everdrive for SMS and GameGear

[Greg2600]

SG1000/SMS mode is entirely triggered by software, it's just a special video modes set (which was indeed removed on mega drive video hardware) so SG-1000 roms should be directly compatible, no tricks needed.

Beside SG games, there are a few SMS games that don't work on Mega Drive (with real PBC or Everdrive) so having a SMS flash card is very interesting :thumbsup:

Oh yes, good point, forgot about the video modes. You're right, a couple SMS games don't work due to the video mode, on the Genesis. I'm extremely interested in this Everdrive. Might have to finally pull the trigger on a SMS.

Hey Krikzz, can you clarify whether this SMS ED will be usable on both SMS and Game Gear? If so, anyone know what kind of case should be used? Put it in a Game Gear shell? SMS shell?

Also, any thought given to including an FM chip on the SMS ED?

I hear about the Gameboy ED, not sure on my interest there. I have one of those EZFlash IV carts that I can play any GB, GBC, and GBA game on, though the menu software is horrible. It emulates NES, SNES, etc., too. If Krikzz is interested, an NES/Famicom would be a good challenge, but the current RetroUSB PowerPak is really nearly perfect. As for N64, that requires a lot of complexity, and from what I've seen from the guy working on it, is quite an undertaking. Plus the needs for extra chips for lockout, and likely a lot of SRAM to load the game into. I fret to say using an SD card could be quite slow.

[DC_Lov]

i belive that famicom everdrive also will be created, but probably not soon, will see

Great new! I'll keep my fingers cross. :)

I need an alternative to Powerpak , not a fan of monopoly market :P

Also Powerpak doesn't look good on Famicom ( pin adapter + NES Powerpak = too tall / sticking too much from my system)

[StoneAgeGamer]

Hey Krikzz, can you clarify whether this SMS ED will be usable on both SMS and Game Gear? If so, anyone know what kind of case should be used? Put it in a Game Gear shell? SMS shell?

They are two different products. GG and SMS carts are completely different sizes. GG are very small and SMS is closer to the size of Genesis cart.

[Greg2600]

Great new! I'll keep my fingers cross. :)

I need an alternative to Powerpak , not a fan of monopoly market :P

Also Powerpak doesn't look good on Famicom ( pin adapter + NES Powerpak = too tall / sticking too much from my system)

Okay, good point, didn't consider that.

They are two different products. GG and SMS carts are completely different sizes. GG are very small and SMS is closer to the size of Genesis cart.

Oh rats, thought it would be two for the price of 1 on that.

[roycole]

I don't know why you'd want to do that. The EverDrive MD can already load and play SMS games on the genesis, without the need for the power base.

Your right , i was just inquiring on what this new flash cart could or couldnt do i have some sms roms that wont play on genesis everdrive so maybe this flash cart will be more compatible with game play on the sega master system unit.

[BM-Viper]

Your right , i was just inquiring on what this new flash cart could or couldnt do i have some sms roms that wont play on genesis everdrive so maybe this flash cart will be more compatible with game play on the sega master system unit.

I believe if playing SMS games through this cart and a powerbase on the megadrive you'll have the same compatibility issues, as not all SMS games are compatible with with MDs supported video modes and such as someone said earlier in the thread. For full compatibility you'd need to play on an actual MasterSystem.

[roycole]

Cool and thanks for info im gonna have to get me sms off of ebay.

[KRIKzz]

i have not plane to put FM chip on cart.
1) FM have not very low cost
2) hard to buy
3) just some japanese games used it
conclusion: not a rational solution
i not trying to create ultimate solutions, i just tryin to create device with good features by good price

about SD and n64: SD slow speed that is myth. SD can transfer 24mbit/s through spi, so 21sec for load most big n64 rom, 5-10 sec for usual n64 rom. of course SD can not be connected to n64 dirrectly, but for transfer in sram or flash SD speed will be enough

[angelwolf71885]

Wow. Awesome work.


Can't wait for the GB one.

Yeah, I'm really excited for the GB one

im more interested in a GBA ever drive cart because kritz could just have a switch on it to go from GBA mode to GB/C mode

[Greg2600]

i have not plane to put FM chip on cart.
1) FM have not very low cost
2) hard to buy
3) just some japanese games used it
conclusion: not a rational solution
i not trying to create ultimate solutions, i just tryin to create device with good features by good price

about SD and n64: SD slow speed that is myth. SD can transfer 24mbit/s through spi, so 21sec for load most big n64 rom, 5-10 sec for usual n64 rom. of course SD can not be connected to n64 directly, but for transfer in sram or flash SD speed will be enough

That's what I figured re: SMS FM synthesis, which is fine by me. As for N64, the guy currently working on it used CF, but he wound up having to add all this SRAM and such for game saving and loading as well. Seems to be his big holdup is testing/integrating capability to save games as original carts did. His design has resulted in quite a large FPGA. Would you have to install lockout chips taken from old games?

