Topics

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / CD-ROM2 memory]

I've never seen any suggestion that the original CD expansion contained any extra RAM over the base console (8k work + 64k video). How on earth did it manage with such a tiny amount of space to work in? Is 72k enough for a level of a typical game, plus al graphical and sound assets? 

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Differences between Duo and Duo-R?]

I'm currently bidding on a nice-looking Japanese Duo-R for my first (and hopefully only, as I don't want to be in the position of needing another...) NEC system. I read in an old Edge Retro compendium that was released back in 2003 that the PC Engine Duo was actually superior to the Duo-R in some way or other, as it had apparently had some cost-cutting applied to it.

I've been unable to find any specific information though. Anyone know what the practical (i.e. apart from the case design) differences are?

[PCE/TG-16|CD/SGX Discussion / Playing TG16 or PCE with CD in the UK]

I've been here a while but I haven't yet taken the plunge and bought an actual TG16 or PC Engine (yet!). I live in the UK so I have a slight issue with the best way to get hold of a NEC machine and a CD that will work with it.

For a start, it's probably a bit impracticable to have an NTSC machine that outputs over RF. I have a TV that will take NTSC fine but only through one of its SCART sockets. I severely doubt it will accept it over RF. So that's the PC Engine and the US turbo ruled out. It's also this bad boy ruled out. Now, I could instead go for the PCE+CD (or a CD if one comes up) and the CoreGrafx, which I'm hoping will work just dandy with an RCA-to-SCART converter robbed from my Gamecube, but shee-yit, have you seen the price of those things? Also, I want to be able to play US games and I don't think they make those converters in reverse. It would also be even more £££.

So let's say I went with the easy-peasy numpty option and got a PAL-output Turbo Grafx. I would be able to play US chip games to my heart's content but it would be very difficult to connect it to a CD. For a start, there are no US CD machines on UK Ebay, and I am a bit reluctant to bid on US sales where the seller may not be expecting bids from abroad. In fact, CD machines of any kind are quite rare. If I got a Turbo Grafx of either variety though, I don't hold much hope of connecting it to a Japanese CD add-on. I've heard that you can play Japanese games on a US CD machine with a converter for the system card, but what I want is any CD machine that I can find - availability and price are the key things here - and that I can physically connect to whatever console I get.

Duos are pretty scarce too, and very expensive. I can get an ex-display one for £200 from Telegames, but I don't know if it comes with all the right connections. Also I don't much trust only slightly-disguised installations of OsCommerce or Zencart, especially when there's no info on the product description page.

Or perhaps I should just stick to emulation?