Author Topic: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?  (Read 997 times)

mj9123456

  • Guest
SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« on: November 03, 2015, 11:08:49 AM »
From what I gather, no one's gotten very far (or put in much work) on an SD-card or HDD option for the Turbo/PC Engine CD -- something similar to the GDEMU or PSIO. Does anyone have information about a project in the works? Or is this unlikely to ever happen?

ccovell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2245
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2015, 11:11:43 AM »
Unlikely.


(now for the ee's who disagree, time to put in the time for board/mcc layout.)

mj9123456

  • Guest
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2015, 11:14:02 AM »
Unlikely.


(now for the ee's who disagree, time to put in the time for board/mcc layout.)
Do you think it's unlikely because it's not possible, or because not enough people would buy one, or what?

Bernie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4271
    • Facebook URL
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2015, 11:31:13 AM »
I cannot remember who it was, but the guy that did it for the 3DO I believe said he was planning to tackle the Duo next.

pdiggitydogg

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 154
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2015, 11:39:44 AM »
The gent working on sd card units on Dreamcast and Saturns.
GDEMU.WordPress.com

so far it has not been going well.

ccovell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2245
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2015, 05:10:22 PM »
Do you think it's unlikely because it's not possible, or because not enough people would buy one, or what?

If it were technically impossible, I would never use such understatement.

By unlikely, I mean it's a rare case to find the intersection of (1) passion for the PC-E, (2) technical skill and know-how regarding CD drive protocols AND SD / MCC stuff, and (3) free time to bring this device from concept to completion, in a single person.

For example, I have plenty of (1) but lack (2) and (3), and generally if someone has lots of (2) then they have very little (3).

thesteve

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2952
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2015, 06:54:07 PM »
well it would require a loader program similar to the flash carts
the system side interface would be serial data stream on 1 or 2 ports depending on the system used
4 bit status and interface data compliant with the sony CXD1167
in the duo the CXD is switched between data and audio modes, but in the CDR2 it remains in data mode
the rest of the system would remain intact as it would still need to route data to the CORE/PCM/DAC
note the DAC is expecting 1 data line, 1 sync line, 1 bit clock and 1 L/R clock (4 pins)
everything else is controlled by reset, interrupt ,parallel bus or serial data, direction, frame

Bernie

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4271
    • Facebook URL
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2015, 09:34:49 PM »
well it would require a loader program similar to the flash carts
the system side interface would be serial data stream on 1 or 2 ports depending on the system used
4 bit status and interface data compliant with the sony CXD1167
in the duo the CXD is switched between data and audio modes, but in the CDR2 it remains in data mode
the rest of the system would remain intact as it would still need to route data to the CORE/PCM/DAC
note the DAC is expecting 1 data line, 1 sync line, 1 bit clock and 1 L/R clock (4 pins)
everything else is controlled by reset, interrupt ,parallel bus or serial data, direction, frame

This proves I have none of 2......  lol

Gredler

  • Guest
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2015, 03:38:05 AM »
Do you think it's unlikely because it's not possible, or because not enough people would buy one, or what?

If it were technically impossible, I would never use such understatement.

By unlikely, I mean it's a rare case to find the intersection of (1) passion for the PC-E, (2) technical skill and know-how regarding CD drive protocols AND SD / MCC stuff, and (3) free time to bring this device from concept to completion, in a single person.

For example, I have plenty of (1) but lack (2) and (3), and generally if someone has lots of (2) then they have very little (3).

So elegantly stated, and applicable to various facets of this hobby.

ccovell

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2245
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2015, 10:44:07 AM »
Well, it's so common on the interwebs.

I even made a demographic:
:D

spenoza

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2751
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2015, 12:31:23 PM »
The PCE's use of a stripped-down SCSI interface could be helpful, but there's a lot going on that needs mimicked.
<a href="http://www.pcedaisakusen.net/2/34/103/show-collection.htm" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">My meager PC Engine Collection so far.</a><br><a href="https://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">PC Engine Software Bible</a><br><a href="http://www.racketboy.com/forum/" c

imparanoic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 297
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2015, 02:55:54 PM »
while it's unlikely that a sd card drive for pc engine duo ever  be made

what's the next best thing, hacked version or modified or official release of a cd rom drive for retro freak ( retron 5 competitor but it's more versatile and advance than retron 5), download and converted on micro sd card

the bonus is it also plays snes, megadrive, gameboy, famicom, gameboy advance   as well

http://kotaku.com/retro-console-promises-to-play-all-the-games-1705659623

tbone3969

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 792
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2015, 10:35:15 PM »
while it's unlikely that a sd card drive for pc engine duo ever  be made

what's the next best thing, hacked version or modified or official release of a cd rom drive for retro freak ( retron 5 competitor but it's more versatile and advance than retron 5), download and converted on micro sd card

the bonus is it also plays snes, megadrive, gameboy, famicom, gameboy advance   as well

http://kotaku.com/retro-console-promises-to-play-all-the-games-1705659623


Holy shit that system looks nuts.
"There's something out there in those trees and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die."

wilykat

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 908
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2015, 11:44:59 PM »
Retro5 doesn't work with flash cart or some multi-rom carts. The issue is because it's emulator machine that loads from the cart once, not a clone system that has continuous access to cart like most other systems.

Black Tiger

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11242
Re: SD-card or HDD replacement for CD drive?
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2015, 01:23:42 AM »
It would be a neat novelty, but I'd still rather play proper games as they are supposed to behave. Something like this would still be better than emulation or cdrs that don't play right, but as long as I have the ability to play real games with a real CD-ROM and the potential to play working cdrs, it's not something I feel strongly about.
http://www.superpcenginegrafx.net/forum

Active and drama free PC Engine forum