Hu Card converter - where do I buy it?

[Syxx573]

I just had to get those games that support the arcade card. Unfortunately I have a US system. Now to play these and japanese hu card games I guess I need a converter. Where can I buy one? I haven't been able to find one on ebay. Thanks.

[Ed Oscuro]

It's not really worth it, from what I've been hearing. It was made in pretty low numbers so it costs a good deal - nearly as much as a loose PC-Engine would. If you wanted one of the later models of PC-Engine with better a/v outputs, that probably would cost more than the converter...but you're also getting a real system. That's just my take on it, anyhow.

[demen999]

I didn't know you can play arcade cards with a converter?!?! I
have a purple barney, but only use it to play Cadash and...I forget what else. Not sure of the price for them tho, I got mine dirt cheap included with a Turbo Express.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Well, you could buy this one (http://www.tzd.com/information.cgi?id=422) off TZD.com for hundred beans. :P

[Syxx573]

Guess I don't have much choice at this point. Until then I'll just view the nice pictures of the 2 females in World Heroes 2 and the picture of a depressed Terry Bogard until I can either get a jp duo or this damn converter. :)

[demen999]

I bet you can find one on ebay or something for less than 100...

[rbudrick]

Ed's right, but for those who just don't have room for another system, a converter is a good way to go, but be prepared to spend between $85-120 on a Kisado adapter. They pop up about once every 3 months on eBay. Even the one on TZD is (I hear) slightly inferior to the Kisado.

-Rob

[demen999]

I dont know where the purple one I have is from. Does anyone know where? Its on DP's guide, but I still want some more info on it.

[D-Lite]

You need the converter to use the Arcade Card Duo which is a Japanese HuCard.

Syxx, you have the other option of course. Having your Duo modded ;)

Regarding the different converters, the Kisado is easily the best, but the Mirai converter (the one at TZD) is supposedly pretty good. Definitely a world better than the hapless Purple Barney "TV Converter". That thing is super ghetto and doesn't even fit in the Duo Hu slot without cutting the case up to make it fit.

[demen999]

So the purple barney I have is a kisado?

[D-Lite]

Oh, and more on Arcade CDs. No, the majority are garbage, but it is easily worth it for Kabuki and even Art of Fighting. Syxx, as a Neo fan you owe it to yourself to play those two. Strider is also pretty good, not great. And some games are higher quality with the ACD (some discs have both "SuperCD" and "ArcadeCD" stamps on the front)

You could also argue that you should get the Arcade Card for Sapphire, but that game alone will cost you at least the price of the system and the arcade card and the mod to play it.

[D-Lite]

So the purple barney I have is a kisado?
Huh?

No, the purple converter is the "Purple Barney" one. The Kisado is long and orange.

[demen999]

I know. But there is no official name for the company that made it?

[D-Lite]

I know. But there is no official name for the company that made it?
"other"

Not sure how much the name matters since most people identify it as the "purple Barney" converter. Except yeah it would be nice to know. But it's probably some small HK knock-off shop selling them in the past and probably don't want to really publicize the fact that they violate copyright and or patent laws regularly ;)

Honestly, no one really takes that converter seriously. It barely works and was very poorly designed. The only thing going for it is it was cheap and more common.

[demen999]

Hmm, at least it works fine for me LOL
Thanks for the info bud!

[klausien]

I know. But there is no official name for the company that made it?

The "Purple Barney" was definitely an HK knockoff. There is also a converter with a green PCB referred to as the "Diving Board" converter. These are slightly better than the Barney from what I've heard, but they still have issues. The Kisado was manufactured by Dave Shadoff until the supply of Hucard slots he had ran out. It is by far the best. I used to have one until I stupidly sold it back in the day. The "Mirai" Adapter, or Japanese for future, is made from specially manufactured parts. Thus the $100 price tag. The Mirai is probably the best way to go at this point because it is readily available. Even Purple Barneys can reach the $100+ mark on eBay.

[esquire]

It's not really worth it, from what I've been hearing. It was made in pretty low numbers so it costs a good deal - nearly as much as a loose PC-Engine would. If you wanted one of the later models of PC-Engine with better a/v outputs, that probably would cost more than the converter...but you're also getting a real system. That's just my take on it, anyhow.

Yeah, but buying a PC-Engine won't do him much good if he wants to play the Arcade CDs as well. He still has to buy a CD-ROM2 or Super CD-ROM2 unit which, together with the PC-Engine console will set him over the price of a convertor.

The one for $99.99 off TZD should be the highest you will have to pay. If you are patient, you can find one on ebay for about $60 to $75 used.

Your best bet is to get your TG16 modded as D-Lite suggests. That will be the most cost effective.

[D-Lite]

I know. But there is no official name for the company that made it?

The "Purple Barney" was definitely an HK knockoff. There is also a converter with a green PCB referred to as the "Diving Board" converter. These are slightly better than the Barney from what I've heard, but they still have issues. The Kisado was manufactured by Dave Shadoff until the supply of Hucard slots he had ran out. It is by far the best. I used to have one until I stupidly sold it back in the day. The "Mirai" Adapter, or Japanese for future, is made from specially manufactured parts. Thus the $100 price tag. The Mirai is probably the best way to go at this point because it is readily available. Even Purple Barneys can reach the $100+ mark on eBay.
Even more interesting story about the Kisado. Those weren't HuCard slots Dave used to make it. They were surplus parts from a sewing machine factory!

