Tototek "Evermind Genesis Mega Cart" question

[FinalBaton]

So, the Tototek forums are dead, hence why I ask this here :

Can the Megacart allow me to play retail jp MegaCD games on a jp MegaCD(model 1, stock) hooked up to a US Genesis(model 1, stock)?

[Fudoh]

Can the Megacart allow me to play retail jp MegaCD games on a jp MegaCD(model 1, stock) hooked up to a US Genesis(model 1, stock)?

wouldn't this work anyway ? God, it's been long since I last used a MCD, but isn't the CD region "provided" by the CD hardware instead of the actual MD ?

[kamiboy]

I believe it is the CD bios that determines region on CD games.

[FinalBaton]

wouldn't this work anyway ? God, it's been long since I last used a MCD, but isn't the CD region "provided" by the CD hardware instead of the actual MD ?

Doesn't work here, when I power it on it goes straight to a blue screen saying "This is an NTSC compatible Mega-CD for exclusive use in Japan and South East Asia". Won't let me do anything else. Tray won't even open (but then again, this is a "junk" unit, so maybe that's why my unit won't open. Still, from what I've read, it's not supposed to open when this message displays. So I have to find a way to get past this lockout).

So basically, it locks when detecting an american Genesis hooked up to it and won't boot. But since the Mega Cart allows to play japanese Mega CD games on an all-american system, I was wondering if it what possible to use the Mega Cart to unlock my setup.

Supposedly, a region mod would allow me to use my jp Mega-CD with my Genesis to play japanese Mega-CD games, but I don't want to mod my Genny Hence why I'm trying to figure out if I can use the Mega Cart for my needs.

[Star1]

You don't need a hardware mod aslong as the mega cart can load rom files. If it can,load up a US sega cd bios. Carts have boot priority over the sega cd, so the sega cd will act as if it is a US model, thus bypassing the region check.

If it cannot do this, and if you don't want to mod, you could always consider a cheap everdrive.

[FinalBaton]

You don't need a hardware mod aslong as the mega cart can load rom files. If it can,load up a US sega cd bios. Carts have boot priority over the sega cd, so the sega cd will act as if it is a US model, thus bypassing the region check.

If it cannot do this, and if you don't want to mod, you could always consider a cheap everdrive.

Are you 100% sure this will work with the jp Mega-CD/US Genesis combo, star1?

Here's how the Mega Cart operates according to the official review on sega16 :

Simply insert your Mega Cart into the Mega Drive/Genesis cartridge slot, along with your import disc into the disc tray of the Sega/Mega CD. Before turning on the power, you must hold a button to load the bios of the region of the game you are about to play. Hold button A to play a Japanese Mega CD game, button B for a U.S. Sega CD game and button C for a European Mega CD game. Turn on the unit and wait until you see the loading screen.

[Star1]

I should have specified that you (probably) need to boot a region free bios.
I have no idea how the mega cart works, but if you can use it to load game roms, load a region free bios that matches the region of the genesis. This will skip the hardware region check, and allow the vast majority of cd games to be played.

[Galdelico]

Even if I'm in a very different situation than yours - I own a Japanese Mega Drive 2 + Mega CD 2, and since I started collecting for the SEGA CD as well, I need something to play original US games on my NTSCJ console - I noticed the Tototek cart too, a while ago, and tried to reach the guys, in order to have some additional informations. Unfortunately, they never got back at me. That, and the fact there are so few and super old reviews around (on Youtube, for example), led me to quickly forget about their product.

For my needs specifically, I believe a Mega Everdrive should do the trick (allowing me to load the US Sega CD bios on my Japanese Mega CD), but unfortunately I don't know if mixing consoles from different regions would inevitably require to mod at least one of them.

[Star1]

Even if I'm in a very different situation than yours - I own a Japanese Mega Drive 2 + Mega CD 2, and since I started collecting for the SEGA CD as well, I need something to play original US games on my NTSCJ console - I noticed the Tototek cart too, a while ago, and tried to reach the guys, in order to have some additional informations. Unfortunately, they never got back at me. That, and the fact there are so few and super old reviews around (on Youtube, for example), led me to quickly forget about their product.

For my needs specifically, I believe a Mega Everdrive should do the trick (allowing me to load the US Sega CD bios on my Japanese Mega CD), but unfortunately I don't know if mixing consoles from different regions would inevitably require to mod at least one of them.

If you don't care about the everdrive in general, I'm sure you could get someone to just make a cart containing just one region free bios. I can't test myself, as I don't have a MD everdrive, but I've seen people on sega16 mix and match genesis/cd regions loading a bios from the everdrive.

[FinalBaton]

If you don't care about the everdrive in general, I'm sure you could get someone to just make a cart containing just one region free bios. I can't test myself, as I don't have a MD everdrive, but I've seen people on sega16 mix and match genesis/cd regions loading a bios from the everdrive.

Krikz has a reprogrameable cart for $9.00 :
http://krikzz.com/store/home/39-flashkit-cart-md.html

Could that do the job? Could I put a bios on this myself?

[Star1]

Well, you'd need the programmer,so for just a one off, getting the cheapest everdrive would cost less. But If someone has one, paying them for a single cart would be cheaper still, and an easy way to check if the setup works.

[FinalBaton]

Well, you'd need the programmer,so for just a one off, getting the cheapest everdrive would cost less. But If someone has one, paying them for a single cart would be cheaper still, and an easy way to check if the setup works.

Oh, didn't know I also needed a seperate device (programmer). I'm a total n00b when it comes to this so excuse the misunderstanding of very basic stuff on my part.

If Krikz was willing to put the BIOS on the cart though, I guess it'd be a good alternative?

[Star1]

I should think so Just remember to get a region free bios that matches the genesis.

[FinalBaton]

I should think so Just remember to get a region free bios that matches the genesis.

So just to make sure : is the bios you're talking about : a Genesis bios, or a sega-cd bios? (sorry, just want to make sure I have this right before ordering, lol. This bios thing confuses me to no end)

In my case I need a region free Mega-CD bios that's made for the US Genesis, is that right?

[Star1]

Yes, the bios is FOR the sega cd, loaded FROM the genesis

I'm not sure you really need the bios to match the sega cd, as long as it is region free, but it doesn't hurt in any case. Note that there are a select few titles that won't work on a region free bios, but those are few and far between (can't find the list, there was a thread on assembler discussing this).

[FinalBaton]

Thanks Star1, you've been a big help

[Star1]

Perhaps not
https://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=13537 This thread seems to indicated that simply loading the bios to a normal cart won't do the trick.

Perhaps the everdrive is the only viable non-mod solution, now I',m confused as well...

[FinalBaton]

Perhaps not
https://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=13537 This thread seems to indicated that simply loading the bios to a normal cart won't do the trick.

Perhaps the everdrive is the only viable non-mod solution, now I',m confused as well...

Ohhhhh, good find! now I know to not bother with a normal cartridge solution and instead go with the Everdrive

[Star1]

Luckily the lower end mega everdrive is a fairly cheap option, at least compared to everdrives in general.

[FinalBaton]

Luckily the lower end mega everdrive is a fairly cheap option, at least compared to everdrives in general.

Yeah agreed. $50 is really not bad