[LeGIt]

If you won't supply the cart with the FM chip, would you considr preparing them so thy are ready to receive it so someone could add thier own FM chip themselves at a later date, or is this not possible?

[APE]

Oh fuck yes.

For FM sound there are schematics to add in FM sound to an American SMS. It's most definitely one of the easier methods but I've had some difficultly sourcing chips.

SMS Power also put out a gender adapter to plug American carts into the expansion slot on Japanese SMS:
http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9116

I have one here but have yet to use it myself.

[LeGIt]

Just read that link of yours - so I guess if someone had an NTSC-J Master System, that adapetr in your link and then plugged the everdrive into the adapter, they could hear the FM sounds? :O

[BM-Viper]

Yup, that's what it looks like to me as well. lets the japanese mastersystem play us games..

[Greg2600]

A Japanese SMS is a ton of money.

[sheath]

This topic got confusing quick. KRIKzz, thank you for making these (plural?) new Everdrives. I will definitely be purchasing the SMS version, as I have already purchased the YM add-on from SMS-power's guru.

The Game Gear Everdrive is also very tempting as I almost never see these games in the wild and would love to test them. This might actually convince me to finish replacing the capacitors on one of my three Game Gears so I can see what the image quality actually was back in the day.

If I may be so bold, I would suggest the product names be something in line with "Masterdrive" and "GameGeardrive". But then I refer to the SNES version as Severdrive, so what do I know.

[Bootay]

Nice Kirkzz!

I am very surprised and excited by this. I have been wanting a SMS cart for my SMS. And now I have to buy a GG. :-)

[goldenband]

The reason I asked about SG-1000 games is because of the BIOS lockout on the US/European SMS, which won't run games if they don't have a special ROM header at $7FF0 (or $3FF0/$1FF0). None of the SG-1000 games have that header (and I think some Japanese and Korean games don't either), but maybe the SMS EverDrive has some way to resolve the issue.

[APE]

Just read that link of yours - so I guess if someone had an NTSC-J Master System, that adapetr in your link and then plugged the everdrive into the adapter, they could hear the FM sounds? :O

Yes. The idea being it adapts American carts to plug into the expansion slot which I'd assume by this is a 1:1 connection with the regular cart slot. For some bloody reason there are American releases that have FM sound that didn't get released in Japan. Why they'd bother developing sound for an add-on that never came out (or maybe it was planned?) is beyond me.

I've still not done the FM mod as stated above but I'd assume it'd work just fine. I don't *think* Bock or Charles MacDonald (whichever one of those two who had them built and shipped them out themselves) still offer these for sale but I can tell you from looking at it that it wouldn't be trivial to build one for yourself. Though the construction on the one they had produced is rock solid with a thick PCB and some very strong, great looking solder joints.

The reason I asked about SG-1000 games is because of the BIOS lockout on the US/European SMS, which won't run games if they don't have a special ROM header at $7FF0 (or $3FF0/$1FF0). None of the SG-1000 games have that header (and I think some Japanese and Korean games don't either), but maybe the SMS EverDrive has some way to resolve the issue.

Dynamic patching of SG-1000 roms? Probably could patch the BIOS, burn it to a compatible chip and solder it in but clearly that is a LOT more work than some code to do it for you. Particularly since it is a great selling point for those interested.

[KRIKzz]

The reason I asked about SG-1000 games is because of the BIOS lockout on the US/European SMS, which won't run games if they don't have a special ROM header at $7FF0 (or $3FF0/$1FF0). None of the SG-1000 games have that header (and I think some Japanese and Korean games don't either), but maybe the SMS EverDrive has some way to resolve the issue.

everdrive can disable all bios checks because sms bios check everdrive OS rom, later cart just can switch between OS rom and game rom. also as option i can run SMS bios before game start.
only need to know how to perform correct sms init. currently some games not work if i jump to game directrly from everdrive menu. aladdin for example.

by the way, as far is i know FM chip ca not be installed in sms cart becaue sms cart port have not audio wires