Snega2Usb: Usb Reader For Snes And Genesis Carts

[Matthias_H]

This is clearly off-topic, but allow me to post it anyway, since it is in this very forum that this project began.

I'm talking of course about my little USB adapter for SNES and SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive. There is probably no easier way of rescuing your collection of good old 16-bit games into the 21st century, and doing so legally (as opposed to downloading ROMs from questionable sources). All the positive feedback I received encouraged me to put more work into the project, so today I am happy to announce that the snega2usb will finally become a product and everyone who wants one can have one. This is the current state:

• USB 2.0 Mass Storage device. No drivers or special software required.
• Loads SNES and Genesis ROMs from the cartridge.
• Reads and writes battery-backed SRAM on SNES cartridges.
• Professionally made PCB and custom cartridge connectors of the highest quality.
• Rugged aluminum case
• Optional support for up to 4 gamepads, can easily be retrofitted by anyone. They appear as USB Keyboard devices, with (new!) user-configurable key mapping.
• Updateable firmware based on the amazing LUFA framework by Dean Camera. Will become open-source in early 2010.
• Availability: December 2009
• Preordering: If you want one, visit the website now and place your preorder.
• Group Buy: Price will drop as more people participate...

As a future Pandora owner, I will of course do all I can to make this work with the Pandora (that is, if it doesn't from the beginning). With future firmware updates, I also hope to support flash cartridges and Genesis SRAM. Of course, once the firmware turns open source, who knows what other cool things might happen....

Cheers,
Matthias

 

[SML]

Awesome!

 

[Consequence_9]

nevermind.

 

[WoD]

Care to bung me a review sample?

I don't know why, or how, but my Dingoo A320 coverage generates a lot of traffic.

Update: Blogged: http://www.gadgetoid.com/2009/10/17/snega2usb-connect-your-snes-and-sega-genesis-carts-as-mass-storage/

Slashdot/Engadget submissions pending.

Dugg: http://digg.com/gaming_news/Snega2usb_Reads_Your_SNES_And_SEGA_Genesis_Carts

 

[___]

I completely missed this gadget! I haven't been reading the boards in a while. This is an awesome project and I am very intrigued. *snip* EDIT: Stupid question removed.

 

[neko]

I completely missed this gadget! I haven't been reading the boards in a while. This is an awesome project and I am very intrigued. Let's say I had a japanese Seiken Densetsu 3 cartridge, could I read it out, save it as bin and apply a translation patch on it, then write the translated bin back to the cartridge? Cause that would be my number one reason to get this. How cool would it be to have the translated games on the original cartridge? Or is that not possible due to the different size of the roms with applied patch?

The cartridge is not writable. You would need a flashram cart or something similar. The patched rom is still 4MB, and is playable on a SNES if you have the right hardware (I used a SuperWildCard to play it).

 

[WizardStan]

I completely missed this gadget! I haven't been reading the boards in a while. This is an awesome project and I am very intrigued. Let's say I had a japanese Seiken Densetsu 3 cartridge, could I read it out, save it as bin and apply a translation patch on it, then write the translated bin back to the cartridge? Cause that would be my number one reason to get this. How cool would it be to have the translated games on the original cartridge? Or is that not possible due to the different size of the roms with applied patch?

I believe you are forgetting what "ROM" stands for.
Read Only Memory.
As in, you can only read from it.
As in, you cannot write to it.

 

[___]

lol nevermind then...

 

[WoD]

All those years I thought it meant Really Orange Memory... sheesh.

 

[gruso]

Congrats on getting this far with it Matthias! I also tipped Engadget when you first announced preorders, hopefully the extra push from WoD will get you some coverage. I can't give this its own post on the community blog, but I'll definitely give it a cheeky footnote next time SNES or Genesis is mentioned.

 

[maxz]

Downloading roms is legal as long as you own the game, isn't it?

 

[gruso]

It's a big grey area, different for every country, and not a conversation we're going to fill up another thread with.

 

[snostrebla]

This is pretty awesome. I plan on preordering one from the first batch as soon I can scrounge up the cash to do so.

 

[God Ginrai]

I'm glad to see it's come out so soon. Looks like I need to scrounge up some money to buy it.

-God Ginrai

 

[kaprikawn]

Very cool indeed. I approve of the sentiment whole-heartedly. But it's a bit too expensive for me just to avoid a 'legal grey area'.

 

[elwing]

Very cool indeed. I approve of the sentiment whole-heartedly. But it's a bit too expensive for me just to avoid a 'legal grey area'.

maybe the snes compatibility with all caridge chip including super FX worth it?

 

[gibberish]

i suppose you can use this thing to dump roms as well?
nice idea, but too much hassle just to play a game... you can download the entire snes/megadrive verified archive in less than 10 minutes.

 

[Aninhumer]

maybe the snes compatibility with all caridge chip including super FX worth it?

I'd imagine the Pandora is capable of running fullspeed even with superFX emulation.

I'm not really seeing a compelling reason to use this...
Except of course the ever important "Because we can!!"

 

[WizardStan]

I'm not really seeing a compelling reason to use this...
Except of course the ever important "Because we can!!"

I can think of one very good reason.
The latest model can write to the SRAM. Imagine hacking up a save file with some kind of secret document, writing it to the SRAM, and then nonchalantly carrying it over the border. Makes me feel like a secret agent just thinking about it ^.^

 

[craigix]

If paypal find out you are taking 'preorders' they will freeze your account and refund *all* your transactions. Be careful.