Taito G-NET converts¶
The G-NET (1998) is a "boosted" arcade PlayStation (based on the Sony ZN-2) whose games sit on PCMCIA cards. The security (CAT702) was cracked in 2009: a mod-BIOS lets the games run from standard flash cards (PCMCIA/CF) — the preservation and multi route.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Platform | Taito G-NET (Sony ZN-2 base, PSX) |
| Type | game on PCMCIA card; mod-BIOS + flash cards |
| Difficulty | 🟡 (mod-BIOS + card writing) |
| Suicide? | not "battery", but CAT702 security (bypassed by the mod-BIOS) |
Architecture (multi-PCB)¶
| PCB | Role |
|---|---|
| Sony ZN-2 (motherboard) | PlayStation base: R3000A ~50 MHz, PS1 GPU/SPU, 512 KB OS ROM |
| Taito FC | sound (Panasonic MN1020012A + ZOOM ZSG-2 DSP + TMS57002) + flash ROM |
| Taito CD | PCMCIA card interface (the game media) |
| Communication (option) | networked play |
| Save (option) | saves |
In short an over-specced PS1: more RAM and an in-house sound stage (the ZSG-2, as on other Taito/Namco hardware).
The media: PCMCIA card¶
- Games ship on PCMCIA Type II cards.
- Settings and saves are written back onto the card.
- Changing the original game = changing the card (+ the matching security).
The CAT702 security (and its bypass)¶
- The motherboard carries a CAT702 security chip (the same family as the Sony ZN Capcom & co.); the Taito variant is stamped "TT01".
- Only the BIOS and boot vectors are encrypted — not the game data.
- 2009: security cracked → a mod-BIOS:
- lets you use games on standard PCMCIA/CF flash cards,
- unlocks the motherboard (no more dependence on the original manufacturer).
→ This is the thing that makes the G-NET easy to preserve / to multi: with the mod-BIOS you write your games onto a CF card (via PCMCIA adapter) and boot them directly.
Installing / converting (summary)¶
- Install the mod-BIOS on the motherboard (replaces the original BIOS).
- Prepare a CF card (PCMCIA adapter) with the game image (your dumps).
- Insert the card → the mod-BIOS reads it directly, without the original security.
Bootlegs
Bootleg games circulate with mod-BIOS installs (a list of hacked titles is known). This wiki describes the method (preservation from your cards) — no ROM hosting.
Converting to another game¶
With the mod-BIOS, "converting" = writing another game image onto the CF card and inserting it. Without a mod-BIOS you need the original PCMCIA card + the paired security for the game.
Before / after¶
- Mod-BIOS + CF: a G-NET cabinet runs any game on the platform from a flash card — no more dependence on the original cards.
Where to read more¶
- Arcade Otaku Wiki — Taito G-Net (PCB, PCMCIA, mod-BIOS) — https://wiki.arcadeotaku.com/w/Taito_G-Net
- Arcade-Projects — writing G-NET CF cards, mod-BIOS — https://www.arcade-projects.com/
- Sony ZN / CAT702 kinship: Capcom ZN
Sources & attribution¶
- Arcade Otaku Wiki — Taito G-Net (ZN-2, FC/CD PCB, MN1020012A/ZSG-2/TMS57002, PCMCIA II, 2009 mod-BIOS) — https://wiki.arcadeotaku.com/w/Taito_G-Net
- Arcade-Projects — CAT702/TT01 security, mod-BIOS, CF cards — https://www.arcade-projects.com/
- Internal page: Capcom ZN (same Sony ZN / CAT702 base)
Review & corrections
How this space is used
Spotted a wrong value, an outdated procedure, a chip reference that does not match your board? Say so here, with what you observed (model, board revision, serial number, measurement). Every report is cross-checked against a source before anything changes — an unverifiable correction is published as “reported by …, not cross-checked” rather than silently applied.
Reading is open to everyone; posting requires signing in with Discord. Reports from the wiki's declared reviewers are handled first; anyone else's are read too, but go through a human before anything is changed.