The converter thread

[DragonmasterDan]

I figured it might be a good idea to put together a thread where we go over the pluses and minuses of various HuCard converters. Example,

The Diving board converter works well and works in a Duo without breaking off the HuCard door but is long and flimsy.

Chopsado's attach directly to the HuCard and are inexpensive but can be somewhat difficult to apply to the cards.


Does anyone want to add different convertors pluses and minuses (and pictures) so we can better document the different convertors and their strengths and weaknesses?

[wilykat]

Kisado converter and Game Converter and marked with a model number of WH-301

Game Converter doesn't fit well and won't work on some consoles.

[Necromancer]

I have one of the ones from Telegames (murai?), and it pretty much sucks.  The modified pci socket scratches up the bottom side of hueys and it's finicky, requiring the huey to be pulled out or nudged in until it's juuuuust right.

[DragonmasterDan]

Necro: Got a picture of it?

[Necromancer]

Necro: Got a picture of it?

I can take one tonight, but it's the same as this horribly overpriced one.

[vestcoat]

I have one of the ones from Telegames (murai?), and it pretty much sucks.  The modified pci socket scratches up the bottom side of hueys and it's finicky, requiring the huey to be pulled out or nudged in until it's juuuuust right.

It's spelled Mirai. I think it's actually very good, but they need to be cleaned once a year or so. When I got my first one, it consistently worked every time. Over the years, it became more and more difficult to use and I bought a new one. One day I cleaned my old one on a lark and both have worked great ever since. The outside contacts that go into the Duo can be cleaned with a cotton swab, but PCI socket needs an old Genesis or Gameboy system cleaner narrow enough to fit.

[SuperPlay]

I have one of the ones from Telegames (murai?), and it pretty much sucks.  The modified pci socket scratches up the bottom side of hueys and it's finicky, requiring the huey to be pulled out or nudged in until it's juuuuust right.

This is the converter I have.  A word of warning, do not use this converter with the 'PC BOY' PCE system Clone.  I did and now I have a bust cartridge slot on the unit.  The converter pushed back the pins on the consoles card-slot  :-(

Not 100% the converters fault as the card slot on the PC BOY is quite delicate.

[vestcoat]

OK, I took a picture in the same style as the diving board photo. I also used to own a Barney converter. I started a list of some of the others based on what I've seen over the years.

Name: Mirai
Pros: fits in a Duo and Turbo Express, still available from Telegames.uk, one of the cheaper converters (but still expensive)
Cons: tarnishes easily and needs cleaning, PCI slot can rough up the bottom of hucards
History: made by Telegames, sold at TZD in the early 2000's (anyone remember the price? $99? $75?)

Photo: vestcoat

Name: WH-301, A.K.A. the "Barney Converter" (label says "TV Game Converter")
Pros: one of the cheaper converters
Cons: Generally considered to be one of the less reliable converters. Physically incompatible with the Turbo Duo - power switch runs into the plastic housing. Some users have solved this by chopping a hole in the lower-left corner of the case. Many units are missing the top plastic cover.
History: Came packaged in a small box. Called the "Barney converter" because it's purple. Brown models have also been reported.

Name: Kisado
Pros: considered to be the most reliable converter
Cons: expensive
History: Made from a rare sewing machine socket. (IIRC, this was fan-made by Turbolist members, can anyone confirm?)

Name: PC-505
Pros: black
Cons: perhaps the rarest converter. Many units missing top cover
History: discussed here

Photo: hoobs88

Name: Chopsado
Pros: the only affordable converter, reliable
Cons: has to be carefully secured to hucards, fragile
History: designed by Chop5

[wilykat]

History: Made from a rare sewing machine socket. (IIRC, this was fan-made by Turbolist members, can anyone confirm?)

Supposedly by someone on old Turbolist before the mailing list died.

EDIT: a few pictures I found.



The purple Barney converter and box.


and the kisado converter.

[Sadler]

I've got a PC505 as well. Pics for those interested:






It's hard to see in the pic, but one of the screws in the back looks completely different than the other 3.

[Lost Monkey]

Here is my old Kisado. This was by far the best converter I ever had.  I ordered the green diving board one that TTI was selling in the early 90's and it was very temperamental.  I found that there would be a high pitched buzz or whine when using the green diving board that was not present with the Kisado.

I noticed the one in the earlier pic in this thread doesn't have both labels:

[roflmao]

Cool thread.  Here's what Chopsados look like: