Double Axle European Rom dumping

[Level42]

Hey, as you guys may know, I've got an original Double Axle cab. Since I'm from Europe, I've got the European version of this cab (built by Electrocoin), which is very different from the bulky US cab. I also like the artwork better.

However, I recenty "played" the game on MAME, but I noticed that there are a lot of differences between the US and the European versions. Here's a shot list of things that come to mind:

US: Winners don't use drugs add on start-up
US: Counting cock on top of screen, implying you can race the game on time limits. My European cab lets you race on untill you finish 1,2 or 3rd place, unless the first three cars have finished before you.
My cab has nice speed and RPM meters in the lower left corner, the US rom only indicates speed in text.
The menu selecting tracks is very different indeed. On the US roms, it is possible to select the Crash race (where you need to crash all 9 competitors to win) right away, not on my Cab. This is the "bonus round" when you finished the other tracks.

There could be many more (minor) differences. However, my question, does anybody know if the European version is circulating in rom file ? If not so, I'd like to add it to the MAME community, for completenes sake. Regretfully, the game is not very well emulated in MAME, probably because of the many custom chips on the boards. But it's still worth to save this version for the future.

However, I don't have a ROM reader to read those files, are these expensive and where do I get them ? I am not planning on sending my ROMs long distance with the possiblity that they get lost and render my cab useles....

And of course, second question, can I burn the ROMS from the MAME rom files and play the US version on my cab ?

Also, I cannot find dip switch info anywhere for this game. I guess I will have to experiment to know what they do. Is this always safe ?

[RayB]

Try out Power Wheels first and see how that compares.

[Level42]

Just tried it Ray, but that is almost identical to the US Double Axle, apart from the Japanese language and the missing "Winners don't use drugs" stuff.

My cab is really different from both these roms.

Since this game uses the same hardware system like Chase HQ, would it be possible to burn ROMS of that game and play it on my cab ? Or else the US roms in my cab ?

[paigeoliver]

Here is your best bet. Do 1. of the following.

Buy a ROM reader. Under $100 USD and dump yor own roms.

Or buy a US boardset and send your set off to be dumped.

[Level42]

I guess this would do ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-98D2-USB-Dual-Power-Universal-Willem-EPROM-Programmer_W0QQitemZ7578758111QQcategoryZ4661QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Seems pretty cheap, but I think it supports the EPROM's used in arcade games.

Would this be a good choice ?

[Nipedley]

I was looking at this before too, I have a german Terminator 2 romset. It's not in MAME (at least, not last time I checked), would it be worth dumping this?

[dabone]

Contact Guru and ask is just a rom dump will be accepted.

Usually they want the roms, proms, and anything else on the board that is programmable at the factory.

Guru's status page.

http://www.mameworld.net/gurudumps/


How to leave him a message.

http://www.mameworld.net/gurudumps/comments.html


Later,
dabone

[Level42]

Thanks, nice links !

However, just found out we have an EPROM programmer on my work (DUH !!!) So I guess I will take my PCB to work and read the EPROMs

I was wondering, I see several EPROMS scattered about the boards (http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=657#1628, scroll to the top for the PCB pic), guess I should read all of them ?

Also, on this page there is a list of other games that run on the same hardware platform (Taito Z-system). Is it possible to run other games like Chase HQ when I would burn the EPROMS ? Or are my hopes too high ? Would be very cool to be able to play Chase HQ. The cabs are almost identical (at least the European cabs)

I think at least I should be able to run the US/Japanese version of Double Axle...?