Debugging A Tamagotchi V6/Music Star

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ultraVex

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-ONLY DO THIS IF YOU ARE CAREFUL, EXPERIENCED AND WANT TO ASSIST ME WITH DEBUGGING. ALSO, READ ALL OF THE PART UP TO THE DISCLAIMER-

I was bored today, and I decided to tear into my Tamagotchi Music Star. I had been planning to find out how to debug it for quite a while, and I made some discoveries.

First off, I have NOT found out how to debug the Tamagotchi yet. HOWEVER, I have discovered the DEBUG symbols and the R11 switch, so I must be getting somewhere.

Disclaimer: Taking apart your TMGC will not destroy it unless you have no idea what you're doing. If the rare occasion of your TMGC breaking does occur, don't hold me responsible. Also, don't whine about "how debugging will ruin your Tamagotchi". We've heard it a million times already.

So, I'll put up the details and instructions here.

What you will need:

• Mini-screwdriver set

• A grip cloth or any material that you can hold onto without your hand slipping off (highly recommended)

• A clean, open surface

Now, the V6 is modeled after the V5's circuitboard. This means that you can follow most of the steps for debugging a V5 for the V6 alike. However, I took the liberty of writing down these steps. Enjoy.

1. Take out the screwdrivers and put your Tamagotchi screen-side down.

2. Take the screwdriver and unscrew the main screw counter-clockwise (all screws on the Tamagotchi follow this direction) until it's out. Place the screw in a safe, distinguishable area.

3. Open the back of your Tamagotchi and remove the battery.

4. Now would be a good time to get that grip-able cloth out. Take your screwdriver and gently unscrew the four corner screws (counter-clockwise again). Without the grip cloth, this can be a straining, near-impossible task, and usually will leave you with all four screws intact and two very sore hands.

5. Once the screws are out, place them in a pile and very gently open the inner shell.

6. You'll see the circuitboard--but not the debug switch. Instead, aim for the four screws in the corners of the circuitboard. You won't need the grip cloth for this one, just go as you please.

7. Once those are out, gently remove the circuitboard and flip it around so you can see the LCD screen.

8. Very important instructions follow: gently take the "background" cardboard out from under the LCD screen. Afterwards, shake out the remaining black plastic border from underneath the LCD screen as well (found mine by accident).

9. Now, you can see the R11 switch and the word DEBUG almost directly underneath the LCD screen, right? But do you also see the pinkish rubber things that are tethering it to the circuitboard? Take your screwdriver and very gently push the LCD screen off from behind. Don't remove it (or the pink things) from the back entirely, just make an aperture big enough for access.

10. Here's the confusing part. After taking off the screen, you can clearly see the DEBUG sign and the R11 switch. But the DEBUG button is simply not there. This strikes me as odd, so could someone with more experience than I do with disassembly try this out as well--and hopefully assist us with the solution?

So close, but no cigar. I hope some smart fellow could pick up where I left off, but for now, this is as close as we're getting.

 
What a predicament. There has to be a DEBUG button somewhere, maybe the "DEBUG" on there is either a leftover from the v5 circuitboard, or a clever distraction from the real DEBUG mode trigger.

 
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I think that the 'debug' is referring to the small dots to the right of it. Maybe you have to connect all of these dots with something to actually debug it. I think... Know that bandai is trying to make it harder for us. If I hadn't promised not to even open up my new tamagotchis, I would probably try for myself if I had a soldering iron

 
-ONLY DO THIS IF YOU ARE CAREFUL, EXPERIENCED AND WANT TO ASSIST ME WITH DEBUGGING. ALSO, READ ALL OF THE PART UP TO THE DISCLAIMER-
I was bored today, and I decided to tear into my Tamagotchi Music Star. I had been planning to find out how to debug it for quite a while, and I made some discoveries.

First off, I have NOT found out how to debug the Tamagotchi yet. HOWEVER, I have discovered the DEBUG symbols and the R11 switch, so I must be getting somewhere.

Disclaimer: Taking apart your TMGC will not destroy it unless you have no idea what you're doing. If the rare occasion of your TMGC breaking does occur, don't hold me responsible. Also, don't whine about "how debugging will ruin your Tamagotchi". We've heard it a million times already.

So, I'll put up the details and instructions here.

