx (XNUMX). As the model number increases, its energy, technological, reliability and economic indicators improve while maintaining software and hardware compatibility.

On fig. 1, a-d shows typical diagrams of adaptation blocks of various video set-top boxes. Positional designations of microcircuits that are not on the printed circuit board are marked with an apostrophe. The uniqueness of the connection points of the blocks to the processor boards and the variety of microcircuit types are striking. As a 1C80G microcircuit, eight-bit microcontrollers with internal ROM PIC12C508 / P are mainly used. PIC16C54A-041I/P from Microchip Technology, Z86E0208PSC from Zilog or their unpackaged counterparts. The latter, after being installed on the board, are filled with a drop of compound. There is no hard connection between microcontroller type and "PlayStation" model. For example, in the SCPH-5502 set-top boxes, you can find both PIC, and Z86, and unpackaged controllers. The adaptation blocks of some models of the set-top box may not be suitable for others (compare the diagrams in Fig. 1, a, b, e).

Starting to study the adaptation block according to the method described in [2]. first of all, it is necessary to determine which of the pins of the IC801 chip is the input, and which is the output. This is not known in advance, since it is set by the program located in the internal ROM of the microcontroller. To establish the truth, you should study the waveforms of all signals, alternately soldering the leads from the contact pads. In order for the measurements to be correct (if the output is open drain), the soldered pin must be connected to the power supply through a 100 kΩ resistor. Another standard technique is to check the response to pressing the "RESET" button on the game console. A signal that does not respond to a reset is most likely an output signal, and vice versa

As a result, it was found that the devices whose circuits are shown in Fig. 1, a. n have one clock input (3,98 or 4,23 MHz) and two outputs. In the block according to the diagram in Fig. 1, the quartz resonator ZQ4.433 sets the clock frequency of 1 MHz. The PCLK output clocks the IC501 RGB-PAL encoder. The device, the scheme of which is shown in fig. 1. e, contains two independent channels: the first - with input A and output B. the second - only with output Q2. This channel has no external input. Its operation is synchronized by the internal clock RC generator of the 1C80T microcontroller. In the device according to the scheme shown in Fig. 1. b. Q2 signal shaping is also synchronized with the internal RC oscillator. The END input signal comes from a mechanical switch located in the CD-ROM drive. Under its influence, the adaptation unit re-generates the signal 02 each time. when the drive carriage reaches the beginning of the information track of the laser disc.

To determine the moments when the "PlayStation" perceives the signals of the adaptation block, we will temporarily disconnect its outputs Q1 and 02 from the processor board during the loading and execution of game programs. It turns out that during the game, the adaptation block is not needed! It is required only during the first 10 ... 12 s after pressing the "RESET" button. During this time, the "PlayStation" operating system double checks the "brand" of the disk: the first time - before the logo appears on the TV screen (a stylized PS sign in the form of a "cobra" on a black background), the second - before it disappears and switches to loading the game program. If at these moments there is no Q2 signal, the video set-top box "freezes", and the same message appears on the TV screen as when trying to work with an IBM PC disc: "Please insert PlayStation CD-ROM". A similar check is performed after each opening and closing of the CD access door. Most likely, this was done to exclude situations when the game is launched from a "proprietary" disk and continues from a "non-proprietary" disk.

Let's start the search for logical patterns in the signals of adaptation blocks from channel A - B of the device, the diagram of which is shown in fig. 1. e. Using a two-beam oscilloscope, it is easy to verify that B is an inverted copy of signal A, and the high-impedance state of the output corresponds to logical 1. The equivalent circuit of this channel is an open-drain (collector) inverter.

