z64 on the n64

[cookiexo1]

I was looking around in my attic the other day and came across one of my old and dusty N64's which I hadn't thought about in ages, And in the bag next to it was a zip disc which sparked my memory that I once had a Z64. Does anyone remember the Z64 add-on? It took zip disc's which stored roms and played them 'through' the 64 console.

Looking through the forum I see there are some threds mentioning about nintendo 64 develpoment, such as DLEdit - I was wondering if anyone had any such games as Id love to try out some good homebrew software from people with a passion for the n64 and design. I do miss this console tee hee ^_^

:dance:

[thamasha69]

Does anyone remember the Z64 add-on?

Ah yes, very neat piece of equipment. I never owned one, but I do own a DrV64Jr (see my avatar pic)...transfer rom to the unit's dram with a parallel cable......fun devices indeed :thumbsup:

[marshallh]

Yea that Z64 was pretty popular back in the day, though unsuited for development of any kind. I have a V64 that I use for coding.

[cookiexo1]

I would be interested in getting a V64 (could be Jr, would be happy) just to see some nice homebrew software on it. Ive seen a few but the prices are too heafty. Anything over £100 for em' is just too much.
Have anyone seen any home coded games worth mentioning - I reckon games like golden eye with other characters would amuse me for quite a while ^_^

:dance:

[ASSEMbler]

You had to be pretty rich to own a Z64 back then.

[Shiggsy]

I paid ~$550 for my first Z64 when it was quite new on the market. My unit was made in December 1997 and I purchased it in February or March (1998) I believe...heh 10 years ago...

Shiggsy

[kammedo]

I paid ~$550 for my first Z64 when it was quite new on the market. My unit was made in December 1997 and I purchased it in February or March (1998) I believe...heh 10 years ago...

Shiggsy

Hehe. time passes eh? Seems yesterday as i played Zelda on my N64...

[cookiexo1]

I paid ~$550 for my first Z64 when it was quite new on the market. My unit was made in December 1997 and I purchased it in February or March (1998) I believe...heh 10 years ago...

Shiggsy

I remember when i bought mine way back when - Had a friend who was 'dealing' in them and had to travel to far from me to north london to get it. I think it mighta been around the same time, still haven't had a chance to dig it out, with christmas n all. will definally put picz up soon

[cookiexo1]

You had to be pretty rich to own a Z64 back then.

i wasn't :crying:

[MottZilla]

I dunno about rich. I recall seeing them listed at 300$ back in the day. That's expensive but doable.

[N64 freak]

I own a Mr.Backup Z64 V2 :icon_bigg.
I can say it's very good and you don't have to be rich you only must have luck. So i got mine for 180$ in complet paking and like new a few months ago.
The good old n64 :lol:.

[N_Sixty_force]

You got a Z64 v2? Apparently, this version is the best of them. I only have a v3, but that is ok. I still use it to play alpha or beta games on the N64. You can have a look at my "N64 Tower (Avantar)", there are all N64 Backup Units ever made (not dev units).

For more infos, you can visit Shiggsy's Place:

http://shiggsy.gbadev.org/section.php?s=n64

He has a nice collection there :)

[DarthCloud]

You got a Z64 v2? Apparently, this version is the best of them. I only have a v3, but that is ok. I still use it to play alpha or beta games on the N64. You can have a look at my "N64 Tower (Avantar)", there are all N64 Backup Units ever made (not dev units).

For more infos, you can visit Shiggsy's Place:

http://shiggsy.gbadev.org/section.php?s=n64

He has a nice collection there :)

Nice tower N Sixty ;) Would be nice if you post the picture in fullsize!

[eastbayarb]

I have an N64 with RGB mod hooked up to my Mitsubishi 37" RGB monitor with Z64 HW 3.0 and CF2IDE + 4GB Compact Flash card with Z64 ROMS on it. Beat that setup!

[Infrid]

Nice tower N Sixty ;) Would be nice if you post the picture in fullsize!
is bigger than this tower O_O
http://www.elitendo.com/n64/index.html

[Flyinghigh]

why is z64 HW 2 better than 3?

[kammedo]

why is z64 HW 2 better than 3?

Yes, i think thats a good question. Let's ask the chip genius! *summons calpis* :lol:

[babu]

I know I've read it somewhere on dextrose before.. but I couldn't remember why.. but according to
http://n64.icequake.net/mirror/slaanesh79/Backup_Units/Z64/Z64.htm

it's because they tried to make the unit cheaper with hw3 so:
"There was a problem with some HW3.0 units where a transistor needed to be replaced to correct freezing problems."

[Speed]

A place here in Georgia has a brand new Z64 for $299 .... worth it?

[kammedo]

A place here in Georgia has a brand new Z64 for $299 .... worth it?

You have to first get the specs.
But 300 bucks is too much imo.

[Calpis]

I think it's worth it if you need a Z64, they aren't available new anywhere else anymore and when they last were available they were $399 from Germany, I believe even without the zip drive.

[eastbayarb]

If you get a Z64 (HW2 hopefully), you should update to the bios that supports CF2IDE adaptors and get yourself a 2gb or larger compact flash card. Zip drives are obsolete now and the convenience of CF is great especially if you have a card reader in your PC

[N64 freak]

@eastbayarb
Your method seems to be be the perfekt :nod:, but he could just use a little 8gig harddrive in the z64. With the harddrive he would have all the roms on the machiene, but he would have a long way to find the rom hes searching.
I think the best method for a collector would be leaving the warranty seal unbroken and just wait untill the zip drive dies ;-).

