PS3 Frankenstein PHAT PS3: CECHA with 40nm RSX

sandungas said:
Im tempted to try to compare the images availables to try to figure which wire is each by his name (the 3 from the SPI bus). The best thing we could do with that info is to take the images posted by @DoublesAdvocate and paint on top of them the SPI names of each wire
This could help a bit if someone is interested to "sniff" the SPI communications

In wiki there is a photo of a DIA-001 with the syscon removed... is a bit blurry, but i guess this one is good enought
It allows to see where is located each solder pad, we can see where the trace goes to a "via" (hole) and allows to follow it with a multimeter... it should match with the photos of the modchip installations
I noticed the photos of the modchip instalaltions are always soldered to vias... and at an intermediate point of some kind of bigger "data bus"... so most probably the modchip can be installed in any side of the motherboard, keep that in mind because we are not restricted to do the connections exactly like in the photos of the modchip installations ;)
I mean... for every photo of the modchip installation... we can consider there are "alternative" solder points at the other side of the motherboard

Syscon_top.jpg
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I wonder if they might just be installing them on the underside of the motherboard to avoid any signal integrity issues from running the wires near large capacitors, coils, etc.
Hopefully those chips should arrive soon and we'll be able to find out exactly which ones they are and also get some better scans of the installation methods.
 
DoublesAdvocate said:
I wonder if they might just be installing them on the underside of the motherboard to avoid any signal integrity issues from running the wires near large capacitors, coils, etc.
Hopefully those chips should arrive soon and we'll be able to find out exactly which ones they are and also get some better scans of the installation methods.
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Yes, the photos are like a suggestion for a permanent installation of the modchip, but for people doing some research could be more convenient to touch with the probes at the other side of the motherboard (same via/hole)
It looks in all the photos that 3 solders points of the SPI are not located directly under syscon... are a bit like an intermediate point of a bigger bus, but maybe is a coincidence in some motherboards, im not sure if this rule is valid for all motherboard models



Edit:
Hmmmm, probably is a consequence of the fact that 2 of the SPI RSX pads are located in the most outside border of syscon, so usually there are 2 traces in syscon border that goes directly in "outside" direction, and the third trace next to them

So starting from syscon... we have 3 lines soldered to 2 pads of syscon border that goes together in pararell
At some point the 3 lines goes to 3 vias (holes) to continue at the other side of the motherboard
Thats the suggested solder points of the photos
 
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3034 and 4001 at once still. I can do a deeper dive tomorrow, but I have a date with some video games with some friends for now.

Did any of the experts ever verify I modified my syscon EEPROM correctly?
 
squeept said:
3034 and 4001 at once still...
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To be clear, you took R2153 (10K Ohms) and used it to make the diagonal connection? End result is that R2153 is unpopulated and R2054 is now a 10K Ohm set diagonally to GND, pulling up the voltage High. The 0K resistor that was on R2054 is in the trash, Yes?
 
@M4j0r zecoxao suggested you would be the best person to ask if there would be any potential issues with the 28nm RSX on a CECHA/COK-001. Am I correct in saying that the firmware version would need to support the 28nm RSX? I know that the CECHAs with 40nm RSX that we've found so far list a minverchk of 1.00 still but is that actually correct? The issue I'm wondering is mostly related to how it might affect the ability to use CFW/downgrade to a firmware like 3.55 or any firmware prior to the first introduction of the 28nm RSX.
 
DoublesAdvocate said:
Am I correct in saying that the firmware version would need to support the 28nm RSX?
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Yes.
I know that the CECHAs with 40nm RSX that we've found so far list a minverchk of 1.00 still but is that actually correct
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I don't think that's actually correct since the firmware doesn't change the minimal firmware version based on the rsx version, it just ignores it, which can lead to bricks. And it's not really about the hardware but the rom version.
I talked a bit about the DECR situation here: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/f...cecha-with-40nm-rsx.28069/page-10#post-269389 .
So you either need to check lv1 or just test it.
 
RIP-Felix said:
To be clear, you took R2153 (10K Ohms) and used it to make the diagonal connection? End result is that R2153 is unpopulated and R2054 is now a 10K Ohm set diagonally to GND, pulling up the voltage High. The 0K resistor that was on R2054 is in the trash, Yes?
Click to expand...

Yep :(

I'm thinking either my EEPROM ain't right or the board is bad. Gonna figure out how to order some o' them chips and see what's up.
 
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vyktormvmpay25 said:
What type of board is that?
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I believe the board in the video was a COK-002, it says COK-001 in the corner because the steps for both are very similar and the COK-001 needs an extra step.

