Mega ED on 32x

[we1dont7die]

I am aware that the save state function doesn't work with 32x games, but I wasn't aware that the in game pause menu doesnt function properly when playing on a 32x console. I have tried a few genesis games and when hitting save state or just hitting B, the game crashes and/or you only get the music.

I think it should be known that if you plan on running this thru a 32x, which is what I had planned on doing from the beginning (i didn't really care about not having saves on 32x game), effectively disables the ability to save on genesis games. If this is not the case for others, could I have a faulty board? Having to disconnect 32x for save states to work really sucks

[StoneAgeGamer]

The Genesis VDP is not accessible from the 32X. This is why you can't access the in-game menu or use save states with a 32X attached. This is not a fault of the Mega EverDrive, its just a limitation of the hardware Genesis+32X hardware.

[MottZilla]

Is that really the issue? I think it's more likely that through the 32X certain signals are not there (which I know is true, Master System won't work through it) and maybe those differences are why the Save State and In-Game Menu don't work.

I don't know where you heard the VDP is not accessible through the 32X. He is just talking about playing Genesis games but has his 32X attached. So the 32X isn't even running. But it does affect signals on the cartridge port, which I am guessing is the problem. Only KRIKzz can tell you for sure. He is the only that knows how these features work.

[we1dont7die]

Bummer

[StoneAgeGamer]

Is that really the issue? I think it's more likely that through the 32X certain signals are not there (which I know is true, Master System won't work through it) and maybe those differences are why the Save State and In-Game Menu don't work.

I don't know where you heard the VDP is not accessible through the 32X. He is just talking about playing Genesis games but has his 32X attached. So the 32X isn't even running. But it does affect signals on the cartridge port, which I am guessing is the problem. Only KRIKzz can tell you for sure. He is the only that knows how these features work.

I heard it from KRIKzz. This is exactly what KRIKzz told me:

mega ed can't spy for vdp when it works via 32x, so no way to save vdp state

[we1dont7die]

I have to say though that regardless of this, it's still an amazing device. I'll just set up two genesises....genesii?

[MottZilla]

That's worded a bit different than how you had it. I imagine the reason it can't spy is again related to difference in cart port signals through the 32X.

[StoneAgeGamer]

That's worded a bit different than how you had it. I imagine the reason it can't spy is again related to difference in cart port signals through the 32X.

I said its not accessible, he said you can't spy on it. Not really that different. Either way the point is basically the same.

[MottZilla]

Right, it was just to me the exact way it was worded seemed strange.

[veganx]

After reading all the issues with the 32x, won't be a solution to just port the entire 32x into the FPGA? Would that be possible?

[MottZilla]

No.

[veganx]

because......... ?

EDIT: BTW, if genesis VDP is not accessible via 32x, why not create a menu (all the missing functions) for the 32x VDP?
Just have both.

[KRIKzz]

After reading all the issues with the 32x, won't be a solution to just port the entire 32x into the FPGA? Would that be possible?

impossible to implement 32x in cart, cuz 32x have a lot of colors and own av in/out

if genesis VDP is not accessible via 32x, why not create a menu (all the missing functions) for the 32x VDP?
Just have both.

man, you just don't understand what you offer and why it does not work (:

[APE]

You could implement the entire 32x in a FPGA, but as KRIKzz points out it has it's own A/V I/O which means you'd have to implement the ability for it to take the Genesis audio/video, mix it internally and output it again. Not to mention placing a cartridge connector on the board somewhere and a case that will offer support for the whole thing.

At that point you might as well just buy a 32x. They aren't exactly in short supply nor are they anywhere near as expensive as as an Everdrive currently is. I would also imagine that the price would rise accordingly if it had a 32x implemented on board. A better idea might be to implement a Genesis, 32x and SegaCD onto a single, very powerful FPGA with extra features added to it with improvements such as audio quality. Again I can't imagine it would be cheap and being a niche market it probably wouldn't sell enough units to bring the price down to the ~$100 level that a Genesis, 32x and SegaCD command right now.

Give it 20-30 years and give me a ring.

[veganx]

O.o

Why you guys are so mad at once? I'm just questioning if there's a solution for a problem that will affect everybody, if there ain't one, then it's fine.

[MottZilla]

I didn't elaborate why before. But I wasn't "mad". The most simple answer is look at the 32X. You plug in the RGB video from the Genesis into the 32X, and then take a new video output from the 32X to your TV. Mega EverDrive has no way to connect to the RGB video output of the Genesis, or output video from the cartridge. So it just won't work. The other thing is again to look at the 32X, it is not something you simply clone and call it a day.

[veganx]

I was thinking more about an emulator side. The same way it would be possible to play nes on the genesis, maybe it would be easy to create a 32x emulator on the mega everdrive.
The only reason to own the 32x is to be able to play those 42 games, so if you can play those games on genesis via some kind of emulation, but as I said - and as Krikzz pointed out - I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm sure don't.

[APE]

Even if the Mega Everdrive had enough horsepower to run a 32x emulator I don't think you could simply push/pull data from the Genesis directly and expect the Everdrive side of things to handle everything 32x related.

[MottZilla]

That would never work because as KRIKzz said, the Genesis VDP could never display 32X graphics. The 32X has its own VDP capable of displaying something like 32,000 or more colors at once. And cloning hardware in a FPGA is never "easy". If it were easy there would be cloned Genesis + 32X in one bootleg systems right now.

This whole NES emulator in FPGA for Genesis, doesn't exist right now does it? Pretty sure that was just listed as a possible feature. Who knows if that will ever really be done.

[KRIKzz]

i work over nes in fpga, but i still not sure that mega ed will get this feature