How do I get Japanese CD-ROM Games to Start?

drzoidberg · 01/14/2013, 08:13 PM

I recently bought an American TG-16 because I heard that the CD-ROM games were region free. HU-card games are working properly on my system, but I can't seem to get the CDs to display video at all.

The CDs spin and a female Japanese voice says this is an he system cd rom, please do not interfere with computer data, etc. Anyways, the same message repeats a second time, then a new message plays. I don't know exactly what the woman is saying, but after she is finished the console plays a beeping tone before switching from track 1 to track 2. After this tone, I hear a very brief noise and nothing else happens. If I skip to any later tracks, the game audio plays properly, but I can't get the game started.

Am I doing something wrong?

jelloslug · 01/14/2013, 08:15 PM

Do you have the correct system card for the game?

jelloslug · 01/14/2013, 08:17 PM

Do you have the correct system card for the game?

drzoidberg · 01/14/2013, 08:20 PM

Quote from: guest on 01/14/2013, 08:15 PMDo you have the correct system card for the game?

Yes, I have a Super System Card 3.0.

http://sadpanda.us/images/1349171-TLMWZB8.jpg

Super System cards aren't region locked, are they? The instructions in the back are in both japanese and english and I've seen these cards used in tg-16s before.

The games I am trying to play are Ys IV, Seirei Senshi Spriggan, and Spriggan Mark 2 Terraform.

I believe I have a japanese super system card. American ones have the tg-16 emblem on the front, right? No wonder I got it for $15.

psychobear · 01/14/2013, 08:31 PM

The system cards are region locked

Tatsujin · 01/14/2013, 08:35 PM

What he said. It's a hucard, therefore it's region locked like any other huey outthere.

drzoidberg · 01/14/2013, 08:42 PM

So at this point, I guess I have three options.

1. Buy super system card for tg-16
2. Buy pc engine
3. Mod tg-16

Based on the prices I'm seeing listed for us super system cards ($200 and over), I guess I should just buy a pcengine since I have a japanese system card already.

The japanese versions are cheaper because the console was more popular than its american counterpart, right?

Is there anything I need to know about the pcengine then?

turboswimbz · 01/14/2013, 08:45 PM

you do in fact have the wrong system card: you have two options - get some sort of converter to use the card in your North American deck or get a PC engine.

you could get a us 3.0 card but it'll cost quite a bit.

drzoidberg · 01/14/2013, 08:57 PM

Quote from: turboswimbz on 01/14/2013, 08:45 PMyou do in fact have the wrong system card: you have two options - get some sort of converter to use the card in your North American deck or get a PC engine.

you could get a us 3.0 card but it'll cost quite a bit.

and where could i get one of these converters?

turboswimbz · 01/14/2013, 09:09 PM

Chop5 here on the forum makes the chopsado - which is the cheapy version. Try asking around for one or pming him.

you can also find traditional converters that go on the outside of the deck for around for sale 70-150 ish. However A better converter would be a region mod, there are some great modders here like Kieth courage. This will vary based on the modder but will cost you much less than the traditional converters in most cases and be much more reliable.

US 3.0 will be $150-$200 from what i've seen recently. a decent pc engine setup will cost anywhere for 125-200 ish as well.

the only routes I suggest personally are the chopsado, region mod or PC engine routes.

psychobear · 01/14/2013, 09:44 PM

If you don't want to mod your TG get a chopsado, but if you are planning on getting Japanese HuCards you would have to remove it and apply, region mod will be a bit cheaper.

You can get a converter from here I believe it's like 100$ shipped
http://www.consolegoods.co.uk/

HercTNT · 01/14/2013, 09:52 PM

Dumb question, but why can't he just buy one of Gameforyou's flash cards and install the japanese system card bios on it. would that in effect do the same thing? and be reasonbly priced and useful for other things?

DragonmasterDan · 01/14/2013, 10:25 PM

Quote from: drzoidberg on 01/14/2013, 08:57 PMand where could i get one of these converters?

As others have mentioned the best way to do this is to get a chopsado from Chop5 and tape it to your Japanese system card. The fact that yours has the HE system logo on it means it's the Japanese version of the card. By comparison I took a quick shot of the two USA region cards. The 2.0 and the US version of the 3.0. http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff85/DragonmasterDan/IMG_20130114_211932.jpg

Since you already have a Japanese 3.0 card the best solution would just be to Chopsado it.

I'm curious how you even got as far as getting the CD-ROM to spin with the wrong region card in there. I would think it would just give you a blank or single solid colored screen.

esadajr · 01/14/2013, 10:48 PM

Quote from: HercTNT on 01/14/2013, 09:52 PMDumb question, but why can't he just buy one of Gameforyou's flash cards and install the japanese system card bios on it. would that in effect do the same thing? and be reasonbly priced and useful for other things?

The Super system card has extra ram on it. Just flashing the system card rom on the GOY card won't do it.

The best bet for the OP is to get the Chopsado.

roflmao · 01/14/2013, 11:13 PM

There are a number of trustworthy folks here on the forums who can mod your current console for far less than $100. I'd recommend you go that route. They can also check the condition of your console's internals and do a cap job if necessary (many need them these days).

I've had personal dealings with thesteve, Keith Courage, chop5, BlueBMW, and I feel I'm leaving someone out, and I've been happy with all of their work.

SNKNostalgia · 01/15/2013, 02:03 PM

Yeah, internal region mods tend to go for around $50 or so if it is the only mod done in one session. I really would just go ahead and do that. No ugly convertors poking out of the HuCard slot. Also, it is more reliable in the long run. While you are at it, get an S-video mod done to it. The S-video mod is cheaper than ever to do these days, due to no more external circuit with an encoder.

