The Official Turbografx 16 Thread!

[Steven Pendleton]

2 hours ago, cybercylon said:

The whole audio noise thing can drive one crazy... with the SSDS3. I am sure most here know the gory details from the first revisions, and the latest one fixes many of the issues with the board itself, but there can still be noise depending on your set up.

 

I use a Genesis 1 power supply with my TG16. The best sound and picture I get is when I used an OSSC on my 4k gaming monitor. To hear extra noise, I have to be really paying attention and crank the speakers up in a way where I normally wouldn't play that way. If I take the same set up to my main TV with the sound bar, the buzzing I hear during SD card access makes me want to send an ice pick through it. Using a Transend SD card that some recommend didn't help with that, so I use the console with my gaming monitor to keep that ice pick stashed away.

 

Point is this sound issue gets pretty complicated... and to be fair, it has been pointed out to me that there can be some extra buzzing even with the official CD unit. I'll take their word for it.

Yeah, we'll see what happens with the PSU with the correct specs when it gets here on or before the 11th. Now that I think about it, I might only have noticed some noise in the NES Castlevania port. Maybe I'm just going stupid or something, but I'll check a few other things as well like the SSDS3 menu with headphones.

 

As it is, I also have lots of weird stuff going on with the SSDS3 giving me video noise on the OSSC. Adjusting the sampling phase seems to have no effect on it. I hate the OSSC sometimes, but I also have no idea what a lot of the settings even do. Not sure if this is present on my CRT as it's a pain to set up and is not calibrated correctly and I don't have the remote that can do that since the one it comes with doesn't give you the options that I need.

 

I have not seen any jailbars on the SuperGrafx, though. Anyone know any PC Engine games where it is easy to see jailbars so I can check?

[Steven Pendleton]

So I just played Space Harrier on my SuperGrafx and I found that the switch on the back needs to be set to II or the screen will turn black when you shoot. This is the only game I have found so far that has compatibility problems with the SuperGrafx. Is there a list of games that have compatibility issues with the SuperGrafx?

[roots.genoa]

2 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

So I just played Space Harrier on my SuperGrafx and I found that the switch on the back needs to be set to II or the screen will turn black when you shoot. This is the only game I have found so far that has compatibility problems with the SuperGrafx. Is there a list of games that have compatibility issues with the SuperGrafx?

I had no idea there were issues... The association I work for sometimes use a SuperGrafx on exhibitions to showcase PC Engine games because we don't have enough CoreGrafx systems, and I don't remember any problem but we don't have a lot of PC Engine games anyway. I hate to discover that kind of issues, like Forgotten Worlds that is not compatible with 6-button controllers, or Altered Beast that only works with CD-ROM² System Card 1.0 (which means I'll never be able to beat the first level on my Super CD-ROM² - I love Altered Beast, don't judge ^^). PC Engine always catered to wealthy, tech-savvy hardcore/otaku gamers anyway, but that kind of shenanigans doesn't help at all. ?

[Steven Pendleton]

12 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

I had no idea there were issues... The association I work for sometimes use a SuperGrafx on exhibitions to showcase PC Engine games because we don't have enough CoreGrafx systems, and I don't remember any problem but we don't have a lot of PC Engine games anyway. I hate to discover that kind of issues, like Forgotten Worlds that is not compatible with 6-button controllers, or Altered Beast that only works with CD-ROM² System Card 1.0 (which means I'll never be able to beat the first level on my Super CD-ROM² - I love Altered Beast, don't judge ^^). PC Engine always catered to wealthy, tech-savvy hardcore/otaku gamers anyway, but that kind of shenanigans doesn't help at all. ?

Yeah, Space Harrier doesn't work properly unless you put the switch in the II position. As far as I know, this is the only game that needs this. If you try to run SuperGrafx games with the switch in the II position, it's basically the same thing as trying to run them on a regular PC Engine.

 

For Altered Beast, I think you should be able to use your Everdrive as the System Card 1.0, so try that. You may need a patched BIOS file to avoid a bus conflict, it seems. I'm also not sure if the Super CD-ROM2 can be used with the System Cards or just the Arcade Card, though. Alternatively, try the HuCARD version. I think one of them is way better than the other and I forgot which one that is, though.

Edited April 8, 2020 by Steven Pendleton
spelling

[+GoldenWheels]

14 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

I see this guy from time to time, and it's generally slightly cheaper than the other PC Engine controllers that I find. Too bad the III button is Run and not Select or configurable, though. I might try it some day.