M4j0r said:
Yes.

I don't think that's actually correct since the firmware doesn't change the minimal firmware version based on the rsx version, it just ignores it, which can lead to bricks. And it's not really about the hardware but the rom version.
I talked a bit about the DECR situation here: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/f...cecha-with-40nm-rsx.28069/page-10#post-269389 .
So you either need to check lv1 or just test it.
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Okay perfect, thank you for the clarification.
 
squeept said:
47K added, now back to 902120, 403034, and 404001 at once.
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Damn, is hard to believe, i almost could smell the victory when @RIP-Felix mentioned it
What the indonesian guys are doing with that resistors is to copy what sony was doing in the official repair service btw, is not like they invented it, so we should assume is correct
squeept said:
Did any of the experts ever verify I modified my syscon EEPROM correctly?
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In my list, the biggest experts in that syscon firmware rebuilding process are @M4j0r and you :D
Im serious, is nice you went so far and the talks you had with m4j0r in private, i guess eventually you are going to be able to give some "hints & helps" to other people interested in learning how to do it, and eventually the knowledge will be spreaded and someone will make a tutorial, etc... :)

But is very important to have the confirmation that your frankenstein becomes alive, because it would mean the software changes suggested by m4j0r and the steps you made are fine

Incase it doesnt works yet wait a bit, but keep the console intact for some time, maybe @M4j0r finds some free time to review your dump
 
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So the modchip wasn't in stock in some of the markets. The one that had it in stock sadly didn't ship the instructions with it. The chip has now arrived over to a package-forwarding assistant in Indonesia. I should have it here in a few weeks, maybe less.

Luckily through Felix's efforts we now seemingly know every step of installation when it comes to the COK001/002 boards, so there is probably not much more to it.

If all goes according to plan, @vyktormvmpay25 will be testing it earlier than me because I don't have a 40 nm rsx on hands.

Just wondering, has anyone else attempted to make an order? Feel2death was offering some help with the ordering as well. @squeept, @RIP-Felix ?
 
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I'm leaving the frankenstein as is. It's been reworked too much, don't wanna give it any more stress when there still may be a solution for it.

DeadEnd said:
Probably ordered through the same person as me. Here is the photo I got today from my order.

View attachment 32061
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I've got two of my own on the way now, looks like the same board. I may be willing to sacrifice a known working CECHA01 with this kind of breakthrough on the horizon...
 
Nice, I can't wait to see what that chip does to bridge the rsx revisions with Southbridge. Hooefully its something that can easily be duplicated
 
squeept said:
47K added, now back to 902120, 403034, and 404001 at once.
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Are you supremely confident that the reball was successful? Where did that 4001 come from? You didn't remove any of the 47K's did you?

I think I need to make this clear for you guys. This photo is misleading...
rsx-mod-cg-reset-2-png.32005

That 47K resistor is only needed on COK-002 revisions, because it's unpopulated as a cost down measure along with a lot of other unpopulated parts. On COK-001 they are already there. I confirmed this with my dead board. That's what they mean by "only ON (as in, "present/populated") COK-001." It's a small translation error that does make sense, but can be easily misinterpreted the other way around. I feel for non native English speakers out there. This language is a hissing beast! Anyway you only need to populate that 47K resistor if you have a COK-002 board. On a COK-001 both those pads are populated already, and need to be.

DeadEnd said:
Just wondering, has anyone else attempted to make an order? Feel2death was offering some help with the ordering as well. @squeept, @RIP-Felix ?
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Nah, I'm not confident in my ability to reball a console yet. I'm probably more of a customer (or beta tester...hint...beg...please?!) for this service than a DIYer.
 
DeadEnd said:
So the modchip wasn't in stock in some of the markets. The one that had it in stock sadly didn't ship the instructions with it. The chip has now arrived over to a package-forwarding assistant in Indonesia. I should have it here in a few weeks, maybe less.

Luckily through Felix's efforts we now seemingly know every step of installation when it comes to the COK001/002 boards, so there is probably not much more to it.

If all goes according to plan, @vyktormvmpay25 will be testing it earlier than me because I don't have a 40 nm rsx on hands.

Just wondering, has anyone else attempted to make an order? Feel2death was offering some help with the ordering as well. @squeept, @RIP-Felix ?
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure. That looks like a different board than the one in the video I clipped the pics from. The pads could be different. I'm at work now, so I don't have the videos in front of me. Did one of those show these white boards? I'd double check before assuming I have it correct.
 
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