The logic level of the signal Q1. provided in the devices according to the diagrams of Fig. 1. a. c, d, is set high immediately after the supply voltage is applied by pressing the "POWER" button and remains high for 0,1 ... 1.2 s, depending on the version of the IC801 microcontroller program. The rest of the time, the Q1 signal has a low logic level, not responding to pressing the "RESET" button. At output 01, one can sometimes observe two or three more short (tens of microseconds long) high-level pulses before or after the main one, but they do not affect the operation of the video set-top box. The signal conditioner Q1 can be thought of as a standby multivibrator that generates a single pulse when the supply voltage is applied. Of course, in real devices there is no multivibrator. The Q1 signal is generated by software, counting the required number of clock pulses. In many cases, the "PlayStation" works fine without this signal.

The most confusing picture is observed for the Q2 signal. It is generated by all adaptation blocks without exception. Obviously, it is he who contains the code that allows the program to be loaded from disk. The task to be solved is to find out the law of alternation of low (logical 0) and high (logical 1) levels. A conventional oscilloscope is no help here, since its sweep is almost impossible to synchronize with a signal consisting of a large number of pulses of variable duration. However, according to the oscillogram, it can be judged that the duration of both high and low level pulses in all "PlayStation" models is close to 4 ms or a multiple of this value. A more detailed analysis is possible with a large memory storage oscilloscope (C9-27, C9-28 or HP54C45D from Hewlett Packard). But for ordinary radio amateurs, such devices, as well as complex logic analyzers of long pulse sequences, unfortunately, are not available.

It is practically impossible to "open" the ROM of a microcontroller to analyze its program. Like pic. and Z86 have a built-in program code protection system. Count on it. that the manufacturer forgot to program the security bit is naive. Often, for microcircuits installed in adaptation blocks, all "extra" conclusions are cut off, and the inscriptions from their cases are erased. For a frameless microcontroller, the task is even more difficult, since under the compound filling, in addition to itself, there can also be an additional hard logic node.

Fortunately, the method of step-by-step analysis of the generated pulse sequence successfully works. PIC and Z86 microcontrollers are static in structure. This means that their clock frequency can be reduced to any acceptable value, up to manually applying clock pulses using a button. By counting the number of such pulses between changes in the logic level of the output signals of the microcontroller, you can get an absolutely accurate picture. Knowing the actual clock frequency of the microcontroller F. it is easy to convert the number of pulses N into the duration of the corresponding interval using the formula t [mc]=N/F [kHz].

This method is not suitable if the microcontroller is powered by an internal RC clock, as in devices according to the circuits shown in Fig. 1, b. However, given the compatibility of different "PlayStation" models, it is hoped that the results of the analysis of other options can be extended to these.

The "pay" for the simplicity of the method is increased time for measurements. For example, to analyze the first 10 seconds of microcontroller operation according to the circuit shown in Fig. 1. c. more than 44 million clock pulses will be required. If you do it manually with a frequency of 1 ... 2 Hz, the process will take about a year. You can speed it up by entrusting the routine work to the computer. Anyone will do - from RA-DIO-86RK and ZX-SPECTRUM to IBM PC. It is only necessary that it has two single-bit ports (input and output) with TTL signal levels.

On fig. Figure 2 shows how to connect the PIC microcontroller to the I/O ports dedicated to the cassette recorder found on any SPECTRUM compatible computer. Although these microcontrollers are usually powered by 3,5 V in video set-top boxes, they also work successfully at 5 V, so there is no need for an additional power source. The connection points shown refer to the computer described in [3]. In other cases, you need to find the input of a digital microcircuit, connected through an isolation capacitor to a socket contact for connecting a tape recorder, and a similar output.

The analysis program is written in BASIC and is shown in Table. 1. It generates clock pulses in the D3 bit of the 0FEH port and checks the status of the D6 bit of the same port (these are the address and bits of the tape recorder port standard for the ZX-SPECTRUM). To speed up the work, time-critical subroutines are written in the assembly language of the Z80 microprocessor. Their codes are written in DATA statements and are loaded into the computer's RAM, starting from cell 30000 (line 30). Access to assembler subroutines - using the RANDOMIZE USR statements on lines 110 and 120.

