[GUIDE/INFO] Flash Carts, ODE, and more!

[Tanooki]

I don't, but you had to be there and watch how it unfolded so I get why it looks like just honest accidents in development.

If that makes me unfair, so be it, but when stuff like that happens, it's hard to defend it.

You're right, I didn't see it unfold on that forum. I could only imagine.

I'll give you this for fair. If I never was a member of that abysmal place, and never followed the conversation that didn't just exist there but spill outside its walls I might have felt differently had I just blindly knew it had growing pains and had 3 revisions to be totally right. V1 was a turd, but 2 wasn't that bad since I don't use RGB/SCART type stuff, with RCA it wouldn't have been a nuisance. V3 got it supposedly right for all parties. The original had noise, rippling diagonal banding on colors and very prominent on some, buzzing sound due to the SD card in the slot, and other junk, it was crap and should have easily been figured out in some part before it arrived.

But watching bans, kicks to a war room as a troll to just be abused, harassed on other sites, removing undesirable info and shutting out others both d-bags and the truly helpful who bought things, all while TO did nothing to stop it nor did they try and make people feel better about anything either. It was passive aggressive chat and dismissing of or ignoring of problems. That's why I'm 100% against buying that kit or their other stuff as many people rag on corporations calling the cold and disgusting, because of this or that, which is never really seen. Here you do live watch the this or that, and it's cringe worthy.

[Ziggy]

PSIO available from Stone Age Gamer!

https://stoneagegamer.com/flash/playstation/

They even offer the mod service, if you need.

[Ziggy]

• There's been so many new devices and updates to existing devices that I really have to do a massive update to the write ups for many of the flash carts. Some of the write ups have gotten really bloated from doing update on top of update on top of update, I think at this point I need to just rewrite several. I was trying to keep the old info available for several reasons. One, so it's less confusing. Often you will Google about a flash cart and find outdated info. It helps when a page like this shows the track record of updates. And two, it really helps if you're buying a used flash cart off a forum. But at this point, it's too hard for me to track and maintain everything. The Everdrives are especially hard because Krikzz has done many significant updates to each of them (and there's a LOT of them).

• I added a new section in flash carts for useful links. If any one has any suggestions for links I should include, let me know! I also added a fancy picture for the flash carts section.

• Super Everdrive update: Formally, there was the Super Everdrive v2 that you could get with or without DSP compatibility. Those are now gone from the Krikzz store, and instead there is a Super Everdrive X5. The X5 is similar to the v2 without the DSP compatibility. Currently, there is no Super Everdrive X3 or X7, and I didn't see anything on the forums if there will be one. This is a shame because the old Super Everdrive with DSP was a great middle road (in terms of price and functionality) before the expensive Sd2snes. Hopefully Krikzz will release an X7 version with DSP support.

• Stone Age Gamer has discounted their stock of Super Everdrive v2 (read above how v2 has been discontinued). You can get a v2 without DSP for $65 or with DSP for $90. This is discounted from about $86 and $106 respectively. They have them in either North American or PAL/SFC cases. Link: https://stoneagegamer.com/flash/snes/carts/

If you want a no-frills SNES flash cart, $65 is a great price. But keep in mind that Krikzz may release an X3 down the line, and that would be presumably around the same price but perhaps better built. But either way, $65 is a great price and the v2 is still a solid product.

[Anapan]

Got my PSIO installed last night. The mod is very fidgety what with all the tiny traces to be cut and through-holes to clean off. The guide is absolutely the best I've ever seen for an install. the double pictures to make sure you've got the best view of the tiny, difficult solder joint you'll need to do was incredible.
The product itself is really great. Compatibility seems to be pretty good, tho I'll need more testing to figure out any limitations. My friend went with the Saturn Rhea, and we had to burn a bunch of discs to dump them into compatible formats. I don't think PSIO will be that picky from what I read.
also if need to bump up info, you can steal from RetroRGB:
http://retrorgb.com/romcarts.html

[Ziggy]

Got my PSIO installed last night. The mod is very fidgety what with all the tiny traces to be cut and through-holes to clean off. The guide is absolutely the best I've ever seen for an install. the double pictures to make sure you've got the best view of the tiny, difficult solder joint you'll need to do was incredible.

