MegaSCSI is a 'destroyed' and 'cannabilized' megarom with added flashrom and a scsi controller and a different sticker on the outside!
That is indeed a wasteful way of getting a mapper.

The idea of using megaroms is from ESE Factory (Kazuhiro Tsujikawa is mentioned here!)

ThisSCC Flash is equivalent to adding a switch to a SCC cartridge, that also could mean damage to the sticker (and they try to keep the original sticker on the outside if you ask them).

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MegaSCSI is a 'destroyed' and 'cannabilized' megarom with added flashrom and a scsi controller and a different sticker on the outside!

I didn't know MegaSCSI used mapperchips from MegaROMs... But it uses SRAM (not FlashROM) and, most importantly, uses its own PCB. If the mapperchip is replaced by a PLD/FPGA implementation there is no cannabilization anymore.

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ThisSCC Flash is equivalent to adding a switch to a SCC cartridge, that also could mean damage to the sticker (and they try to keep the original sticker on the outside if you ask them).

Heh, I'm against modifying SCC's with switches too, I use a slotexpander or extender with a switch

It's not like there aren't alternatives available, namely Padial's FLASH-G and MegaSCC. (Although the availability of the latter is unknown to me)

A small comment. I mentioned the ESE-SCC before, however from a little research I discovered that it is definately not an FPGA custom SCC design, but instead the principles behind it are very similar to Manuel Pazos' idea (hence why he mentioned Tsujikawa, I bet, isn't he from ESE?). The difference is that ESE used an SRAM while Pazos uses a FlashROM.

I wonder if anyone ever took the effort of fabricating a custom SCC in FPGA. There isn't one in the FLASH-G or the MegaSCC already, is there? It can't be *that* hard, considering it's only a simple 5-channel mixer which mixes 32-byte looping samples... In software I could implement it in a whim.

About putting switches in SCC cartridges, ok I guess this is not a very nice thing to do to a cartridge aswell, but at least as much of the 'originality' is preserved and I consider it somewhat of a 'nessecary evil'. Not to be done too often . My King's Valley II cart has a switch, and my F1 Spirit cart I bought later on hasn't got a ROM. So as far as SCC's are concerned, I'm set, and I will definately not touch my newly acquired Quarth (in perfect condition) with a single finger. Well... not literally spoken ofcourse...

And now that I come to think about it, I could understand that some people would rather choose an invisible internal solution to that than an external one which requires cutting in the casing and all. Question is, with the MegaFlashSCC, can you keep a key pressed during boot time which disables the FlashROM, or does it need an external switch aswell?

Anyways, ok, I guess this is indeed a more viable use of an SCC game than using it for MegaSCSI (although that one doesn't particularly need an SCC game, you can use any konami game instead). And as long as you don't to it to too many cartridges, definately not the really rare ones like Quarth and Contra, or whoa, even Solid Snake (argh, that would be a worst nightmare)...

~Grauw

Ok if I understood the thread correctly...

- Sunrise has already got cartridge boxes (which are cool) that could be used
- It is possible to emulate the SCC without using a real one already

so... why would we destroy rare, original ROM cartridges? Just because we did that in the past as well? Hmm.

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Ok if I understood the thread correctly... - Sunrise has already got cartridge boxes (which are cool) that could be used - It is possible to emulate the SCC without using a real one already so... why would we destroy rare, original ROM cartridges? Just because we did that in the past as well? Hmm.

I'm not so sure about the second thing... I don't know if an FPGA version of the SCC exists already.

~Grauw

AFAIK the MegaSCC from Ademir Carchano is indeed an FPGA implementation.

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so... why would we destroy rare, original ROM cartridges? Just because we did that in the past as well? Hmm.

costs maybe?

I'm afraid 'recycling' old MegaROMs will cost us more in the end. Imagine the CIEL3++ being built into old MSX1 and MSX2 cases, in the end leaving us with only a few 'original' MSX1 and MSX2 computers... I think that is a shame.

The hardware and software created for MSX has historical and nostaligical value.

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AFAIK the MegaSCC from Ademir Carchano is indeed an FPGA implementation.

Ah, it is by Ademir. Nice! By the way, I wonder if he publicized the design... Not that I'm saying that he must do so (although it would be nice, I can imagine him wanting to keep his hard work for himself), but if he doesn't he'd need to give away licenses and for that they need to negociate terms and all... I fear the main problem here will again be the lack of communication and cooperation between the several hardware developers.