Steve I know (thought?) a few games use Run as an action button. What games use Select? (I bet hopping the trace would be fairly easy to switch it)

 

I really can't recall many three button games period, so my memory is no use here...like I said I use that controller and do a lot of accidental pausing!

[Tanooki]

14 hours ago, cybercylon said:

The whole audio noise thing can drive one crazy... with the SSDS3. I am sure most here know the gory details from the first revisions, and the latest one fixes many of the issues with the board itself, but there can still be noise depending on your set up.

 

Point is this sound issue gets pretty complicated... and to be fair, it has been pointed out to me that there can be some extra buzzing even with the official CD unit. I'll take their word for it.

I used to be on the forum that idiot alex of terraonion used at the time.  I was there during the entire meltdown of them trying to coddle the fool, slandering and removing people for not being all nice and sweet including those being nice giving solutions that went ignored.  It's why I have zero trust in that device and still will never buy one.  There isn't a buzzing sound from the official CD unit, at least not the various DUO units, other than its own buzz and whir when moving around to read tracks of the disc and I know that's what you don't mean.  From what I've gathered they still aren't perfect which is pretty terrible all things considered.  I was even going to snap up one of their neo geo kits but I don't trust them with that kind of money for anything at this point.

[Steven Pendleton]

7 hours ago, GoldenWheels said:

Steve I know (thought?) a few games use Run as an action button. What games use Select? (I bet hopping the trace would be fairly easy to switch it)

 

I really can't recall many three button games period, so my memory is no use here...like I said I use that controller and do a lot of accidental pausing!

Well, aside from the entire library using Run + Select as the soft reset function instead of having a physical button on the system (which is actually pretty cool), there are a few games that use the select button. Rondo of Blood uses it for the item crash, Air Zonk/PC Denjin uses it to adjust your speed, I think it does something in one of the Valis games (but I forgot which one and what it does), and there are a few games where Select pauses the game because the Run button got assigned to an action for some reason.

 

I know that there are more than this. Way more than this because that's why they made the Avenue Pad 3! Unfortunately, I can't remember any right now.

[Steven Pendleton]

6 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I used to be on the forum that idiot alex of terraonion used at the time.  I was there during the entire meltdown of them trying to coddle the fool, slandering and removing people for not being all nice and sweet including those being nice giving solutions that went ignored.  It's why I have zero trust in that device and still will never buy one.  There isn't a buzzing sound from the official CD unit, at least not the various DUO units, other than its own buzz and whir when moving around to read tracks of the disc and I know that's what you don't mean.  From what I've gathered they still aren't perfect which is pretty terrible all things considered.  I was even going to snap up one of their neo geo kits but I don't trust them with that kind of money for anything at this point.

"Quality can't be measured."

 

Terraonion is a really weird company. Like their ideas are fine, but everything still turns out to have problems. SSDS3 was a mess at launch and still has a few issues, the company that made the PCB for the MegaSD messed up on the beveled edges of the PCB (not 100% Terraonion's fault entirely, but they should have caught it when they assembled the carts), and this latest batch of Neo Geo carts has all sorts of problems.

 

I don't remember if my CD-ROM2 has any buzzing and I really don't care if the SSDS3 has some minor noise when a game is paused. No, the noise shouldn't be there if possible, but I'll take that over using the crappy CD-ROM2. That thing is a piece of junk. At least mine always has been since I bought it. Maybe others are different. Never used a DUO.

[NE146]

Blazing Lazers off the top of my head.. uses select to change your speed. I'm pretty sure the all the 'soldier' shmups do as well, but I forget. 

[Tanooki]

1 hour ago, Steven Pendleton said:

"Quality can't be measured."

 

Terraonion is a really weird company. Like their ideas are fine, but everything still turns out to have problems. SSDS3 was a mess at launch and still has a few issues, the company that made the PCB for the MegaSD messed up on the beveled edges of the PCB (not 100% Terraonion's fault entirely, but they should have caught it when they assembled the carts), and this latest batch of Neo Geo carts has all sorts of problems.

 

I don't remember if my CD-ROM2 has any buzzing and I really don't care if the SSDS3 has some minor noise when a game is paused. No, the noise shouldn't be there if possible, but I'll take that over using the crappy CD-ROM2. That thing is a piece of junk. At least mine always has been since I bought it. Maybe others are different. Never used a DUO.

