PCE Flash Cards

Paisa49 · 01/03/2008, 11:29 AM

I've been researching Flash cards, and they seem to work quite well. Have any of you had difficulties utilizing these flash cards on TG-16's? Are there any drawbacks to utilizing Flash Cards?

Also, will there be a mass ordering for the 128M cards soon?

D-Lite · 01/03/2008, 11:34 AM

Quote from: Paisa49 on 01/03/2008, 11:29 AMI've been researching Flash cards, and they seem to work quite well. Have any of you had difficulties utilizing these flash cards on TG-16's? Are there any drawbacks to utilizing Flash Cards?

Also, will there be a mass ordering for the 128M cards soon?

I've discussed the 128M cards with some folks and will probably be doing a mass order soon.

I've been using the 64M card on my TG16 and it works fine.

NecroPhile · 01/03/2008, 11:36 AM

My 64Mb version works great in my US Duo, so I don't see why a 128Mb version wouldn't work in a TG-16. The only difficulties that I had were getting the PC software to work properly, but that was due to a combination of user error and poor documentation, not a fault of the hardware.

Paisa49 · 01/03/2008, 11:40 AM

Necro, what difficulties did you have in getting the software to work properly on your computer? Will this only work with a particular version of Windows? I'm thinking of emailing the Turbo List to gauge interest, I'd like to jump in on a mass order.

Also, with these flash cards, can you add and subtract to the card whenever?

nat · 01/03/2008, 12:27 PM

Quote from: Paisa49 on 01/03/2008, 11:40 AMNecro, what difficulties did you have in getting the software to work properly on your computer? Will this only work with a particular version of Windows?

We're all using XP and it works fine. I can't comment on other versions of Windows.

The problems he refers to stems from the fact this package includes the absolute worst fucking documentation/driver bundle I've ever encountered. You get the drivers on these little tiny 3" CD-Rs. If your CD drive can even read them, you are then set up with the amazing task of actually finding the driver for the USB interface. It took me like 45 minutes to get everything installed correctly. The README consists of the following:

Install the driver and software

The End

What they don't tell you is that the CD contains drivers for 639 other flash cart/USB setups so you get the fun task of trial and error. To top it all off, the driver itself is incorrectly named (at least on the CD I got). I had to rename it for it to work with the provided .INF.

It's a good thing Team Neo's ability to create a good flash cart isn't tied to their ability to create a usable driver bundle.

The cart itself is awesome. Just don't use the RESET button.

QuoteAlso, with these flash cards, can you add and subtract to the card whenever?

Yes and no. You can write to the cart whenever you want. But you have to rewrite the entire memory every time. So if you want to remove just one game you just have to re-write everything that was there before except the game you don't want.

It's not a big deal since writing only takes like 20 seconds.

NecroPhile · 01/03/2008, 12:52 PM

Like nat said, the installation instructions blow. I was lucky and had no problems installing the hardware (XP did it automatically), but the software kept telling me that it couldn't find the cart. After several kagillion insertions, it finally found it, so it may have had slightly corroded contacts or maybe I just wasn't jamming it in hard enough (that's what she said).

Ceti Alpha · 01/03/2008, 01:59 PM

I'd be interested in this flash card business. But I know the pain of finding drivers and whatnot. I had to do that with my LG Chocolate Phone. I bought software from eBay that had NO instructions, but it allowed me to download songs without buying the official MP3 player package, which costs twice as much. What a headache.

To top it all off I think it screwed with my phone because my MP3 player doesn't work anymore. Now the phone is sent back on warranty; hopefully they won't realize that I unlocked the phone's port. hehe

OldTurboBastard · 01/03/2008, 02:22 PM

Quote from: ceti alpha on 01/03/2008, 01:59 PMNow the phone is sent back on warranty; hopefully they won't realize that I unlocked the phone's port. hehe

the repair guy at LG is likely a rabid pcengine fan who lurks this forum constantly.....

Ceti Alpha · 01/03/2008, 03:11 PM

Quotethe repair guy at LG is likely a rabid pcengine fan who lurks this forum constantly..... d'oh!

Haha!! That would be just my luck too.

spenoza · 01/03/2008, 04:21 PM

So, how do I get in on an order for one (via a group rather than individually) and what's the cost?

D-Lite · 01/03/2008, 04:53 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/03/2008, 04:21 PMSo, how do I get in on an order for one (via a group rather than individually) and what's the cost?

