Intrest Check TURBO GRAFX Flash Cart

[the.golden.ax]

Greetings,

Several people at the Atari Age forums are getting together to buy some 128MB flash cartridges for the Turbo Grafx. When these are purchased in quantity of 10 or higher the site offers a $30 discount per card. It's looking like we have enough people, but I thought I would let you guys know in case you would like to get in on the deal. You can read about it here:

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=126563&st=0

Thanks!
AX

[gtdalby]

Some of the people from this thread might be interested too:
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=4023.45

[Paisa49]

I bought a 64M flash cart from them. After working perfectly fine the first few times I placed roms on it, it stopped working. I shipped back to ic2005, at their request, and they're only just now getting, and have yet to return a fully-functioning flash cart. They don't have the best customer service, so think about it before you all plunk down some cash on the 128 M carts. I still have yet to get the benefit of my bargain.

[nevets14]

I have heard quite a few times about the 64mb messing up after the first few writes. I wonder if the 128mb version has the same problems? anyone here heard anything on the reliability of the 128mb version?

[nat]

No, but I'm not sure what's up with the 64M version. It seems like it's a hit-and-miss thing, almost like a batch of defective carts were produced. A great number of the people who own the 64M version (myself included) have had zero problems with them even after many writes. I got mine as part of the group buy we organized a while back and it's still running strong.

[MissaFX]

I got one of the 64meg cards in the batch order and I have written to it at least 40 times without having any problem, even when the program crashed once during a write, it had no trouble writing to the card when I ran the program again after the crash.  Even the little reset button has worked flawlessly for me.  My only complaint about my card is that there is still glue on half the pins, but dispite this, it can write to the card fine.

[Necromancer]

I, too, was in on the group buy and haven't had any problems with my cart (knock wood).  The only caveat is that the included software is utter crap, so don't expect to get the cart up and running quickly.

[nat]

Oh yeah, that driver bundle was a f*cking JOKE at best. They provide the bundle on one of those mini CDs which means people with slot-loading CD-ROM drives are up shit creek, and even if you're lucky enough to have a drive that will actually read the thing, the reflective layer peels off at the slightest touch rendering the disc useless.

And that's just the beginning-- I haven't even started on the actual software end of things.

[Turbo D]

lol, Nats right! It took awhile to get that pos mini disk to be read by my comp. Then I had a struggle with drivers and software. I wasn't surprised by it though, haha.

[gtdalby]

Hmm... Maybe I should just get a tototek one instead?

[nat]

I don't have any experience with the tototek cart, but from my understanding, it requires a parallel port. If you've got one of these that you can use, great. If you're like me, you don't, and you'd better off stick to the NeoFlash. Really, the NeoFlash cart is really nice once you actually get the correct drivers installed.

gtdalby, check out this thread for various members' experience setting up and using this flash cart.

[MissaFX]

Hmm... Maybe I should just get a tototek one instead?

I wouldn't order another card just because we are pointing out the only flaws in the card and not giving any of the good points.

The truth about the driver CD:

Yes it is a CD Single sized cd, imo if your computer cannot read a CD single, one of the most standard sized of CDs, you got ripped off on the CD drive.

Yes the CD is on a cheap media, if you bake it heat while the topside is in contact with plastic (or use pressure instead of heat) you will eventually bond it to the other plastic.  Solution?  Put the CD into the envelope it came in upside down \o/

The driver installation is a piece of cake.  Some people here ran into trouble because they trusted an auto installer instead of going to the driver CD and just copying the folder which was related to their flash card on to their HD.  If you simply open the CD, the drivers are in a clearly named folder...very clearly named.

More Card Stuff:

It only takes 2 minutes and 16 seconds to fill the whole card up (64meg)   With the Tototek card, expect 5-10 minutes to write to it, if you are lucky...very lucky.  And this is assuming your modern PC has a parallel port.

The card is sleek and sexy

The reset button it actually works, although if you build up a static charge first with your socks and press it with skin (I always press it with a fingernail tip) you can get a shock because the outer metal of the button is grounded.

I am 100% happy with my Neo card and if I get shot back into time and get the chance to buy it or not, I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

[Necromancer]

Yes it is a CD Single sized cd, imo if your computer cannot read a CD single, one of the most standard sized of CDs, you got ripped off on the CD drive.

Nearly all slot loading drives are incapable of reading anything other than a 12cm disc.  Considering that Apple loves slot loading drives, does that mean that all Macs are rip offs?  Beware the wrath of Mac zealots! 

The driver installation is a piece of cake.  Some people here ran into trouble because they trusted an auto installer instead of going to the driver CD and just copying the folder which was related to their flash card on to their HD.  If you simply open the CD, the drivers are in a clearly named folder...very clearly named.

Driver installation was easy enough, but the utility used to flash the cart was not the one in the PCE folder (that one did nothing).  Had I just copied said folder to my hard drive and not played around with the other utilities on the disc, I'd still have a useless (though sexy) flash cart.

[MissaFX]

Yes it is a CD Single sized cd, imo if your computer cannot read a CD single, one of the most standard sized of CDs, you got ripped off on the CD drive.

Nearly all slot loading drives are incapable of reading anything other than a 12cm disc.  Considering that Apple loves slot loading drives, does that mean that all Macs are rip offs?  Beware the wrath of Mac zealots! 

Yes, all PC/MAC users with slot in drives were ripped off by their company who didn't give them a real tray.  Luckally you can replace the drive with an aftermarket one which isn't junk.  Or, you can buy a Single to Standard adaptor from Japan.  They sell lots of them in Japan to make your CD Single work on a slot in drive.

[spenoza]

Er, there are actually only 2 CD disc size standards, I believe, and the mini/single CD, the smaller size, didn't really get popular here at all. They're all over in Japan but you almost never see them here in the US. All automobile CD players are slot loading drives too, meaning if you import Japanese CD singles you can't play them without an adapter.

So no, Apple isn't ripping you off by giving you a slot loading drive. The driver should just come on a standard sized CD. They're cheaper than the smaller CDs anyway.