I've only had a Duo now from both sides of the pond.  And as far as Mega goes, I had no idea that was fouled up too, let alone their NeoGeo pro carts of all things.  It's like the only time they ever did something right was the original Neo kit and that's pathetic.  Difference is, they didn't have inflated egos, added pressure they clearly can not handle, let alone people covering for their crappy antics to shield them either.  All the while the NG forum trolls called people liking the then buggy Darksoft NG kit garbage as were those who would buy it (and far worse.)  Now they have the well functioning kit that boots a few games, and for less than TO's repeated dumpster fires which is kind of amazing.

[Steven Pendleton]

Just now, Tanooki said:

I've only had a Duo now from both sides of the pond.  And as far as Mega goes, I had no idea that was fouled up too, let alone their NeoGeo pro carts of all things.  It's like the only time they ever did something right was the original Neo kit and that's pathetic.  Difference is, they didn't have inflated egos, added pressure they clearly can not handle, let alone people covering for their crappy antics to shield them either.  All the while the NG forum trolls called people liking the then buggy Darksoft NG kit garbage as were those who would buy it (and far worse.)  Now they have the well functioning kit that boots a few games, and for less than TO's repeated dumpster fires which is kind of amazing.

Yeah, this newest run of Neo Geo carts had an issue with the spacer that caused it to not work properly on some carts and a whole lot of people over on their forum were extremely angry, with one dude repeatedly threatening to sue them in every single thread in the Neo Geo section. Not sure what's going on with this problem right now since I don't have a Neo Geo or one of their Neo Geo carts, but it's really disappointing to see that their $600 thing might not work properly. It's technically the most advanced Neo Geo cart on the market and it would be my choice assuming the options were all the same price, but...

 

Anyway, I'd say the SSDS3 is in a nice enough place right now. It's not perfect, but I'll take it over the CD-ROM2 or a DUO for sure! That's mainly because I don't believe in mods but like RGB video, so the DUO is not really an option for me because of that. Still, the PC Engine family actually has very nice composite video and the composite looked great (for composite) on my Trinitron before I got the SSDS3.

[Steven Pendleton]

3 hours ago, NE146 said:

Blazing Lazers off the top of my head.. uses select to change your speed. I'm pretty sure the all the 'soldier' shmups do as well, but I forget. 

I had a feeling this game had this, but I couldn't remember! I should go play this game because it's awesome.

[CZroe]

... first game I played on it was Darius Alpha because why the hell not. So yeah, it's Darius Alpha, just with a little barely noticeable SuperGrafxness added. Yay~

It's not just "barely noticeable." In my testing there doesn't appear to be any SGX enhancement what-so-ever despite the game having routines to detect the SGX:

I have to assume this is vestigial code from developing Darius Plus.

The UperGrafx UGX-02 only shows output from the primary VDC as that is all we have on the EXT port. That means it totally bypasses the SGX mix chip and second VDC so it should not show any of the SGX enhancements. As you can tell I'm my Twitter video, it isn't missing any graphics at all, which means none of the graphical elements were moved to the second VCD. They weren't duplicated either, since it has all the same flicker issues in the analog output.

At the very least they could've moved the ship and projectile sprites to the second VDC to greatly-reduce sprite flicker. Since they didn't even do that I am relatively confident that Darius Alpha is NOT SGX-enhanced despite the detection routines.

My fav is the Takeru blaster:

 
Three buttons is nice (though i do pause two button games by accident sometimes as it's just a Run button dup) but I really like the angle of the pad and the buttons. Each is slightly angled, as opposed to set up straight/in a line. Makes it easier to hold IMO for long periods.

OTOH, for big hands...it's not ideal. The D pad feels dinky.
 
If I need a stick, out comes the XE-1.

Had my eye on that Micomsoft XE-1 HE Pro stick for over a year and WOW is it expensive! I saw an obviously broken one go for $98 after sitting on eBay a while for $150+ and now I'm kicking myself because all the working ones are $200+. The only other deal I saw was an SGX bundle that included one but I wasn't ready to spend several hundred dollars on an SGX at the time. In retrospect, I should have.

Love that it has a built-in multi-tap!

[Steven Pendleton]

29 minutes ago, CZroe said:

 

 

It's not just "barely noticeable." In my testing there doesn't appear to be any SGX enhancement what-so-ever despite the game having routines to detect the SGX:

 

 

 

I have to assume this is vestigial code from developing Darius Plus.

The UperGrafx UGX-02 only shows output from the primary VDC as that is all we have on the EXT port. That means it totally bypasses the SGX mix chip and second VDC so it should not show any of the SGX enhancements. As you can tell I'm my Twitter video, it isn't missing any graphics at all, which means none of the graphical elements were moved to the second VCD. They weren't duplicated either, since it has all the same flicker issues in the analog output.

