Xband Test Results

Former Xbanders on SNES or Genesis can get in touch with each other here. Also for people who wish to help with the Xband revival project.
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Tryntius
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Xband Test Results

Post by Tryntius »

Ok, so in a prior topic I said I was looking for someone to help me test out something I thought might let two SNES Xbands connect and play Weaponlord. Well user BrAIZy contacted me and we were able to try out my theory, with mixed results. Here is what we were able to discover:

By going to the options screen and entering up, up, down, down, down, right, left, right, left, down, L, you can put the Xband in remote diagnostics screen. It will essentially wait there for a call.
If you call it with a regular phone, then it bring up a prompt telling you someone is calling your phone line and you can press any button to continue waiting for a game. This made me wonder what would happen if I made my Xband dial another one that was at this screen.

In order to do that, I would need to control what phone number the Xband dialed. I have scoured the memory viewer trying to find out where that number is stored, but I cannot find it. Unfortunately, the hex addresses in the memory viewer don’t match up with the hex address on copies of the sram or bios that I can view on my PC. However, I found a work around for the number.

Like most people these days, I don’t have a landline (nor did I want one), but I did get my hands on an old magicjack usb phone line. The service was long since expired, but with a program called GVjack, I was able to reuse it as a phone line. That program works by syncing the magicjack to Gmail account, as Google offers free phone calls in the US (they even give you a free phone number).

Once the Xband dials the server number, I would quickly input the number I wanted it to dial on my PC, and voila the Xband calls whatever number I want. I tested it first with my cell phone and was able to hear my voice in the TV.

BrAIZy reached out to me and procured an Xband and Weaponlord, and after some troubleshooting we got our test done.

When they connect, we can hear an audible handshake. My screen (the dialing xband) will display connecting. After a few moments however, the Xbands freeze up then disconnect. The receiving Xband will display an error message. The top light on the receiving Xband would light up.
While it is a bummer that this theory didn’t pan out, this test gives us this significant piece of information: if we can make a server, ANY Xband can call it without any modification.
BrAlZy
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by BrAlZy »

There's not much more I can say, other than this: My XBAND modem after disconnecting would display either "Error #2 occurred" or "Error #3 occurred." I don't know what either of those mean so if somebody knows what it means that would be great. I know after getting an Error #3 my XBAND completely froze and I had to reset my SNES. My guess is that since the dialing XBAND is supposed to be connecting to a central server, my XBAND was receiving data packets that should be for a server and my XBAND didn't know what to do so it locked up. And in reference to Tryntius saying the top light was lit, I read in the XBAND manual that it means a connection has been made, but that light only lit after receiving an Error #3.
Gamedude38
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Gamedude38 »

This is interesting, and kinda uplifting after all the depressing reads of folks giving up. Honestly surprised that no one else has replied to this. Now I'm curious, does Krazystyle's XBand source code release serve any purpose for this discovery? Not sure if there's any code that can be salvaged to help with possible server matchmaking in the future.
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Xranger60
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Xranger60 »

Gamedude38 wrote:This is interesting, and kinda uplifting after all the depressing reads of folks giving up. Honestly surprised that no one else has replied to this. Now I'm curious, does Krazystyle's XBand source code release serve any purpose for this discovery? Not sure if there's any code that can be salvaged to help with possible server matchmaking in the future.
Unfortunately that source code was for the client software only and was missing the network functions. It looked to be incomplete, possibly by redaction.
Willing to play Bomberman, Duke Nukem 3d, Virtual On, Sega Rally. Send me a PM.
BrAlZy
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by BrAlZy »

Xranger60 wrote:
Gamedude38 wrote:This is interesting, and kinda uplifting after all the depressing reads of folks giving up. Honestly surprised that no one else has replied to this. Now I'm curious, does Krazystyle's XBand source code release serve any purpose for this discovery? Not sure if there's any code that can be salvaged to help with possible server matchmaking in the future.
Unfortunately that source code was for the client software only and was missing the network functions. It looked to be incomplete, possibly by redaction.
I'm pretty sure there is some Genesis server files in the .rar for the XBAND source code. I could be wrong but if the Genesis server files are there, it most likely is incomplete and would need some parts either to be recovered (sadly, highly unlikely) or re-written.
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rush6432
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by rush6432 »

Its great that you're interested in this, however i dont think reviving the xband modem is going to be easy. Even if it did work you would have the issue of people not having land-lines. I extensively hounded (for lack of better words) the original developers and spoke with them about whatever source code they migth have left and i aquired as much as they would give me. Krazystyle released it all to the public which went directly against the original developers wishes.
Last edited by rush6432 on Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Krazystyle
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Krazystyle »

To clear the air on this Rush. I frequently talk to alot of the old catapult crew to this day. Of those people no one seems upset about the free'd project. Alot of the ex-catapult engineers are proud of what they did, and want to see it come to fruition.
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Xranger60
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Xranger60 »

I'd love nothing more than to see Xband come back. In any form.
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rush6432
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by rush6432 »

Krazystyle wrote:To clear the air on this Rush. I frequently talk to alot of the old catapult crew to this day. Of those people no one seems upset about the free'd project. Alot of the ex-catapult engineers are proud of what they did, and want to see it come to fruition.
Im speaking about Kon, he specifically told me that any data i received he would prefer we did not widely distribute it. Which you did...
Last edited by rush6432 on Thu Jul 20, 2017 7:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Krazystyle83
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Krazystyle83 »

I asked Kon directly about this, but I also have new information in regards to checksum on modem connection.
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rush6432
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by rush6432 »

surprised you got ahold of him if that is legit.

Kon told me last it was on a computer in storage and his buddy who had the storage unit was hard to get ahold of. this was years ago.

The xband modem is cool, but archaic at this point and more trouble to get working with bits and pieces and not full source. if you get it working, great more power to you

The partial source shows the packet format for login. this would be a good place to start. weaponlord and maybe doom have embedded patches supposedly but not sure what that truthfully means (if the patch is in the game itself or game just setup to expose joystick values easily)
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Krazystyle83
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Krazystyle83 »

Rush - PM me the best way to contact. I have something for you
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Krazystyle83
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Re: Xband Test Results

Post by Krazystyle83 »

On second thought - I'll drop it in 'that place'
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