Getting the NEO PCE Super Flash Cart, now need console to go with it!

[missyrelm]

My wife and I have been wanting to get into the PC-Engine/Turbografx-16 scene.

We are planning to order a NEO PCE Super Flash Cart in a couple days. The prices of the games are so high, at least for us, that we feel like it would be taking too much of a risk not to back them up. 

Now we just need to pick a system to go with it!  Since the NEO PCE Super Flash Cart will play all regions, we will be pretty set as far as being able to play any region HuCard/ TurboChip games that we buy.

So what we are concerned about is being able to play PC-Engine/Turbografx-16 CD’s and back-ups of CD’s.   

I’ve read a lot of people recommending the Duo-R for beginners, but we are really concerned about the sound issues that we keep reading about for all of the Duo models.
I’ve also read that they don’t like to play backups very much.

I’ve also looked into systems with the CD attachments and I am confused as to which one would be best for playing both US and Japanese CD games, as well as backups of those games.

It’s not that big of a deal if we have to buy a Arcade Card and/or Super System card separately,  so we can play more of the games available.

On Ebay, I’ve seen a TurboGrafix-16 with CD and System card for around $250 + $30.00 shipping,
Or a PC-Engine White Core System w CD Turbo-Graphix-16 (Would I need a step-down converter to play it in the US? For around 250.00+$25.00 shipping
Or the Dou-R route, for $119 in Japan, with $61.00 EMS shipping

I have no idea if these are good prices or not or how well the CD attachments will play all region games and backups of our games…

Any advice?

[Michael Helgeson]

Back them up ehh.... You shouldn't need to back them up. They will most likely last longer then any flash cart if you treat them well.

[missyrelm]

I'm really not concerned with backing up Hucards.

My concern is about the *cd's* only! 

All I was trying to ask is if any of the various forms of the CD player will play burned CD's any better than any of the others. 

In particular, we are drawn to the Duo-R because the price is lower but we are worried about the sound issues with the Duo-R CD player.

[Turbo D]

I wouldn't worry about those problems being caused by cd-rs. Those will come about naturally due to old age. The duo-r and rx are more solid that the regular duo anyways. I would definitely suggest that you get a duo-r. All cds are region free too, so there is no worry there. Good luck and welcome to the forum 

[nat]

I'm really not concerned with backing up Hucards.

My concern is about the *cd's* only! 

All I was trying to ask is if any of the various forms of the CD player will play burned CD's any better than any of the others. 

In particular, we are drawn to the Duo-R because the price is lower but we are worried about the sound issues with the Duo-R CD player.

What Turbo D said is true. The best Duo model is the RX. The R close behind it.

Any light grey-colored Duo is "better" than the black ones because sensitive components on the mainboard were moved further away from heat sources. The sound issues are caused by excessive heat drying out the capacitors over time.

[bust3dstr8]

Doesn't Dean check all the caps and joints on the Duos he sells?

[D-Lite]

Doesn't Dean check all the caps and joints on the Duos he sells?

Yes/No.  I resolder all critical components and check for faulty parts.  Full cap replacements are risky if unnecessary.

About the sound issues.  The DuoR and RX are by far the superior systems of all the CD playing systems.  I've literally had 50-100 of these go through my hands and can tell you honestly that sound issues are rare.  Probably 3 of the systems I've seen have had any issue.  The black Duo on the other hand, has issues with what feels to be greater than 50% of the systems these days as the time goes by. 

If you want a system, unmodded, send me an e-mail.  I've been considering selling some off, unmodded (which is what you want if you're going to be going the flash card route), both boxed and unboxed.  Benefits to getting a system from me:
- US based
- reliable seller
- guaranteed to work at my cost
- price
- best packaging you'll find

loose DuoR:  $170 shipped priority in US
boxed DuoR:  $200 shipped priority in US

Sorry if this is interpreted as a sales pitch folks  :oops:  Can delete it if it pisses people off.

[Michael Helgeson]

Ha ha,nah but it should prob also be posted in the hardware or software sales thread you have so it wont get over looked on this one.

[D-Lite]

Ha ha,nah but it should prob also be posted in the hardware or software sales thread you have so it wont get over looked on this one.

True   But I'm not looking to blow systems out of here just yet

[missyrelm]

Do you think it is just the region-mod that interfers with the Neo cart (and I assume also the Tototek carts), and that the other mods, like S-Video, RCA, LED's, and possibly a fan would
still play nice with the NEO and Tototek flash carts?

Most of the games my wife and I are interested in are Japanese HuCards anyway, and presumably, we could find one of the extender things that let you play American TurboChips so I could play both region card without a region mod, and still be able to use either the Neo or Tototek cart...

If so, we would be very interested in a Duo-R or Duo-RX with all the mods *except* for the region mod... 

PM/email sent...

If you want a system, unmodded, send me an e-mail.  I've been considering selling some off, unmodded (which is what you want if you're going to be going the flash card route), both boxed and unboxed. 

[nat]

Do you think it is just the region-mod that interfers with the Neo cart (and I assume also the Tototek carts), and that the other mods, like S-Video, RCA, LED's, and possibly a fan would
still play nice with the NEO and Tototek flash carts?

It's most definitely the region mod, as none of those other things affect the operation of the system itself.

[Tatsujin]

i have the dim feeling that recently the interests of copying/roming software is risen a lot in this forum. if i watch to some of the titles of recent threads, i become the feeling of being in a IS0-l33CH forum. it's kind of a pity.

[Michael Helgeson]

i have the dim feeling that recently the interests of copying/roming software is risen a lot in this forum. if i watch to some of the titles of recent threads, i become the feeling of being in a IS0-l33CH forum. it's kind of a pity.

Well,hey,when I posted my thoughts about that before I got slammed by a few members for it. Personally,I agree with you,I don't really like it. I can see how people want to archive the cd based stuff and use the copies over the originals,but half the time when people ask related questions,its cause they really want to just know how to burn images they got off the net.

I have no intention of getting the Flash cart. Any hu-card title I want to play I will just buy. I'd rather actually own it. It would be cool if people would look into this though as a way of producing new hu-card titles commercially using similar technology,but more retail looking,not just bare pcbs with chips and ugly flash kits with pins on the other end.

[nat]

I agree 100% with Michael and Tatsujin, but at the same time, I feel flash carts have a place.

Since I refuse to play games via emulation, flash carts allows me to play translations of Japanese games I would otherwise be stuck playing on an emulator. Not to mention Tongueman's Logic, and the numerous Turbo tech demos out there.

The funny thing is, I take such pride in my collection that I won't even load a ROM onto the flash cart that I don't own a copy of in my library (demos aside). Even in the case of the translations-- I am currently awaiting my JP copy of Bubblegum Crash to arrive in the post before I play through the English translation recently released.

Another good example of this is the game Blue Blink. I've owned the JP version forever but it's been collecting dust on the shelf. Since I got my flash cart, I loaded up a copy of the translated version and I've found a whole new realm of enjoyment in being able to play the game and actually follow the storyline. Unlike most other platformers, there is dialogue after every level in Blue Blink.

[Necromancer]

Like nat, I bought my flash cart for translations and Tongueman's Logic.  The only other thing that I've loaded on it were games that I own so I don't have to diddle with the converter as often (just for the Tennokoe Bank and Arcade Card).