SNES copiers

gklinger · 19 March 2009, 03:35

Slightly OT: I wish there was an inexpensive device with a memory card that would allow one to play SNES ROM images. Console copiers are hard to come by and expensive and the only other device I've encountered is complicated and only holds a few games.

StarEye · 19 March 2009, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

Slightly OT: I wish there was an inexpensive device with a memory card that would allow one to play SNES ROM images. Console copiers are hard to come by and expensive and the only other device I've encountered is complicated and only holds a few games.

In other words, you want a device that makes piracy a bit easier and cheaper?

gklinger · 19 March 2009, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarEye

In other words, you want a device that makes piracy a bit easier and cheaper?

Precisely.

alexh · 19 March 2009, 13:25

Quote:

Console copiers are hard to come by and expensive

$90 is hardly bank busting!

Quote:

I wish there was an inexpensive device with a memory card that would allow one to play SNES ROM images.

Like one of these?

gklinger · 20 March 2009, 05:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

$90 is hardly bank busting!

I suspected someone was going to bring up Tototek. The Doctor SF7 isn't ideal as it requires fussing with floppies although I'll grant you that the cost of that particular unit isn't prohibitive. The copiers with CD-ROMs and/or parallel ports are more flexible but they're also a bigger hassle. I dream of something simpler/smaller that uses an SD or CF card. That would be ideal.

Quote:

Like one of these?

And that device is terribly limited.

What I'd love is something like an MMC64 or ColecoVision 128-in-1 Flash MultiCart for a SNES. I don't know if it's feasible but if it is, I'm sure some clever hardware hacker will come up with something eventually and I will gladly fork over the cash. Heck, if I knew of someone capable of designing such a device, I'd put up the money for development.

alexh · 20 March 2009, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

Doctor SF7 isn't ideal as it requires fussing with floppies.

Erm so do most other SNES copiers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

The copiers with CD-ROMs and/or parallel ports are more flexible but they're also a bigger hassle.

Doctor SF7 can take both CD-ROM and has a parallel port!! Do your homework man

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

And that device is terribly limited.

How?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

I don't know if it's feasible

Of course it is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

Heck, if I knew of someone capable of designing such a device, I'd put up the money for development.

I'd say about £300 for a prototype and another £1000+ to go to a commercial version. Get saving.

It would have to use a passthrough for a real SNES cartridge for the security chip & other co-processors (SuperFX/DSP)

Graham Humphrey · 20 March 2009, 09:32

OT posts from the Best SNES platformers thread split into this new one.

Hope the title is suitable, if not let me know and I'll change it.

Silver · 21 March 2009, 02:41

Your only option for what you want is hooking up a compact flash to a swc dx2

2gb limit supported, and no LFN support but as good as it gets for a snes...

Works very well though not cheap nowadays unless you get lucky.

gklinger · 21 March 2009, 03:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Erm so do most other SNES copiers!

Not really the point. A ~15 year old console copier isn't the solution I'm looking for.

Quote:

I'd say about £300 for a prototype and another £1000+ to go to a commercial version. Get saving.

I've got money. What I don't have is the engineer. Pull that name out of your hat and we're good to go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

OT posts from the Best SNES platformers thread split into this new one.

Cheers.

Quote:

Hope the title is suitable, if not let me know and I'll change it.

I think it will do quite nicely.

keropi · 21 March 2009, 11:02

how about the Super Flash Cart for SNES ???
I have both their MD64-pro carts and their Megacart for SegaCD... they both work like a charm

Might get the snes cart too, I see it is in stock now

gklinger · 21 March 2009, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

how about the Super Flash Cart for SNES ???

Reread the thread. That has been linked to and discussed.

frikilokooo · 21 March 2009, 22:38

The solution is this:

http://www.retrousb.com/product_info...products_id=34

but for NES and very expensive!

keropi · 23 March 2009, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

Reread the thread. That has been linked to and discussed.

you say it is "limited" ... I don't see how. It is just a flash cart with memory that you put games and work. Same as the megadrive cart I have. I asked if there is a PARTICULAR reason why it is not good. I know snes carts have differences but is this flash cart affected? why you rejected it?

alexh · 23 March 2009, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

Not really the point. A ~15 year old console copier isn't the solution I'm looking for.

Whatever works. I use my Z64 with IDE->CF card which is a good solution.

cv643d · 23 March 2009, 21:57

Cant see what you guys are arguing about really.

Floppy based copiers are obscure, so are transfering roms from your computer to the backup unit IMHO.

That Tototek flash-cart might seem great at first, but look closer. Only hold up to 4 games. Needs a printerport and USB at the same time for flashing. I bet you need to erase the card completely whenever you want to flash it again.

In a perfect world it would be able to hold a memory card of 4 GB with a slick menu system, but its not. Its rubbish.

WayneK · 24 March 2009, 02:07

It's not rubbish at all, it's actually very good (the tototek cart). The USB is only used to supply power, so you can use one of those cheap/noddy USB power things they sell for charging mp3 players and the like if you are using an old pc (for the EPP parallel port) that doesn't have USB. I've flashed my carts (1 snes/1 megadrive) many many times with no problems, and let's face it you can always test which games suck or otherwise on emus before you flash the ones you actually want to play on real hardware...
I also have a super pro fighter and a double pro fighter, but the flashcards get the most use!