~Grauw

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I don't like it either. And the 2nd announcement mentioned something about 'preferring people to give him their own SCC cartridges because they were hard to find'. Does this mean Padial is trying to purchase SCC cartridges en masse to well,

You are wrong !!!

Padial has nothing to do with this ....
His great flash cartridge is NOT made from an old cartridge, but it is CPDL based.

Manuel Pazos and Armando Perez are the guys using classic, original cartridges to make their flash cartridge.

Maybe you should read the rest of the discussion a little further before you comment on it. I already corrected myself.

~Grauw

Anyway, there are ways to create new hardware without destroying old hard/software. I'm willing to pay a bit more for that. Who's with me?

Me, me, me! ;P

;p

Today I noticed this thread...


ABOUT DESTROYING ORIGINAL CARTRIDGES
-----------------------------------------------------

As a result of the posted messages in this forum we think that we can clarify
some points and give you our humble opinion about this topic.

Of course we respect your opinions about the product because everybody is
free for thinking as he likes -if it doesn't affect to the authors- and it has
not happened until now..

In fact, we are not going to deny how the Mega Flash ROM are made. ASCII
versions are original MegaROMS with the game ROM removed and adapted to a
Flash ROM. The same happens for SCC ones.

But... what did us to come to this conclusion? Well, it is really easy.
Firstly, we are so "lovers" of the original soft as any of the users here. But
we also consider that when any of us owns an original game, he/she can do with
this cart whatever he/she wants. In this case we decided to give those carts
a productive use for the MSX user. And it was to make Flash ROM carts with
BETTER characteristics than the actual ones that can be found in the market
and improving the existing soft. Besides I (Armando Perez) am the author of
FL2. Then we added the old and most valuable advantages and conveniences for
the users of this kind of carts.

We DO NOT like the next points from Padial's Flash:

[] High cost : Reduced by us in our basic model in 10-20 Euro.
[] Many Jumpers : Totally removed in our Flash Rom.
[] Neither box nor soft: Both solved in our Flash Rom.

Instead of criticizing the product we have tried to improve it -unlike other
users do-, because we believe that it is the way to do any hard or soft
development for MSX, then the MSX is the beneficiary.

So, we think that we only have searched an improvement to a great product
as it is the LPE Flash ROM. We don't think that it is a sin to do it and we
have the same rights like others to do such thing (seems some people don't like we make hardware).

As if it were not enough, it should be emphasized that we have staked OUR
money without knowing if we were going to recover it, and knowing that
Leonardo has already sold his Flash Rom. We mean that we had not taken
sales away in any way. Furthermore, we have helped and favoured his sales
through of the improvement of the loading ROM program for his cart (FL2).

In fact, as is said in one of the messages here, building a megarom mapper
is EASY, very EASY, but the words are gone with the wind and it is not enough
by only telling it, but doing it. Besides, making a board from scratch involves
HIGH COSTS that we can revise :

[] A minimum number of boards must be made if a professional board is wanted
[] A minimum number of boxes must be made for a low cost
[] Costs in specific devices for flashing those chips (PLDs, etc ...)

So, if we had chosen that way the price for ONE board would be HIGH. Very HIGH.
And that is not interesting for the users and neither it is for us, because
we'd lost all our money.

Coming back to the original games theme, we like the criticism that some people
do about how bad is breaking an original cart with the "lack" of existences,
but we'd like to know HOW MUCH ORIGINALS the people who criticize us have got.

Getting originals is easy. You go to Japan and fill with games the travelling
bag. Everybody can do it, do you?

In conclusion, for showing more details, if we talk about the Mega Flash ASCII
and Mega Flash SRAM, they have been made from KOEI games or from other unknown
brands that NOT EVEN JAPANESE PEOPLE are interested because they are crap...
if they were good they'd not be for sale. Many of them (including Konami ones)
were going to finish TO THE RUBBISH. Is it prefered to throw them away that
recycling them into MegaFlashROM?

There are people who is worried for the extern appearance of the cart. We want
only to clarify that it can kept almost its original state, without needing of
breaking the stick and not putting a new one. An internal switch can be added,
and there's only needed a little hole (1mm) in the cart-box.


Like always, this message is only for clarifying purposes, nobody is forced to
buy a Mega Flash Rom, and we believe and we are conscious of not having
commited any sin and not having had anything wrong to anybody with the sales
of those ones.

We just think that even if the Mega Flash Rom were made from scratch, with a
new material and design, we'd be criticized too. Unfortunatelly the MSX
community are in this way, we don't contribute anything and are always
criticizing to the people who want to improve it. Think about that.