What you will need:

• Mini-screwdriver set

• A grip cloth or any material that you can hold onto without your hand slipping off (highly recommended)

• A clean, open surface

Now, the V6 is modeled after the V5's circuitboard. This means that you can follow most of the steps for debugging a V5 for the V6 alike. However, I took the liberty of writing down these steps. Enjoy.

1. Take out the screwdrivers and put your Tamagotchi screen-side down.

2. Take the screwdriver and unscrew the main screw counter-clockwise (all screws on the Tamagotchi follow this direction) until it's out. Place the screw in a safe, distinguishable area.

3. Open the back of your Tamagotchi and remove the battery.

4. Now would be a good time to get that grip-able cloth out. Take your screwdriver and gently unscrew the four corner screws (counter-clockwise again). Without the grip cloth, this can be a straining, near-impossible task, and usually will leave you with all four screws intact and two very sore hands.

5. Once the screws are out, place them in a pile and very gently open the inner shell.

6. You'll see the circuitboard--but not the debug switch. Instead, aim for the four screws in the corners of the circuitboard. You won't need the grip cloth for this one, just go as you please.

7. Once those are out, gently remove the circuitboard and flip it around so you can see the LCD screen.

8. Very important instructions follow: gently take the "background" cardboard out from under the LCD screen. Afterwards, shake out the remaining black plastic border from underneath the LCD screen as well (found mine by accident).

9. Now, you can see the R11 switch and the word DEBUG almost directly underneath the LCD screen, right? But do you also see the pinkish rubber things that are tethering it to the circuitboard? Take your screwdriver and very gently push the LCD screen off from behind. Don't remove it (or the pink things) from the back entirely, just make an aperture big enough for access.

10. Here's the confusing part. After taking off the screen, you can clearly see the DEBUG sign and the R11 switch. But the DEBUG button is simply not there. This strikes me as odd, so could someone with more experience than I do with disassembly try this out as well--and hopefully assist us with the solution?

So close, but no cigar. I hope some smart fellow could pick up where I left off, but for now, this is as close as we're getting.
Click to expand...
I have tooken apart my Tamagotchi Music Star then I studied it for a while I have learned that the background can be changed, its a little cardboard paper I turned it over to the back side and drew my initials on it it still works. I have figured out aa few stuff over time I even switched the Music star to the Familyitchi so it looks like im playing the family version pm me if you have questions.

 
I think that the 'debug' is referring to the small dots to the right of it. Maybe you have to connect all of these dots with something to actually debug it. I think... Know that bandai is trying to make it harder for us. If I hadn't promised not to even open up my new tamagotchis, I would probably try for myself if I had a soldering iron
Click to expand...
DO NOT USE THE SODERING IRON I HAVE TRIED IT AND IT MESSES IT UP.... hehehe I fixed it though and the music wires came off too I fixed that also just with replacement wires.

 
What a predicament. There has to be a DEBUG button somewhere, maybe the "DEBUG" on there is either a leftover from the v5 circuitboard, or a clever distraction from the real DEBUG mode trigger.
Click to expand...
QUOTE (MametchiDylan @ March 11, 2009 05:48 pm)

I think that the 'debug' is referring to the small dots to the right of it. Maybe you have to connect all of these dots with something to actually debug it. I think... Know that bandai is trying to make it harder for us. If I hadn't promised not to even open up my new tamagotchis, I would probably try for myself if I had a soldering iron

DO NOT USE THE SODERING IRON I HAVE TRIED IT AND IT MESSES IT UP.... hehehe I fixed it though and the music wires came off too I fixed that also just with replacement wires.

I have also checked V5 right now I am pulling it out il reply with MORE information.

 
It's good that we're making progress. Unfortunately, I cannot continue with it since I made this topic because my Tamagotchi's screen and speaker cords broke. Oh well. I hope we can keep going with this.

By the way, BeanerRi. Good job with trying to find this stuff out.

 
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It's good that we're making progress. Unfortunately, I cannot continue with it since I made this topic because my Tamagotchi's screen and speaker cords broke. Oh well. I hope we can keep going with this.
By the way, BeanerRi. Good job with trying to find this stuff out.
Click to expand...
Oh really your screen broke I have good news for you if you have another tamgotchi.. change the screens it should work as it did for me sadly my studies are now concluded hehehe... both tamagotchis broke just as I had made a break through for the screen you need to take the metal off and sodder the wires back to place be careful its hot!

