WELL THIS IS INTERESTING.. Retron 5

[fastbilly1]

So I have not been paying attention to the scene for a few months, has anyone figured out how to use the Retron 5 to dump roms to the SD card yet?

[Purkeynator]

Not that I have seen, which is surprising. I still feel kinda special for only being able to play the games that I actually own (with the exception of patch coverting obviously).

[SpaceBooger]

Not that I have seen, which is surprising. I still feel kinda special for only being able to play the games that I actually own (with the exception of patch coverting obviously).

I was going to mention that. With the directions R9delta posted, you can patch any game to play any ROM. So you can't dump a rom to a SD card, but you can patch a cart to play another ROM.

With that being said, I don't know if I should patch the JPN versions of Secret of Mana, FFVI and Lufia 2 with just a translation patch or just patch them to play the US versions?

[Tanooki]

Last night in bed I was on my tablet, saw that my friend at Hyperkin got back in contact on facebook and dropped a new test build.

Test Build v2.3 beta 1 (2015-03-26)
http://retron5.in/?src=642e92efb79421734881b53e1e1b18b6

Changes since v2.2 include:

Cheat code support added for GBA games
SMS cheat code support regression fixed
Compatibility fixes for several Genesis games
Significantly reduced initial boot-up loading time
Added support for loading SRAM saves created by third party emulators
Fixed bug preventing console region setting working correctly with some games


NOTE: The cheat database has been updated to include codes for GBA, so if you are using cheats you should download and install the new cheat database from http://www.retron5.in/downloads/RetronCheats-v1.2.zip


If you're someone with a good supply of Sega Genesis games and your system was making you miserable due to various issues, this is a must build to try out, and same with those who wanted working GBA cheats too. Try it out, discuss, and we can report back to him to help it get better. Direct quote from him: I've finally been able to take some time to get back on RetroN 5 firmware updates, and have prepared a BETA that I would like to have tested privately before going public. It fixes compatibility issues with several Genesis games (Sonic 3, Streets of Rage 2, Comix Zone etc) and adds/fixes cheat code support for GBA and SMS. Specifically we're hoping to confirm that any compatibility issues with Genesis are now resolved.

[CRTGAMER]

If you're someone with a good supply of Sega Genesis games and your system was making you miserable due to various issues, this is a must build to try out, and same with those who wanted working GBA cheats too. Try it out, discuss, and we can report back to him to help it get better. Direct quote from him: I've finally been able to take some time to get back on RetroN 5 firmware updates, and have prepared a BETA that I would like to have tested privately before going public. It fixes compatibility issues with several Genesis games (Sonic 3, Streets of Rage 2, Comix Zone etc) and adds/fixes cheat code support for GBA and SMS. Specifically we're hoping to confirm that any compatibility issues with Genesis are now resolved.

I have the Genesis 80 game PlugnPlay made by ATGames. I know its a different company from Hyperkin, but a point to bring up. The emulation is not perfect, but still its very close to the original Genesis. A good game to confirm the sound quality is to try a game that has voices heard in the levels.

Gunstar Heroes has clear voices heard when doing a jump move on the original Model 1 Genesis. In the ATGames Genesis PlugnPlay, the voice can be heard but is really muted. I think the later models of the original Genesis console also have the same issue due to a lesser quality sound chip, the diminished voice sound. Though not a "deal breaker", the ATGames and possibly the Retron 5 might have the same issue; the emulation duplicating the later model Genesis lower quality sound?

[Tanooki]

Good question I have no idea. I don't have that. I did once have the AT Games handheld, the orange/black one (v2) when they added SD card support years ago. I know what you mean but some audio muted, a few tones were offkey too, and some games (few) just don't work (Contra.) I liked it, to a point, problem was they refuse to add SRAM to the thing so some games are just off limits.

The R5 doesnt' use the firecore emulator, it uses another one, GenesisPlus I think or something like that, I forget. The R5 is just a plug in system they created using other peoples emulators they tweaked to perform best on their hardware.

