Sega CD Backup RAM Cart

[Gabriel]

Is the Sega CD Backup RAM Cart a battery back up cart? Or is it an example of early no-battery-required flash memory?

[Atariman]

Is the Sega CD Backup RAM Cart a battery back up cart? Or is it an example of early no-battery-required flash memory?

 

Hmm... I always thought it didn't have a battery, but judging by what I found online, that it appears that it does, indeed, have one in it. It must have pretty minimal power consumption as mine routinely stays unplugged for very long periods of time (years) without any problems.

 

EDIT: I read that the manual says to plug it in roughly once a month to keep the battery charged, so I may have an unpleasant surprise the next time I plug my cart in! I haven't noticed any problems with my cart, but perhaps my memory is a little fuzzy about how long it has been since I used it.

[phaxda]

I also have a question about this cart--is the only way to get one to pay $49.99 to a guy on eBay? I read a thread about making your own, but it was way over my head. Any tech-types here want to help a fellow out?

 

I've an idea in my head to play through my entire Sega CD collection before I sell it (what better way to test?!), but a lot of the games seem to need save space.

[Austin]

I also have a question about this cart--is the only way to get one to pay $49.99 to a guy on eBay? I read a thread about making your own, but it was way over my head. Any tech-types here want to help a fellow out?

 

I've an idea in my head to play through my entire Sega CD collection before I sell it (what better way to test?!), but a lot of the games seem to need save space.

 

 

Buying one is your best bet, yes. You can get them cheaper than $50 though. I sold mine (CIB) for about $30 a few months back, and have since seen others selling theirs for roughly the same price, maybe slightly less. Don't buy into the $50 ones, they are overpriced.

 

Also keep in mind that a majority of the Sega CD library uses very small save files (just a couple of blocks at most, and I believe there are over a hundred blocks available on the system itself). Unless you are playing the role playing games, it's most-likely that you will not need it.. and I doubt anyone in their right mind would want to back up their data for Tomcat Alley.

[Hatta]

You might hold out for Sega CD SRAM support in the Everdrive. It is even more expensive, but if you consider that you would have put $30 to a SRAM cart anyway, it looks a lot more affordable. And when you can just dump SRAM to SD and onto your computer you never have to worry about losing your saves.

[gdement]

I still have incomplete games of Lunar and Dark Wizard saved on my backup cart. I stopped playing those about 10 years ago.. I wonder if the files are still there.

The onboard memory in the consoles was pretty unreliable for me. I never had a problem with the cart when I was using it, but I haven't checked it in forever now.

The only problem with the cart is that some games aren't programmed to use it, so that forces you to swap files around through the BIOS sometimes.

 

EDIT: I read that the manual says to plug it in roughly once a month to keep the battery charged, so I may have an unpleasant surprise the next time I plug my cart in! I haven't noticed any problems with my cart, but perhaps my memory is a little fuzzy about how long it has been since I used it.

I remember reading that in the manual for the console, but I don't remember that applying to the cart. If the manual is to be believed, then the console uses a rechargeable battery. That's probably why I had problems with it.

I *think* I once found my files intact on the cartridge 1-2 years after it's previous use, so if that memory is correct then the cart must not be a rechargeable.

 

Since the console battery is a permanent internal part, I suppose Sega meant well by using a rechargeable there, but I think it was a mistake. Rechargeables still wear out, and they have the self-drain problem. A regular lithium might have lasted 20 years from what we've seen on NES carts, trouble free.

[CGQuarterly]

You might hold out for Sega CD SRAM support in the Everdrive. It is even more expensive, but if you consider that you would have put $30 to a SRAM cart anyway, it looks a lot more affordable. And when you can just dump SRAM to SD and onto your computer you never have to worry about losing your saves.

 

Is that something that is supposed to be added soon?

 

Chris

[Hatta]

There's no ETA, but it's a promised feature. See here

[busterm]

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 260693079151

 

He is taking offers so you might be able to get a good deal