At the very least they could've moved the ship and projectile sprites to the second VDC to greatly-reduce sprite flicker. Since they didn't even do that I am relatively confident that Darius Alpha is NOT SGX-enhanced despite the detection routines.

Interesting... no wonder it seemed more or less the same when I tested it with both switch positions. This would essentially mean the entire internet is wrong about this game. Given its rarity, that wouldn't surprise me, but they did make 800 copies. I'll have to look around to see if I can find any more information on this. The manual would be great, so I'll go see if I can find some scans for it. I hate how PC Engine games have nothing on the back of the game cases, though.

 

Okay, this is strange. I can't find an instruction manual for this game anywhere. It does have one, right? I figure that is where information on the SuperGrafx enhancements would be. Even the cover art says that it's got SuperGrafx enhancements. At least, I'm guessing that's what that PC・SG thing on the cover that it shares with Darius Plus is supposed to mean, anyway.

Edited April 9, 2020 by Steven Pendleton

[CZroe]

Needing the multitap for any sort of multiplayer on the PC Engine is really annoying as well. Glad they fixed this on the mini, only for it to be impossible to buy another controller because of manufacturing delays. Unless you have 2 PC Engine minis, you can't play multiplayer at all and it's really kind of annoying. Oh well. One of my friends lives 10 minutes away, so in case I go to his house I'll just bring my CoreGrafx + multitap.

 

There's also this thing...

 

 

It's a replacement PCB for a multitap that lets you connect 5 original controllers to a PCE Mini (converts them to USB).

 

So I just played Space Harrier on my SuperGrafx and I found that the switch on the back needs to be set to II or the screen will turn black when you shoot. This is the only game I have found so far that has compatibility problems with the SuperGrafx. Is there a list of games that have compatibility issues with the SuperGrafx?

Space Harrier is the one everyone uses as an example. Not sure if it's the only one but I've seen suggestions that it might be.

 

I had no idea there were issues... The association I work for sometimes use a SuperGrafx on exhibitions to showcase PC Engine games because we don't have enough CoreGrafx systems, and I don't remember any problem but we don't have a lot of PC Engine games anyway. I hate to discover that kind of issues, like Forgotten Worlds that is not compatible with 6-button controllers, or Altered Beast that only works with CD-ROM² System Card 1.0 (which means I'll never be able to beat the first level on my Super CD-ROM² - I love Altered Beast, don't judge ^^). PC Engine always catered to wealthy, tech-savvy hardcore/otaku gamers anyway, but that kind of shenanigans doesn't help at all. [emoji53]

Supposedly there is a revised CD-ROM² Altered Beast that fixes the glitch that requires System Card 1.0.

 

Yeah, Space Harrier doesn't work properly unless you put the switch in the II position. As far as I know, this is the only game that needs this. If you try to run SuperGrafx games with the switch in the II position, it's basically the same thing as trying to run them on a regular PC Engine.

 

For Altered Beast, I think you should be able to use your Everdrive as the System Card 1.0, so try that. You may need a patched BIOS file to avoid a bus conflict, it seems. I'm also not sure if the Super CD-ROM2 can be used with the System Cards or just the Arcade Card, though. Alternatively, try the HuCARD version. I think one of them is way better than the other and I forgot which one that is, though.

Yes, I've done it and the 1.0 System Card BIOS on an Everdrive will work. I don't think there is a patch for that one which makes sense because the patch resolves a memory bus conflict between the Super System Card's RAM and the CD hardware's RAM (System Card 1.0 has no on-board RAM). I could be wrong since the Turbo Everdrive still has RAM regardless. I mean, that potential conflict doesn't come into play with other RAM-less HuCard titles so I don't see why it would here.

 

Steve I know (thought?) a few games use Run as an action button. What games use Select? (I bet hopping the trace would be fairly easy to switch it)

 

I really can't recall many three button games period, so my memory is no use here...like I said I use that controller and do a lot of accidental pausing!

 

I believe you can move Select there for games like Blazing Lasers/Gunhed where select cycles through different speeds. It's better to have that with action buttons than the function assigned to Run (pause) so you don't have to take your fingers away from the buttons to change speed on the fly. I think everyone accepts that you have to take your fingers away to pause it.

 

I've only had a Duo now from both sides of the pond.  And as far as Mega goes, I had no idea that was fouled up too, let alone their NeoGeo pro carts of all things.  It's like the only time they ever did something right was the original Neo kit and that's pathetic.  Difference is, they didn't have inflated egos, added pressure they clearly can not handle, let alone people covering for their crappy antics to shield them either.  All the while the NG forum trolls called people liking the then buggy Darksoft NG kit garbage as were those who would buy it (and far worse.)  Now they have the well functioning kit that boots a few games, and for less than TO's repeated dumpster fires which is kind of amazing.

