Neo-Geo Deck (Hotel Unit) bios dumped

[massimiliano]

I'm just glad people are starting to call it by its proper name now. Cheers on getting the bios dumped, is there a download of it anywhere yet?

Hehe...I agree, and I remember NeoBomberman shredding light long time ago...great times

The bios will be available soon, I'm just syncing with mame team (checks, credits and so on) as it it's officially supported I'll release it..matter of days.

[massimiliano]

So how do these things work? You just choose what game you want from the ones available and stick it in to the slot and you get to play for x amount of minutes per coin?

herrr. no.

You have just one game (one slot, filled and closed by the operator key) and you just put the coin for a play with no time restrictions or special modes.

It's like a *heavy* supergun, but "official" (^_^!)

About time restriction, I navigated the bios, and no sign of that, but I will send soon the bios to Raz, as we were talking about it before and he is the man.

[KRONOS]

herrr. no.

You have just one game (one slot, filled and closed by the operator key) and you just put the coin for a play with no time restrictions or special modes.

It's like a *heavy* supergun, but "official" (^_^!)

About time restriction, I navigated the bios, and no sign of that, but I will send soon the bios to Raz, as we were talking about it before and he is the man.

Thanks for the great pics and info on this.. I can't even imagine what it cost to import this thing. It's funny, that system has probably 'seen' a lot of couples gett'n it on. If it could talk, it'd have stories, and they'd sound like Michael Beard was telling them.

[Shito]

herrr. no.

You have just one game (one slot, filled and closed by the operator key) and you just put the coin for a play with no time restrictions or special modes.

It's like a *heavy* supergun, but "official" (^_^!)

About time restriction, I navigated the bios, and no sign of that, but I will send soon the bios to Raz, as we were talking about it before and he is the man.

This is interesting. The one unit I saw had a 4-slot within, so I just assumed that was kind of the norm, but it turns out multiple versions existed after all...

[massimiliano]

This is interesting. The one unit I saw had a 4-slot within, so I just assumed that was kind of the norm, but it turns out multiple versions existed after all...

?????.

O_o

This is something really strange!

Could you please explain in details? Did you actually see the board, or cycled through the games (but more important, *where* the 4 carts were placed)?

Actually all the deck unit I saw (auctions,various users here and some friend in japan) are all the same, and they can host just one cart as the rest of the space is for the joysticks.
There was no room for 4 carts on that mobo, even dismounting the chassis to place the carts (instead of the practical panel, wich can justify anyway multiple gaming "on demand", changed by the staff).
Time ago I was guessing multiple games too (hoping for at least a 2slot), but once putted my hands on it, I saw there is really no space on the whole chassis..even guessing different internal components.
And then I realized why there is no "MVS" acronym anywhere!

I mean, a 4-slot solution is really hard to place, starting just for the multiple carts itself.

but a complete different unit with the appropriate space couldn't be confused with the many posted here.. how could you afterall!?

So I'm a bit confused, could you ask please for pictures to your friend?
It should be bigger (the chassis, glass and panels too) and somehow differ from the many seen....or it could always be a brutal hack in an expensive "box".

[OrochiEddie]

Very cool, this would be the kind of unit I'd want. Even better that is has more than just auxiliry hook-ups. I think it'd be the best kind of unit to own in all honesty, it is, as said, basically an official supergun.

I'm guessing they're mad expensive though

[Shito]

?????.

O_o

This is something really strange!

Could you please explain in details? Did you actually see the board, or cycled through the games (but more important, *where* the 4 carts were placed)?

Mmmh, the one I saw, I guess it's just the same than yours (metal type indeed).

The unit came with four carts, all the arts fitted in the book, and seemed to me the carts were also fitted in a typical multi-slot base but... truth to be told, I didn't pay that much attention to the internal stuff. Thus I think I may be wrong, and I'm going to check with my friend in Japan.

[massimiliano]

Mmmh, the one I saw, I guess it's just the same than yours (metal type indeed).

The unit came with four carts, all the arts fitted in the book, and seemed to me the carts were also fitted in a typical multi-slot base but... truth to be told, I didn't pay that much attention to the internal stuff. Thus I think I may be wrong, and I'm going to check with my friend in Japan.

Thanks for checking! And plz say hello to your Nakano friend, I hope we will meet soon or later

[ttooddddyy]

Nice work always wondered what they looked like on the inside.
Thanks for sharing the pics.