[demen999]

I know. But there is no official name for the company that made it?


.........Even Purple Barneys can reach the $100+ mark on eBay.


Hmmm........I dont use it that much.

[Syxx573]

I could get the system mod it but... yarg, I play it every day, I would hate to give it up. Maybe later then.

I can't believe I missed out on all this crap all this time. It's definately becoming one of my favorite systems, and I'm definately willing to just shell out for the converter if I have to. I guess that will be down the road because I'm not really in a hurry to play FFS. :) I pretty much just bought those in a random game ebay splerge.

As for AOF, I'll probably just buy it on the Neo Geo eventually.

Now to find a 6 button controller. =\ Can't seem to find one on ebay.

[dj898]

for that kind of money why don't you get your console mod'd with hu card slot... D-Lite does the mod and you can even get your console multi-region as well as S-Video output...

I had purple thingy as well as diver converters - still have daiver one - but unless you find them cheap not worth it...

[D-Lite]

I could get the system mod it but... yarg, I play it every day, I would hate to give it up. Maybe later then.

I can't believe I missed out on all this crap all this time. It's definately becoming one of my favorite systems, and I'm definately willing to just shell out for the converter if I have to. I guess that will be down the road because I'm not really in a hurry to play FFS. :) I pretty much just bought those in a random game ebay splerge.

As for AOF, I'll probably just buy it on the Neo Geo eventually.

Now to find a 6 button controller. =\ Can't seem to find one on ebay.
I have a pile of those controllers. The Ave 6 kind. Pretty nice methinks. LMK if you want one.

My Turbo history is probably like a lot of others. I had it when it was first released and loved it as a kid. Had Bonk's Adv, Bonk's Rev, R-Type, World Class Baseball for it. Maybe a couple of others. Loaned it to a friend and never saw it again. Fast forward 10 years and the eBay era. It's like finding your long lost love and getting married this time.

[Jive3D]

My purple barney was used exclusively for playing Street Fighter II CE. Sad that I paid 100 total for both of those back in the day, now SFIICE goes for like $15 bucks. Nice to know that the converter is fetching more, I'll definately unload it if I get myself a modded system one of these days - though all I have right now is the Turbo Express and a few HuCards that I kept after the Jive3D Game sale of the early '90s.

[Tron 2.0]

You need the converter to use the Arcade Card Duo which is a Japanese HuCard.

Syxx, you have the other option of course. Having your Duo modded ;)

Regarding the different converters, the Kisado is easily the best, but the Mirai converter (the one at TZD) is supposedly pretty good. Definitely a world better than the hapless Purple Barney "TV Converter". That thing is super ghetto and doesn't even fit in the Duo Hu slot without cutting the case up to make it fit.
I take D-lite advice if i were you.... Duo modded or nothing if you ask me ;)

[Anthony1]

Hey, I recently sent my Turbo to this guy Matthew Ross, the guy that does the RGB mods, and he did a region mod for my TG-16. It has a little button on the front of it. In is for Japanese Hu cards and out is for U.S. Hu cards.

The region mod was, I think $40. Also, I got a Arcade Card Pro for $35 shipped.

So for a grand total of $75, plus the shipping of my Turbo to and fro, I can play any Hu card and any CD game, whether CD, Super CD or Arcade. Only thing I can't play is the SuperGrafx stuff, but that's fine with me. I'm not that hardcore on it.


So I would heartily recommend getting a region mod, and then buying either the Arcade card Duo or Pro depending on if you are using a TG-16/CD combo or a duo.

Also, might as well get the RGB mod while you are at it!

[Tron 2.0]

Also, might as well get the RGB mod while you are at it!
I've herd Dracula X looks great in RBG, i wouldn't mind having that on my Duo R ;)

[FantasiaWHT]

Do you need a converter to use the Arcade Card Pro on a US TG-16 with the CD attachment?

[dj898]

yes.

[Anthony1]

Do you need a converter to use the Arcade Card Pro on a US TG-16 with the CD attachment?



Or, a much, much, much cheaper, and more aesthically pleasing, region mod. Why have that long converting thing sticking out of your hu slot? With a region mod, you get a little tiny button on the front. This allows you to easily switch between the US and Japanese Hu cards. I was lucky enough to get an Arcade Card Pro for like $32 delivered! Can you believe that?


So if you are patient, and you can get a Arcade Card Pro for a cheapo price like I did, then the Region Mod is the way to go. Usually Region Mods go for like $45 or $50 or so. I would also package it with a S-Video or RGB mod (or both!)

[googlefest1]

i was just about recomend what anthony1 did -- you can always mod your tg16 - you just need to cross some pins and if you wanted to make it selectable with a switch - but with the prices ive seen plain Tg16s being sold for id rather just have one dedicated system for playing imports - rather than doing the work putting in the switches (and paying for the switches)