Famicom Disk System collectors (FDS) - anyone else collecting these? (Official Thread for FDS)?

[0078265317]

1 hour ago, c0op3r said:

I would guess that calibration is not 100% but really really close (but this is just a guess).

 

Or could be bad doki doki panic disk.  Because no matter how many times I turn the screw it refuses to work.

 

Is doki doki panic available on other platforms like gba.

[c0op3r]

Is that the only disk that does not work?

 

[c0op3r]

If you want Doki Doki Panic on the cheap buy an FDStick I think they are 30$ you get all the FDS games still using the original hardware.

[0078265317]

1 hour ago, c0op3r said:

If you want Doki Doki Panic on the cheap buy an FDStick I think they are 30$ you get all the FDS games still using the original hardware.

Are the roms preloaded?

[0078265317]

1 hour ago, c0op3r said:

If you want Doki Doki Panic on the cheap buy an FDStick I think they are 30$ you get all the FDS games still using the original hardware.

I have golf / volleyball one disk.  Doki doki panic.  And zelda 1.  Zelda 2 coming soon.  Doki doki panic not working.  The other 2 good.

[c0op3r]

1 hour ago, 0078265317 said:

Are the roms preloaded?

On mine they were, not sure if this is the norm.  But its only 256megs for the whole collection

[Tanooki]

Seems the more I read this thread the more I learn I'm happy I never bought into the FDS as it looks like as they age it's further and further more pissy and particular about working right if at all.  FDS Stick I've known of since that came out, that seems like the only safe alternative to stick to old hardware without dealing with the drive being an ass about those fragile 30 year old floppies.

 

When I bother, I use the everdrive and I have a HiDef NES Kit inside my top loader, so it handles all the expansion audio just fine.  Sure it's not pure, but it's not a pure headache.

[c0op3r]

1 minute ago, Tanooki said:

Seems the more I read this thread the more I learn I'm happy I never bought into the FDS as it looks like as they age it's further and further more pissy and particular about working right if at all.  FDS Stick I've known of since that came out, that seems like the only safe alternative to stick to old hardware without dealing with the drive being an ass about those fragile 30 year old floppies.

 

When I bother, I use the everdrive and I have a HiDef NES Kit inside my top loader, so it handles all the expansion audio just fine.  Sure it's not pure, but it's not a pure headache.

Thats an opinion, not one I agree with but you are entitled.  I rather enjoy the disk and the whole weird little oddities that they are.

 

I have the FDStick, the Everdrive N8, the Everdrive Famicom N8 and even the Everdrive N8 Pro (which by the way does not play nice with the RGBNES modded Famicom (doh!).  I am currently collecting the Famicom Disk System games (all of them) and I am working on a BOXED complete set (for ever game that was released in a box that is).

 

I often hear people say how the old magnetic media will fail, I find this to be less true than most believe, I have not got a disk for the FDS yet that did not work(and I have over 140 so far), and even more so I have an Apple II computer collection and a few of the older original games and all of those work also, most of the disk I have seen that dont work are either garbage media or have been re-written multiple times.

 

The Nintendo Disk System is a super cheaply built drive, but that is in some ways an asset as they is VERY little to go wrong.

[0078265317]

I played zelda 1.  Beat level 1.  Saved it.  Then turned it off.  Then 1 hour later went back and it errored 27 no load side A.  I opened her up and did the screw adjustment again.  At least volleyball and golf always load.  And side A doki doki panic.  But no luck on zelda 1 now.

 

Something wrong for sure.  I will just ebay it probably for parts and get another fully tested unit.

[Tanooki]

Oh I know my saying that about the actual FDS using disks wasn't going to be a popular one, but it just seems like an overly picky ticking time bomb of issues that I'd rather not get tangled up in.  I wouldn't mind the memory module and the FDS stick, but really at that rate, what I have now does what is needed anyway so kind of a waste.  Magnetic media is underrated as far as failures go, but they do fail and more so than some other stuff does.  I've had a few well kept 3.25" standard floppies go bad, even brand new sealed ones like when I picked up a Silverball 2 Plus! so I had to track down a disk image and re-create it.  And you're on it about the Nintendo stuff, cheaply made parts, typically fewer parts too, so less likely to fail.  I've had to deal with tweaking the Duo for the 4 pots it has and massage other things to be nice and it's a headache, adding in a belt and the way to handle that is more than I (and i'd think many outside hardcore collectors) would want to put up with.

 

Needless to say I have some unique memories with the system, just not normal ones.  Back in the mid 90s I had a good friend in Taiwan, maybe you may recall the name FanWen?  He's the one that cracked the FDS format and I was his tester as he created a NES emulator at the time, added that, and I was the guinea pig getting it ironed out in the process NES emulators and kits have used since.  It was so much fun digging into that library and learning all the weird quirks and the rest.  I miss the era, the whole watching something come from nothing and all the help, community, and the rest around it as it was a true wild west of information.