[massimiliano]

ok final pictures and bios available (^_^)

here the download, (of course for those who actually own a deck unit and need a *backup* of their bios) instructions inside:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=EKZVGXHQ

here last steps of the "cleaning", afterall I hope I will never do it again, so I took some extra pic:

board placed on lower base:



the "bullet proof" chasiss



the coinbox, with the coin-counter at "1110" plays!



and the last two AV daughter card for RF/S-Video and RGB+Stereo output (grey flat connector) and TV AVpass-through:



a detail of the RF connector, very same commercialized for home units



the joystick connectors, blocked by two metal plate



and the psu mounted



a shot of what's on the "other side" (yes a lamp too!)



btw, afaik, here is one of the few pictures of what's beyond the glass (temporaly removed the dip-sw cover, to show the hidden controls):



..and the final (clean) result



..with a more comprehensive view, with part of the family, (first time I could place quite all togheter, so I wanted to share) (^_^!)



well, hope I'll have something else nice to document soon, so see you next time!

[@Alaska-]

simply awsome!!
nice documentation. Keep up the good work .. Bravo.

[Praise the Lard]

massimiliano can you zip up the high resolution/quality images of what you've posted here? Seems you've done a bang up job on the cleaning, they would be handy reference images should I ever break down and want to pick up one of these.

[massimiliano]

massimiliano can you zip up the high resolution/quality images of what you've posted here? Seems you've done a bang up job on the cleaning, they would be handy reference images should I ever break down and want to pick up one of these.

Yeah no prob
there was a lot of dust, but the inside was reasonably in good shape!

The outside is of course scratched here and there (black part mostly) by use, which I guess wasn't so heavy afterall, and time, but indeeds a good polish cream can help... at least for "documenting" purpose!

[kernow]

its actually a lot smaller than I imagined, nice unit though and thanks for the pics.

great collection too!

[NeoTurfMasta]

Thanks for the bios upload! One extra thing to note is that the Deck's sticks have a different layout than the regular CD sticks. The start and select buttons are swapped.

[massimiliano]

its actually a lot smaller than I imagined, nice unit though and thanks for the pics.

great collection too!

Thanks! It's a 100% JAP AES collection, plus "some" double, for a total of 170 AES carts (MVS kit and loose excluded, actually in another place).

I'm really proud of it, as I'm involved with neo since '92, and I never had the chance to see them togheter due to lack of time and space mostly due to work

Soon or later I would take pictures of posters/flyers/mooks/ost/magazines and so on, as that's probably the most interesting part, rich of interesting stuff!

[massimiliano]

Thanks for the bios upload! One extra thing to note is that the Deck's sticks have a different layout than the regular CD sticks. The start and select buttons are swapped.

Great! Sniper grade (^_^)!
I didn't noticed that, and I have no Controller Pro around...





I searched images but I found only this one (contribution needed!):

[Praise the Lard]

Interesting thing about the kidney sticks is there seems to be a few different color variations. Some are pure black, others are slightly more gray (like the one I have), and the hotel unit is an even lighter gray (?) with the black accent.

Any ways, here you are:

[Shito]

1) About the chances of a 4-slot Deck. Turned out that the one I saw was (is) a 1-slot just as yours. Yet the owner claim 4-slot units also exist, a friend of his having one. Now that I see your (very nice) cleaning / taking apart pics, i agree with you a 4slot either can't exist or must be totally different in its structure though.

2) Did the wonderful NeoGeo rental plate came with the Deck? That's really nice indeed!

[massimiliano]

2) Did the wonderful NeoGeo rental plate came with the Deck? That's really nice indeed!

Hehe! No-no, it's from another "raid"
I like it so much, I hope I can take a proper shot with the rest of rental stuff soon or later, (I should have pictures of the MesseSano III shop opening, with that plate around too).
I placed it there as it was the only free corner

[ttooddddyy]

Is it the "older Japanese bios version" in yesterdays mame release, have not had a chance to try it out yet.
http://mamedev.org/updates/whatsnew_0130u1.txt

[Tomcat]

Pls turn the massimiliano' s Rank in "Gigapower "


Regards

Tom(ITA)

[massimiliano]

Is it the "older Japanese bios version" in yesterdays mame release, have not had a chance to try it out yet.
http://mamedev.org/updates/whatsnew_0130u1.txt

Yeah that's it, but I must say I'm a little disappointed by how credits and description were managed by mame team.

Actually the friend of mine who sent the bios via mail to his friend on mamedev resulted like the submitter, even if he specified me in the email he sent.

There is worst in life, we all agree, but the next whatsnew should bring the correction, adding the information I gave like "Deck bios" and board reference... I'm in contact with Aaron Gilles btw, I should probably before...

Anyway, if you download the file I linked, and follow instructions, you can actually use it also in older mame versions, as a normal MVS bios!

(^_^)

[werejag]

that sucks hope you get that credit you deserve

thanks for the bios and the pics

[joe8]

Here's an ebay listing for the flyer for the hotel unit, if anyone's interested.


http://cgi.ebay.com/HOTEL-UNIT-FLYER...QQcmdZViewItem