 

In the Mega SD's case, it's hard to say they fouled it up when the vast majority of modern Genesis/MD cartridge devices don't have beveled edges. It was something dbElectronics pushed for more community awareness since he was practically the only one being his connector edges and using a particular kind of gold playing and he felt everyone else should be too. Mission: Accomplished, but it's not like the Mega SD is fouled up any more than all the old Everdrives and stuff that are made no bevel. Actually, they did get the edges almost imperceptibly s rounded so, if anything, it was still better than the base-line for community MD/Gen cart connections.

 

I hated them with a passion after their lies regarding Darksoft and how they treated RetroRGB, Voultar, and Mobius Strip Tech but I'm glad to see them come around and embrace these people and the rest of the community while distancing themselves from the oddly-specific community they were in before. I don't own anything of theirs but I do plan to get a Neo SD Pro, since it addresses all my concerns with the original Neo SD (concerns I was mocked for in that other community).

 

I had said that I wouldn't buy anything from them until they apologized to Bob (RetroRGB) and according to Bob they have buried the hatchet and done a complete 180° turn-around. I actually wish he would have come out and said this publicly sooner so I wouldn't have felt that way toward their products as long as I did.

 

[Steven Pendleton]

9 minutes ago, CZroe said:

 

There's also this thing...

 

 

 

It's a replacement PCB for a multitap that lets you connect 5 original controllers to a PCE Mini (converts them to USB).


Space Harrier is the one everyone uses as an example. Not sure if it's the only one but I've seen suggestions that it might be.


Supposedly there is a revised CD-ROM² Altered Beast that fixes the glitch that requires System Card 1.0.


Yes, I've done it and the 1.0 System Card BIOS on an Everdrive will work. I don't think there is a patch for that one which makes sense because the patch resolves a memory bus conflict between the Super System Card's RAM and the CD hardware's RAM (System Card 1.0 has no on-board RAM). I could be wrong since the Turbo Everdrive still has RAM regardless. I mean, that potential conflict doesn't come into play with other RAM-less HuCard titles so I don't see why it would here.



I believe you can move Select there for games like Blazing Lasers where select cycles through different speeds. It's better to have that with action buttons than the function assigned to Run (pause) so you don't have to take your fingers away from the buttons to change speed on the fly. I think everyone accepts that you have to take your fingers away to pause it.



In the Mega SD's case, it's hard to say they fouled it up when the vast majority of modern Genesis/MD cartridge devices don't have beveled edges. It was something dbElectronics pushed for more community awareness since he was practically the only one being his connector edges and using a particular kind of gold playing and he felt everyone else should be too. Mission: Accomplished, but it's not like the Mega SD is fouled up any more than all the old Everdrives and stuff that are made no bevel. Actually, they did get the edges almost imperceptibly s rounded so, if anything, it was still better than the base-line for community MD/Gen cart connections.

I hated them with a passion after their lies regarding Darksoft and how they treated RetroRGB, Voultar, and Mobius Strip Tech but I'm glad to see them come around and embrace these people and the rest of the community while distancing themselves from the oddly-specific community they were in before. I don't own anything of theirs but I do plan to get a Neo SD Pro, since it addresses all my concerns with the original Neo SD (concerns I was mocked for in that other community).

I had said that I wouldn't buy anything from them until they apologized to Bob (RetroRGB) and according to Bob they have buried the hatchet and done a complete 180° turn-around. I actually wish he would have come out and said this publicly sooner so I wouldn't have felt that way toward their products as long as I did.

An interesting multitap! Not much point for me, though, since I have 2 real PC Engines, a real multitap, and the SSDS3, which gives me everything on the PC Engine mini and more (except the near Arcade ROM hacks). Good for other people who don't have that stuff, though.

 

Assuming this is real and not a fake, Darius Alpha has no manual, just a cover art insert. It seems you may have discovered something interesting that nobody else knows except a few people.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DARIUS-ALPHA-Super-Grafx-PC-Engine-original-working/193390358932?hash=item2d06f6b194:g:2AIAAOSwyVdeClly

 

Bob and Voultar piss a lot of people off. But you know what? Bob and Voultar are right about pretty much everything. Mobius Strip Tech knows what he's talking about, as well. He's the only one of them that I have personally communicated with, and I imagine his rather direct style can cause people to get a bit offended. He seems a good guy, though, and I'm very much the same way in my directness. Not sure what they said about Darksoft, but Alex is... not the nicest guy in the world from what I have seen. Or maybe he's just one of those stubborn types. Still, I'll be interested to see what he's got for us on the 17th.

