Neo Geo CD mod question...

[dave4shmups]

Would it be possible to swap out the slow CD-ROM drive in the Neo Geo CD with a faster CD-ROM drive? If it can be done, it would probably be cheaper then buying a Neo Geo CDZ console. I could just about get an MVS cab for what CDZs sell for on eBay.

[mvsfan]

if speed is what you are after, get an MVS and consolize it. Arcadeworks even sells one pre-built.

a consolized mvs will cost you more in the beginning than an aes will, but the mvs games are much cheaper.

[mikejmoffitt]

The answer is no, not really. You'd never surpass CDZ speeds too, as the software wouldn't know to even try to load any faster.

[bobrocks95]

I've heard conflicting reports about the CDZ myself. Does it even have a 2x disc drive? Would software have to be programmed to adjust to the higher speed? The PS3 never popped in anything past a 2x blu-ray drive as far as I know, and it's had a 10 year lifespan or so.

[gray117]

What? cd speed x2 is far less than bluray x2. blurays biggest problem is search and find speed (looking for small bits of non sequential data on a big disk); circumvented via installs... though in games where streaming performance is important any system would install to hd.

Whatever's inside a cdz - modified 1x drive and/or more memory for a loading buffer - doesn't really matter it's still approx x2 loading speed of original, but what does any of this matter? It's still a lame duck vs cartridge, completely contrary to the spirit of the neo geo. Neo cds are for nostalgia, and the shelf, and they do a good job of that... but not for playing.

[mvsfan]

I agree.

[nem]

I've heard conflicting reports about the CDZ myself. Does it even have a 2x disc drive? Would software have to be programmed to adjust to the higher speed? The PS3 never popped in anything past a 2x blu-ray drive as far as I know, and it's had a 10 year lifespan or so.

The CDZ has more memory.

The NGCDs get a poor rap, but they're fine consoles for playing any of the non-fighting games. Lower meg count games load once, and then never again. Some of the arranged CD soundtracks are amazing.

[bobrocks95]

What? cd speed x2 is far less than bluray x2.

Duh. I'm making the argument that there's no precedent for a console increasing the speed of its disc drive. The PS3 is the second-best example I can think of of a console with notably slow disc access speed, so I mentioned it.

The Neo Geo CD's entire purpose was being a cheaper Neo Geo solution. Given that consolized MVS's are now a thing, the question is if any games are cheaper on it.

[dave4shmups]

if speed is what you are after, get an MVS and consolize it. Arcadeworks even sells one pre-built.

a consolized mvs will cost you more in the beginning than an aes will, but the mvs games are much cheaper.

Yeah, I've seen that one before, and, although I don't doubt that it's well made, I wonder if anyone makes consolized MVS's for less then that? I don't care how fancy it looks, or how big it is.

[mvsfan]

Arcadeworks used to sell a kit where you could build one yourself for about $100 less using your own mv-1c board.

that was the preferred route to take. But they discontinued it.

i dont know of any other pre built consoles that actually look like the aes. most of the prebuilt ones i see are just the board with rgb inputs and control ports and some kind of power supply soldered onto it and fastened to the sheilding.

[dave4shmups]

Arcadeworks used to sell a kit where you could build one yourself for about $100 less using your own mv-1c board.

that was the preferred route to take. But they discontinued it.

i dont know of any other pre built consoles that actually look like the aes. most of the prebuilt ones i see are just the board with rgb inputs and control ports and some kind of power supply soldered onto it and fastened to the sheilding.

OK. I should ask on the neo-geo.com forums; perhaps there's someone on there that builds them.