NeoGeo CD SD Loader

furrtek

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The NGPC video out was a quick test to see what it would take. Doing the video conversion to analog isn't too hard but fitting everything in the console, or making a full consolizer kit like the one for GBA with HDMI was going to be a lot of work. Because of other projects, that didn't happen.

Rattboi expressed interest in this a few months ago so I sent him my notes and the source file. He had some success in making it work on his end and getting a prototype board done, but I don't know if he's planning on selling kits in the future.
 
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Well i look forward to anything you develop, i eagerly await the ability to buy the sd loader ! I suppose the same goes for the wonderswan eh?
 

Pinball

Kula's Candy
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May 7, 2012
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NeoSD AES Pro now includes ability to play Neo CD games (since Summer 2019 firmware update). Does this mean that this ODE project is no longer viable? That said, if it is sold I'd buy it :-) PM me and all that..
 

Digmac

Leona's Therapist
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NeoSD AES Pro now includes ability to play Neo CD games (since Summer 2019 firmware update). Does this mean that this ODE project is no longer viable? That said, if it is sold I'd buy it :-) PM me and all that..

Why would this no longer be viable? Do you know the price of a NeoSD Pro? Do you know the AES and Neo Geo CD are two different consoles? Do you know that optical drive lasers die over time? Do you know how much cheaper this is over the NeoSD Pro? Seriously...
 

bwi

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20 Year Member
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Dec 15, 2000
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460
Had mine for nearly a month and its worked a charm. Can be picky with memory cards, but i'm chuffed as this systems cd board had died completely. Only downside is that it doesnt work with the unibios.
 
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Burning Fight!!

NIS America fan & Rent Free tenant
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Nice, just registered my email! Will be cool to use it for homebrewin'. Dunno how I missed this thread.

Edit: You break my heart, man. Still, waiting for mine at the end of the queue.
 
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Heinz

Parteizeit
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Yeah I registered my email a couple months ago, hopefully this sees the light of day and then neocd consoles will rise in price.
 

Burning Fight!!

NIS America fan & Rent Free tenant
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Yeah I registered my email a couple months ago, hopefully this sees the light of day and then neocd consoles will rise in price.

It's not like there's anything SNK that hasn't ballooned in prices yet :lolz: It's gonna be funny to see the regular toploader be more expensive than a CDZ in the months to come though.
 

titchgamer

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Had mine for nearly a month and its worked a charm. Can be picky with memory cards, but i'm chuffed as this systems cd board had died completely. Only downside is that it doesnt work with the unibios.

Does it work with the unibios installed but no unibios features or will it not work at all?
 

bwi

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Im not 100% as when i got my kit i had it installed in my non-unibios system. I know they were going to look at resolving the problem. That is something for Raz and Furrtek to sort out themselves. Mine is the first PCB that cannot work with the cd installed ( i believe the 2nd which most other people will get can be installed on a system with its cd drive still in place).

The only issue i had was copy protection games failed, i'm sure people know how to fix that :)
 

titchgamer

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Im not 100% as when i got my kit i had it installed in my non-unibios system. I know they were going to look at resolving the problem. That is something for Raz and Furrtek to sort out themselves. Mine is the first PCB that cannot work with the cd installed ( i believe the 2nd which most other people will get can be installed on a system with its cd drive still in place).

The only issue i had was copy protection games failed, i'm sure people know how to fix that :)

Ahh ok cheers.

I am having the same debate as to put it in my unibios or non unibios system.
But I want to put it in my unibios system and keep the CD drive in ideally.

Its currently in the post en route to me :)
 

bwi

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20 Year Member
Joined
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Posts
460
Im not 100% as when i got my kit i had it installed in my non-unibios system. I know they were going to look at resolving the problem. That is something for Raz and Furrtek to sort out themselves. Mine is the first PCB that cannot work with the cd installed ( i believe the 2nd which most other people will get can be installed on a system with its cd drive still in place).

