KunaiGC. New quicksolder Gamecube modchip. Comes with Swiss baked in.

[FAST6191]

Video

An article
https://www.retrorgb.com/the-kunaigc-is-the-latest-modchip-for-the-gamecube.html

Twatter for the mod maker
Github for the project
https://github.com/kunaigc

https://github.com/citrus3000psi/SD2SP2 for the SD adapter used in the video.

Seems it is going to be being supported by Swiss ( https://github.com/emukidid/swiss-gc , one of the main things gamecube homebrew revolves around these days. https://www.gc-forever.com/wiki/index.php?title=Swiss has a bit more) as well as just running it which could make for an interesting collaboration.

No word on price. I think the numbers on the big CPLD chip are Xilinx XC9536XL, https://uk.farnell.com/xilinx/xc9536xl-10vqg44c/cpld-flash-10ns-100mhz-tqfp-44/dp/2831292 listing for £4.52 a pop. The Winbond I think that is chip is probably flash memory which https://www.digikey.co.uk/en/produc...S5EHViVKAVgAcnHv0hDRkmbPkhEkCgHdJAI2ISAJp1lAA has at £1 and some change per chip. Few boards and a few basic passives on top of that should not make for a very high bill of materials (BOM), however this is low ish volume custom electronics so forgo the usual "take your BOM and double it" rules some go with, though with picoboot breathing down its neck then maybe.

The shuriken for this curious http://retro-system.com/shuriken_attack.htm . IPL = initial program loader, the term used for the Gamecube... let's call it firmware despite that being a potentially dubious term.

Was considering the picoboot thing ( https://gbatemp.net/threads/picoboo...ement-modchip-using-raspberry-pi-pico.614729/ ) for a couple of mine sitting around here but this has me curious.

 

[FAST6191]

Some shops got added to the wiki there.

You want to support our development?​

head over to your favorite shop and order your own KunaiGC

• consoles4you: https://consoles4you.ch/en/kunaigc-mod-chip
• castlemaniagames: https://castlemaniagames.com/products/kunaigc-mod-chip

40 USD appears to be the price, add another 10 for one of them if you want a SD2SP2 as well.

 

[skawo]

Price seems really steep considering how cheap you can get a Picoboot installed.
Also, SD2SP2's don't cost anywhere close to 10 dollars on their own...

 

[SylverReZ]

Seems like PicoBoot is the better option for now.

 

[master801]

Not impressed with the $40 price point.

Even HyperBoot (which is no longer being sold) was priced at $25.

I guess they're charging a premium for being a full CPLD alternative to PicoBoot.

 

[SylverReZ]

Not impressed with the $40 price point.

Even HyperBoot (which is no longer being sold) was priced at $25.

I guess they're charging a premium for being a full CPLD alternative to PicoBoot.

Lets see if someone can dump the CPLD code and put it up online bc I don't see any source code being posted for that matter.

 

[master801]

Lets see if someone can dump the CPLD code and put it up online bc I don't see any source code being posted for that matter.

I doubt it'll be dumpable considering it's a CPLD.

Even the Chinese haven't figured out how to properly dump the FPGA bitstream for GCLoader.

Also, it's a bit funny how this is called Kunai, when an older modchip (not related?) is called Suriken, and the oldest out of the bunch is Ninja.

 

[SylverReZ]

I doubt it'll be dumpable considering it's a CPLD.

Even the Chinese haven't figured out how to properly dump the FPGA bitstream for GCLoader.

Also, it's a bit funny how this is called Kunai, when an older modchip (not related?) is called Suriken, and the oldest out of the bunch is Ninja.

CPLDs are dumpable with a JTAG programmer if it supports that specific chip. I've seen a cheaper alterative around known as "OpenOCD" that lets you use a UART USB serial adapter such as an FTDI. For the chip itself, there's a dedicated page on how to produce your own Shuriken chip: https://retro-system.com/shuriken_attack.htm

 

[Extrems]

Even the Chinese haven't figured out how to properly dump the FPGA bitstream for GCLoader.

But they did, and unlike CPLDs, it's not inside the FPGA but on an external flash chip.

 

[JuanMena]

So much to turn the Cube in a Half Baked Wii?
Aren't Wii's cheaper than $40?

 

[tech3475]

So much to turn the Cube in a Half Baked Wii?
Aren't Wii's cheaper than $40?

GC still has some advantages, such as GBPlayer.

 

[master801]

But they did, and unlike CPLDs, it's not inside the FPGA but on an external flash chip.

By dump I meant not triggering the anti-clone (?) code so it's not a $70 Swiss auto booter afaik.

So much to turn the Cube in a Half Baked Wii?
Aren't Wii's cheaper than $40?

Nintendont does not run some GameCube games properly.

Example: https://github.com/FIX94/Nintendont/issues/997

 

[ManCloud]

Hey guys ^^

No need to dump anything: the sources will be uploaded in the next few days. I'm just a little busy right now (many local holidays and birthdays ).

The board layout as well as the VHDL sources will be available in the github.

Greetings

 

[Extrems]

By dump I meant not triggering the anti-clone (?) code so it's not a $70 Swiss auto booter afaik.

You understand there's some chip-specific programming tied to a unique chip identifier and no dump will fix that?

 

[SylverReZ]

So much to turn the Cube in a Half Baked Wii?
Aren't Wii's cheaper than $40?

Wiis are like 10 bucks at your local thrift store.

 

[ManCloud]

Code and layout is up:
Https://GitHub.com/KunaiGC

 

[SylverReZ]

Code and layout is up:
Https://GitHub.com/KunaiGC

Finally, at long last.

No need to dump anything: the sources will be uploaded in the next few days. I'm just a little busy right now (many local holidays and birthdays ).

The board layout as well as the VHDL sources will be available in the github.

Thank you ManCloud. Btw are you the creator of the KunaiGC?

 

[linuxares]

Code and layout is up:
Https://GitHub.com/KunaiGC

Nice work!

 

[SylverReZ]

Nice work!

If I ever get the chance to pick up a cheap GameCube, then I'm definitely trying this out.

 

[linuxares]

If I ever get the chance to pick up a cheap GameCube, then I'm definitely trying this out.

Haha you and me both since it have so much inbuilt already.
But I've got a Wii plus Dolphin. But never the less, this is awesome to keep the gamecubes alive.