Definitive Phantom-1 FAQ/thread?

ericb · Dec 14, 2004

I'm considering getting a Phantom-1 for my AES (which still hasn't arrived, those bastards...) but there seems to be a lot of conflicting info flying around regarding the unit. Some say later games work fine, others say they don't. I know there are different models and everything, so I'm just wondering what's considered the "best" model (sorry, I know that can be subjective in some cases). I've searched the boards and the internet, but honestly, there's just so much conflicting info.

Is there one FAQ or something that anyone knows of that can set the record straight?

Thanks in advance.

Hmkay · Dec 14, 2004

... The Phantom will work more or less good depending on your console, and you've already bought yours, so you're asking a bit too late... You may be lucky though, who knows... It depends on what games you want to get, too...
KoF 2003 and Metal Slug 5 (official MVS) won't work with the Phantom no matter what, but some (or all ?) bootlegs of those games will...

ericb · Dec 14, 2004

Hmkay said:
... The Phantom will work more or less good depending on your console, and you've already bought yours, so you're asking a bit too late...

Wow, I feel like an idiot. I didn't know that the Phantom worked differently with different AES models... I was under the impression that the only variance came from the model of the Phantom. I've got a high serial JP AES on the way... any info would be appreciated.

Hmkay · Dec 14, 2004

I think low serial consoles tend to work better with it... Mine is a low one and it works perfectly. To be more precise, what's actually relevant is the model number of your console, from what I gathered...

neo_X7 · Dec 14, 2004

Only games that the Phantom 1 is grantee not to work with is.

SVC Chaos
Metal Slug 5
Neoprint carts
Irritating Maze

The problem games.

Metal Slug X
Metal Slug 4
Spinmaster
Rage of the Dragons
King of the Fighters 2003
and mine won’t work right with Samurai Showdown 4.

Hmkay · Dec 14, 2004

Making that kind of list isn't really interesting unless you state your console model version number... MSX and SS4 works flawlessly on my setup, for example.
As for KoF 2003, I think Raz confirmed it wouldn't work no matter what, as it's different from the AES version and is missing the data needed to run the game on an AES... Something like that.

ericb · Dec 14, 2004

Thanks for the info... sorry, I honestly didn't know it had to do with model number, etc... My Neo arrived today, so I just have to wait till 6:30 to go pick it up at the local station tonight (I called in sick to work today for this purpose solely), so maybe once I check out the model, I can get a better idea.

It would be an ambitious project, but someone may want to spearhead making an FAQ collecting data from people's experience as far as what works/doesn't work with their model of AES and Phantom.

Of course, it would have to be someone other than me, because I'm broke.

neo_X7 · Dec 14, 2004

Someone else mentioned in another thread that they started to have trouble with certain games after having debug bios installed. I noticed that people who have unibios, or and unmoded unit, are not have these problems.

omnedon · Dec 15, 2004

Tech forum link

I've tested my blue Phantom with at least 7 AES's. It works flawlessly with all but the Playmore incompatible games (listed in that link) in my 20xxx (low) serialled AES.

Generally speaking, lower serialled AES's, seem to be the most likely to have no problems with the Phantom. High serialled (150 000+) AES's I've tested with my Phantom still work with it, but have scaling artifacts with scaling games, like the SS series. On AES's like this, the scaling seems to be the only issue, so the Phantom is still useful for most games for those people, but not games that use scaling. Other scaling games include Waku Waku 7, and Thrash Rally.

I'm in Alberta, and mod AES's with Universe BIOS (socketed- so you can upgrade yourself in the future), S-Video, composite video and stereo. Every AES I mod gets tested with my Blue Phantom-1, and I can tell you straight off whether or not a Phantom-1 will work fully with your AES.

Hmkay · Dec 15, 2004

I have no problems with "scaling" games on my setup, SS4, SS5 and SS5S work flawlessly.
My serial #: 029990.

Also, Raz mentioned it was possible for him to increase Phantom-1 compatibity in the next versions of his BIOS, but he didn't know how he'd achieve that last time I checked.

omnedon · Dec 15, 2004

I do beleive the Universe BIOS will eventually solve the lack of compatibility with those later Playmore releases, like MS5 and SNK vs Capcom. Those are encryption anti piracy issues that pop up due to the nature of the Phantom. Since that is a 'software' issue, I'm certian that future relases of the BIOS will adress this. That's why a socketed install is so important.

