NEO Team's Project for the PC-Engine > NEO Power PC-E Flash Cart

WARNING - BEWARE SOME 128M + SAVE HAVE PROBLEM WITH CD-ROM ATTACHMENT

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Supremo Lagarto:
UPDATE (3/29/2013): I have now tried the device with several different NEC consoles (Several US Turbo Grafx, a Duo, a Turbo Duo, a Turbo Grafx with the CD attached and a Core Grafx). It seems to work perfectly in consoles that DO NOT have a CD-ROM unit. It does not seem to have anything to do with a 5 volt trace on the console.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHWiInZXjNQ

UPDATE (12/6/2011): I have possibly confirmed that the problem is that some consoles do not internally supply enough power to the Hucard slot to power an unconventional device like a flash card. This is especially true of consoles that have been modified to support RGB or Region Switches. I have also read of some core consoles only supporting the flash cart if the CD-ROM add-ons are disconnected.  This is not related to the AC Adapters for the consoles. It is related to the internal design.

THE SOLUTION to this is to get a cheap, non-modified, core console exclusively for the flash device. This way, if it doesn't work with the flash device you can turn around and sell the console and look for another one.

Update (12/3/2011): Many consoles have an issue with the +5 volt line for the cart slot that will not effect normal games, but will effect a flash device. Basically, there is not enough juice to power the flash device in the slot as it uses more power than a Hucard. My Japanese Duo has a weak +5 volt line for the game slot. My Duo does not work with this device, but my Turbo Grafx does.

This is not truly a defect in the console as it has no problems playing any official games. Fortunately, I recently purchased a "broken and incomplete" Turbo Grafx 16 off of eBay for $15 (it included Kieth Courage). It turned out it was simply filled with cat hair and not broken at all. I tested the card on the Turbo Grafx 16 and so far it is working perfectly. I just played from level 1 all the way through level 4 on Legendary Axe. I'll be trying Side Arms next.

I purchased one of these 128 megabit flash carts. It appeared to be defective.
This is with:
*no intro and all good 9a romsets
*v1.11, v1.2, v1.03 of the software
*correct regions
*Duo console

JUST TO BE CLEAR:
1. I am referring only to the 128 megabit version of the flash card, not the 64 megabit version.
2. I am not suggesting all products from this company are bad.
3. I am not suggesting they are all "liars".
4. What I am stating is that I purchased one of these devices (which was produced in 2007) and it appeared to have defective flash memory. The problem turned out to be more complicated. In forums on Magic Engine and the PCEngineFX site I had read previous to purchasing this that there was a bad batch of 128 megabit flash cards and that people should get the 64 megabit instead.
5. I am stating this here to help others.

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHWiInZXjNQ

I NEED TO STATE THAT THE FIRST TIME I FLASHED IT, WITH ABOUT 5 GAMES, ALL OF THEM WORKED PERFECTLY. AFTER THAT, I FLASHED IT AGAIN. PERFORMANCE BEGAN TO DEGRADE. THIS IS EVEN AFTER THE LOW LEVEL FORMAT. THE FIRST GAMES I FLASHED TO THE DEVICE WORKED PERFECTLY. NOW THOSE SAME GAMES DO NOT WORK. THE FLASH MEDIA IS NOW CORRUPT.

I can only speak for the 128 megabit + save model, the 128 megabit without save and the 64 megabit model may not have this problem.

I would definitely recommend not taking a risk on the 128 megabit model with save.

Conle:
You have 1 year guarantee so just send your item back and get it replaced.


...(also show them that video since you went into the trouble recording it).

Morden:
The 128 + save card is generally buggy, or the software is. I've had plenty of games give me glitches and freeze, even though I did follow correct conversion procedures, header removal, bank mirroring, etc, when I was trying to run a Japanese game on the TG16.

I don't think I've ever been able to flash a set of games and have every single one of them boot. There's always a couple of titles that will freeze the menu. It's pretty random, too.

Conle:

--- Quote ---Update (12/3/2011): Many consoles have an issue with the +5 volt line for the cart slot that will not effect normal games, but will effect a flash device. Basically, there is not enough juice to power the flash device in the slot as it uses more power than a Hucard. My Japanese Duo has a weak +5 volt line for the game slot. My Duo does not work with this device, but my Turbo Grafx does.

This is not truly a defect in the console as it has no problems playing any official games. Fortunately, I recently purchased a "broken and incomplete" Turbo Grafx 16 off of eBay for $15 (it included Kieth Courage). It turned out it was simply filled with cat hair and not broken at all. I tested the card on the Turbo Grafx 16 and so far it is working perfectly. I just played from level 1 all the way through level 4 on Legendary Axe. I'll be trying Side Arms next.

--- End quote ---

Cool , this report might prove useful in a new version of the Myth PCE cart.

Morden:
I'm curious as of how this was measured, since like I said, I get the exact same problems on both the PCE and a TG16. If the Japanese console has a weak +5v line and TG16 doesn't, the glitches shouldn't occur, yet, they do. Original games run fine, of course, but their rom counterparts often don't. Plus, this doesn't explain the total randomness of some problems, like some titles freezing, but once you re-flash them, they might start working after one of the tries.

Also, some games start acting up after you play them for a while, and this is also random. It can really get your blood pressure up once you reach an advanced stage and everything goes nuts.

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