Namco System 246 Documentation Project

[subbie]

Defor, you owe me a few PMs. =|
(yeah i'm an annoying bastard sometimes)

Stompp,
Defor is right. Tekken 4 games were upgraded via reflashed dongles. Not all games are treated this way but for tekken 4 it is. I've got a B, C & D version (if memory serves me correctly, really hard to find the version i'm missing since most dongles were upgraded).

 

[Stompp]

Ait, I'm just beginning to scratch the surface of the System 2x6 mystery. This thread is a gold mine of info! Thank you guys.

I'm sure that nothing of this is news to any of you but anyway I disassembled my unit and wrote a bit about it on my blog if anyone's interested

Please feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong

 

[DJ Long Cat]

I just got a System 246 and it powers on and I can see the dvd LED blink along with the fan but it doesn't go past a black screen.

When I initially power it on, there are a series of red dots that wave around the screen for a bit then it goes to black. Whats going on with my unit?

Is it possible that a bad DVD drive would cause this snow effect? I'm trying to run a SoulCal 2 on a (I think) Locked DVD drive as it has "SC2" on it.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Bringing this back from the dead a bit, but can you hook up the system 256 to an HDTV with good results?

 

[subbie]

Yes, I'd say so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc8mi5Yx09c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZrImGFpp1g
(Vids I took)

 

[gamemaster14]

I have a system 246 system which I am powering with a pc power supply and have it connected to a vga monitor. I can play Soul Calibur 2 without a problem with the Ps2 controller. I also have Tekken 4, What is the best way to wire up controls to play Tekken 4.

Does anyone know where I can get a Soul Calibur III Arcade Edition disc and dongle?

Just wondering, have the differences between system 246, 256 and super 256 ever been documented. Every site I have ever read says the spec differences are unknown. Thanks for the help.

 

[subbie]

Well, Took me long enough but I finally have SC3 in my collection. Great that the disc is ver B since I already have a loose ver A disc.

Does anyone know where I can get a Soul Calibur III Arcade Edition disc and dongle?

Keep an eye on here or ebay when they randomly turn up. One just did but I end up snagging it.

Just wondering, have the differences between system 246, 256 and super 256 ever been documented. Every site I have ever read says the spec differences are unknown. Thanks for the help.

On a basic level, yes. On a more in depth level no because it would take a bit of hacking to really pull out the difference. The main differences seem to be CPU clock speed is slightly different as a few early games (that don't detect the 246/256 hw difference) tend to have audio that runs at a faster speed (due to timing issues). Most later games build for the difference and ask you to put them in 246+ mode and won't run in 256 mode (if they are a 246 game).

On the 256 vs Super 256. There is no internal difference. It's just a 256 pcb with one of the Gun PCB put inside the case vs being external. TC4 runs just fine on a normal 256.

 

[Stompp]

Yes, I'd say so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc8mi5Yx09c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZrImGFpp1g
(Vids I took)

That looks seriously interesting

I have a T5DR kit incoming that I was planning on running on a pure flat Tosh tri sync. But looking that good on an HD screen deffo opens up some new possibilities.

Btw, does anybody know if T5/T5DR cards can be read with a T6 card reader? Was thinking of swapping out the T5 control panels for T6's since they're (imho) look better.

 

[Stompp]

Well, Took me long enough but I finally have SC3 in my collection. Great that the disc is ver B since I already have a loose ver A disc.

Argh, you were too fast for me, mate Been looking for that one too.

 

[channelmaniac]

I have a thread over on KLOV in the hardware section where folks can list out compatible DVD drives by brand, model, and firmware version.

http://forums.arcade-museum.com/showthread.php?t=248524

 

[Stompp]

Not sure if you have this one in your lists already, channelmaniac. I can't post over at KLOV.

This one came with a 246B/Tekken 4 setup and I have booted SCII on it as well.

 

[subbie]

That looks seriously interesting

I have a T5DR kit incoming that I was planning on running on a pure flat Tosh tri sync. But looking that good on an HD screen deffo opens up some new possibilities.

Over all if you have a nice tv the games look great on them.

Btw, does anybody know if T5/T5DR cards can be read with a T6 card reader? Was thinking of swapping out the T5 control panels for T6's since they're (imho) look better.

Nope. Different tech, you wouldn't even bee able to hook up the T6 reader.

Argh, you were too fast for me, mate Been looking for that one too.

Hehehe. I almost didn't get it since someone got to it before me but took too long to respond to the seller. =D

 

[Stompp]

Thanks subbie for clearing out about the T5/T6- cardreaders

Too bad though, since the T6 panels are so much better looking

 

[DJ Long Cat]

Ok I got another fucking 246 problem.

It boots, I hear beeps, it goes into its JVS test, then grey screen, then black screen and nothing else.

Its Tekken 4 if that helps.

Plox healps

 

[subbie]

I'm going to say media or DVD drive.

You can try making a DVD backup of the disc and seeing if that works. If not possibly consider getting a replacement drive. Tekken is finicky as ***k.

 

[darksoft]

Just a quick question: Has anyone tried booting up a normal PS2 game in a system 246 or system 256? Did it work?

 

[defor]

Will not work- the system is at its core, a PS2, but does not default to reading boot binaries off the optical drive like a PS2. In fact, the drive is not connected to the PS2 part at all- the game boot binary is stored on the memory card dongle, which initializes the rest of the system and loads the media from the ODD or HDD interfaces.

 

[aznxtc]

Does anyone know how the 246 hooks up to the gun I/O 185v for Time crisis 3?..

 

[darksoft]

Will not work- the system is at its core, a PS2, but does not default to reading boot binaries off the optical drive like a PS2. In fact, the drive is not connected to the PS2 part at all- the game boot binary is stored on the memory card dongle, which initializes the rest of the system and loads the media from the ODD or HDD interfaces.

I downloaded a dongle file and it has inside two files of size 8Mb and 256kB. Do you know what are they for?
I understand that the 8Mb is the binary and the other? Is the encryption system the same as in PS2?

 

[subbie]

Does anyone know how the 246 hooks up to the gun I/O 185v for Time crisis 3?..

http://www.namco.co.uk/PDF-manuals/namco-manuals/Time_Crisis_3_SD_Manual.pdf

 

[darksoft]

I heard that some people found a way to clone dongles but not known public. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[defor]

I heard that some people found a way to clone dongles but not known public. Can anyone confirm this?

Quite certain that piracy is one of the topics we want to avoid here.
All the same, 246/256 games are so cheap now for all but Tekken 5 DR and Soul Calibur 3, that the actual cost of cloning dongles is almost cost prohibitive, so go hit up YJ or the forums around here and AO, and buy some cheap stuff.

 

[darksoft]

Quite certain that piracy is one of the topics we want to avoid here.
All the same, 246/256 games are so cheap now for all but Tekken 5 DR and Soul Calibur 3, that the actual cost of cloning dongles is almost cost prohibitive, so go hit up YJ or the forums around here and AO, and buy some cheap stuff.

I agree with you and that's not my question. This system is not supported by Namco at all, so I'm actually interested in knowing the details of the encryption. Anyone can throw some light on this?

 

[lalalanasty]

So I got a pretty good hook up. two readers out pulled out of a T5 cabinet along with the card dispenser. I also got two T5 disk no dongles though so if anyone is looking for a replacement disk I have two.

EDIT: also in the next week be expecting a nice post of all my stuff I bought from YAJ while I was on deployment... it'll be like the christmas I never had

 

[darksoft]

Hi,

I just got a System246 Box and I get a black screen nothing else.

The green WARNING led lights all the time (not blinking) and I noticed that the DVD Drive won't do anything (Even opening the tray or turn on the green LED) if the Data cable is plugged.

I'm powering it with a 350W PC PSU (Max. 10A on 5V and 9A on 12V)+ MAK/Supergun.

Any ideas, where to start from?

EDIT: I just plugged in my cabinet and I get the same, so it shouldn't be a power related ISSUE.