CoreGrafx CD interface unit query.

[bacteria]

Guys, I have a CoreGrafx. Am I right in saying that I must have an interface and CD ROM to play CD games on the CoreGrafx, or if I wire the CoreGrafx and CD Rom drive together would that save me needing an interface unit? Is the CD Rom a female plug, so instead of wiring, can I just plug it into the CoreGrafx? Any issues with that?

This isn't mine, just a pic of the e-bay item. BTW - ideas to make the CD Rom unit work, from description below??

[esteban]

Answer: I don't know. However...

In addition to any new circuitry that the interface contains (for example, the interface unit contains 2K RAM  for backing up save files), you would need the BIOS (System card 2.01 or 3.01). I know you were focusing on the hardware requirements, but I mention the BIOS because it looks for the 2K RAM--and I am not certain what happens if it doesn't find it. I believe some CD-ROM games will allow you to play, but warn you that you won't be able to save  your progress. Other games, though, might require a minimum amount of space for a save file.

The gurus here can help you, I'm sure.

[bacteria]

It would have been so much better if NEC had just done what many other manufacturers do - customer buys main unit. Customer buys addon (eg CD Rom) complete; not: if you have X you can add Y but only if you have A which by the way needs addon G which isn't built in. 

[Black Tiger]

It would have been so much better if NEC had just done what many other manufacturers do - customer buys main unit. Customer buys addon (eg CD Rom) complete; not: if you have X you can add Y but only if you have A which by the way needs addon G which isn't built in. 

They did do that, they just also offered the Interface Unit separately so that people who already had the CD-ROM for their computer could transition into PCE CD gaming much cheaper. It apparently was a great idea, since the CD-ROM was so succesful.

[bacteria]

Cool.

Does that mean therefore that if they used the PCengine CD ROM drive for their computer that you can mod a computer IDE drive to work on a PCengine CD drive? (if so, how?). Cheap way to have one if you can! Easy enough to power a CD drive, it's just the interface that's the issue I expect?

[Tatsujin]

NEC did anything righter than anyone just possibly could do. offering various of pattern for everyone. do you have already x? then just by y and it works. do you have w, then just buy z, OK. do you have nothing, well then just buy a d, easy, OK!

[Tom]

Cool.

Does that mean therefore that if they used the PCengine CD ROM drive for their computer that you can mod a computer IDE drive to work on a PCengine CD drive? (if so, how?).

 The definition of "mod" an IDE would be more like "create an small microcontroller interface unit to translate the communications coming from the CD base unit's MCU (microcontroller unit), to/from the IDE unit". But if you're gonna do that work, might as well run that link to a PC and have it "serve" a CD image.

 The commands sent to the CD base (interface unit) are SCSI variant, but who knows what the communication protocol is to the drive itself.