Hacking AK2/R4DS Frankencart idea

[Searinox]

My AK2 broke. My R4 still works. Unlikely I can ship it back for a refund due to stupid local posting costs.

So what do I do? I had an R4 and wanted an AK2 for the sake of SDHC support.

Now I have a SDHC cart that is broken and a working cart with no SDHC support. See where this is going?

It's quite an eccentric idea, but if technical details would be known, would it be possible to fit the one chip on the AK2 that has, among other things, SDHC support in place of the R4's chip?

I'm not that worried about the firmware part cause there's lots of hybrid firmware out there.

Anyone here knows a bit of technical detail about the R4 and/or AK2 to tell me if it'd be possible?

 

[Sinkhead]

As far as I know it is most definitely impossible. They are simply two completely different carts, they are far too different to be a simple chip swap...

 

[Searinox]

Some carts out there have almost identical hardware, to the point where firmwares can be swapped. I wouldn't be surprised if a chip inside the AK2 would be compatible with a slot inside the R4.

 

[Destructobot]

It would probably be easier to just fix the AK2 yourself.

 

[Searinox]

Destructobot: I have been whoring it out on the AK official forums to tell me what is wrong with the cart so I can fix it. No response. If I dunno what's wrong I won't be able to fix it. Hoping that whatever IS wrong doesn't have to do with the chip however, I think it could be swapped with the R4's, I just need to know WHICH chip that is now...

 

[Destructobot]

The problems with both bad batches seem like they could be caused by bad solder connections. Looking at pics of the AK2 PCB, it looks like all the components are standard off the shelf parts; it seems unlikely that they would be the cause.

The R4's main chip is not an off the shelf part, it is a custom IC designed specifically for the R4. It is not the same size as the chips on the AK2, and I would bet money that it is not compatible in any way.

 

[CorruptJon]

I highly doubt it could be something simple as if to swap out chip and magically have SDHC support, I mean they are two entirely different carts.