The scaling issue however is cart slot related, and I sincerely doubt that that can be addressed in software.

I love my blue Phantom. It works perfectly in my AES, and with it an the UniBIOS, absolutely no aspect of Neo gaming is out of my reach. Any mode, any option, any cart. :buttrock:

ericb · Dec 15, 2004

Thanks everyone for the info... God, I feel like such an idiot for skipping over that thread in the Tech forum (I subconsciously can't see sticky threads anymore, apparently).

I'm definitely considering getting my AES modded in the future, omnedon, so I'll probably get in contact with you at some point, because I don't want to have to deal with international rates or customs. Thanks.

This is all good info... I'm thinking that I'll eventually pick one up, but not anywhere in the near future. It's a lot of cash that I really don't have right now.

omnedon · Dec 15, 2004

When you decide to get yours modded, I can pre Phantom test it for you, no problem, then you will know, prior to deciding if a Phantom is good for you.

No customs with me, plus I work for CDN$$$, so I'm considerably cheaper for Canucks.

Welcome to the AES club! Those MVS lovin AES haters may be right, that MVS is more *practical*, but with my Phantom and my Uni BIOS, There isn't *anything* I can't play that they can. In fact, it's the other way around. They *can't* buy AES titles when it suits them. If it's a real Neo cart, I can play it, in any mode I want.

Hmkay · Dec 15, 2004

omnedon said:
If it's a real Neo cart, I can play it, in any mode I want.

The same goes for MVS people with the UniBios, they can boot their arcade games in either console or arcade mode...

praedicator · Dec 16, 2004

neo_X7 said:
Only games that the Phantom 1 is grantee not to work with is.

SVC Chaos
Metal Slug 5
Neoprint carts
Irritating Maze

The problem games.

Metal Slug X
Metal Slug 4
Spinmaster
Rage of the Dragons
King of the Fighters 2003
and mine won’t work right with Samurai Showdown 4.

As others have mentioned, lists like these are dependent on many factors; AES Serial/Board version, Phantom-1 board version, BIOS, etc.

Making a comprehensive list from people's collecctions of board serial, Phantom-1 version, and BIOS might help clear up the speculation. Of the games I have listed above only KoF 2003 won't work on my system (AES 134911, Blue Phantom-1, UniBIOS 2.0). MS5, SVC, RotD, MS4, and MSX all work on this config.

Any volunteers for compiling an organized list to find comonalities?

omnedon · Dec 16, 2004

The same goes for MVS people with the UniBios, they can boot their arcade games in either console or arcade mode...

You can play AES format games too on your setup?

I can. I can play MVS games too.

I can play ANYTHING. That's my point.

I'm stunned that praedicator has MS5 working through his Phantom. I've tried it, it boots, the a red message pops up saying that I've bootlegged the game (not being played on real MVS hardware).

Hmkay · Dec 16, 2004

omnedon said:
You can play AES format games too on your setup?

Yes.

By the way... I remember Raz saying it was just IMPOSSIBLE for MVS MS5 or KoF 2003 to work on an AES console, maybe he was wrong... I don't own either game and so couldn't try myself... but since I'm not interested in those games at all, I'm not going to find out by myself.

Robert · Dec 16, 2004

Interesting thread.
Don't you think that they will release a kind of "definitive" version of the phantom, able to play every games no matter the version of the AES?

Hmkay · Dec 16, 2004

Robert said:
Interesting thread.
Don't you think that they will release a kind of "definitive" version of the phantom, able to play every games no matter the version of the AES?

That'd be nice, but it's been said the blue version would be the very last one, and that they (!Arcade!) were stopping after that.

praedicator · Dec 16, 2004

Hmkay said:
By the way... I remember Raz saying it was just IMPOSSIBLE for MVS MS5 or KoF 2003 to work on an AES console, maybe he was wrong... I don't own either game and so couldn't try myself... but since I'm not interested in those games at all, I'm not going to find out by myself.

All the way along I've been told that newer SNKP games just won't work on the phantom, and for some unknown reason almost all of them will play on my setup...? :spock:

The original AES I owned would not play any of the SNKP games, but the AES I purchased a few months ago will play most of them using THE SAME phantom-1! This is what makes me think there is a lot more to do with MVS compatibility than just the version of Phantom-1 you have.

A month or two back I was going to make an Excel spreadsheet that could be used as a template, than imported into a relational database to track MVS compatibility.

Food for thought...

Definitive Phantom-1 FAQ/thread?

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