Silver · 24 March 2009, 05:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

Whatever works. I use my Z64 with IDE->CF card which is a good solution.

Offtopic:

I love hearing that people make use of CF on a Z64. I never thought more than about 3 people would bother to switch from a HDD, but makes me feel warm inside anyway....

OnTopic:

I understand the problems with the Flashcart approach. It's a huge lack of convenience to copy a ROM everytime you want to change a game. It's why devices like a modded Z64 for the N64 are so good - all the games, right there in the system...

I've always looked at ways to get an all-in-one systems - it's just so much neater....
C64 can be done with a IDE64, and Amiga can have an internal CF drive fitted (and WHDLoad games). The Nes can be done in the romcart+menu linked above, Snes can be done via a SWC DX2 + CF (although the DX2 is crying out for firmware rewrite to improve the listings/navigation for game selection), N64 via a Z64 + CF, a PS2 Slim can be modded to hold a 2.5" drive and boots nice menu software... I love these solutions and use them all, and have long since ditched flashcarts (apart from homemade hacks for special-chip Snes games)

gklinger · 24 March 2009, 05:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by cv643d

In a perfect world it would be able to hold a memory card of 4 GB with a slick menu system, but its not. Its rubbish.

That's what I'd like to see.

Silver · 25 March 2009, 03:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by gklinger

That's what I'd like to see.

swc dx2 + CF gives you 2GB per removable CF, menu system. (main limit is name of rom is filename restricted to 11 characters per game).

Slick but not that cheap. There are no other options for a SNES (I've looked), short of someone building a cart-flash unit a la nes.(I suspect it's not particularly hard, just quite time consuming even if you know you are doing)

Bootay · 26 March 2009, 15:41

I have to respond to this because I also have been looking into the Tototek cart for the same purpose. All the games in one cart. But I also found that only 4 games per cart is not very convenient. Also (and I think this would be a problem no matter what) all of the special chip games are not supported, Starfox and Super Mario RPG, etc.. The swc dx2 + CF option sounds nice aside from the file name issue, but I could probably deal with that...but the special chip games probably do not work on this device as well. If so...I might look into one. It would be nice to have a cart that supports SD or CF like the Powerpak for NES. Would be nice to have one for N64 as well since z64s are not easy to come by.

19 March 2009, 03:35	#1
gklinger Vegetable Lasagna Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto, CANADA Age: 54 Posts: 711	SNES copiers Slightly OT: I wish there was an inexpensive device with a memory card that would allow one to play SNES ROM images. Console copiers are hard to come by and expensive and the only other device I've encountered is complicated and only holds a few games.

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20 March 2009, 09:32	#7
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	OT posts from the Best SNES platformers thread split into this new one. Hope the title is suitable, if not let me know and I'll change it.

21 March 2009, 02:41	#8
Silver Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: London Age: 45 Posts: 118	Your only option for what you want is hooking up a compact flash to a swc dx2 2gb limit supported, and no LFN support but as good as it gets for a snes... Works very well though not cheap nowadays unless you get lucky.

21 March 2009, 11:02	#10
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	how about the Super Flash Cart for SNES ??? I have both their MD64-pro carts and their Megacart for SegaCD... they both work like a charm Might get the snes cart too, I see it is in stock now

21 March 2009, 22:38	#12
frikilokooo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mallorca,Spain. Age: 44 Posts: 1,154	The solution is this: http://www.retrousb.com/product_info...products_id=34 but for NES and very expensive!

23 March 2009, 21:57	#15
cv643d Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Sweden Posts: 762	Cant see what you guys are arguing about really. Floppy based copiers are obscure, so are transfering roms from your computer to the backup unit IMHO. That Tototek flash-cart might seem great at first, but look closer. Only hold up to 4 games. Needs a printerport and USB at the same time for flashing. I bet you need to erase the card completely whenever you want to flash it again. In a perfect world it would be able to hold a memory card of 4 GB with a slick menu system, but its not. Its rubbish.

24 March 2009, 02:07	#16
WayneK Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Location: Somewhere secret Age: 50 Posts: 364	It's not rubbish at all, it's actually very good (the tototek cart). The USB is only used to supply power, so you can use one of those cheap/noddy USB power things they sell for charging mp3 players and the like if you are using an old pc (for the EPP parallel port) that doesn't have USB. I've flashed my carts (1 snes/1 megadrive) many many times with no problems, and let's face it you can always test which games suck or otherwise on emus before you flash the ones you actually want to play on real hardware... I also have a super pro fighter and a double pro fighter, but the flashcards get the most use!

26 March 2009, 15:41	#20
Bootay Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Clinton Twp. USA Posts: 18	I have to respond to this because I also have been looking into the Tototek cart for the same purpose. All the games in one cart. But I also found that only 4 games per cart is not very convenient. Also (and I think this would be a problem no matter what) all of the special chip games are not supported, Starfox and Super Mario RPG, etc.. The swc dx2 + CF option sounds nice aside from the file name issue, but I could probably deal with that...but the special chip games probably do not work on this device as well. If so...I might look into one. It would be nice to have a cart that supports SD or CF like the Powerpak for NES. Would be nice to have one for N64 as well since z64s are not easy to come by.

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