Best way to play Turbografx cds?

[stuffedmonkey]

I have a US Turbografx and a Supergrafx, so I am covered as far as HuCards go. I would like to start getting into some of the Cds - but I have no idea what would be the best way to do so. As far as I can tell, there are a zillion options.

1) Cd attachment for US turbo and a system 3 card

2) CD attachment for the Supergrafx (would I use the arcade card duo or arcade card pro?)

3) Get a US Duo, sell the turbografx

4) Get the cheaper Japanese duo (the white one, since it looks slick)


I know there are some really experienced turbo collectors out there - what method would you recommend?

[Graham Mitchell]

I'm not an expert on the import side of things, but I've been reading a lot of complaints from people whose Turbografx CD units are broken. This seems to happen to everybody who still has one. Personally, I've got a U.S. Duo, and I've never had a problem with it. You can get a converter to run arcade cards, etc., and the Duo comes with a System 2.0 card built in--that means that you'll be able to play more games from the getgo with a Duo. That's my suggestion.

[AB Positive]

There are white duo's that have the arcade card built in as well, which should allow you to play any damn thing you want save for us hucards (but you're covered on that anyway).

I believe it's the Duo-R... something. Damn let me mind-summon Maxlords in here, he knows his JP Duo stuffs....


rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggnnnnnnnn fff...


-AG

[-hellvin-]

I would reommend a DUO for cd-wise games.....it has the best system card built in and can play import cds.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Try asking D-lite if he has a Turbo cd or some or another Duo. I just bought a Duo off of him, and I must say he did a hell of a job.

[dojosky]

IIRC the white duos doesn't have arcade card built in at all ... but best person to ask any questions is the man D-LITE !!!!

[maxlords]

IMO, the best way to go is one of the following options:

1. US Turbo Duo w/convertor. You can play everything but SGX games with this setup, including Arcade CD games if you use the convertor for the Arcade Card. Convertors run around $75-100 by themselves though, plus the cost of getting a Duo.

2. Japanese Turbo Duo. You can play everything but US huCards with this setup, and you already have a TG16 for those. Oh..and SGX, but you have a SuperGrafx. However, there is no convertor for the Jp units. You'd have to get a hardware mod on one to play US games with it (pushbutton switch). D-Lite does those better than anyone! :) The white Duos (Duo-R and Duo-RX) are nice looking units. Not cheap tho.

3. Get an RAU-30 docking station and CD-ROM unit for your SuperGrafx. This would be the easiest, but those items are quite rare. Same deal as the Japanese Duo...you'd keep your TG16. And you'd need an Arcade Card Pro. The Arcade Card Duo only works with the Duo, Duo-R, and Duo-RX. As you already have a Supergrafx, this MIGHT be the most cost effective way to go.

I don't recommend a US CD unit with docking station for the TG16 because it's so incredibly large (roughly 2-3x the size of a Duo). Plus, the components are expensive, especially a system 3 card, whereas the Duo has the System 3 Bios built in, and the controllers aren't interchangeable with Japanese ones (the TG16 has a different port than any other NEC hardware).

There's one other option too:

4. Jp PC Engine with suitcase docking station and CD-ROM expansion. It's MUCH smaller than the US equivalent, and Jp System 3 cards are quite cheap. And with a card, it'll play all the CD games that the Duo will, same as a US docking station. It's actually a bit smaller than a Duo too (not much tho) and the cost is a bit less....figure closer to around $150 on the average.

If you need more detailed info, just ask! :)

Oh yeah, and NONE of the Duos, Jp or US have built in Arcade Cards. Not even the white ones.

[Keir]

Also, not the cheapest option, but

5) Laseractive w/ NEC module

[vincewy]

Also, not the cheapest option, but

5) Laseractive w/ NEC module

There's one on eBay now

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8157642456

I expect this auction to end in a bloody bidding war, if you already have US LaserActive unit, you can try to get a standard Pioneer PC-Engine module PAC-N1 (much cheaper and easier to find than NEC's LP1), which is identical to PAC-N1, this this setup and an Arcade Card Duo (don't get Pro as it'll get jammed) will allow you to play-

US Duo CD/SCD
Japanese PC-Engine Hucard
Jp PC-E CD/SCD/ACD

I DO recommend PAC-N1 over PAC-N10 and LP1 as PAC-N10 is TurboGrafx module which you can't play PC-E hucards and ACD unless you have Kisado convertor, LP1 has defect of not being able to play 5 ACD games such as Fatal Fury 2, I forgot the other one but I can look into it, don't ask me why, but I heard NEC and Pioneer don't coordinate very well when they design the hardware.

Where to find PAC-N1? Game Choice Club has it now, here's the URL

http://gamechoiceclub.com/search.asp?category=Laseractive&subcategory=Console

[rbudrick]

I'd say your best bet, other than region modding your current equipment is to get a Us Duo, and Kisado adapter and and Arcade Card. You will then be able to play EVERYTHING.

-Rob

[stuffedmonkey]

Thanks for the info. I will avoid the US CD units. I was looking at this on ebay, but then some godawful bidding war broke out, and now it costs more then a duo would!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=62054&item=8157992037&rd=1