Gauging interest in a Snes cartridge pcb adapter -easy repos

[markfrizb]

http://youtu.be/5SlZTrWcLw4

I'm not sure if this is proper forum to post this in.... I've made a cartridge adapter that allows a person to make their own repos using the 27c322 and/or 27c160 EPROMs on SNES carts. I'm not selling repos. I made these cart adapters for me and will sell the spares.
One neat feature is that the adapter can accommodate sockets for 2 EPROMs and still all fit in the case.

There is a thread on NA and NESdev where my project started if anyone wants to look them up (not sure if this forum frowns upon links to other forums)

The pcb's are currently in production so if there's a lot of interest, I can up the order.

Pricing is still fluid but estimating around $15-$18 per adapter.

The adapter is pretty versatile in that it can do the Snes ExHiRom games like Tales of Phantasia or dragon quest 3, etc... Or it can do multigames with SRAM saves too. Anyways, thanks for looking.

[Ed Oscuro]

Oh yeah, this is the right place! Link away. The price seems reasonable. Not sure I would have a use for this right away, but maybe someday. It looks like a fun thing to mess around with at least.
Lol, my heart rate went up when I saw you moving those side cutters around.

Looks interesting. So, it's quite a long video - I hope you could write up a short breakdown of different configurations and what they entail. I'm not looking for so much detail as a game list of each type - that should be easy enough to figure out.

[markfrizb]

The games can be almost anything you want them to be (within the non special chip listings)

Here are a few links:

NESdev
Orig posting: http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=11120
Links with videos:
http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php? ... 30#p128681

Nintendo age forums
http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messag ... did=123803

I plan to make a guide on how to use it...
I wanted to use the final product with the final changes and since I haven't received them yet, I can't do that. I think it would be confusing to do a write up with pics using the inaccurate proto as a prop.
But a guide is in the works.

At the later half of the long video shows different rom configurations and multigames.

Thanks

[markfrizb]

Really, no interest??

This adapter pcb marries to the host cartridge (1AxM or 1JxM - the x can be a 3 or 5 signifying the SRAM size 64k or 256k respectively) and after their "marriage", then you can program your own 27c322 EPROMs to make any non-special chip game repo. EPROMs can be socketed and the cart shell still closes. Fits inside a SFC or Snes cart shells. The larger "extended hi rom games" -- ExHiRom -- games also will work on this.... games like Tales of Phantasia and Dragon Quest 3 and similar. If you are so inclined, this adapter has a multigame feature that is available if you want. Just set up the configuration jumpers, program the roms. The reset button will cycle through the games. I know the video is long because other forums had asked for an install video. Other videos on the NESdev link are shorter.
Price will be around $17 per board which will have the parts pre-mounted except for sockets and a few non-essential parts. I don't have my final set of boards yet, they are expected around the end of this month. I'll do a few final builds to verify their functionality when they do arrive before announcing their availability. Some previous posts stated that the pcb's were going to be unassembled -- thinking I didn't want to hand mount the parts myself -- but the fab house is doing the parts assembly so it's a non issue now. My plan is to sell about half of my order and I'll keep the rest.
Let me know if anyone has any interest.
Thanks

[darcagn]

I do have interest, I haven't really gotten into repros much though. Can this be used on carts with special chips as long as you have the correct donor? (e.g. Star Fox 2 on a Stunt FX cart, etc.)

[markfrizb]

I do have interest, I haven't really gotten into repros much though. Can this be used on carts with special chips as long as you have the correct donor? (e.g. Star Fox 2 on a Stunt FX cart, etc.)

No, this pcb adapter is only for non-special chip carts.

[darcagn]

Darn. As I have an SD2SNES, I guess I don't have a good use for it then.

[markfrizb]

I have a SD2snes too. But if you want several individual carts, they all can't be the pricey Super-duper sd2snes carts.

[gct]

Interesting project.

I have a made a number of ZIF-socketed EPROM carts myself, and also own a Super Everdrive. I think there is value in having individual carts for your most favourite games that you can just throw into the system and fire up without having to go through any ROM-selecting OS. It sounds like a petty complaint but it really makes the experience that little bit better.

With the basic mask ROM removal and ZIF socket replacement with re-wiring, I do need to pay attention to the ROM type to work out which games can go onto which donor cartridges. It would be nice to have one cartridge that works with any ROM type with the adapter you will sell.

[markfrizb]

I agree. I have the ever drive, SD2snes, and power paks. It's pretty cool to have thousands (potentially) of games in 1 cartridge but it also cheapens the experience too. I compare it to the MAME project. Thousand of arcade games on your computer but still not the same as standing in front of a real arcade machine.

I have considered putting ZIF sockets on a few of my adapter carts to make it easy to do a quick EPROM test. But the 42pin zifs are hard to find.

Anyhow, my boards should be here in a few weeks.

[markfrizb]

Boards have arrived, tested and working for those who are interested.

[PearlJammzz]

This would be pretty nice for those who only want to play a few select games and maybe don't have the budget for a SD2SNES. I already have one so this wouldn't be a whole lot of use to me but I have several friends who haven't due to price constraints. This may be the ticket for them!

[markfrizb]

I know what you mean. I have a large group of friends that want carts and I can give/sell the pricy repo carts to them. When they are tired of a game, they just send it back to me to make it something different.

[Astraea FGA Mk. I]

I see an ethical dilemma selling repos of games with fan translation patches applied as the translating teams put a huge amount of effort into their work as a contribution to the gaming community without profit and intended them to be distributed freely, other than that no harm done.

[markfrizb]

I hear ya. I'm not selling repos to the general public. And as most know, creating, designing, manufacturing and assembling any pcb comes with a high cost. I'm selling an adapter pcb where the average guy that can't or doesn't have the skills or tools to work with the very tiny tsop devices, can actually make their own games.....whether it be home brew or fan translated. How discouraging is it when someone burns a rom, rats nest it in a cart with 36+ sets of wires or multiple EPROMs, solders it all up only to learn they have a bad burn or wrong region of game..... And the "...but it worked on the emulator" question now bewilders them even more. With my adapter, the EPROMs are remove-able if you install the sockets. Even myself, after burning an EPROM and the verify said it was good....turned out to be bad and I was very glad I had it in a socket. How many carts have been destroyed in the attempts of making a Tales of Phantasia?

My group of friends aren't buying the games themselves, but helping with the huge cost of the pcb itself. Many of my friends own the original games (jap version) and don't want their carts hacked up but want to play the translated version. Anyhow, I made this adapter for me and I hope I can sell the extras to help defray my costs and help the other guy as well. When these are gone, I doubt they will be more made because of the cost. But it is cheaper than buying 50 flash carts.....

[Pasky]

Or people could stop destroying carts and just use something like this:

http://www.infiniteneslives.com/aux5.php

Or just get a flash cart. But why do that when you can buy cheap Japanese RPG's for $5 and sell them as repros for $50.