Hacking the Flashback 4 -- looking for info

[skintigh]

I am considering buying a flashback 4 and seeing what I can do to it. I decided to research it online first and I can't find a single picture of it's mainboard or description of the chips it uses. Does anyone have that information or pictures?

 

My goal would be to use a chip reader to extract information from the ROM and the reverse engineer the program in Ida Pro to see what I can work with. But that requires there to be a ROM/PROM, and preferably for it to be accessible (some boards cover them in black sludge).

 

Thanks.

[+Gemintronic]

The great Google is rife with search entries theorizing that the FB4 is just a generic ARM machine running an emulator.

 

Personally, I'd be more interested in seeing if the ROM can be extracted from the Nintendo-on-a-chip Flashbacks and played on a real Nintendo

[skintigh]

The great Google is rife with search entries theorizing that the FB4 is just a generic ARM machine running an emulator.

 

Which is great as I have experience reversing Arm and Thumb. Sadly none of those site say which Arm chip it was, nor include a picture showing which, if any, external ROM is on board and what kind of anti-tamper work they've done.

[iesposta]

The great Google is rife with search entries theorizing that the FB4 is just a generic ARM machine running an emulator.

 

Personally, I'd be more interested in seeing if the ROM can be extracted from the Nintendo-on-a-chip Flashbacks and played on a real Nintendo

They have been extracted.

Played them in: NES.emu

Do you have an NES flash cart?

[yell0w_lantern]

They have been extracted.

Played them in: NES.emu

Do you have an NES flash cart?

Really? Do tell. I have a flash cart.

[iesposta]

They are weird for a number of reasons.

Millipede looks like 2600 Millipede, but there is no sound (in my emulator) and it is slower than the 2600. Really ruins it.

Centipede is there twice. Not 2600-ish. I guess it might be like the 7800 (haven't played 7800 centipede), and the other is similar.

Planet Smashers. Is that a rare 7800 game? It glitches with the score/shields, but has sound. You appear to be shooting rocks, sperm, pink and purple tipped penises, eggs with pink and purple centers, USS Enterprises, and even large ships that look like wombs w/overies. I may have a good imagination, but there is so much that looks sexual.

 

I do not have a Flashback 1.

I have email addresses, one can be found profile page bottom.

[onmode-ky]

Which is great as I have experience reversing Arm and Thumb. Sadly none of those site say which Arm chip it was, nor include a picture showing which, if any, external ROM is on board and what kind of anti-tamper work they've done.

At my website about modern-era plug-n-play game systems, I have a table that reports my findings of what processors are used in what plug-n-play products. My findings for AtGames' Atari FB3 and FB4 were that they were built on AtGames' own ARM implementation, the Titan chip. However, the hardware may have had variants over time, perhaps with significant changes; the AtGames Flashback I was hearing about had a socketed chip that was the Titan, but my first-hand peek at last year's FB64 (which was just a FB4 with fewer games) revealed a board with a glob-top. I can't remember if I saw a second glob-top chip for ROM, but I recall seeing a socketed chip which I assumed was a RAM module.

 

Regarding the Titan, I said it was "AtGames' own," but I suppose it's technically from Digital Media Cartridge. However, DMC and AtGames are so closely related that they're either the same company, two companies with the same parent, or a parent and its subsidiary. For example, AtGames Flashback shipping boxes have "Digital Media Cartridge" printed on them.

 

onmode-ky

 

Edit: I just searched Google for "atari flashback 'titan'" and found some supporting evidence. Here is a YouTube clip showing the FB4's debug mode, and it clearly says "Titan" at the top of the screen. Also, innards from an early version of the FB3 are pictured in this AtariAge forum post from 2011, and the socketed Titan chip is visible in one of the shots.

Edited May 12, 2014 by onmode-ky

[skintigh]

Thanks for all the info!

 

That picture of the FB3 is exactly what I'm hoping for -- those chips are perfect for extracting data. I fear the glob-top... It doesn't make it impossible, it just makes it more annoying than I want to deal with for now.

 

I'm surprised nobody has done a tear down or review of the FB4 showing the chips.

[doctorclu]

They have been extracted.

Played them in: NES.emu

Do you have an NES flash cart?

 

I think that would be hilarious to see all those 2600 games ported to Nintendo like that. I understand the Intellivision games were also Nintendo on a chip as well?

[Bald_Bull_jr]

I think I have a few of these....one is modeled after the 2600 and other like the 7800. Wasn't aware that they held any degree of popularity. (?)

 

They are at the GoodWills and fleas quite frequently....something I should be picking up for you guys?