Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[Ganesha0112]

Hello friends.

I’m here with an oled that have a weird issue.


I install a picofly with a RP2040 tiny. Everything works ok, glitch very fast in 1 or 2 seconds but when I insert a micro sd the console takes a long to glitch and when finally turn on the screen says “failed to run micro sd”. First I think was the micro sd and the game slot.
I change it and the problem persist. Finally decide to change the micro sd to a 512 Samsung Sd and it works fine.
Then I tried with another 128gb sd and the problem return. I formated the SD on FAT32, exfat and nothing I tried another 2 128gb sd and nothing. Only 256 SD and 512 SD cards works.

Any idea what’s happening here?

 

[abal1000x]

Hello friends.

I’m here with an oled that have a weird issue.


I install a picofly with a RP2040 tiny. Everything works ok, glitch very fast in 1 or 2 seconds but when I insert a micro sd the console takes a long to glitch and when finally turn on the screen says “failed to run micro sd”. First I think was the micro sd and the game slot.
I change it and the problem persist. Finally decide to change the micro sd to a 512 Samsung Sd and it works fine.
Then I tried with another 128gb sd and the problem return. I formated the SD on FAT32, exfat and nothing I tried another 2 128gb sd and nothing. Only 256 SD and 512 SD cards works.

Any idea what’s happening here?

Where do you source the 3.3v?

 

[Ganesha0112]

Where do you source the 3.3v?

From the two big caps in the top of the motherboard.

 

[abal1000x]

Jlcpcb butchered the deign I sent them. I went with another fab but the price was steep.

Can you elaborote this, in detail?
I want to make a flex myself in future.

Can you have a picture of it, the design, and the result?

 

[snaker]

Hey guys! Got an OLED with SKHynix, did eMMC reball and with RP2040-zero (3x47Ohm) + FW2.73 I sometimes get slow glitch time (up to 15s and other times 2-3s). Tried adding extra 47 Ohm on CLK and CMD, but the timming did not improve. Once booted, the console works well and the eMMC has the correct speed.

Is this SKHynix "stubborn" or is there some room to improve? What was "weird" as well is that usually I read between 0.450V-0.5V on eMMC (red on GND), but on this console they're around 0.55V.

Do you use flex cable on cpu?

 

[malgamer]

Do you use flex cable on cpu?

if you faced hitachi emmc then you will know what is slow

 

[Phantomas77]

Do you use flex cable on cpu?

Yes, V3 version (with double MOSFET) and I verified before installing it that S, D and G were properly connected/soldered to the flex.

 

[Hassal]

Can you elaborote this, in detail?
I want to make a flex myself in future.

Can you have a picture of it, the design, and the result?

This is my revised one with 3v3 line
Unfortunate I made a fatal assumption about the thickness so the ones I have in possession are pretty much paper waste and stung me hard pricewise.

 

[abal1000x]

This is my revised one with 3v3 line
Unfortunate I made a fatal assumption about the thickness so the ones I have in possession are pretty much paper waste and stung me hard pricewise.

Thats nice design, but i don't think flex could be thats precise.
I assume flex are less precise than pcb, since its flexible.

What is the thickness that you request, and what is the thickness that you received?

I see in jlcpcb around 2weeks ago they have updated feature on flex.
Seems now they support harderner.

 

[Vigintiduo]

Hi guys, I precedently created a different thread about this issue but a guys suggested that I write here even though I didn't use an actual RP2040 board but one of those aliexpress boards that run on rehius' firmware and mimics hwfly appearance.

Installed many chips like this but this time I have an issue on this Erista: after a bit of playing Smash on Sysnand (both stock or cfw) I get greeted with the Error 2002 - 3540. Already tried factory resetting.

Any idea of what could it be? Chip's at fault maybe? Bad connection? eMMC dying? Is there any way to accurately test the eMMC?
Dropping eMMC's info in the attached file

 

[abal1000x]

Hi guys, I precedently created a different thread about this issue but a guys suggested that I write here even though I didn't use an actual RP2040 board but one of those aliexpress boards that run on rehius' firmware and mimics hwfly appearance.

Installed many chips like this but this time I have an issue on this Erista: after a bit of playing Smash on Sysnand (both stock or cfw) I get greeted with the Error 2002 - 3540. Already tried factory resetting.

Any idea of what could it be? Chip's at fault maybe? Bad connection? eMMC dying? Is there any way to accurately test the eMMC?
Dropping eMMC's info in the attached file

Try the Benchmark.

 

[Vigintiduo]

Try the Benchmark.

Still looks ok, I guess?

 

[abal1000x]

Still looks ok, I guess?

Yeah thats normal

Post automatically merged: Sep 14, 2023

Still looks ok, I guess?

If its rp2040 i will recommend you to use the 2.75.
But since its not, you might use it with crossfingers.

 

[Hassal]

Thats nice design, but i don't think flex could be thats precise.
I assume flex are less precise than pcb, since its flexible.

What is the thickness that you request, and what is the thickness that you received?

I see in jlcpcb around 2weeks ago they have updated feature on flex.
Seems now they support harderner.

