Turbo Everdrive 2 as a Super System Card

[Vimtoman]

No point on a Duo-R Duo or Super cdrom2 as they are already have V3.00.
If you load up the original bios onto a V2 everdrive it works, the rams already there.
I use it like this all the time as it saves taking the Everdrive out.

I guess this is only worth doing for any setup that is not native V3.00.

NO!!! Please do NOT do this!!!

Some information has come to light recently that strongly suggests that doing this is a VERY-BAD-THING™.

All indications are that running an un-modified Super System Card image on the TED2 will cause bus-fighting between the TED2 and the built-in 192KB of SCD RAM.

It looks like the SCD RAM wins the fight, and that it works ... but you are putting unusual stresses on both the built-in RAM chip and the TED2's RAM/level-shifters.  That is a bad thing, and may well lead to premature failure of either the TED2 or the console itself.

The patch that I've done fixes the problem so that there is no bus-fighting, and so that it is safe to use the TED2 to run CD games.

It is actually more important for DUO/DUO-R/SuperCDROM owners to use the patch than it is for Briefcase owners to take advantage of the ability to use it as a Super System Card.

See this thread in the Development Section for details of the problem ...

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=20009.msg433149#msg433149

And this thread for the patch itself (now for both Japanese and USA Super System Cards) ...

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=20120.msg436169#msg436169

I have a briefcase and V2.4 card to test.

That would be great, I'll PM you.


P.S. It is possible that KRIKzz worked-around this issue in his hardware ... but all the indications lead to the conclusion that he's not done this. After all ... the card was never designed for, or meant for, running CD games.

Thanks for the info elmer.

Going to stop using it.

I have a copy of  V3.01 would that be helpful?

[HuMan]

I'm new to PCE, sorry. Does the Duo still need some sort of system card to run CD games? I bought a TED2 in the hope that it could be a System Card (and run games).

[CatPix]

The Duo consoles doesn't need any System card for CD-ROM² and Super CD-ROM² games. It need an Arcade Duo card for Arcade games, but those aren't the most common so you don't need to hunt one right now to enjoy your console.

[Black Tiger]

Vimtoman: 3.01 is the TurboGrafx Super CD system card.


Hu-Man: There are 3 PC Engine CD formats (from oldest to newest): CD-ROM2 (green spine), Super CD (hot pink spine) and Arcade Card (orange spine).

System cards are required to play CD games, but each fornat's system card supports the earlier formats.

The Super CD-ROM hardware and Duo systems have the Super CD system card built-in and can play 97% of the CD library.

The Arcade Card system card comes in the cheaper "DUO" format for Duo system and the Super CD-ROM hardware, and "PRO" for the white PC Engine Interface Unit combo. If you wind up with a PRO, it will still work on Duo/SCD systems because the system card rom is still there.

Most CD games are Super CD, but there are still a lot of CD2 games. There are only around 15 dedicated Arcade Card games, plus several SCD games with improvements when played using the Arcade Card. The newer the CD format, the larger the space is fir game segments. It's the equivalent of larger cart games. So some of the Arcade Card games are some of the most impressive of the generation.

The Interface Unit has the memory used by CD2 games built-in, so you can technically play CD2 games on one of these combo sets using a System Card <2.2 rom. But after what elmer said about the TED v2+ causing hardware issues, I'd hold off on running any system card roms until every combination of TED version/system card format/hardware configuration is confirmed safe or dangerous.

[HuMan]

Thanks for the clarification. The compatibility guide on the main site didn't really explain the system cards. Nice to know my TED2 can be strictly for games now.

[elmer]

Does this apply for v1 as well?

I don't know ... I traded out my TED v1 before anyone here was aware of this issue.

It all depends upon how KRIKzz designed the different Everdrive models.

It's easy to write a test CD or HuCard that will show if there is likely to be a problem ... but I can't think of a way to show that there absolutely isn't a problem.

The difficulty is because if KRIKzz is erasing the top 512KB of FLASH when he writes a cartridge image, then it's going to look the exactly the same as if he just doesn't map the FLASH into that region.

But if it is still mapped, then there will be a bus-fight when the SCD RAM is enabled.

We know that the TED v1 works as a Super System Card when run in a DUO/etc ... I tried that myself, and I think that a bunch of people do it. We just don't know if it's causing bus-fighting and potential long-term problems.

I'll have to ask KRIKzz on his forum.