After starting the program, you must enter the value of the clock frequency in kilohertz and the duration of the analyzed interval of the microcontroller (usually 10 ... 15 s). The analysis procedure will take 18...25 minutes. The frequency of the generated clock pulses is about 40 kHz, and if the ZX-SPECTRUM is turbocharged - about 60 kHz. When the analyzed signal passes to another level, the color of the screen border changes. Black is low, white is high. At the same time, the program displays the measured duration of the time interval during which the signal level remained unchanged.

The data on the screen is arranged in four columns, with the numbers in the odd columns corresponding to the intervals of the low level, and in the even columns to the high level. For ease of analysis, they are rounded to hundredths of a millisecond (line 140). If all PRINT statements are replaced with LPRINT, the printer prints the results. If there are no changes in the analyzed signal for about 8 minutes, the program gives a sound signal, displays a warning message on the screen and stops working (line 160).

In table. Figure 2 shows the results of measuring the duration of the first 100 intervals of the Q2 signal of the SCPH-5502 set-top box adaptation unit at a clock frequency of 4,433 MHz. The first is a short low-level pulse, obviously associated with the initialization of the microcontroller. The following long high-level pulse coincides with the "PlayStation" setup signal after the power is turned on.

Some of the tested adaptation blocks do not have this pulse at all or its level is low. Next, three code sequences of pulses (CP) are repeated cyclically. separated by pauses - intervals of a low logic level lasting about 80 ms. It is easy to see that all intervals are approximately multiples of 4 ms, which confirms the results of measurements made using an oscilloscope. Taking as unity and designating T the value of 4 ms. we get the timing diagram of the Q2 signal shown in fig. 3.

The first 36 bars of all three CPs are identical, only bars 37-41 differ, and in bar 42, preceding the pause between CPs, there is always a logical 1. three "keys" at once. Theoretically, there can be 32 KPs, differing in logical levels in five cycles, from the 37th to the 41st. Further, speaking of CP. we will cite only the variable part of the code located in these cycles.

Further research will require a programmable pulse sequence generator. On fig. 4 shows a diagram of such a generator on a microcomputer KR1830VE31 (KR1830VE51). The program of its work (Table 3) is recorded in the ROM DD3 K573RF5 (K573RF2). Address latch DD2 is included in the standard scheme. Switches SA1-SA5 set the logical levels of the variable part of the gearbox. For example, by setting switches SA1 and SA3 to closed (0). and the rest - to the open (1) position, we get a gearbox with the code 11010.

The device is powered by a +5 V "PlayStation" source. It draws about 70mA of current. If the generator has a chip KR1816BE31 (KR1816BE51). it is better to use an external power supply, since the current consumption will increase to 150 ... 200 mA.

The signal from the output of any of the four bits of the port P1.4-P1.7 (pins 5-8 of the DD1 chip) is fed instead of the Q2 signal of the interface unit to pin 17 of the SC4309xx chip or pin 42 of the CXD2938Q chip on the game console. To eliminate surprises, all other, except for Q2, conclusions of the adaptation block must remain in place.

First of all, we set one of the gearbox options with the switches SA1-SA5. We install any disk in the video prefix and by pressing the "RESET" button we launch it. If at least one game program loaded normally from at least one "unbranded" disk, the code was chosen correctly. If the KP is selected incorrectly, an inscription will appear on the TV screen warning about the impossibility of further work. You can change the position of switches SA1-SA5 without turning off the power. Their status is polled approximately four times per second.

It was experimentally possible to establish that for each "PlayStation" model there is a single CP (let's call it the key one), using which "unbranded" discs are launched. For example, for SCPH-1001, her code is 10110. For SCPH-5502. SCPH-7502. SCPH-9002 is 01110. and SCPH-5501 is 11110. It is possible that other variants may occur.

Another useful observation is that key CPs can follow not only one after another, but also alternate with others, for example, containing "keys" for different "PlayStation" models. Apparently, the operating system of the video set-top box looks at all received CPs. and the wrong "key" does not stop this work. The search continues for 10...12 s.

