Any chance of a CDROM2 unit on an FPGA?

[Everblue]

I have been out of touch with the PCE scene for a few years now, so I wondering if there is any project going on which lets you load ISOs off an FPGA or something similar to the Turbo Everdrive but for ISO? It seems we will eventually run out of CD replacement units at one point so I was wondering if anyone has came with alternative solution yet.

Thanks 

[HercTNT]

That i'm aware of no such ability exists outside of emulators for handheld systems. Take the time though to see some of the amazing stuff forum members have created in the few years you have been away. The only thing some of the guys here have not figured out yet (besides what you asked), is how to install a wet bar into a turbo express. At the rate that thesteve and duo-r are going even that will be included within a few weeks

[Everblue]

I didn't mean for handheld systems, but for the normal PC Engine? =)

[MottZilla]

If all games fully utilize the BIOS for loading data from CD-ROM, playing Audio, etc then you could probably rig up a device with a hacked BIOS to load images from fast enough media. If you used the expansion port you could mix in the base audio with the redbook audio and hopefully you'd implement the I think adpcm sound channel that was added by the CD system. On DUO systems it might be a bit more tricky and might require modding if not all the required signals are there.

I don't know of anyone working on any such project but it is possible. Also I would imagine that there is still a healthy supply of suitable replacement parts for repairing CD-ROMs for the PCE.

[Everblue]

So I guess I better get a CD-Rom solution and a PC Engine (which I still don't have!)

[Tatsujin]

EXACTRY!

[Everblue]

LOL o k... by the way is there anyone reliable on these boards to talk to for having a PC Engine modded for RGB with amp?

Cheers

[soop]

There's a few, but BlueBMW was supposed to be making some populated amps.  Still waiting on that though.

[Everblue]

Well I need someone who can mod it for me as I cant even solder =)

[HercTNT]

In the mods section there are a ton of guys that can help you out.

[Everblue]

Thanks... I'll ask there!

[MottZilla]

So I guess I better get a CD-Rom solution and a PC Engine (which I still don't have!)

Well I'm not certain that you couldn't do it with just the HuCard slot. There is a fair chance that you could simulate the CD-ROM via BIOS changes and a new media like SD assisted with a FPGA or something else. The only thing I'm sure of is the DUO lacks any way to directly mix stereo audio with just the HuCard slot. You'd need to hookup to the AV's audio output and mix in the CD system audio.

The point is something could probably be cooked up. The bad thing is that it's less likely to be done when it is so easy to just fix your CD-ROM. But I'd certainly find it interesting if you could just plug something into the Hucard slot and actually run CD games off mass storage media. Maybe eventually it will happen. Also the PC-Engine + Briefcase CD-ROM system I've always thought was awesome looking.

[spenoza]

I'm still waiting for a PCE System on a Chip clone (PCEOAC. There are already free circuit markups and diagrams of the 6502 core, and every single piece of patentable hardware in the PCE or its peripherals should be no longer protected and in the clear. The trouble, of course, is sussing out the little dark corners of hardware functioning. Still, there are skilled enough folks in and around the community that with proper incentive we should probably be able to work something out.

The ideal PCEOAC, in my mind, would be a single chip solution that replicates all the functions of a SuperGrafx and the extra ADPCM chip from the CD unit, combined with an open BIOS that emulates the functions of the SCD BIOS (and possibly is switchable for different BIOS revision clones). It would have a card slot with an option to switch the data lines and ground pin. There would be an SD-Card slot and a separate chip that allows the system to use ISO images to emulate a CD-ROM, since that option would probably actually be cheaper and more reliable than trying to include an actual CD-drive.

The caveat? Even if this thing could be made (it is certainly technically possible, but there are many other barriers), it would probably be about as expensive as getting legit, original hardware. It would have to be made first using some kind of FPGA by some company like Alterra. I don't know that such a thing could ever be as popular as the NES/Genesis/SNES devices currently on the market, so it might never make it from FPGA to an actual mass-produced unit, meaning costs would be unlikely to come down.

The upside, of course, it that it would be good backup for aging hardware, and having those circuit and chip layouts finalized and in working order would help with keeping the community alive even as hardware slowly fails.

[MottZilla]

The PCE doesn't use a 6502 though. Honestly if you have enough money, and it would be a lot, there is nothing stopping you from paying a company/lab to do the work to break it down and make it possible to clone it exactly. I want to see a DUO with SGX support and native S-Video & RGB output as well as Region Switching. That would be nice. But I don't know that we will ever see that. Something more likely is like those FireCore Genesis clones. Essentially it's a device that is just built to run an emulator but it can use real media (cartridges). You could probably build a system like that for the PCE.

[wilykat]

What about keeping the CD base for the main hardware, and using that little CD connector with a CD emulator that runs off SD card?  Seems that little connector is mainly for passing data as read off the CD-ROM, and could be used with SD card with the hardware to handle it.