The cost per unit at 10+ is $119 each before any shipping or fees. What's likely to happen is I'll just flat out buy 10 of the beasts and then make them available.

TurboXray · 01/03/2008, 05:43 PM

I heard a rumor that tototek is coming out with USB only versions of some of their cards.

Rainbow_Bright · 01/03/2008, 07:59 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but is a Flash card just a card that stores roms? So you can download them , and then play them on your Tg16 or Pc engine?

nat · 01/03/2008, 08:00 PM

Yes.

Great for playing JP->Eng game translations that you would otherwise be restricted to playing via an emulator (eww).

Rainbow_Bright · 01/03/2008, 08:03 PM

Oh cool

I should get my hands on one of these suckers!

Paisa49 · 01/04/2008, 12:28 PM

Quote from: TurboXray on 01/03/2008, 05:43 PMI heard a rumor that tototek is coming out with USB only versions of some of their cards.

The tototek flash cards don't look as nice as the ones that neoteam makes. What would be the benefit of purchasing the tototek one over the neoteam one?

kokuryu · 01/04/2008, 05:06 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/03/2008, 12:27 PMWhat they don't tell you is that the CD contains drivers for 639 other flash cart/USB setups so you get the fun task of trial and error. To top it all off, the driver itself is incorrectly named (at least on the CD I got). I had to rename it for it to work with the provided .INF.

Hi! What did you have to rename exactly? A file? A line in the .INF file? And what did you change - from what to what? Thanks in advance!

Personally, I had to hack my registry to make a registry based manual install of the drivers for the SL4 to get it to work - the .INF file way never worked for me with WinXP SP2 and full current patches.

The only other caveat I would say to people is to use a fully wall plug powered USB hub with the NEO units, otherwise, if the port on your computer cannot provide the voltage and current the NEO unit wants during writing (it varies it during the write process) your unit will hang. Having a guaranteed full voltage/current from a fully plug powered hub makes it work like a charm.

MissaFX · 01/04/2008, 06:28 PM

In windows 2000 all you have to do is a normal driver install, which is automatic. It asks you where the driver is, you tell it "cd-rom" and it finds it right away. I suspect it is 100% the case in XP as well.

Plug card into card reader.
Plug card reader into USB port.
Windows automatically discovers the new hardware.
Copy the "NEO PC-E Flash Cart" folder to your HD and you are in business.

nat · 01/04/2008, 09:00 PM

Quote from: kokuryu on 01/04/2008, 05:06 PM
Quote from: nat on 01/03/2008, 12:27 PMWhat they don't tell you is that the CD contains drivers for 639 other flash cart/USB setups so you get the fun task of trial and error. To top it all off, the driver itself is incorrectly named (at least on the CD I got). I had to rename it for it to work with the provided .INF.
Hi! What did you have to rename exactly? A file? A line in the .INF file? And what did you change - from what to what? Thanks in advance!

Quote from: Missa on 01/04/2008, 06:28 PMIn windows 2000 all you have to do is a normal driver install, which is automatic. It asks you where the driver is, you tell it "cd-rom" and it finds it right away. I suspect it is 100% the case in XP as well.

Let me respond to both comments at the same time.

For me, Windows would NOT recognize the driver right away. After pointing Windows at the location where the driver resides, I got the message "SlimLoaderV4.sys not found." My CD has a filed called "SlimLoad.sys" on it, however, that I had to copy out and rename by hand. Apparently there is more than one "version" of these driver CDs because other users are reporting that they do have a file called "SlimLoaderV4.sys" and Windows has been recognizing it straight away.

The problem in my case is that the .INF file Windows looks for on the CD contains a reference to "SlimLoaderV4.sys". That's a problem when a file with that exact name doesn't exist. So I took a stab in the dark and renamed "SlimLoad.sys" accordingly. Luckily it works.

kokuryu · 01/08/2008, 02:23 PM

Mmmm, was another issue with mine then. The drivers were there and correctly named. WinXP would not recognize the .INF file itself as valid. I had to hand create the registry entries to install the drivers for it.

nat · 01/08/2008, 03:24 PM

I think it's safe to say at this point that the driver bundle with the cart is a joke from the drivers themselves right down to the goofy 3" CD-R they used.

Nobody had a consistent experience installing them.

nat · 01/18/2008, 12:11 PM

So I've been using my flash cart on my US Duo for the past month or so since I got it.

Over the weekend I decided to try it out on the core TG-16 (no CD-ROM) I have in my bedroom since I was feeling especially lazy and it sounded good to play a little TG-16 while laying in bed. It doesn't work. I mean, it boots to the blue screen but all the games crash as soon as you start them. Some crash before even making it to the title screen. Some crash on the title screen. The TG16 in question is unmodified internally, although I have a custom-built connector hooked up to the expansion port that pulls composite video and stereo sound straight off the pins back there. I can't fathom how this could possibly have any effect on the flash cart, but there you have it.

My first thought was maybe the flash cart's pins had gotten dirty. No, they are fine. Next I thought maybe somehow it's memory got corrupted so I took it back to the Duo. Nope, on the Duo, everything works 100%. I even played into the English version of Bubblegum Crash for like an hour and a half on the Duo and it worked without a hitch.

My next though was maybe the pins inside inside the cart port on the TG-16 are dirty. So I tried like 60 real HuCards I had on hand and every single one booted fine, first try. I've had this TG-16 for many years and I've never had any trouble like this before.

Has anyone else had any difficulty using these carts on core TG-16s without CD-ROMs?

NecroPhile · 01/18/2008, 01:01 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/18/2008, 12:11 PMHas anyone else had any difficulty using these carts on core TG-16s without CD-ROMs?

I don't have a TG-16 to try it on, but I'll try it on my Express when I get home tonight. Have you tried disconnecting your custom cable and using the standard hook ups? I can't imagine why it would make a shit bit of difference, but it's worth a shot.

nat · 01/18/2008, 01:03 PM

No I haven't.

I'll try it though. But yeah, I can't imagine why that would affect anything.

schnuth · 01/18/2008, 01:36 PM

It works just fine on my TG-16 with Turbo Booster. I'd try disconnecting your cable and trying the RF. I know it doesn't make sense that it wouldn't work with the cable, but it also doesn't make sense that it won't work with my region modded Duo either. This sounds almost exactly what happens when I try to use it with my Duo. It seems that these flash carts are awfully sensitive to the smallest thing. So give it a try and let us know what happens. Good luck!

spenoza · 01/18/2008, 02:43 PM

What about the region detection problem? Will a US unit set to US settings (or unmodified) be triggering the region lockout system? Or is that only encoded at a software level?

jimid2 · 01/23/2008, 01:42 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/18/2008, 02:43 PMWhat about the region detection problem? Will a US unit set to US settings (or unmodified) be triggering the region lockout system? Or is that only encoded at a software level?

I thought the region lock out was entirely physical - two pins switch or something - which is why I can play Japanese PCE ROMs on my TurboExpress using my PCE Flash Card...

My card plays perfectly in both my TG16 and my TurboExpress (and thank God for that!)... I've had one or two hangs during writes, and I've had problems with a couple ROMs, but eventually managed to find working copies in both cases. Over all, however, I'm extremely pleased with mine - I only wish I'd sprung for the 128Mb model...

nat · 01/23/2008, 01:45 PM

Quote from: jimid2 on 01/23/2008, 01:42 PM
Quote from: guest on 01/18/2008, 02:43 PMWhat about the region detection problem? Will a US unit set to US settings (or unmodified) be triggering the region lockout system? Or is that only encoded at a software level?
I thought the region lock out was entirely physical

That's one form. There is another form-- American carts have lockout code in the software that prevent them from being run on Japanese systems even if you switch the pins.

NecroPhile · 01/23/2008, 01:56 PM

Quote from: NecroPhile on 01/18/2008, 01:01 PMI don't have a TG-16 to try it on, but I'll try it on my Express when I get home tonight.

By 'tonight', I musta meant 'some time next week'.

Anyway, I think the flash cart works fine on my Express. I say think because the screen has conked out since last I used it, but the games sound like they're working dandy. Time for some cap replacing, I suppose. Have you tried using plain old RF yet?

nat · 01/23/2008, 01:59 PM

Not yet, but only because the setup in the room that has the TG-16 in question is a real pain in the ass to get behind the TV. I'll do it one of these days when I feel like moving a cabinet and inhaling some dust.

D-Lite · 01/23/2008, 02:16 PM

Worked fine on my TG-16 with or without a Booster. Both Rf and AV work fine with the Flash Cart.