I have a copy of  V3.01 would that be helpful?

Thanks, but AFAIK I've got all the different System Card images. I used this thread for reference.

Minor system card differences

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=4336.0

But after what elmer said about the TED v2+ causing hardware issues, I'd hold off on running any system card roms until every combination of TED version/system card format/hardware configuration is confirmed safe or dangerous.

There's no problem with TED v1 or TED v2 running System Card 1 or System Card 2 games (i.e. regular old CD2 games).

Those only use the 64KB of RAM that's mapped into banks $80-$87, which doesn't conflict at all with either TED version being mapped into bank $00-$7F.

It's running SuperCD games that use the 192KB RAM that's mapped into the HuCard space at $68-$7F where there's a potential problem.

There wouldn't be any problem at all if KRIKzz restricted the TEDs to just banks $00-$3F when they're running a HuCard smaller than 512KB ... but that doesn't appear to be the case on the TED v2 from my testing.

The TED v1 may be different.

Either way ... it's not a problem at all when running HuCard games, which is what KRIKzz designed the card for.

[Vimtoman]

Most CD games are Super CD, but there are still a lot of CD2 games. There are only around 15 dedicated Arcade Card games, plus several SCD games with improvements when played using the Arcade Card. The newer the CD format, the larger the space is fir game segments. It's the equivalent of larger cart games. So some of the Arcade Card games are some of the most impressive of the generation.

Thanks Black Tiger.

What SCD games take advantage of the AC card?

[IvanBeavkov]

Most CD games are Super CD, but there are still a lot of CD2 games. There are only around 15 dedicated Arcade Card games, plus several SCD games with improvements when played using the Arcade Card. The newer the CD format, the larger the space is fir game segments. It's the equivalent of larger cart games. So some of the Arcade Card games are some of the most impressive of the generation.

Thanks Black Tiger.

What SCD games take advantage of the AC card?

There is a list of SCD/ACD games in this thread. It also list what games can use certain accessories, like the 6 button controller.

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=764.0

[Vimtoman]

Cheers will check that thread out.

Tested the new Bios by elmer and works great with Turbo Everdrive V2.4 but not with V1.1.

Brilliant work mate.

[elmer]

Tested the new Bios by elmer and works great with Turbo Everdrive V2.4 but not with V1.1.

I'm glad that it worked for you. It's a minor patch ... it really shouldn't cause any problems.

But there may be some other games (apart from Gate of Thunder) that write to the System Card memory that will need specific handling, so if anyone finds a game that crashes, I'd like to know so that I can find a fix.

The current patch definitely won't work with a TED v1 ... the TED1 doesn't have any RAM, so this patch will just cause any SuperCD games to fail if it is used on a TED1.

We'll have to wait for KRIKzz to respond to the message on his forum before anything can be done (if needed) for the TED1.

[mj9123456]

Cheers will check that thread out.

Tested the new Bios by elmer and works great with Turbo Everdrive V2.4 but not with V1.1.

Brilliant work mate.

Wondering if that means it's not necessary on v1.

[Black Tiger]

Cheers will check that thread out.

Tested the new Bios by elmer and works great with Turbo Everdrive V2.4 but not with V1.1.

Brilliant work mate.

Wondering if that means it's not necessary on v1.

The v1 doesn't have the extra memory.

[mj9123456]

Tested the new Bios by elmer and works great with Turbo Everdrive V2.4 but not with V1.1.

I'm glad that it worked for you. It's a minor patch ... it really shouldn't cause any problems.

But there may be some other games (apart from Gate of Thunder) that write to the System Card memory that will need specific handling, so if anyone finds a game that crashes, I'd like to know so that I can find a fix.

The current patch definitely won't work with a TED v1 ... the TED1 doesn't have any RAM, so this patch will just cause any SuperCD games to fail if it is used on a TED1.

We'll have to wait for KRIKzz to respond to the message on his forum before anything can be done (if needed) for the TED1.

Sounds good. Please keep all of us v1 users posted!

[Groover]

I was reading on krikzz message board and they where saying not to load up the OG System Card 3.0. They recommended to use a patched System Card 3 file. I didn't look at the dates perhaps it was an older conversation that has been outdated. Good to know it is an option if/when I get a SuperGrafx and CD-ROM2 addon with RGB. Someday maybe next year.

[Vimtoman]

You need to look at this thread by elmer.

http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=20120.0