 
Oh really your screen broke I have good news for you if you have another tamgotchi.. change the screens it should work as it did for me sadly my studies are now concluded hehehe... both tamagotchis broke just as I had made a break through for the screen you need to take the metal off and sodder the wires back to place be careful its hot!
Click to expand...
Wooow.... I have debugged a v3, v4, v5 and I might have removed the sound things but I could still play with them. I can't believe how unlucky you are. Hopefully, nobody else in this topic ruin their tama! Then, all we would have to do would be how we could have debugged on the tamas we don't have anymore!

 
Wooow.... I have debugged a v3, v4, v5 and I might have removed the sound things but I could still play with them. I can't believe how unlucky you are. Hopefully, nobody else in this topic ruin their tama! Then, all we would have to do would be how we could have debugged on the tamas we don't have anymore!
Click to expand...
heh i got v4.5 now

 
What do you think about covering the right with metal or foil? It would eliminate burning with irons! You would just have to make sure not to cover up the gold part that connects to the pink soft thing and lights up the pixels. When I was first trying to debug my old v3, I found an article that mentioned the 'C strip'. If you look at the the back, the 'debug' is on what would be the c strip if it really matters. I think that the dots to the right of the word debug are supposed to be used, and possibly the R7, C7 and the rest of the little things down next to it, and maybe the R11, R5, R6, and R8! I REALLY don't think that testing and connecting all of them at once will ruin the tama. I got bored of my v3 and v5, so i DID connect all possible spots! It didn't ruin them, but they didn't run properly until I removed the wires/metal. What I mean by saying these things is that if we connect all possible things at once, we can test and then remove one part, test again and remove another and keep testing and rearranging until we actually find the correct combination! I feel pretty confident that that's a great idea, except..... [SIZE=7pt]I did forget to take my A.D.D. pills this morning........ Oh. [/SIZE]Well... I think I'll try it and see if I can figure it out. I have 2 tama v6s, so it's not like I'll lose my last tama. But... I would still rather not lose any... Especially if I get in to trouble with my mom....

Hey! I was wondering if it's possible to change a username. I mean like mine is MametchiDylan and I want it to be... something ELSE... This is off topic, but I've been really upset that I couldn't find a way to ask someone. I REALLY want to change it! I'm not a 'MametchiDylan' kind of person anymore! I've grown and have found a new name. It's actually my second Identity, but nobody knows much about it. Only a few people even know my second name... I'll just say that it has SOMETHING to do with my siggy and avitar. BUT IT ISN'T ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK IN MY SIGGY! It's related to wolves... I'll get a little more close to the 'secret'...: it's not only related to the wolves you can see held in captivity at some zoo...[SIZE=6pt]He's a Werewolf. Jared Huntley.[/SIZE]

Bye!!!

 
You do realise pencil marks conduct electricity, right? So you could just draw on those dots with a pencil to connect them.

 
That could be a possibility, yet I still don't have a V6. IF anyone else cares to try this, I'd encourage it.

Although, be careful.

 
I don't kwow if this works but maybe the word 'debug' is referring to the word itself.

 
I have heard over at Tama Zone that the second wave Music Stars have an actual debug pad somewhere, according to the poster it's the same style as the V1 - V4.5 (A circle cut in half). This, and the date setting being reversed confirms my hunch that the first wave MS Tamas had European circuit boards. I will be buying a second wave Music Star soon and will investigate this finding further. :furawatchi:

 
I think that the 'debug' is referring to the small dots to the right of it. Maybe you have to connect all of these dots with something to actually debug it. I think... Know that bandai is trying to make it harder for us. If I hadn't promised not to even open up my new tamagotchis, I would probably try for myself if I had a soldering iron
Click to expand...
No, those are lead from the other side of the circuit-board to the LCD contacts.

I hope I'm not necromancing since the topic starter said he can't continue on.

 
I have noticed on the circut board, compared to the v5 board, that everything is the same except the one debug switch, which is only on the v5 board and not the v6. Also, there is resister on the F11 switch. I do believe it is impossible to debug, but the question is, how do they test it in the factories if it is impossible? There has to be a way, but I sure can't find it....

 
my friend has a TMGC v6 and she did not ever know anything about debug. so one day she told me something like hey i toke apart my tama and i got to choose a pet i paused surprised with my mouth open and i said did you see the debug button and she said i was about to say that i was like omg but she did not say how she did because she forgot (i think) how to debug. i was jelous well we got at least one kid who knows how but she forgot so your right we are makeing progress

 
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