The only issue i had was copy protection games failed, i'm sure people know how to fix that :)

neogeoSDsmall.jpg
 

furrtek

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Short answer: It won't work at all with a Unibios installed.

Long answer: It could be made to work with an installed Unibios but I'm afraid it would quickly become a mess. The loader dumps the console's BIOS to insert the menu, so that I don't have to distribute hacked up versions of the original BIOS. This means that the loader must handle the 3 possible versions of the original BIOS to use the right patch.

Possible solution: The Unibios functionality could be inserted with the loader menu. This would have to be worked out with Raz.
Both are commercial projects though, so coming to an agreement and dealing with the financial stuff could also become a headache...

Other possible solution: I could maybe add cheats (the region setting is already available in the loader menu) but I also don't want that to impact Raz's sales.

About the copy protection on some games: I have mixed feelings about having the loader itself remove the copy protections. For me it makes the difference between "selling a CD drive replacement" and "selling a CD drive replacement for pirated dumps". It could easily be added in a firmware update but right now I prefer having users take care of that theirselves :)

@bwi: is that an old picture or did you keep one of the test firmwares ? :p
 
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titchgamer

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Short answer: It won't work at all with a Unibios installed.

Long answer: It could be made to work with an installed Unibios but I'm afraid it would quickly become a mess. The loader dumps the console's BIOS to insert the menu, so that I don't have to distribute hacked up versions of the original BIOS. This means that the loader must handle the 3 possible versions of the original BIOS to use the right patch.

Possible solution: The Unibios functionality could be inserted with the loader menu. This would have to be worked out with Raz.
Both are commercial projects though, so coming to an agreement and dealing with the financial stuff could also become a headache...

Other possible solution: I could maybe add cheats (the region setting is already available in the loader menu) but I also don't want that to impact Raz's sales.

About the copy protection on some games: I have mixed feelings about having the loader itself remove the copy protections. For me it makes the difference between "selling a CD drive replacement" and "selling a CD drive replacement for pirated dumps". It could easily be added in a firmware update but right now I prefer having users take care of that theirselves :)

@bwi: is that an old picture or did you keep one of the test firmwares ? :p

Thanks for clearing that up, Will have to go in the original system then..

As for Raz's sales, He is no longer selling the unibios and has offered it up for free.
So maybe worth dropping him a message and asking him about implementation?
 

bwi

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Its an old picture, it's been updated to 0.4.

As to the copy protection, i'm happy as it is as it keeps you on the legal side.
 

titchgamer

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I've bought a NeoCD specifically for the SD Loader :-)

How much did that run you? I notice the prices have been climbing on them lately.
I should be getting mine back from the modder in the next day or 2 :)
 

Pinball

Kula's Candy
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May 7, 2012
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£98.00 all-in for a Japanese 60Hz console. Faulty CD board, but that matters not of course :-)

The NeoSD AES Pro has a possible 51 CD games, which I've installed, but at least another 50 games to go, plus I've warmed to the NeoCD, partly as a result of this thread.
 

titchgamer

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Got mine back today :)

Some loading time examples:

Sam Sho 2: 24 sec initial boot (Normally 60 secs) then a few between fights (not worth note)
Aero Fighters 2: 21 sec initial boot (Normally 50 secs) then a few between missions (not worth note)
Metal Slug 2: 14 secs initial boot (normally 28), 14 secs to load the first mission (normally 41 secs).
 
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Pinball

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Cool thanks.

My mum is Welsh and watches S4C. From north Wales (Clwyd) :-)
 

Massive Urethra Chode

Disciple Of Orochi
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Aug 27, 2013
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i just recently replaced the laser in my neo-geo CD. and it still wont work! guess i'll just wait for this thing. I dont own any legit games anyway just burns... I think the SD Loader would be better in the long-run anyway, since moving parts will eventually fail. Same reason i've held off on buying any PC Engine CD hardware, because the Super SD System 3 exists.... too bad that thing is so damn expensive. The NEO SD LOADER seems very affordable though. Honestly i'm impressed by the price. less than 100 dollars? that's a steal for anything neo-geo related...
 
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