Namco System 246 drive thread

channelmanic

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OK,

Guru has a list, but it's incomplete and doesn't always work. I'm experimenting with different drives and stockpiling a few that work with the 246 to do repairs on the system. These drives were tested with a scratched up Soul Caliber II disc, boot card, and memory card.

Here are drives that WORK:
Samsung Model SD-608B, FW:608BN11
Samsung Model SD-616F, FW:F104
Samsung Model SD-616Q, FW:F401
Toshiba Model SD-M1712, Rom Ver:1808

Here are drives that DO NOT WORK:
Samsung Model SD-616F, FW:F100***
Toshiba Samsung Model SD-616E, FW:F501
Toshiba Samsung Model SD-616E, FW:F503
Toshiba Samsung Model SD-616E, FW:F506

Seems the SD-616E is what is found in Dell computers. I couldn't get this drive to work with multiple revisions of firmware... HOWEVER, I did NOT try the drive in a computer to see if it would read discs at all.

***BUT... You CAN make the SD-616F, FW:F100 work if you upgrade it to version F104. Instead of messing around with opening a computer and trying to flash the drive through software I just desoldered the flash ROM, reprogrammed it, and soldered it back on the drive. Worked like a champ once on F104. :D

If you know of any other drive/firmware combination that works with the System 246, feel free to post it here. It'd be nice to get a better list together.

RJ
 
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I've used LG GH22NP20 in both System 246 computers
and DDR computers.

Unfortunately, like most IDE platforms they are now
out of production.

JD
 
Work or don't work? Do you know the firmware revision? (It's probably on a label on the drive....)

work, pulled from system246 itself.
Toshiba M1712 Rom ver 1004
Toshiba M1612 Rom ver 1004
Toshiba M1802 Rom ver 1036
Toshiba M1502 Rom ver 1012

I've used LG GH22NP20 in both System 246 computers
and DDR computers.

Unfortunately, like most IDE platforms they are now
out of production.

JD

that's why we stocked some dozens of them while available :D
 
I figure this thread would be as good as any System 246 thread to document the ribbon cable that goes from the unit to the I/O board.

Pin 1 must line up the same on both ends of the ribbon cable. If it does not then the unit will boot and run, but none of the controls will work.

This is different than booting with no ribbon cable where it will halt during the boot process and tell you the ribbon is not connected!

It's easy to crimp new cables and I crimped 3 sets tonight... 1 for a unit I'll sell, 1 for a testbed unit, and a 3rd as a spare to sell.
 
My SC2 had a LG model:GDR-8164B rom ver:0l06 in it running for years.
Got a HP GDR-8164B (dont know rom ver, its installed now) off ebay and its been up for a week now.
 
My tekken tag had a Toshiba SD-M1502 that failed

I had a Toshiba SD-M1402 in an old PC here, threw it in and works great!
 
My System 246 has an HP GDR-8136B DVD-ROM drive in it and it works great. (Manufactured Nov 2004)
Firmware: 0B26
 
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My tekken tag had a Toshiba SD-M1502 that failed

I had a Toshiba SD-M1402 in an old PC here, threw it in and works great!

My System 246 has an HP GDR-8136B DVD-ROM drive in it and it works great. (Manufactured Nov 2004)

Please post the firmware version the drive is running. Different firmware may or may not work on these systems!
 
Not meaning to resurrect an old topic, found this topic off of the arcade otaku wiki.

My System 246 had a Asus dvd-E818A3 when I received it. It was a Tekken 4 kit and the drive reads everything.

I even put this drive in my System 256 and it reads the discs a lot better with this drive. I wish I could find another one.
 
I had a Time Crisis 3 lose both drives over the weekend (NJ shore starting
up for the season).

I only had one spare, but also had some Sony DDU1678A drives
from junked Fast and Furious computers. I can confirm that this
drive works perfectly !

JD
 
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