Question about TG-16 CD/SuperCD/Import compatibility.

[BHvrd]

I'm getting into Turbografx collecting, and i'm a bit confused.

Do I need a "TurboDuo" to play "SuperCD's", or are they compatible with the regular "TG-16 cd add-on" as well?

Also which system is best for playing imports, and how is it achieved on both?

[digitalpress]

Somebody needs a Digital Press Collector's Guide!

TurboDuo plays all CD's but not PC Engine HuCards. In fact, TG-16 and PC Engine HuCards are not interchangeable in either direction without an adapter, which have gotten rather difficult to find in recent years.

TurboDuo plays CD's and Super CD's as well as TG-16 HuCards.

If you think you'll be collecting PC Engine HuCards, it might be smarter to go for a Japanese PC Engine Duo since there are WAY more PC Engine HuCard than TG-16 ones (and almost all of the US releases appear on PC Engine as well).

And also, because it took so fucking long to set this picture up I'm once again going to show off my complete boxed TG-16 collection.

http://www.digitpress.com/images/tg16hu1.jpg

[Kid Fenris]

Poor Keith Courage in Alpha Zones. Why wasn't it ever sold separately?

[BHvrd]

A few more, more questions.

So you're saying that the TurboDuo is capable of playing all CD's "including imports", as well as TG-16 Hu's, but you need an adapter to play import hucards?

Is the standard TG-16 CD "add-on" capable of playing Super-CD's, and/or imports? I understand I need an adapter to play import HU's, but i'm still wondering about CD's on the standard TG-16 CD Model.

Also, if I get a PC Engine is it compatible with all CD's across the board "including US releases", as well I understand I would need an adapter for the HU's.

Sorry, if you already answered these questions. I just need to make double sure.


Btw, I hate your collection. :D

[Achika]

The Turbo CD "add-on" requires special Hu-cards so the system can access the CD drive. There are two cards: System 2.0 and Super (3.0?) Most games are of the Super variety and TZD doesn't sell the later cards. They only have 2.0. There is a 3rd: Arcade card, but I'm not sure what it does.

Not sure about anyothers, just the two part TG16/TGCD set up.

[digitalpress]

A few more, more questions.
So you're saying that the TurboDuo is capable of playing all CD's "including imports", as well as TG-16 Hu's, but you need an adapter to play import hucards?

That is correct, sir.


Is the standard TG-16 CD "add-on" capable of playing Super-CD's, and/or imports? I understand I need an adapter to play import HU's, but i'm still wondering about CD's on the standard TG-16 CD Model.

If you don't get the Duo and get the CD-ROM add-on instead, you need the Super System Card 3.0 to play Super CD's. It was packaged with System Card 2.0 which lets you play regular game CD's. Both also support music CD's and CD+G discs.


Also, if I get a PC Engine is it compatible with all CD's across the board "including US releases", as well I understand I would need an adapter for the HU's.

You catch on fast! The CD portion of the system seems to not be able to recognize non-local CD's for some reason, but it certainly does recognize HuCards outside of its local region.


Sorry, if you already answered these questions. I just need to make double sure.

Buy a DP Guide. It's all explained in there.

[retrogmr]

One of these days I'm going to spread my PC-Engine Collection out on the floor and take a picture of it, if for no other reason than to look nearly as impressive as Joe :)

@Achika: The Arcade Card was the final upgrade; it's used to play CD's, Super CD's, and Arcade CD's (mostly ports of SNK fighters, but a couple gems like Strider and Sapphire were released on Arcade CD format).

@ BVhrd: One other avenue you might want to explore is the LaserActive. All the capabilities of the Turbo Duo (in that it can play both domestic and import CD's/Super CD's and domestic HuCards), but you get a great Genesis/SegaCD capability as a bonus.

Downside is the size (it's a laserdisc player after all), and the Turbo packs are kinda hard to score.

Oh yeah, and I second what Joe said about the DP guide... we've got some really meaty stuff in there about PC-Engine hardware. Combined with the free guide on the site, you'll have everything you need to know at hand.

[Tetsu]

The world of PC Engine collecting is wrought with perils of incompatibility and confusing upgrade cards. I collected PC Engine for a while, and this is what worked best for me in terms of combatibility and low cost:

Buy a PC Engine Duo so you can play all 1.0 and 2.0 CD games as well as Japanese HuCards.

Buy a TurboGrafx-16 to play American HuCards.

Now you can play 99% of all PC Engine games.

If you want, you can get the Arcade Card and Arcade Card Pro. But those are only good for a handful of large fighting games that were released late in the system's life, such as Fatal Fury.

Note: I would advise against getting a HuCard converter. They are horribly overpriced and tend to freeze game up if bumped slightly. If you really want a converter, you can buy a cheap broken TG-16, take the pin connector out, and make your own converter if you so desire. All you do is switch the positions of four pins (directions are on the Turbo List forum, I believe). Have fun!

[maxlords]

Ok..everyone has addressed this, but I'm gonna anyway.

The TG16 + CDROM will play normal CD games like Y's Book 1 and 2

With a System 2 card, you can play CD-ROM2 games, like Splash Lake and Download 2, as well as normal CD games.