Edited April 9, 2020 by Steven Pendleton

[+GoldenWheels]

58 minutes ago, CZroe said:

 

Had my eye on that Micomsoft XE-1 HE Pro stick for over a year and WOW is it expensive! I saw an obviously broken one go for $98 after sitting on eBay a while for $150+ and now I'm kicking myself because all the working ones are $200+. The only other deal I saw was an SGX bundle that included one but I wasn't ready to spend several hundred dollars on an SGX at the time. In retrospect, I should have.

Love that it has a built-in multi-tap!

Ha! I found one for about $120 on ebay, had been looking FOREVER...then broke it myself by opening it to clean it when I got it (I clean EVERYTHING I buy, but I somehow messed up the turbo sliders and the corresponding lights). Being beyond my ability to repair, or even really diagnose, I had to send it to a skilled AtariAger for repair. So in the end...it cost me like $200. D'oh.

 

Will say on opening it up...real microswitches in there for the joystick, very nice. And the gate you can switch for 4-8 way is really genius, still works years later. Of course....other than Bomberman (which has no diagonals anyway due to map design I think?) I don't know of any four-way only  PC-E games? (I guess maybe stuff like Space Invaders etc are 2 way, but I mean games where blocking out all diagonal inputs helps you play like--only example I got--Pac man.)

 

Cons...it could actually stand to be a little bigger overall (IMO). It feels 7/8 scale to my American hands.

[Steven Pendleton]

10 minutes ago, GoldenWheels said:

I don't know of any four-way only  PC-E games?

Daimakaimura

[Steven Pendleton]

Okay, I just played Darius Plus twice, once with the SuperGrafx mode on and once with it off. I was under the impression that this was supposed to have some additional scrolling or something on the SuperGrafx, but it looks exactly the same to me in both modes, just without the sprite flicker with the SuperGrafx mode engaged. I only played the first level in both modes and also went to C with the SuperGrafx mode on, so maybe it's someplace that I haven't been to. I think I'll stick with Super Darius since it has much nicer music.

 

Anyway, it seems that the entire internet and also the cover art for Darius Alpha is wrong, since it definitely does not have SuperGrafx enhancements. It was clearly meant to, judging by the thing on the cover, but I'm guessing they forgot to implement it.

[+GoldenWheels]

29 minutes ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Daimakaimura

Supergrafx but good point!

 

(God I do want a Supergrafx....but frankly someday I may spring for an LT. That's kind of my holy grail for PC-E...that or the Afterburner controller, or the Power Console flight sticks that were made. But those things are basically non-existant....)

[Steven Pendleton]

12 minutes ago, GoldenWheels said:

Supergrafx but good point!

 

(God I do want a Supergrafx....but frankly someday I may spring for an LT. That's kind of my holy grail for PC-E...that or the Afterburner controller, or the Power Console flight sticks that were made. But those things are basically non-existant....)

It's not worth it for the prices online. Totally not worth it. Especially now that we have discovered that there is only 1 SuperGrafx enhanced game, not 2. You can find one much cheaper in stores in Japan like I did, but if that isn't an option, not worth it.

 

LT... Yeah. I want one, but I can't justify it. There is exactly 1 in Akiba right now, and it's over at BEEP, which is a nice little shop in a hole in the floor that focuses on old computers and arcade boards. They want just under $6000 for it since it's been given a total overhaul. It is not CIB, either. They also have a copy of Darius Alpha sitting next to it, but I honestly didn't really care about either of those because right next to the LT is a prototype for the stupidly rare Linguaphone Education Gear! I can't think of a single console that is as rare as that one (that actually got released, so Nintendo Play Station doesn't count), and I do not think it got mass produced. I wonder how they got a prototype for it.

Edited April 9, 2020 by Steven Pendleton

[+GoldenWheels]

4 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

It's not worth it for the prices online. Totally not worth it. Especially now that we have discovered that there is only 1 SuperGrafx enhanced game, not 2. You can find one much cheaper in stores in Japan like I did, but if that isn't an option, not worth it.