Edited April 10, 2020 by Tanooki

[0078265317]

And if anybody is looking here is a good deal.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274331875185

[c0op3r]

19 minutes ago, Tanooki said:

Oh I know my saying that about the actual FDS using disks wasn't going to be a popular one, but it just seems like an overly picky ticking time bomb of issues that I'd rather not get tangled up in.  I wouldn't mind the memory module and the FDS stick, but really at that rate, what I have now does what is needed anyway so kind of a waste.  Magnetic media is underrated as far as failures go, but they do fail and more so than some other stuff does.  I've had a few well kept 3.25" standard floppies go bad, even brand new sealed ones like when I picked up a Silverball 2 Plus! so I had to track down a disk image and re-create it.  And you're on it about the Nintendo stuff, cheaply made parts, typically fewer parts too, so less likely to fail.  I've had to deal with tweaking the Duo for the 4 pots it has and massage other things to be nice and it's a headache, adding in a belt and the way to handle that is more than I (and i'd think many outside hardcore collectors) would want to put up with.

 

Needless to say I have some unique memories with the system, just not normal ones.  Back in the mid 90s I had a good friend in Taiwan, maybe you may recall the name FanWen?  He's the one that cracked the FDS format and I was his tester as he created a NES emulator at the time, added that, and I was the guinea pig getting it ironed out in the process NES emulators and kits have used since.  It was so much fun digging into that library and learning all the weird quirks and the rest.  I miss the era, the whole watching something come from nothing and all the help, community, and the rest around it as it was a true wild west of information.

I totally get your side of it, and really it makes sense if you just want to play the few unique games for the system get an Everdrive or a RAMPack / FDStick, and know that you have the best of both worlds (playing on original hardware and a Media that will last).

 

But in the end that is not what our hobby is about (at least for me) the hunt and completing a collection is sometimes more fun then some of the games.  Let be dead honest on the FDS there is about 12 games that are the only ones worth owning to PLAY, everything else is to collect.  That being said I am not trying to tell people to avoid the system, I think its a neat thing, under collected, and affordable still.  But to someone new looking at this, I would ask them do you just want to play Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario 2 (FDS), then get an EverDrive (or RAMPack and FDStick about the same spent either way) and try it out, if you are in love collect away, if not be happy with what you have.

 

Side note: the EverDrive is an amazing thing you can play about ever game ever for the cost of less than 200$ and it works !  For the game player its the way to go.

 

Cooper

[Tanooki]

Oh I get it, and I used to do it.  Once the disgusting profiteers shit our collective bed starting about 10 years ago now I moved away from it only in the recent last few years getting kits.  I just can't justify paying the rates on a lot of it anymore to people just looking to take advantage of others as investment property, but if someone still wants to, more power to them.  I won't avoid a good deal, but that's about it at this rate.  SO that would be another factor too, out of control values mixed with the fragility of that system as far as fine tuning, belts and the rest go.  I just put the risk factor for me as up beyond reasonable.  If this were years ago and I could snap up the FC and FDS for like 1/2 of less of what they are now sure.  Sadly most of collecting is just toxic now.

[0078265317]

Also somebody on famicom world said doki doki panic and zelda are known for 27 errors.  So I got 3 more cheap games to test.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/283827945564

[c0op3r]

Updated photo of my collection so far:

 

 

 

Above are my Disk Writer only Disk

 

Below are my Boxed games:

 

 

[bradhig1]

I have some disks for FDS.  How many versions of GOLF were released for it?  I saw one version on emulation with a female golfer.

[c0op3r]

4 minutes ago, bradhig1 said:

I have some disks for FDS.  How many versions of GOLF were released for it?  I saw one version on emulation with a female golfer.

There is a few golf games

 

but the one you are talking about is most likely one of the un-official releases

[4300]

I've found the FDS to be rock solid ONCE you replace the belt and get it calibrated. It's the cheap rubber belt and the cumbersome calibration process that give the system a bad name. 

[0078265317]

The other 3 I linked from eBay and Zelda 2 arrived today.  I also ordered f1 race.  All 4 work great.  And Zelda 2 even switches to side B no issues.  And so do the others.  So must be bad Zelda 1 and Doki Doki Panic games.  The rest work great.  So I have 8 games now and only 2 don't work.  So I am calling this fixed for now. So thanks for all the help.

[0078265317]

Also I complained to the ebay seller and he refunded me for doki doki panic.  What are the chances another disk might work?  Or as said on FW is Doki Doki Panic know for errors?

[c0op3r]

19 minutes ago, 0078265317 said:

Also I complained to the ebay seller and he refunded me for doki doki panic.  What are the chances another disk might work?  Or as said on FW is Doki Doki Panic know for errors?

I dont know if that 'urban myth' is correct about Doki Doki, mine works fine

[0078265317]

And the zelda guy said he would resend another copy so fingers crossed.

[c0op3r]

I picked up two of the more expensive ones:

 

 

[Sho]

I just recently started collecting for the system.  Just about reaching 70 games with two last packages coming in from Japan before I take a break.  Once the new Nt Mini shows up at my house, I'll get back to it!  I need to get the stuff out to take a pic, lol  

[Sho]

Speaking of, how do you print those inserts and holders Cooper?  I would love to have those made for my own collection!