And that the revision 3 is bad i just can say i have a revision 3 that never froze, overheated or had a problem withe the zip drive.
What means my z64 v3 has an intact warranty seal and works better as the z64 v2 of my friend with an intact warranty seal too.
Thats funny huh a bad build version 3 just beats a good version 2 :thumbsup:.

[Denryu]

I remember this device!
They actually showed it on TV 9 years ago or so, and told everyone what it can do!! :lol:

I wanted to get one, but I couldn't find any for less than 850 DM (~$700)... and I'm not rich...
Then, I got an XChanger GB from BUNG (Game Boy flash stuff) instead. Still works like a charm!

[eastbayarb]

I preffer compact flash over a hard drive since there are no moving parts. Also, since the CF to IDE adaptor allows the compact flash card to be removeable, it is much easier to update since my PC has a card reader. I guess it is just personal prefference. And 2gb is more than enough to fit all my fav N64 titles. I can't stand zip drives.


@eastbayarb
Your method seems to be be the perfekt :nod:, but he could just use a little 8gig harddrive in the z64. With the harddrive he would have all the roms on the machiene, but he would have a long way to find the rom hes searching.
I think the best method for a collector would be leaving the warranty seal unbroken and just wait untill the zip drive dies ;-).

And that the revision 3 is bad i just can say i have a revision 3 that never froze, overheated or had a problem withe the zip drive.
What means my z64 v3 has an intact warranty seal and works better as the z64 v2 of my friend with an intact warranty seal too.
Thats funny huh a bad build version 3 just beats a good version 2 :thumbsup:.

[N64 freak]

Its great to have a cf card in your z64, but as i still have the warranty seal there wont be a cf card or hard drive in there until the zip drive dies :noooo:.

[liquitt]

since everyone is talking about memories...i remember seeing an advertisement in a german n64 magazine (i think it was Big N, or 64power or something) with a price tag of 999 DM...that was like 2 weeks before they got released. insane price for that time! ;)

[mdmx]

since everyone is talking about memories...i remember seeing an advertisement in a german n64 magazine (i think it was Big N, or 64power or something) with a price tag of 999 DM...that was like 2 weeks before they got released. insane price for that time! ;)


you're wrong, it was DM 998,- ;-) I still have that N64 Magazine. It's called 101% Nintendo. It was an Austrian N64 Magazine. As far as I know only one issue was ever printed.

They had several ads about the Doctor V64 and Mr Backup Z64 and even a review about these units. And even Dextrose has an ad in this magazine. Here are some scans:

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/7257/101covercb5.th.jpg (http://img359.imageshack.us/my.php?image=101covercb5.jpg)

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/5631/visoly1fh1.th.jpg (http://img355.imageshack.us/my.php?image=visoly1fh1.jpg) http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/2120/visoly2nx0.th.jpg (http://img60.imageshack.us/my.php?image=visoly2nx0.jpg)

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1727/1011iw9.th.jpg (http://img55.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1011iw9.jpg) http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4361/1012lk2.th.jpg (http://img520.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1012lk2.jpg)

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9206/dextroseho1.th.jpg (http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dextroseho1.jpg)

[marshallh]

hehe, nice post mdmx. I remember seeing that ad while digging through archives of the Dextrose site.

[sanni]

Hi folks,

I've created a small FAQ about the Z64.
If you want you can visit it at: http://www.abload.de/img/faqteq.jpg (http://spartan.free-speicher1.de/z64/)
Some of it is just a collection of quotes and infos I found on the web, other parts I have written myself. It's both in German and English.
You can also post a comment if you want to contribute to the FAQ.

@mdmx I've added your pictures to the FAQ, I hope you don't mind. Do you have more of them? :drool:

[ConsoleFun]

I've created a small FAQ about the Z64.
If you want you can visit it at: http://www.stormrid3rs.de/z64
Great stuff sanni!

Q: Can the Z64 backup official Nintendo development flash carts?
N: No, unfortunately the Z64 somehow does not support these.

[alphagamer]

the z64 is one of the most convenient copiers i have ever seen in my life.

but i have yet to find one for myself for a reasonable price.

they pop up every now and then in ebay, but get kicked out almost as soon.

[sanni]

@consolefun: thx, I've added your suggestion to the faq.

@alphagamer: Just out of curiosity, what would appear to you as a reasonable price?

[alphagamer]

not more than 150€

dont care for the box, i want to use it, not to collect it. it has to WORK.

[ASSEMbler]

Hi folks,

I've created a small FAQ about the Z64.
If you want you can visit it at: http://www.abload.de/img/faqteq.jpg (http://spartan.free-speicher1.de/z64/)
Some of it is just a collection of quotes and infos I found on the web, other parts I have written myself. It's both in German and English.
You can also post a comment if you want to contribute to the FAQ.

@mdmx I've added your pictures to the FAQ, I hope you don't mind. Do you have more of them? :drool:
Just what we need ! More Germans! :DOH:

Willkommen zu assemblergames.com :033:

I just got mine last week off ebay. $15 sniper attack hehe.

[Dark Neo]

Just what we need ! More Germans! :DOH:

Willkommen zu assemblergames.com :033:

I just got mine last week off ebay. $15 sniper attack hehe.

You have called us, and here we are.:lol:

I come from Cologne - Germany.;-)

[alphagamer]

noch ein kölner, cool.

(another one from cologne, cool)

[cez]

Just what we need ! More Germans!
I just got mine last week off ebay. $15 sniper attack hehe.

That's pretty cheap for a German.

[kammedo]

That's pretty cheap for a German.

:lol: indeed

[alphagamer]

yep, most people can just afford to rent one

http://www.rentagerman.de/

[sanni]

Just a short bump to let you know the new address of my z64 faq, since I changed the host and the above link is not reachable anymore.

Now it's: http://www.z64faq.tk/