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FOUND (pending tests): Sourcing & programming a new WPC95 security Chip?

Monkeyboypaul

Monkeyboypaul

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Hello,

When i had some acid damage on my AFM CPU the security chip was also damaged...

In my ignorance i simply replaced the chip with another of the same type off eBay. I didn't test it as i was starting to tear the game apart for cleaning.

Thinking & reading about it now, i probably should've got one programmed to match the AFM ROMs...

http://www.flipprojets.fr/SecurityChip_EN.php

This lot sell them over the pond: http://www.shiftedbits.com/contact_us.htm

Anyone know of UK sources or have experience doing this?

Cheers.

@Andrew Stockdale
 
Highly likely, yes.

But they offer preprogrammed chip service on their FAQ page, in the special conditions section:

http://www.flipprojets.fr/Faq_EN.php

"On request, we can provide the programmed PIC 16F57, customized with your serial number"...

I'll email them later, failing any other responses on here.
 
I have had security chip problems on my AFM when I recently tried to install different game EPROMs.

It will not let me put a different game EPROM into the game. It initially boots up, and after trying to set the time and date it comes up with a G10 security error - "Incorrect G10 for this game" - the game then locks up.

I've given up messing about with it and have left the original game EPROM in the machine which works fine.
 
la réponse:

Hello Paul,

We can provide you a customized Security PIC for 35 € (including the programmed chip and shipping costs).
Our service is to provide a way for collectors, to keep their original serial number.
Note that, if you don’t care about keeping your serial number, you can also consider the shiftedBits solution (having a generic serial number like xxx 999999 99999).
If you know your full serial number (as displayed at pinball startup) we can create a Security PIC with the same.
If you only know the partial number (it is printed on labels inside the cabinet), we complement the serial number with 00001.
If you agree, mail us your serial number and send your PAYPAL payment at : davroux.thierry@orange.fr

Best regards.

Thierry.
​
 
Thanks to everyone for digging up all this information. :thumbs:

As you know I have provisionally sold my AFM, so I will leave the 1.13H Freeplay Only game EPROM fitted to the machine. I'll let the new owner know, but as it's the latest version that works best with the ColorDMD it shouldn't matter too much.

It looks like someone in the past has changed the CPU board in my game and has installed a patched game EPROM to get over the security chip problem. I had planned to put the game on site for a while, so wanted the original coin play game EPROM fitted. I tried a couple of 1.1 chips from Andy N that didn't work, and @Paul kindly burnt me a 1.13B chip that also wouldn't work either.
 
As i'm in a hurry to get this; I've ordered a PIC chip from Monsieur Davroux. I've requested it goes straight to @Andrew Stockdale who currently has my game.

If anyone cracks the process and can offer it as a UK-based service in future then please feel free to update this thread,
 
Monkeyboypaul said:
As i'm in a hurry to get this; I've ordered a PIC chip from Monsieur Davroux. I've requested it goes straight to @Andrew Stockdale who currently has my game.

If anyone cracks the process and can offer it as a UK-based service in future then please feel free to update this thread,
Click to expand...
I am looking at finishing off all the soldering this week Paul so perhaps you can come over on Sunday and we can look at powering it up ?
 
Andrew Stockdale said:
I am looking at finishing off all the soldering this week Paul so perhaps you can come over on Sunday and we can look at powering it up ?
Click to expand...

Great stuff - I'll have to get back to you as i think we've got something baby-related in the diary... will check.

I've paid via PayPal & emailed for the chip above, but not had any acknowledgement as yet. Hopefully this won't delay things for you. Also goes to show what a blur we were in back in early 2015! Broken chip? Buy the same one off ebay, it'll work fine. No.
Only now am i getting 'round to selling off some of the crap we bought thinking it was essential.
 
Mise à jour d'aujourd'hui

I check this morning: the PIC is on the way – may be you may receive it, Saturday or Monday (today is the Ascension day and postal services are closed).

No, the Security Pic we send is specific to AFM and not generic (unfortunately, it can’t be).

While, our program is a bit different from the original (that is not published, nor public), it has the same functionalities.

Of course, as the original, it works whatever your PROM version is (so, no problem with a 1.13b).


Basically, a Security Chip has the serial number encoded inside, and communicate it (encrypted) to the program run by the PROM.

The serial number itself, don’t care, but the model number (541 for AFM) does. The internal program running in PROM checks whether the Security Chip return the correct model.

So, you can use the same Security Chip in different pinballs, but they should be the same model (in fact the PROM’s program should match with the Security Chip model encoded).

You can’t use an AFM Security Chip on a Congo (or any other WPC95 models). And vice-versa, the CONGO Security Pic will not work in an AFM.

We indeed, had a project of an “universal Security Pic”, but we stopped it (mostly, due to lack of time).

The idea, was, to analyze the dialog between the PIC and the processor, then returning the correct model number to the CPU. This is possible in theory, but require a more powerful PIC and need an adapter for that.

A bit more complex, and expensive to achieve. We stopped this development and keep only, the basic PIC16F57 release.


Note that, our program has been validated in several WPC-S and WPC-95, with success. Of course, we can’t test it on all models, because we don’t own all WPC pinballs !

Till now, the only little issue we encounter was with the “Tales of Arabian Nights” that had a special multiplex (may be a bug in the PROM) sequence in switch matrix. This has been solved, and our modified program now, works like a charm with this model.


Tested models are displayed in bold on the website, you can notice that the AFM has not been tested on a real pinball (of course, the chip has been tested on a bench, but we can’t guarantee that it’s full OK, until it has been installed on a real pinball). But I’m confident, except the TAN, we never encounter problems and our program works fine with many WPC-95 (NBA, MM, MB, CV…).

Note also that we assume a warranty on our PIC: if your discover an issue, or are unsatisfied, you can return the chip and we refund you (this is why we use Paypal system).


Kind regards.

Thierry.
​
Updating thread to FOUND, pending tests. Still think there's room for a clever sod to do this from within the UK.
 
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