The thickness I chose was 0.15mm for 2 layers because I wanted to retain a little big of rigidness. My gauge says its around 0.15 but then again my gauge could off. I could probably make it fit if I applied some pressure but that is not something you would want to do on a balled BGA.

Correct thickness should be no more than 0.12mm

Unfortunately I had a bad experience with jlcpcb since their tolerances are quite iffy and after more than a week going back and forth with them I said fudge it. I went directly to pcbway and they made it precisely as I asked no questions asked but they are more expensive than jlcpcb. About pcbway, you need to ask them for quote otherwise you will get burned.

 

[abal1000x]

The thickness I chose was 0.15mm for 2 layers because I wanted to retain a little big of rigidness. My gauge says its around 0.15 but then again my gauge could off. I could probably make it fit if I applied some pressure but that is not something you would want to do on a balled BGA.

Correct thickness should be no more than 0.12mm

Unfortunately I had a bad experience with jlcpcb since their tolerances are quite iffy and after more than a week going back and forth with them I said fudge it. I went directly to pcbway and they made it precisely as I asked no questions asked but they are more expensive than jlcpcb. About pcbway, you need to ask them for quote otherwise you will get burned.

Wow thats kind of precision will make the price goes up bro.

The reason why i avoid making the green adapter connecting the pad between layer directly using via is because thats kind of via is very2 costly.
Reducing the cost is part of the art if you know what i mean.

Even with the same spec, pcbway are way more expensive than jlcpcb.

Post automatically merged: Sep 14, 2023

The thickness I chose was 0.15mm for 2 layers because I wanted to retain a little big of rigidness. My gauge says its around 0.15 but then again my gauge could off. I could probably make it fit if I applied some pressure but that is not something you would want to do on a balled BGA.

Correct thickness should be no more than 0.12mm

Unfortunately I had a bad experience with jlcpcb since their tolerances are quite iffy and after more than a week going back and forth with them I said fudge it. I went directly to pcbway and they made it precisely as I asked no questions asked but they are more expensive than jlcpcb. About pcbway, you need to ask them for quote otherwise you will get burned.

From their spec the minimum thickness they have is 0.11mm, have you tried that?

 

[Vigintiduo]

Yeah thats normal

Post automatically merged: Sep 14, 2023

If its rp2040 i will recommend you to use the 2.75.
But since its not, you might use it with crossfingers.

I did use 2.75 in the beginning. Then I rollbacked to 2.73 just to try, but still no luck.
Since EmuNAND is working perfectly, is it safe to assume that the console itself is good?

Because in that case the only thing that comes to my mind is that the eMMC connector on the chip might be faulty.
Is it safe to turn on the Switch with the flex cable still soldered but not going into the chip? Just to try if it works properly without the chip

 

[abal1000x]

I did use 2.75 in the beginning. Then I rollbacked to 2.73 just to try, but still no luck.
Since EmuNAND is working perfectly, is it safe to assume that the console itself is good?

Highly probable its about the emmc.

Because in that case the only thing that comes to my mind is that the eMMC connector on the chip might be faulty.
Is it safe to turn on the Switch with the flex cable still soldered but not going into the chip? Just to try if it works properly without the chip

I don't understand.
Do you mean, disconnecting the 3.3V that goes to picofly and place the emmc back to the original slot?

 

[Hassal]

Wow thats kind of precision will make the price goes up bro.

The reason why i avoid making the green adapter connecting the pad between layer directly using via is because thats kind of via is very2 costly.
Reducing the cost is part of the art if you know what i mean.

Even with the same spec, pcbway are way more expensive than jlcpcb.

Post automatically merged: Sep 14, 2023

View attachment 393874
From their spec the minimum thickness they have is 0.11mm, have you tried that?

I don't think it matters to them if you have a via or not. The first one layered deign I sent to them for quote was $100 for 100 pcs. Another identical design was quoted the same amount for 2 layers no cross links but that one 300 pcs instead of 100. This last one I sent for quote brought back $100 for 100 pcs. So their quotation system seems puzzling and pure judgmental.

 

[abal1000x]

I don't think it matters to them if you have a via or not. The first one layered deign I sent to them for quote was $100 for 100 pcs. Another identical design was quoted the same amount for 2 layers no cross links but that one 300 pcs instead of 100. This last one I sent for quote brought back $100 for 100 pcs. So their quotation system seems puzzling and pure judgmental.

I dont quite understand, you send the gerber to some email?

I mean in jlcpcb, i just drag the gerber then configure in there, i could see the price update based on the configuration.
Like this, if we use the ordinary via around 0.55mm it will cost $2

But if we want a more precise one such as via-in-pad, the price will easily goes up $51, like this if i use 0.15mm

 

[Hassal]

I dont quite understand, you send the gerber to some email?

I mean in jlcpcb, i just drag the gerber then configure in there, i could see the price update based on the configuration.
Like this, if we use the ordinary via around 0.55mm it will cost $2
View attachment 393883
But if we want a more precise one such as via-in-pad, the price will easily goes up $51, like this if i use 0.15mm
View attachment 393884

Pcbway not Jlcpcb. I already told you these people will not make this design.
Pcbway have a different quotation system the price can increase during the audit dramatically.