Hacking EZ-FLASH Junior TestFlight

Csolo

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Hi @Csolo, I just tested vanilla crystal started some battles and stay in them for 5, 10 and 15 minutes, and the time is correct always. Please explain me your methodology to try to test if it appears. Cheers.

Also a reminder, because of the method of measuring and saving the RTC have changed in all the test versions, you have to create a new save or it can cause issues.

I did not think about the save file from previous firmware. I will try that troubleshooting technique tomorrow. Thank you for your prompt reply

Update: Yeah, this was the problem. Sorry for causing disinformation. I'm new to this scene of romhacking and flash carts. Everything seems to be working just fine!
 
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RetroKarl

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Hi @drenco, from all the things that I've seen, it seems that this Chinese IPS V2 screen has a really bad power consumption. And as you stated and as I can see, the game is running, the problem is that the screen is not receiving enought power to continue working. Maybe because the system is giving priority to the processor in power delivery over the screen. The reason that EZ Flash Omega is working can be because, even if it sounds weird, the gba consumes more power while playing GB-GBC titles than GBA titles. Extracted from Nintendo official web:

"What is the average battery life?
The average battery life is approximately 15 hours when playing Game Boy Advance games. This is somewhat less when playing Game Boy Color or Game Boy (original) games."

At this point, I don't think that changing the batteries or power source will change anything (without doing any extra mod), as all this components have like a maximum default output for the components. For example, imagine a Global Smarphone wall charger, that have an maximum output of 5V 2A, and I'm using 127V for input from my country. Even if I travel to Europe and plug it to a 220V input I will still just get a maximum output of 5V 2A.

Take into consideration that this system was designed to work with a screen of very low power consumption, so, maybe the Omega + Chinese V2 IPS is on the limit of the console power delivery, but if you add the extra CPU power consumption of playing a GB-GBC game, maybe you are out of the working range.
 
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drenco

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Hi @drenco, from all the things that I've seen, it seems that this Chinese IPS V2 screen has a really bad power consumption. And as you stated and as I can see, the game is running, the problem is that the screen is not receiving enought power to continue working. Maybe because the system is giving priority to the processor in power delivery over the screen. The reason that EZ Flash Omega is working can be because, even if it sounds weird, the gba consumes more power while playing GB-GBC titles than GBA titles. Extracted from Nintendo official web:

"What is the average battery life?
The average battery life is approximately 15 hours when playing Game Boy Advance games. This is somewhat less when playing Game Boy Color or Game Boy (original) games."

At this point, I don't think that changing the batteries or power source will change anything (without doing any extra mod), as all this components have like a maximum default output for the components. For example, imagine a Global Smarphone wall charger, that have an maximum output of 5V 2A, and I'm using 127V for input from my country. Even if I travel to Europe and plug it to a 220V input I will still just get a maximum output of 5V 2A.

Take into consideration that this system was designed to work with a screen of very low power consumption, so, maybe the Omega + Chinese V2 IPS is on the limit of the console power delivery, but if you add the extra CPU power consumption of playing a GB-GBC game, maybe you are out of the working range.

I think what you've wrote makes alot of sense i wasn't aware that Officially a GB & GBC game use more battery life than GBA games as logically you would of assumed it would of used less power to run so it must be the far older far less powerful CPU is more power hungry than the GBA architecture, Unfortunately i can see in this thread that EZ Flash haven't responded but have liked comment #452 where the guy is defending them not having to support every mod even though as ive stated in a response they are openly advertising it as working 'Support Gameboy, Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance/SP, even with backlit mods and rechargeable batteries' typical corporate response unfortunately and as a consumer for two of their products i have to say im unimpressed.
 

ghjfdtg

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GB(C) games run on 5V instead of 3.3 and the technology is of course older. I don't think it has anything to do with the GBC CPU. If anything the smaller process should make it more efficient than the original GBC.

While i agree that they can't account for every possible mod you did to your handheld i think you should look at it from this side:
It'sa flashcart trying to imitate original carts so it should try to go as close as possible. But yeah, the FPGA alone is a power hog. Not easy at all.
 

RetroKarl

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I think what you've wrote makes alot of sense i wasn't aware that Officially a GB & GBC game use more battery life than GBA games as logically you would of assumed it would of used less power to run so it must be the far older far less powerful CPU is more power hungry than the GBA architecture, Unfortunately i can see in this thread that EZ Flash haven't responded but have liked comment #452 where the guy is defending them not having to support every mod even though as ive stated in a response they are openly advertising it as working 'Support Gameboy, Gameboy Pocket, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance/SP, even with backlit mods and rechargeable batteries' typical corporate response unfortunately and as a consumer for two of their products i have to say im unimpressed.
I just read the "even with backlit mods" statement, and you're totally right, it can lead to take it for granted that it will work with all of them. But unfotunately not all of them are the same, they have different ways to translate the signal, different components, different power consumptions and different threshold voltage to be able to start working. And I think that just by software is not a fixable thing (I really hope I'm wrong), a big part of power efficency in electronics comes from the hardware itself and the process of manufacture, and I can tell you, power efficient design is not cheap at all (Maybe we're talking that the card can easily cost twice as much as right now, or more...). I think is more likely to find some way to control the power use of that screen that to get the EZFJr to work without another PCB revision of the flash card itself. That sucks, I know :(
I have the 101 screen in my GBA and both my ez flash jr and ez flash Omega have no problems.