Sounds like user error to me

nat · 01/23/2008, 02:21 PM

Quote from: D-Lite on 01/23/2008, 02:16 PMSounds like user error to me

Be careful there, I'm not some noob that has no idea what's going on.

I'd be happy to post a video clip up. Believe me, it's baffling. I can't explain it. How it works 100% in my Duo and not in my unmodified TG-16 is beyond me.

NecroPhile · 01/23/2008, 03:18 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 02:21 PMBe careful there, I'm not some noob that has no idea what's going on.

Are you going to track D-Lite down and beat him up, or just settle for linking this thread to your blog?

nat · 01/23/2008, 03:23 PM

How about both!?!

MissaFX · 01/23/2008, 04:15 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 03:23 PMHow about both!?!

My first guess if it is not user error would be that maybe something in your console is grounding which shouldn't or something else like this, and the error is not so severe that it disrupts most Hucards. However it is something which is enough to upset this programmable card?

My only other guess is that somehow the data it writes to the card, contained in the flash program has become corrupted in some way, so that when it writes it to the card it ends up errored?

These are both kinda long shots though.

Maybe somehow it is your special custom video out cable too.

NecroPhile · 01/23/2008, 04:44 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 03:23 PMHow about both!?!

I.....just.....wet.....myself.

nat · 01/23/2008, 04:45 PM

Quote from: Missa on 01/23/2008, 04:15 PM
Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 03:23 PMHow about both!?!
My only other guess is that somehow the data it writes to the card, contained in the flash program has become corrupted in some way, so that when it writes it to the card it ends up errored?

Not possible, since I can walk into another room and it plays fine in my American TurboDuo.

Quote from: Missa on 01/23/2008, 04:15 PMMaybe somehow it is your special custom video out cable too.

Coupled with your first theory (grounding), I am thinking this likely has something to do with it. I am grounding my video signal to a specific pin on the expansion port that is supposedly a ground. Before I try RF I'm going to try grounding to a different pin and see if it affects anything.

Turbo D · 01/23/2008, 06:32 PM

is it a turbo booster plus? Maybe thats the problem.

D-Lite · 01/23/2008, 08:17 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 03:23 PMHow about both!?!

The key is under the mat

nat · 01/23/2008, 08:19 PM

Kidding, dude.

D-Lite · 01/23/2008, 11:34 PM

Quote from: nat on 01/23/2008, 08:19 PMKidding, dude.

Haha, I know. But you missed my horrible "Come over to my place

" attempt....

MCalvert1 · 01/31/2008, 12:22 PM

Hey, if anyone is looking to get one of these 64 MB cards, I bought 2 from Bt and decided I only needed 1. The other is still unopened, in it's plastic baggie. I'll sell it for my cost ($85) plus shipping. Anyone interested, message me. Thanks!

MjC

Joe Redifer · 01/31/2008, 09:52 PM

Hey Nat, my purple PCE to TG-16 converter would play all Japanese HuCards fine, but would not see the Arcade Card Pro. I had to cut a trace on the converter and then it worked. Are you using a converter for this flash device? Forgive me, as I have only read this page of the thread.

nat · 01/31/2008, 10:08 PM

No, no converter. I suppose I can forgive you this time.

Joe Redifer · 01/31/2008, 10:29 PM

Well I guess you shouldn't be too tremendously surprised, as most flash card type things are usually cheaply made "hacker quality" products that rely on ancient technology like parallel ports.

nat · 01/31/2008, 11:34 PM

It seems like a pretty good product. I guess what baffles me is that it works great on my Duo 100% of the time but it won't work on a regular TurboGrafx.

Keranu · 02/01/2008, 01:56 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 01/31/2008, 10:29 PMWell I guess you shouldn't be too tremendously surprised, as most flash card type things are usually cheaply made "hacker quality" products that rely on ancient technology like parallel ports.

Hey I wish more products these days used parallel ports! I'm sick of everything using USB now!

GUTS · 02/01/2008, 02:45 AM

What possible reason could you have to want to use a parallel port? That is just insane.

Joe Redifer · 02/01/2008, 04:59 AM

Quote from: KeranuI'm sick of everything using USB now!

I KNOW!!! Convenience sucks ASS!

MissaFX · 02/01/2008, 06:04 AM

If only the flash card required a VLB slot, that would just be super!