[CRTGAMER]

Good question I have no idea. I don't have that. I did once have the AT Games handheld, the orange/black one (v2) when they added SD card support years ago. I know what you mean but some audio muted, a few tones were offkey too, and some games (few) just don't work (Contra.) I liked it, to a point, problem was they refuse to add SRAM to the thing so some games are just off limits.

The R5 doesnt' use the firecore emulator, it uses another one, GenesisPlus I think or something like that, I forget. The R5 is just a plug in system they created using other peoples emulators they tweaked to perform best on their hardware.

Good info, thanks. I have the portable ATGames unit too which has the same 80 games. I love the SD Card 2gb capability, over 700 Genesis games that plugs right in! I think you are right about the SRAM limits, I cannot get the Zombies Neighbors game past the title screen. Ah well, still a great little unit considering all the games and home brews it supports. A shame the Retron 5 does not officially work with home brews or regular roms (such as hard to find imports) thru the SD Card slot.

[Gunstar Green]

Last night in bed I was on my tablet, saw that my friend at Hyperkin got back in contact on facebook and dropped a new test build.

Test Build v2.3 beta 1 (2015-03-26)
http://retron5.in/?src=642e92efb79421734881b53e1e1b18b6

Changes since v2.2 include:

Cheat code support added for GBA games
SMS cheat code support regression fixed
Compatibility fixes for several Genesis games
Significantly reduced initial boot-up loading time
Added support for loading SRAM saves created by third party emulators
Fixed bug preventing console region setting working correctly with some games


NOTE: The cheat database has been updated to include codes for GBA, so if you are using cheats you should download and install the new cheat database from http://www.retron5.in/downloads/RetronCheats-v1.2.zip


If you're someone with a good supply of Sega Genesis games and your system was making you miserable due to various issues, this is a must build to try out, and same with those who wanted working GBA cheats too. Try it out, discuss, and we can report back to him to help it get better. Direct quote from him: I've finally been able to take some time to get back on RetroN 5 firmware updates, and have prepared a BETA that I would like to have tested privately before going public. It fixes compatibility issues with several Genesis games (Sonic 3, Streets of Rage 2, Comix Zone etc) and adds/fixes cheat code support for GBA and SMS. Specifically we're hoping to confirm that any compatibility issues with Genesis are now resolved.

Nice update. There's several issues I'm glad to see cleared up like the region detection though that was easily fixed by manually setting it.

Do you know off-hand what some of the Genesis issues were? I've been using my Retron 5 mostly for Genesis games and I haven't run into anything game-breaking yet (certainly not comparable to the awfulness that is the ATGames Firecore).

Edit: I found out about the Sonic 3 problem at least, yikes. I was always worried firmware updates would unintentionally break compatibility. They should have had a rollback on this one. Usually I wait until after the beta releases but I'll make an exception this time.

[alienjesus]

Edit: I found out about the Sonic 3 problem at least, yikes. I was always worried firmware updates would unintentionally break compatibility. They should have had a rollback on this one. Usually I wait until after the beta releases but I'll make an exception this time.

Can you clue in the rest of us? I just boguht this game for Together Retro and was planning on playing it on my Retron5.

[Tanooki]

Well officially the SD card slot isn't meant to fire up ROMS, someone just figured out they never locked it out shortly after it came out with the patching routines. The tech got a laugh over it if I recall but had no intention of blocking that capability. It's using a cheat to run things that shouldn't, but much should work with it, if you figure out a way to do it.

Hyperkin does have a rollback on firmware, it's open to take whatever you want provided you find an official link to the one you want. Annoyingly I think the only way to do that would be to find the old posts I've made in this thread last year to previous releases or skimming their facebook page for the link. You can always go back or forward on firmware.

I do not recall what issues the Genesis had, but I knew they were severe enough to cause issues with plenty of popular games which is why you see the various things that were held back like cheat codes all being added in this test release.