 

LT... Yeah. I want one, but I can't justify it. There is exactly 1 in Akiba right now, and it's over at BEEP, which is a nice little shop in a hole in the floor that focuses on old computers and arcade boards. They want just under $6000 for it since it's been given a total overhaul. It is not CIB, either. They also have a copy of Darius Alpha sitting next to it, but I honestly didn't really care about either of those because right next to the LT is a prototype for the stupidly rare Linguaphone Education Gear! I can't think of a single console that is as rare as that one (that actually got released, so Nintendo Play Station doesn't count), and I do not think it got mass produced. I wonder how they got a prototype for it.

DAMN! Ive seen a supposedly refurbed one on ebay (out of Canada as I recall) for like 1500...no dead pixels (supposedly) but you don't know who did the cap work....and it was slightly yellowed but not awful. I have ALWAYS wanted to plug one of those into a briefcase set up and just have it on my desk...

 

That or a PC Engine Monitor. Saw ONE on ebay, ONCE, can't recall real name. Not the LCD montior you plug into the briefcase set up, the CRT monitor with the system actually built in. Any of those in Akiba? EDIT: found it, the PC-KD863G (What a moniker!)

 

I just don't think I could buy any of them sight unseen. I'd have to check them over first. Long odds I'll ever get to do that!!!!

[CZroe]

An interesting multitap! Not much point for me, though, since I have 2 real PC Engines, a real multitap, and the SSDS3, which gives me everything on the PC Engine mini and more (except the near Arcade ROM hacks). Good for other people who don't have that stuff, though.

I think the Twitter link may have broken in my previous post (not showing in Tapatalk anymore) but it was a link to a retween from David Shadoff where he shows a multitap replacement PCB with 8-pin mini-DIN ports and USB output connecting five original controllers to a PC Engine CoreGrafx Mini:

Very cool, but I kinda wish the USB pads were $10 each like the NES Classic Edition controllers so that I could to the opposite. You know: get five brand-new USB replica controllers working on original PC Engine/TurboGrafx hardware for a fraction of the price of getting five original controllers. They do sell a USB hub that looks like the original tap so really someone only needs to make a USB converter that fits in there with an PCE mini-DIN or TG16 DIN8 output.

It's the controller pricing that screws all this up. Since the standard controller is basically an NES controller with turbo switches I don't see how they can get away with charging almost 3x as much as the NES CE but, well, that's probably because Hori needs a bigger cut of Konami's PCE/CG/TG16 Mini pie and that's their only way to do it.

Assuming this is real and not a fake, Darius Alpha has no manual, just a cover art insert. It seems you may have discovered something interesting that nobody else knows except a few people.
  https://www.ebay.com/itm/DARIUS-ALPHA-Super-Grafx-PC-Engine-original-working/193390358932?hash=item2d06f6b194:g:2AIAAOSwyVdeClly

It may be that they were just putting that on all PCE games to signify that it worked with both but they stopped bothering as soon as it was clear that SGX was going to be a market failure and there was no reason to complicate future marketing with an abandoned platform that way.

Ha! I found one for about $120 on ebay, had been looking FOREVER...then broke it myself by opening it to clean it when I got it (I clean EVERYTHING I buy, but I somehow messed up the turbo sliders and the corresponding lights). Being beyond my ability to repair, or even really diagnose, I had to send it to a skilled AtariAger for repair. So in the end...it cost me like $200. D'oh.

That sucks! Glad you got it sorted though. I wanted to take it apart and reverse-engineer their multitap but I ended up getting the Soditap for that instead. Still, I fell in love and it left me kicking myself for not getting one.

I accidentally paid way too much for a broken ASCII Stick II Turbo FC-3399 and it's my absolute favorite FC/NES stick by far. Luckily, it was an easy fix (just needed a new Seimitsu switch) and it made the price totally worth it. After that experience I should've known better than to let the XE-1 HE Pro slip by, but it hesitated since it was even more expensive than the broken stick I accidentally ordered before. It seems to have similar build quality and features.

Okay, I just played Darius Plus twice, once with the SuperGrafx mode on and once with it off. I was under the impression that this was supposed to have some additional scrolling or something on the SuperGrafx, but it looks exactly the same to me in both modes, just without the sprite flicker with the SuperGrafx mode engaged. I only played the first level in both modes and also went to C with the SuperGrafx mode on, so maybe it's someplace that I haven't been to. I think I'll stick with Super Darius since it has much nicer music.
 
Anyway, it seems that the entire internet and also the cover art for Darius Alpha is wrong, since it definitely does not have SuperGrafx enhancements. It was clearly meant to, judging by the thing on the cover, but I'm guessing they forgot to implement it.

