Expansion pak relocation troubles

[blaze3927]

are their any uses for the 2MB chips you solder off the n64? I'm not sure how much different n64 ram is compared to normal but hooking them up in parallel plus few resistors could that theoretically give you an expansion pack? it just seems a waste yo use two exp packs and then do nothing with the two chips you solder on

 

[Basement_Modder]

If you could solder onto traces that small then, yes, you could wire the 2 N64 chips in parallel onto an expansion pak board.

 

[blaze3927]

wait, so are you saying that there is nothing else required. just straightforward "piggybacking" two 2mb chips to make a 4 meg one?

 

[Basement_Modder]

yes.

 

[blaze3927]

wait...reallly? so all the spare n64 boards i have around can become exp packs

 

[XCVG]

wait...reallly? so all the spare n64 boards i have around can become exp packs

No.

You two are misunderstanding each other. You can't just piggyback the chips on.

 

[Basement_Modder]

wait...reallly? so all the spare n64 boards i have around can become exp packs

No.

You two are misunderstanding each other. You can't just piggyback the chips on.

Wait-Blaze, explain in detail what you're asking again...?

 

[blaze3927]

well i know its possible to get ram to run in parallel to double capacity, im not sure what hat was like with n64 ram, so i asked you said yea, then i asked if i could "piggyback" a 2 meg ram on another 2 meg ram (as in just plunk it straight on top and fold the pins down). when you said yes i was excited and surprised, but now xcvg has killed my hopes.... i think because this might mean it will require a complicated pcb to get to work

 

[eurddrue]

Exactly. I have been recording the values on all of these with a multimeter. From there, I found what pins connect to what other pins, then bridge them on the N64 board with kynar wire.

Skyone beat ya too it. Also, I hope you know how to measure capacitance with that multimeter

 

[ShockSlayer]

No, last time I checked they(Ninty) piggybacked the 2 2mb chips to get 4MB, then in later revisions just changed one chip to 4 mb. You should be able to do so.

SS

 

[blaze3927]

so their are n64 boards with only one onboard ram chip?

 

[XCVG]

No, last time I checked they(Ninty) piggybacked the 2 2mb chips to get 4MB, then in later revisions just changed one chip to 4 mb. You should be able to do so.

SS

They didn't. They are one after the other. They aren't piggybacked. Well not LITERALLY piggybacked anyway.

so their are n64 boards with only one onboard ram chip?

Yes. There's space for the second chip too!

 

[blaze3927]

hmm so f i had one of these boards with the fancy new 4meg chips, i could just have another 4 meg one where the space for the second one is, and then just wire in a jumper pak to make an exp pack?

 

[Basement_Modder]

hmm so f i had one of these boards with the fancy new 4meg chips, i could just have another 4 meg one where the space for the second one is, and then just wire in a jumper pak to make an exp pack?

Yes. That way, there are no wasted chips and you only have to destroy 1 expansion pak.

 

[blaze3927]

sweet, does anyone know what board revisions/regions have the magic 4 meg?

 

[Basement_Modder]

For sure REV-8 and up.

 

[eurddrue]

For sure REV-8 and up.

6 and up.

 

[bentomo]

Sounds like a much better plan than buying two expansion paks. Anyway if you do it you should put some kind of thermal paste between them to avoid heat issues.



I don't think you need to use a revision 6 and up though. Just piggy back the 4 meg chip on the back of one of the 2 meg chips, that should do it to. So it doesn't really matter what board you use.

 

[Basement_Modder]

For sure REV-8 and up.

6 and up.

I wasn't absolutely sure about 6 and 7 as I have never owned either, so I said 8.

 

[jleemero]

For sure REV-8 and up.

6 and up.

I wasn't absolutely sure about 6 and 7 as I have never owned either, so I said 8.

He's just adding to the info, he's not correcting you or anything.