HercTNT · 01/15/2013, 08:39 PM

Quote from: esadajr on 01/14/2013, 10:48 PM
Quote from: HercTNT on 01/14/2013, 09:52 PMDumb question, but why can't he just buy one of Gameforyou's flash cards and install the japanese system card bios on it. would that in effect do the same thing? and be reasonbly priced and useful for other things?
The Super system card has extra ram on it. Just flashing the system card rom on the GOY card won't do it.

The best bet for the OP is to get the Chopsado.

Derp, good point, forgot about the ram part.

Keith Courage · 01/15/2013, 09:30 PM

A Black Falcon · 01/16/2013, 05:40 PM

Quote from: SNKNostalgia on 01/15/2013, 02:03 PMYeah, internal region mods tend to go for around $50 or so if it is the only mod done in one session. I really would just go ahead and do that. No ugly convertors poking out of the HuCard slot. Also, it is more reliable in the long run. While you are at it, get an S-video mod done to it. The S-video mod is cheaper than ever to do these days, due to no more external circuit with an encoder.

$50... but do you then need to pay for shipping both ways on top of that? That would add to the cost... but yeah, I really need to get my TG16 region-modded sometime. It definitely seems like the cheapest way to play imports...

The thing is though, I've also got a TG16 CD drive with a dead laser. I've been unable to decide if I could actually fix it myself if I got the laser (maybe, but do I want to spend like $40 or whatever a laser would cost and then not do it right...), or if I should send it to someone, so it's just been sitting around for several years now... I REALLY need to do something about that.

HercTNT · 01/16/2013, 09:17 PM

Tech's here are very reasonable with there pricing.

SNKNostalgia · 01/17/2013, 03:14 PM

Quote from: A Black Falcon on 01/16/2013, 05:40 PM
Quote from: SNKNostalgia on 01/15/2013, 02:03 PMYeah, internal region mods tend to go for around $50 or so if it is the only mod done in one session. I really would just go ahead and do that. No ugly convertors poking out of the HuCard slot. Also, it is more reliable in the long run. While you are at it, get an S-video mod done to it. The S-video mod is cheaper than ever to do these days, due to no more external circuit with an encoder.
$50... but do you then need to pay for shipping both ways on top of that? That would add to the cost... but yeah, I really need to get my TG16 region-modded sometime. It definitely seems like the cheapest way to play imports...

The thing is though, I've also got a TG16 CD drive with a dead laser. I've been unable to decide if I could actually fix it myself if I got the laser (maybe, but do I want to spend like $40 or whatever a laser would cost and then not do it right...), or if I should send it to someone, so it's just been sitting around for several years now... I REALLY need to do something about that.

Even with all of that (region mod, simple s-video mod, laser replacement). You would still pay under $80. You would be surprised how reasonably priced it is to get a few things done when you send your system off to someone here.

It cost me $80 + $10 shipping on my end to get my US Turbo Duo for a complete capacitor replacement, add stereo jacks to the back, tweak CD-Rom laser settings, re-attach the region mod due to me removing it and trying to put it back in during my failed capacitor replacement, removing the external encoder S-video mod and doing the newer simple circuit S-video mod and adding 2 caps to get rid of the jailbarring that video mods tend to show. Very reasonable I say.

A Black Falcon · 01/18/2013, 12:54 AM

Quote from: SNKNostalgia on 01/17/2013, 03:14 PM
Quote from: A Black Falcon on 01/16/2013, 05:40 PM
Quote from: SNKNostalgia on 01/15/2013, 02:03 PMYeah, internal region mods tend to go for around $50 or so if it is the only mod done in one session. I really would just go ahead and do that. No ugly convertors poking out of the HuCard slot. Also, it is more reliable in the long run. While you are at it, get an S-video mod done to it. The S-video mod is cheaper than ever to do these days, due to no more external circuit with an encoder.
$50... but do you then need to pay for shipping both ways on top of that? That would add to the cost... but yeah, I really need to get my TG16 region-modded sometime. It definitely seems like the cheapest way to play imports...

The thing is though, I've also got a TG16 CD drive with a dead laser. I've been unable to decide if I could actually fix it myself if I got the laser (maybe, but do I want to spend like $40 or whatever a laser would cost and then not do it right...), or if I should send it to someone, so it's just been sitting around for several years now... I REALLY need to do something about that.
Even with all of that (region mod, simple s-video mod, laser replacement). You would still pay under $80. You would be surprised how reasonably priced it is to get a few things done when you send your system off to someone here.

It cost me $80 + $10 shipping on my end to get my US Turbo Duo for a complete capacitor replacement, add stereo jacks to the back, tweak CD-Rom laser settings, re-attach the region mod due to me removing it and trying to put it back in during my failed capacitor replacement, removing the external encoder S-video mod and doing the newer simple circuit S-video mod and adding 2 caps to get rid of the jailbarring that video mods tend to show. Very reasonable I say.

Huh, that is quite reasonable pricing... though I don't know if I really need an S-Video mod, I don't have any of those cables for anything and would have to buy them. And then if I was getting it for this I'd then want S-Video cables for all the other systems where that's the best output you can get too... I don't know if it'd be worth the cost.

A replacement for that gear (in the TGCD) that always strips might be a good idea, though... it IS still intact, but it's discolored, so will it break if it's actually used again? That would be quite annoying, if it happened just after getting the laser replaced.