With a System 3 card, you can play Super CDs as well as all other CDs.

The only thing you cannot play on a US system is a Japanese huCard. That requires an import convertor. Those are ridiculously expensive (but I got lucky and got one for $20). They normally run about $80+ these days.

IF you buy an Turbo Duo, it has the System 3 Bios built into it, so you can play all domestic and import CD games as well as all US huCards. The only things that won't work on a US Duo are import huCards and Arcade card games. Arcade card games must be played on a system with Japanese huCard compatibility. The Arcade card has a system 3 bios on it as well, so if you get a Japanese PC Engine w/CDROM, you can play all games on it with the arcade card.

If you buy a japanese Duo, the only things you can't play are US huCards. With a convertor, you'd be able to play US ones as well. Typically, the cheapest way to play EVERYTHING is to buy one of hte following combinations:

A Japanese PC Engine Core system and a US Turbo Duo
A Japanese Turbo Duo and a US TG16
A US Duo and a convertor (that's what I have and I can play
everything!)

The problem with buying a TG16 + CDROM is that System 3 cards are insanely hard to get, and rather expensive to boot, so you end up paying as much as a Duo costs to get fully hooked up. If you have any other questions, just ask, but I think that covers all the compatibility. Hope that clears everything up! :)

[jaydubnb]

Ok..everyone has addressed this, but I'm gonna anyway.

The TG16 + CDROM will play normal CD games like Y's Book 1 and 2

With a System 2 card, you can play CD-ROM2 games, like Splash Lake and Download 2, as well as normal CD games.

With a System 3 card, you can play Super CDs as well as all other CDs.

The only thing you cannot play on a US system is a Japanese huCard. That requires an import convertor. Those are ridiculously expensive (but I got lucky and got one for $20). They normally run about $80+ these days.

IF you buy an Turbo Duo, it has the System 3 Bios built into it, so you can play all domestic and import CD games as well as all US huCards. The only things that won't work on a US Duo are import huCards and Arcade card games. Arcade card games must be played on a system with Japanese huCard compatibility. The Arcade card has a system 3 bios on it as well, so if you get a Japanese PC Engine w/CDROM, you can play all games on it with the arcade card.

If you buy a japanese Duo, the only things you can't play are US huCards. With a convertor, you'd be able to play US ones as well. Typically, the cheapest way to play EVERYTHING is to buy one of hte following combinations:

A Japanese PC Engine Core system and a US Turbo Duo
A Japanese Turbo Duo and a US TG16
A US Duo and a convertor (that's what I have and I can play
everything!)

The problem with buying a TG16 + CDROM is that System 3 cards are insanely hard to get, and rather expensive to boot, so you end up paying as much as a Duo costs to get fully hooked up. If you have any other questions, just ask, but I think that covers all the compatibility. Hope that clears everything up! :)


Like Maxlords said, this is the far better alternative, IMO. I picked up a PC Engine Dup-R unit earlier this year and havent looked back. I can play all import Hus/system cards/CDs (both regions). The only problem that you may face (if you cant read japanese) is playing American Hus RPGs on the PCE. Other than that, its great gaming :)

[CrazyImpmon]

Note: I would advise against getting a HuCard converter. They are horribly overpriced and tend to freeze game up if bumped slightly. If you really want a converter, you can buy a cheap broken TG-16, take the pin connector out, and make your own converter if you so desire. All you do is switch the positions of four pins (directions are on the Turbo List forum, I believe). Have fun!

It's 8 data line BTW, not 4. And it's actually quite simple. An 8 pole double throw switch could turn your TG-16 into universal console. The region lockout is actually nothing more than flipping 8 data lines in the cart port. Pin 15 through 23 are reversed (except for 18 which is ground and must not change. swap 15 for 23, 16 for 22, 17 for 21, and 19 for 20. This is why 8p2t switch will work well. Finding that switch would be difficult, especially one small enough to work on TurboExpress without it sticking out like a thorn.

But if you do get the switch installed, you can forget about the converter and play any American/Japanese HuCard to your heart's delight.

[fcw3]

Just to add to everyone's confusion...

There is one Japanese CD-Rom game that you MUST use the Japanese 1.0 card in order to play. That is the CD version of Altered Beast. It was also available as a hu-card and if that is one you want to play, I'd get the card over the CD. It is nearly impossible to get a 1.0 CD card.

FRED

[Tetsu]

It's 8 data line BTW, not 4. And it's actually quite simple. An 8 pole double throw switch could turn your TG-16 into universal console. The region lockout is actually nothing more than flipping 8 data lines in the cart port. Pin 15 through 23 are reversed (except for 18 which is ground and must not change. swap 15 for 23, 16 for 22, 17 for 21, and 19 for 20. This is why 8p2t switch will work well. Finding that switch would be difficult, especially one small enough to work on TurboExpress without it sticking out like a thorn.


Quite right, crazy impmon. I need to lay off the egg nog. 8 lines to change, not four. An 8PDT switch isn't easy to come by, as you said, but two 4PDT switches are. Still too big to mount in a turbo express, though. I toyed witht the idea of using the logic chip inside a Sega Genesis gamepad to work as a switch, and sense when "buttons" were pressed or not, but I put that oject on the back burner.