It remains to determine the limits within which the time parameters of the CP can be varied. To do this, you will have to change the value of the generator program byte at address 0058H until the game stops entering normally. Experiments have proved that the duration of the cycle T is within 3.8...4.2 ms. Reproduce with absolute accuracy time intervals in accordance, for example, with Table. 2 is not required.

Next, we programmatically adjust the duration of the pause between the CP, leaving the remaining intervals unchanged. It turns out that without prejudice to the input of game programs, it can last from 16 to 65T, and in some video consoles even up to 1000T. Now it is clear why some adaptation blocks generate CP with a pause of not 20, but 22 or 23T.

Sometimes the adaptation block generates signals whose parameters, at first glance, do not fit into the newly constructed theory. If we exclude cases of ordinary programmer errors, it should be recognized that methods of protecting key CPs are used, designed to create maximum difficulties for those who try to figure out the law of signal formation Q2. For example, one of the studied blocks generated a signal in which the first 14 CPs differed from the key one only in that. that they lacked measure 40, and the total length was 41, not 42T. All of them were false, and only every fifteenth CP fully corresponded to the key one with the code 01110. And this case is not isolated. Often a key CP is masked by three to eight false ones.

Such "traps" fall into those who do not bother to check all the options. In addition, it is very difficult to detect a key gearbox using an oscilloscope when it is masked on the screen by numerous false ones that almost coincide with it. Certain difficulties are also created by the violation of the strict periodicity of the signal. Quite often, the interval T is deliberately randomly changed. Attempts to accurately reproduce this chaos (which turned out to be completely unnecessary) cause programmers the greatest difficulty. Nevertheless, very rarely, but there are completely unprotected adaptation blocks. Their signals are strictly periodic, and all generated CPs are key ones.

Knowing the key KP formation law, it is possible to make a self-made adaptation unit based on any of the known microcontrollers, including PIC 12С5хх, PIC 16Схх from Microchip Technology, Z86xxx from Zilog. AT89C51xx from Atmel, SX18xx from Scenix. All of them are micro-powerful, relatively cheap, small-sized, have a built-in ROM. The main thing is that the chip itself, the programmer, reference literature and the debugger program are available. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in putting all these components together.

It is possible to solve the problem with the help of common microcomputers of the KR1830 series. KM1830. having low power consumption and software compatible with the well-known MSC-51 family from Intel. The pulse sequence generator used for the experiments is, in fact, a ready-made adaptation block for the KR1830BE31 microcomputer. In addition to the Q2 signal, it also generates Q1 (this is provided for in the program shown in Table 3). The latter is removed from any of the four least significant bits of the port P1 (pins 1 - 4 of the DD1 chip), as shown in Fig. 4 dashed line. Knowing the key CP in advance. switches SA1 - SA5 can be replaced by jumpers.

(click to enlarge)

The use of a microcomputer with a built-in ROM with ultraviolet erasure (KM1830BE751 or KM1830BE7S3) greatly simplifies the block. On fig. 5 shows a diagram of such a device. The names of the signals and the points of connection to different models of "PlayStation" are the same as those indicated in fig. 1.

In the program memory of the DD1 chip, the codes from the table are written. 4.

The timing diagram shown in fig. 3 is reproduced at the output Q2 The key on the transistor VT2 imitates channel A-B (see Fig. 1, e). A similar key on the transistor VT1 protects against overvoltage the microcircuit of the processor board of the video set-top box, which receives the Q2 signal. Typically, this microcircuit is designed for a voltage of 3,5 V, and for it the logic level 1 (+5 V) at the output of the DD1 microcomputer can be dangerous. If this is not the case (for example, both 4309 and 3.5 V can be applied to the inputs of the SC5xx microcircuits), the signals Q1 and Q2' are removed directly from the pins of the P1 port of the DD1 microcircuit, as shown in Fig. 5 dashed lines. It is only necessary to replace the code 000FFH with 1H in cell 0FH of the program memory of the DD00 chip. which inverts the generated signal.

