Discussion Region free N64

[Diminuendo]

Most region free n64 mods require a second console for sacrifice.

I have noticed that the latest Ultra CIC for flash carts able to emulate NUS-x105 lockout chips for both PAL and NTSC regions. A region free console may possible using a design similar to "N64 Passport" external region switching cartridges as an internal mod.

The earliest region switch cartridges simply disconnected the master cartridge lockout chip and instead connected a slave cartridge. Typically, this solution would fail for one of two reasons;

• The X1 speed did not match the catridge region
• The lockout chip from the slave cartridge was of an eariler revision

Both of these issues can now be solved; we can now simulate the latest lockout with the Ultra CIC, and as an internal mod, we can switch the X1 crystal;

My plan is to remove the 64DD port, passthrough most pins to the cartridge slot and create a switch between the Ultra CIC and X1. When the ultra CIC is not being used, the console will act as if completly unmodified.

Parts are ordered, lets see if this works.

 

[marshallh]

That will work as long as all your games are x105. Otherwise the games will never boot.

 

[Diminuendo]

it is understanding that the Ultra CIC II was sufficent to boot almost all games, upto x105.

I'm not going to pretend that I know the n64 half as much as you though marshallh would you be able to recommend an improvment?

Maybe I can add a 2nd swich to swap between the Ultra CIC and a NUS-6102A.

 

[marshallh]

No easy solution, apart from using 2 PIFs. Clock generators will have different pixel base clocks as well for NTSC/PAL.

 

[Diminuendo]

adds an extra step, but doable, would replacing the X1 with PAL and NTSC values be sufficent? I don't know anything about pixel base clocks