Datel Action Replay PC

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PCB components:

The front side of the PCB, with labels (created by me)


Name Type Manufacturer Name/Value Pins Info
U1 EPROM National Semiconductor NM27C010 32 datasheet
U2 Dual Flip-flop HC74A 14 datasheet
U3 SRAM (8KB) Hyundai HM6264 28 datasheet
U4 SRAM (128KB) Hitachi HM628128LFP 32 datasheet
U5 555 Timer STMicroelectronics NE555 8 datasheet
P1 Programmable Logic Array AMD PALCE20V8Q 24 datasheet
P2 Programmable Logic Array AMD PALCE20V8Q 24 datasheet
P3 Programmable Logic Array AMD PALCE20V8Q 24 datasheet
P4 Programmable Logic Array AMD PALCE20V8Q 24 datasheet
C1 Capacitor
C2 Capacitor
C3 Capacitor
D1 Diode
D2 Diode
R1 Resistor
R2 Resistor
R3 Resistor 1K Ω
J1 Connector DB-9 male


Firmware:

The firmware is 128 kilobytes, separated into 16 8KB Pages. Each page begins with a header that says which page it is, and mentions "(c) 1993 DATEL"

The AREPLAY.COM file has error strings for "Action Replay ram not switchable" and "Replay base address is not being shadowed" which suggests the larger SRAM chip (U4) is being used to shadow the EPROM at runtime.

There was at least one upgrade to the EPROM provided, which involved mailing out a replacement chip to users.


Anti-virus functionality:

The firmware contains the signature of 50 viruses, starting at offset 0x164D8.

Each name is proceeded by an 0xFE character, can be up to 26 letters long, and is padded with spaces.

IBM Control

The external "paddle" features a button, switch, and LED. The PCB inside calls it the "Datel IBM Control"

DB9 (female)
Connection Color
1 N/C N/A
2 LED Brown
3 Switch Black
4 Button Blue
5 Ground Green
6 N/C
7 N/C Yellow
8 N/C
9 N/C
Shell N/C Orange

Credits:

The firmware contains credits at offset 4F64: (TODO: See if you can view this from within the program)

                  Action  Replay  v1.3         (c) 1993 DATEL
           Programmer ............................ Simon P.Constable
           Project Manager ......................... Wayne H.Beckett
           Design ................................... Mike J.Connors
           ......................................... Wayne H.Beckett
           Hardware .................................. Roy C.Harding
           Support .................................... Mark Wallace
           .......................................... Damon P.Barwin


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