grabbing an AES in japan & had a few questions

hey y'all - see above, I'd decided to take the plunge as I've wanted one since the early 90s and the time & currency exchange seem right! my setup is a SD trinotron with component (and a good component to SCART RGB adapter), and an XRGB mini for the HDTV. I've got an RGB cable just waiting on it.

i have an RGB cable back home and many questions here

1) threads here make it seem like the desire for a low serial # for better RGB signal have been debunked. is there anything to look for/be wary of, then?

2)super potato (i knoww) had a unit for like 270 or so. this price looks fair,I’m gonna check the one here in Osaka as well. any idea how/if these stores give any guarantee on its working condition?

3)what do those everdrive equivalents go for? the ones that take a bit to load but have nearly full compatibility? do i need to sacrifice someone to get one? seems like a better option for me than a multicart at this point but i recall them not being cheap

4) is unibios tricky to set up? more concerned with helpful ninja dog gameplay options than region stuff

5) what are good prices for a stick, and pad? anything to look for? I'd dig one of each, and they never look bundled with the system in these spots.
speaking of ninja doggery how does one get rapid fire options?

thanks in advance for any help offered here, pretty excited to finally dive in.

Answers:

1) Serial number and board revision really doesn’t matter. Any stock AES should get an RGB bypass for ideal RGB output. I’d say getting a console with a matching SNK power adapter is more important.

2) $270 seems fair for a fully functioning AES console. I’m seeing them for $280-$300 on Fleabay right now. No idea what Super Potato’s guarantee policy is.

3) The least expensive AES flashcart is the TerraOnion NeoSD. It takes a while to flash when you change games, but it works great. Stone Age Gamer sells them for $439.

4) Installing a UniBIOS requires you to open up the console, remove the main board, use a desoldering gun to remove the stock BIOS ROM chip, install a socket, then install an EPROM programmed with the UniBIOS into the socket. If you know how to solder and have the right tools then it’s pretty straightforward. If you don’t then you should send it off to be modded - and have the modder do the RGB bypass at the same time. The NeoSD flash cart also supplies many of the UniBIOS features like the region changing and cheats.

5) A used original stick runs around $70-$80. A used bean stick runs around $60-$70. A used pad runs around $30-$40. You can also purchased the Undamned USB Decoder with DB15 connector that will let you use any USB console controller or fight stick.

As for rapid fire, the UniBIOS will let you enable rapid fire for many games in the cheat menu. You can also buy a device like the JNX Lazy Finger to enable rapid fire for any game.

Hope this helps!

Super Potato? More like Super Ripoff. Akihabara is one of the worst possible spots for a good deal gaming wise. Expect ebay prices at the very least.

IrishNinja said:

...I've wanted one since the early 90s and the time & currency exchange seem right!

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That's debatable .

IrishNinja said:

speaking of ninja doggery how does one get rapid fire options?

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Another alternative: The Fighting Stick Neo I & II from Hori both offer rapid fire options, too.

haha yeah...okay it's not the best exchange rate but it's certainly been worse!

just pulled the trigger at osakas super potato, best deal I'd yet sewn - got the system, a boxed controller and snk power supply for like $280

ShootTheCore said:

Hope this helps!

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this was supremely helpful - thanks so much! gonna have to save for a NEOSD now, and look into its cheat support is enough to warrant passing on that lazy finger dongle for now. happy to get my USB fight stick going too though!

off to the RGB bypass thread...

For rapid fire, JNX sells the Lazy Finger adapter that plugs in via DB15 and can scale your auto fire.

The Unibios install is straightforward enough, but it's really easy to burn traces around the pins. And those traces sometimes go to multiple connections. Basically no one without the right tools and plenty of experience should ever attempt it unless you want a huge headache.

You may not need a Unibios unless you want to use it with real carts. The NeoSD has it built in.

okay then, so RGB bypass sounds important but im holding off on unibios. lazy finger sounds solid as well.

wish i had Neo SD money but after this trip it's gonna be a while...have multicarts improved any? I'd read some now allow you to pick & choose, its less than ideal but i wonder if they're any less booty these days

The multicarts are really only for MVS. There's only one AES multicart - the 161 in 1, and they push $200 on AliExpress. For that kind of money, you may as well save the extra $200 and go for the NeoSD. You could get an MVS multicart with an AES converter, but again that puts you at $250 or so.

If you decide to go the multicart route anyway, about 60 of the games are duplicate hacks, and the remaining games generally have glitches due to engineering and manufacturing problems with the cart. There's threads on here on how you can tweak the circuitry to make them work better. The 161 in 1 is also missing some of the Neo's best games like Windjammers, Twinkle Star Sprites, NAM-1975, Shock Troopers, Sengoku 2 and Metal Slug 5.

ah, you're right - for that kind of money, may as well save for the Neo SD! cheers

is there a better deal for one about than SAG? i don't really need the case & extras

also: here she be

Very nice score there mate!