Yeah, when I got my SGX I loaded up Darius Alpha first because I had pruned all the other SGX games off of my Turbo Everdrive SD card back when I didn't have an SGX. Darius Alpha was still there and listed as SGX-enhanced.

I figured the enhancements should be very easy to distinguish by comparing the analog output with both VDCs to the UGX output with only one VDC. This comparison definitely showed the enhancements for every other SGX title including Darius Plus, but not Darius Alpha.

Chris Covell is an expert on these things and he says that Darius Plus checks to see if it's running on an SGX by writing to VRAM on both VDCs and comparing them, which obviously won't work the same if you only have one VDC. That's how it can tell that the second VDC exists or not and, thus, if it is running on an SGX. Chris confirmed that the VRAM is blank through the first boss. I played through the first few and never saw any enhancement.

Someone needs to hack in invincibility so that I can see the rest of the game, but I highly doubt there would be any use of the second VDC if they weren't using it to reduce sprite flicker from the start, which would be the easiest kind of enhancement. All the programmer has to do to get rid of most of that flicker in a way that doesn't fundamentally change the game (which still needs to run on a normal PCE) is determine that it's a SGX (done) then move the player and projectile sprites to the second VDC to reduce the number of sprites per line (not done). Even if something much later does take advantage of the second VDC in a way where they wouldn't want the player and projectile sprites on that VDC, it would make sense to do that from the start and stop doing it when they needed to free up the VDC.

Since they didn't even utilize the SGX for low-hanging fruit enhancements like that I have to assume they didn't do anything more significant later... even if I'm not good enough to play further.

[Tanooki]

20 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

Yeah, this newest run of Neo Geo carts had an issue with the spacer that caused it to not work properly on some carts and a whole lot of people over on their forum were extremely angry, with one dude repeatedly threatening to sue them in every single thread in the Neo Geo section. Not sure what's going on with this problem right now since I don't have a Neo Geo or one of their Neo Geo carts, but it's really disappointing to see that their $600 thing might not work properly. It's technically the most advanced Neo Geo cart on the market and it would be my choice assuming the options were all the same price, but...

 

Anyway, I'd say the SSDS3 is in a nice enough place right now. It's not perfect, but I'll take it over the CD-ROM2 or a DUO for sure! That's mainly because I don't believe in mods but like RGB video, so the DUO is not really an option for me because of that. Still, the PC Engine family actually has very nice composite video and the composite looked great (for composite) on my Trinitron before I got the SSDS3.

Well that seems par for the course for them, and I'm not sure on their checkered ability to mess stuff up I'd call their cart the best on the market either.

As to the SSD3, it has problems, they'd bother me, so I'm avoiding it.  Yes I have a Duo, but I'm lazy (or being smart?...you decide) but I've never sold off my core grafx 2.  I'd love to have something like the Upergrafx2 just not with the unforgivably high price as that one does HD clarity with a direct feed so lag isn't a problem, and the slow japanese firmware updates have been getting HuCard up to par along with optical.  I imagine someone will get to where they'll make one like that, or an item out the back that'll work on those or ALL(duo) models.  Retrotink x2 or whatever it is called(and POUND) have cables that spit out similar enough clarity too just no optical but if you use real and/or burns it's not an issue.  The composite on NEC stuff is hands out top notch as it's shockingly clean, even on my flat screen.

[Tanooki]

11 hours ago, CZroe said:

I hated them with a passion after their lies regarding Darksoft and how they treated RetroRGB, Voultar, and Mobius Strip Tech but I'm glad to see them come around and embrace these people and the rest of the community while distancing themselves from the oddly-specific community they were in before. I don't own anything of theirs but I do plan to get a Neo SD Pro, since it addresses all my concerns with the original Neo SD (concerns I was mocked for in that other community).

 

I had said that I wouldn't buy anything from them until they apologized to Bob (RetroRGB) and according to Bob they have buried the hatchet and done a complete 180° turn-around. I actually wish he would have come out and said this publicly sooner so I wouldn't have felt that way toward their products as long as I did.

 

I feel the same about them.  I swore off buying their stuff all your reasons there are the valid ones I have too, plus the fact I got the NG troll bin attacking me as well in their name which really broke my will to be nice about anything when it comes to them using those cowardly trolls as a shield.  Sure they distanced themselves well after the damage was done, but the fact they even allowed it and didn't handle their own stuff correctly said a lot about my interest in not trusting them with hundreds of my limited funds ever.  If I ever get a NG kit it'll be darksofts, sure the Pro about matches that one anyway, but they cost less, functionally for game play the same, and they weren't disrespective a-holes either.