Yeah, I want to get a PSIO, but I want to get two switch boards so I can share it between two consoles. That means I'll have to install the board twice! The reason being is that I have a 1001 model with a dead drive. It would be nice to make some use out of this otherwise useless console. But, these models still have issues with overheating (skipping FMV, turning it upside down to dissipate more heat) so I'd like to be able to also use it in one of my 7501 models.

also if need to bump up info, you can steal from RetroRGB:
http://retrorgb.com/romcarts.html

Thanks for the link! I'll put it in my new useful links section in the first post.

[pierrot]

Super Everdrive update

So, I wasn't really paying that much attention when I ordered the X5. I was kind of assuming that I could potentially still add my own DSP from a donor at some point down the line, like with the v2, if I really wanted to. I opened up the cartridge, and the DSP footprint is no longer in the PCB layout. I found a youtube response from krikzz on his demonstration video for the X5 that clarified by saying that the DSP support was removed, because the sales for the DSP option apparently didn't justify its continued support. Honestly, I can see that. Granted, it's a lot less expensive to buy the base v2, and add the DSP to it, from a donor cart, than to have it added at the distribution center, but most people would only really care about Super Mario Kart, and Pilotwings, which are both pretty common and cheap. If one were to buy one of those two games to use as a DSP donor, he could still just pick up the other, instead of bothering to swap the DSP chip, and still probably be ahead of the game. That is, unless someone were really into racing games, or early air/vehicle combat games. Even still, most of the DSP games are plentiful, and dirt cheap.

Although, I forgot that Ballz 3D is a DSP game. So obviously, that's worth its weight in gold, and should be owned in dead-mint, VGA graded, sealed physical condition, and entombed in a 24k gold box; No expense should be spared in paying tribute to that most almighty of video games, Ballz 3D.

[Ziggy]

This flew under the radar for me going through the holidays, but Sd2snes firmware version 1.9.0 is out, and it includes SA-1 support! Also, looks like S-DD1 is working and should be in the next official firmware release (although you can use it now if you wish).

https://sd2snes.de/blog/archives/1036

http://krikzz.com/forum/index.php?topic=8357.0

I'm really excited about the there being an option to control LED brightness. Those things are WAY to bright!

[Tanooki]

It is and I've tried it. Before 1.9.0 hit 1.8.0 had a patch you could find to add the SDD1 to it. I was playing SFA2 a bit and it was pretty tight. Sadly when 1.9.0 hit I didn't realize the thing wouldn't run SDD1 anymore and now I don't have the patch or the 1.8.0 build that can use it. Annoyingly the updated version patch with that added was almost identical to the 1.9.0 release or it was I forget, basically unnamed 1.9.0 leaked early. I wish I had kept it.

[Ziggy]

I found a youtube response from krikzz on his demonstration video for the X5 that clarified by saying that the DSP support was removed, because the sales for the DSP option apparently didn't justify its continued support.

Yeah, so for now, it looks like Krizz will only have the Super Everdrive X5. If you want DSP, you have to cough up the money for the Sd2snes.

PSA: Grab the Super Everdrive with DSP while the stock lasts at Stone Age Gamer. Once it's gone, it looks like Krikzz has no plans to make this version any longer. This cart supports all DSP games and it's on sale for $90 right now.

https://stoneagegamer.com/flash/snes/ca ... drive-dsp/

[Jagosaurus]

PSIO available from Stone Age Gamer!

https://stoneagegamer.com/flash/playstation/

They even offer the mod service, if you need.

I've been MIA for a bit & come back to this awesome news. Pretty cool. I never wanted to pay for shipping a console to Australia

Now... just got my chipped PS1 setup but still tempted...

Great work on this thread as always.

I love the flashcarts for convenience, but the ODEs & similar solutions are so huge for preservation of these disc drive based consoles.

Between PSIO & POPS (via USB or HDD on PS2) you're likely going to be 95%+ on compatibility. I know Tempest X3 didn't work on PSIO but ran via POPS. There's other examples but first that came to mind from nightrnr & me testing.

POPS also has some specific game compatibility patches (Tomb Raider) and compatibility "modes" you can drop into the VMC, further increasing the number of games that work.

These modes/cheats will also also allow for forcing 480i and 480p on real PS2 hardware. This is very helpful for those wanting to play PS1 over component on their PS2 on a modern LCD (most dont handle 240 over component).

To anyone who is enjoying PSIO, I'd highly recommend POPS. I'm in the vice versa situation. Have POPS running (on a slim via USB & phat via HDD), have chipped PS1... still want PSIO...