IrishNinja said:

also: here she be

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Congratulations, IrishNinja! She's an absolute beaut! Welcome to one of the single most exciting-slash-expensive video game hobbies around!

I totally agree with everyone else about saving up and purchasing yourself a Neo SD. That definitely needs to be your end goal. But, in the meantime, I first recommend purchasing a fun, cheap-ish home cartridge to tide you over 'til the main course, as it were. I recommend an inexpensive, cart-only copy of, say, Samurai Shodown. You should get plenty of bang for your buck with that fun little fighter.

IrishNinja said:

ah, you're right - for that kind of money, may as well save for the Neo SD! cheers

is there a better deal for one about than SAG? i don't really need the case & extras

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Other than a used cart, your only other option is to order a NeoSD directly from TerraOnion themselves. But TO Direct charges more money for it ($490 USD), and Stone Age will also let you return the cart, whereas TO does not.

Enjoy the console - looks great!

thanks y'all! can't wait to mess with this beast back stateside, ive a few carts waiting haha - think i have cheap copies of samurai spirits and garou densetsu special about

so SAG is sold out - ill keep an eye here on buy/sell but i figure a used one might not last long. any idea how often stone age tends to restock? put it on my wishlist for what that's worth

If you are going the NeoSD route I recommend saving a bit longer and getting a pro if you can. It’s so much nicer and really makes playing the Neo that much more enjoyable. The extra $200 or so sucks, but one way to look at it is you’re saving thousands not buying aes carts, especially at today’s prices.

holy hell - reading up on the pro now and yeah, i love boozing & switching up games so flash loading does sound like a huge benefit...gonna see if i can let anything go to help towards the cost though!

Yeah load up four favorite games you always have on tap then use the RAM slot for everything else. It's totally worth the extra price.

About the RGB mods: Try out the system before you think about modding. Most of the systems' RGB is fine without any mods needed.

GohanX said:

About the RGB mods: Try out the system before you think about modding. Most of the systems' RGB is fine without any mods needed.

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Yeah I own a jap unit with serial just above 100k and the RGB is great through my Framemeister without any modifications done.

GohanX said:

About the RGB mods: Try out the system before you think about modding. Most of the systems' RGB is fine without any mods needed.

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Same, mine worked with a Jpn21 RGB cable without any modding

1) threads here make it seem like the desire for a low serial # for better RGB signal have been debunked. is there anything to look for/be wary of, then?

I think the older units have worse AV output, but it seems you will use RGB anyway so no!

2)super potato (i knoww) had a unit for like 270 or so. this price looks fair,I’m gonna check the one here in Osaka as well. any idea how/if these stores give any guarantee on its working condition?

Super Potato is generally the worst place to get games in Japan as it's the most well-known. Their prices are generally extreme and condition of items not as good. Are you going to be in Tokyo at any point? The best hidden-gem store would be "Friends". I bought hundreds of games from them when I lived there; a true mom and pop shop with good prices and like-new games for the most part.

3)what do those everdrive equivalents go for? the ones that take a bit to load but have nearly full compatibility? do i need to sacrifice someone to get one? seems like a better option for me than a multicart at this point but i recall them not being cheap

I would get a Neo SD(everdrive equivalent) before a multicart. I think they're around $600, but worth it if that's roms are the route you want to go with everything.

4) is unibios tricky to set up? more concerned with helpful ninja dog gameplay options than region stuff

If by setup you mean configuring settings, then yes. The install is kinda hard if you haven't soldered anything before and it would be expensive hardware you're working on.

5) what are good prices for a stick, and pad? anything to look for? I'd dig one of each, and they never look bundled with the system in these spots.
speaking of ninja doggery how does one get rapid fire options?

Not sure nowadays, I'd assume 40-100$ for a old-style stick depending on condition and if it's complete or not. I would search "completed listings" on eBay to get a decent idea.

cheers everyone

also is this the right choice for getting USB controllers going on an AES? price seems the same across the board if so

https://www.amazon.com/CtrlDepot-Brook-Super-Converter-Adapter/dp/B07CK1N4YB

The Brook converter you linked is decent, but the Undamned USB Decoder is the gold standard. He just announced that he has a bunch of new units ready to sell. Paradise Arcade Shop is the official outlet for them, and they should restock shortly. Or you can PM him directly to order one.

like everybody already stated - buying AES games in Tokyo is stupid nowadays.


You'll find better offers on Facebook and in gaming forums than in those shops...