retro-bit RetroGen Adapter - bare board pics

[nusilver]

These were requested by one or two folks in the Supaboy/RDP/Pokefami DX threads. It looks like it's about time to replace the lens cover on my phone, because all of my pictures look like they were shot for a soap opera now. Regardless, these should be high enough quality to satisfy your collective curiosity.



Notice printed on the board: MD TO SFC REV 1.2 - assuming the 1.1 or 1.0 is the MegaDrive adapter released in Japan to support the Pokefami DX, but as I'm not going to pay $69 to import the MegaDrive adapter, I won't be able to confirm.

The GOAC is a TCT-6801 - same one that's used in the RetroN3, from what I understand. Shame there's no s-video out.

[MarioMania]

Glad someone posted a pic

[Ace]

The GOAC is a TCT-6801 - same one that's used in the RetroN3, from what I understand. Shame there's no s-video out.

I've developed a dislike of that GOAC. Not only does Virtua Racing not work on it, but you CANNOT make it work by faking a missing signal on the cartridge slot needed by the game to work correctly. Oh well... when I get the RetroGen, I'll be sure to take a closer look at the TCT-6801.

By the way, what's written on the Winbond chip in the middle of the board? I'm curious to know what it is.

[nusilver]

I've developed a dislike of that GOAC. Not only does Virtua Racing not work on it, but you CANNOT make it work by faking a missing signal on the cartridge slot needed by the game to work correctly. Oh well... when I get the RetroGen, I'll be sure to take a closer look at the TCT-6801.

By the way, what's written on the Winbond chip in the middle of the board? I'm curious to know what it is.

W29EE011P-90
290718701
916ONVA

According to Google, it's 128K X 8 CMOS flash memory. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to why this would need flash memory of any kind?

[nusilver]

I've developed a dislike of that GOAC. Not only does Virtua Racing not work on it, but you CANNOT make it work by faking a missing signal on the cartridge slot needed by the game to work correctly. Oh well... when I get the RetroGen, I'll be sure to take a closer look at the TCT-6801.

By the way, what's written on the Winbond chip in the middle of the board? I'm curious to know what it is.

Also - as this is literally my first Genesis ever (not GOAC - I never owned a real Genesis either), how does this GOAC stack up to others, besides Virtua Racing? I've read mostly good things about the RetroN3's handling of Genesis games.

[MarioMania]

Why did they go for the TCT-6801??

VR won't work on it

[Ace]

Also - as this is literally my first Genesis ever (not GOAC - I never owned a real Genesis either), how does this GOAC stack up to others, besides Virtua Racing? I've read mostly good things about the RetroN3's handling of Genesis games.

It's pretty much the same as all other GOACs. I've had experience with the TCT-6801, the TCT6035(found in the latest models of the FC3 Plus) and the TecToy-580G(found in the GN Twin), and I can say they're pretty much all the same. All 3 GOACs have color issues where the video has an excessive amount of green in the video, causing some color differences(most likely due to the video amps used as you can fix the excessive green on the RetroN3. Can't say if it's possible on other GOAC-based Geniclones). Sound-wise, with a good amp, it's the same as any Genesis with no discrete YM2612. These GOACs use the YM3438, which, while cross-compatible with the YM2612, doesn't produce the same sound as the YM3438 has an altered DAC which fixes a bug present in the YM2612's DAC causing quantization noise and longer notes.

Compatibility-wise, though, the TCT-6801 does not stack up to the TCT6035 and the TecToy-580G. If those GOACs have RGB video(I still don't know if they do), they can work perfectly with the Sega 32X(it works on my GN Twin and FC3 Plus minus the 32X's PWM audio and video mixing). It is better than the TCT-6705 in the early models of the FC3 Plus, though, as that GOAC doesn't even seem to work with Master System converters.

[bunnyboy]

According to Google, it's 128K X 8 CMOS flash memory. Maybe someone can enlighten me as to why this would need flash memory of any kind?

That is the SNES ROM needed to read the controllers.

[nusilver]

That is the SNES ROM needed to read the controllers.

Huh. Cool.

[MarioMania]

Anyword you can Mod it??