A diagram of another version of a home-made adaptation block is shown in Fig. 6.

It differs from the previous one by the use of a much cheaper KM1816BE48 microcomputer. His program is in Table. 5.

Everything said above about the block on the KM1830BE751 chip, including the replacement of the code in cell 000FH, is also true in this case. Capacitor C4 can be omitted if the RES signal from the video set-top box is applied to pin 4 DD1. The disadvantage of this replacement is increased power consumption. Fortunately, in reality, the current consumed is much less than the limit value given in the reference books. The KM1816BE48 chip actually consumes approximately 60 mA. Therefore, the device can be powered from the internal source of the "PlayStation" without fear of overload.

The frequency of the quartz resonator ZQ1 in all the blocks described above can be changed over a wide range. In this case, it is necessary to select the value of the constant located in the cell 0058Н (Table 3) or 0030Н (Tables 4 and 5) so that the cycle duration T is 4 ms. For example, if the resonator frequency is 4,433 MHz. code 41H at address 0058H in the table. 3 should be replaced by 48N. The same constant in Table. 4 is located at 0030H. In table. 5, the address of the constant is the same as in Table. 4. but its meaning is different. Here, instead of ZZN, one should write 39Н.

The law of alternation of time intervals in the generated CP is given by the numbers located in Table. 4 and 5 are the same: the variant with code 10110 is in cells 0037H-0054H. with code 11110 - in 0055H-0070H, with code 01110 - in 0071H-008EN. If the interval during which the output level does not change has a duration of T, it is specified by the number 0AH (decimal 10). intervals of other duration - proportionally increased numbers. For example. 0C8H (decimal 200) corresponds to an interval of 20T. If necessary, the generated codes can be changed, but the cycle must necessarily end with a UN number, as in cell 008FH of Table. 4 and 5.

Printed circuit boards of adaptation blocks assembled according to the diagrams of fig. 5 and 6 are shown respectively in Figs. 7 and 8.

The boards are designed for the use of resistors OMLT-0.125, capacitors KM-5, KM-6. K10-17, quartz resonator RK-169. There is quite a bit of space to place an adaptation block inside the "PlayStation". Therefore, in the manufacture, special attention should be paid to reducing the thickness of the device. The length of the wires connecting it to the processor board does not really matter and can reach 300...400 mm. Blocking capacitor C3 and resistors R3, R4 can be discarded if this does not lead to malfunctions of the unit. Instead of a quartz resonator, it is allowed to use a piezoceramic one, for example, HCJ-4.00MKC from Herbert C. Jauch (Germany) with two internal capacitors with a capacity of 33 pF each.

The resonator ZQ1 and the capacitors C1, C2 can be completely excluded if you use any TTL-level clock signal with a frequency of 3 ... 5 MHz available in the "PlayStation". It is fed through a decoupling resistor 200 ... 510 Ohm to pin 19 of the KM1830BE751 chip or to pin 3 of the KM1816BE48 chip. The latter does not coincide with the recommendations [4], according to which conclusions 2 and 3 should be supplied with anti-phase clock signals. However, in practice, the microcircuit works even with a single-phase clock signal reduced to 3,5 V.

Another point worthy of attention. Some "PlayStation" consoles of the first releases, for example, "American" SCPH-1001. only work with NTSC discs. No selection of the code generated by the adaptation block can make such a set-top box work with PAL discs. Obviously, the matter is in the hardware inability to process video signals of this system.

Literature

1. Ryumik S. "Sony PlayStation" or features of 32-bit video set-top box circuitry. - Radio. 1999, No. 4-7.
2. Ryumik S. What's inside "Sega Mega Key"? - Radio. 1999. No. 2. p. 23-25.
3. Boon M. "SPECTRUM'-compatible computer. - Radio. 1995, No. 7. p. 27.
4. Chip KM1816BE48. Specifications 6K0.348.839-01 TU.

Author: S.Ryumik, Chernihiv, Ukraine

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