Yes, 101 is very good at the Power consumption, I saw one video of "This Does Not Compute" where the AGS 101 gave almost 4 hours more of battery than the original non backlit screen. (Like 20 hrs vs 24 hrs from the 101 in a pair of AA's).

BTW, that's a cool red shell mate. Cheers.
 
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wally86

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I just read the "even with backlit mods" statement, and you're totally right, it can lead to take it for granted that it will work with all of them. But unfotunately not all of them are the same, they have different ways to translate the signal, different components, different power consumptions and different threshold voltage to be able to start working. And I think that just by software is not a fixable thing (I really hope I'm wrong), a big part of power efficency in electronics comes from the hardware itself and the process of manufacture, and I can tell you, power efficient design is not cheap at all (Maybe we're talking that the card can easily cost twice as much as right now, or more...). I think is more likely to find some way to control the power use of that screen that to get the EZFJr to work without another PCB revision of the flash card itself. That sucks, I know :(

Yes, 101 is very good at the Power consumption, I saw one video of "This Does Not Compute" where the AGS 101 gave almost 4 hours more of battery than the original non backlit screen. (Like 20 hrs vs 24 hrs from the 101 in a pair of AA's).

BTW, that's a cool red shell mate. Cheers.

The other thing i really like about the 101 is the color accuracy is perfect because it's the same screen in the GBA SP
 

EZ-Flash2

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As I've mentioned before, in the discussion section of the EZ-Flash Junior product page on the official website, there was a discussion about the backlit mod, which was eventually resolved by the seller replacing a component for them.
 

RetroKarl

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As I've mentioned before, in the discussion section of the EZ-Flash Junior product page on the official website, there was a discussion about the backlit mod, which was eventually resolved by the seller replacing a component for them.
Ohh, I see, yeah, the "DMG backlit - resistor to change voltage" discussion, right? I thought it only applies to the DMG mod, but that's possible, that something similar could solve the issue in GBA. Now the question is, which component has to be replaced by which? :s But that will be a question for the seller/developer/factory of these screens, I guess.
 
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EZ-Flash2

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Ohh, I see, yeah, the "DMG backlit - resistor to change voltage" discussion, right? I thought it only applies to the DMG mod, but that's possible, that something similar could solve the issue in GBA. Now the question is, which component has to be replaced by which? :s But that will be a question for the seller/developer/factory of these screens, I guess.

Yes, that's what I think too, but there are some people who think it's our responsibility and a firmware update will fix it!
 
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drenco

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As I've mentioned before, in the discussion section of the EZ-Flash Junior product page on the official website, there was a discussion about the backlit mod, which was eventually resolved by the seller replacing a component for them.
Your are MISSING the point and Responsibility 'Smart Alec' you have advertised this as working with mods and backlights and yet i have the most common mod for the GBA and yet it doesn't work at all and i know that you was aware of non compatibility issues which your site should of had up listed clearly in the items description to save people like me wasting time and money END OF.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Yea and ones that can't wait and bitch that stuff to be fixed for a new card smh
Bitching NO looking for answers to a product ive bought not working yes definitely Thx.
 

EZ-Flash2

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We've tested enough backlit mods before releasing our product.

BUT, by the fail backlit mods reported in China, the handcraft, the solder-craft also the main reason of the fail reason. the same fail console repaired by experienced mod guru can work with our product flawlessly.
 

ghjfdtg

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What do you mean? As long as there is no short the difference between good and bad solder job is negligible. It's more likely the screens themselves are just bad or use wrong components for cost saving reasons causing more power draw than necessary.

Also yeah, as mentioned above a stronger regulator can help.
 

drenco

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We've tested enough backlit mods before releasing our product.

BUT, by the fail backlit mods reported in China, the handcraft, the solder-craft also the main reason of the fail reason. the same fail console repaired by experienced mod guru can work with our product flawlessly.
But mine was done by an experienced modder who has done many units TBF but it could be a possibility though ive resigned to the fact its not going to work without some sort of hardware modification, incidentally im Not knocking the Junior overall as a flashcart as i happen to think it offers extraordinary value as is your GBA Omega flashcart which is another great product.
 

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