Super CDRom 2 Issues, there's more! :s

[Lorfarius]

Hello everyone

First time to the forums and effectively the first time into the world of the PCE for me. Up until a retro gaming show (Byte Back) in the UK I had no idea what the PCE/Turbo etc was even about but after seeing a few on display I was hooked and simply wanted to get my hands on one. I was able to pick up a PC Engine Core (the blue one) with an RGB Mod for that better picture display and a region switch on the back. After a few weeks playing various card games (my favourite being R-Type so far) I was offered the chance to get my hands on a Super CD Rom 2.

It came fully boxed with the standard Jap adaptor and a few games so I thought I'd be in for hours of fun. However after taking it home I plugged it in (using a Jap to UK adaptor) but nothing happened. I then visited a few forums and someone recommended this adaptor:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=32754

Sadly this didn't do the trick either and there seemed to be no power getting through and no lights on the Super CdRom to say it was working. So basically...I'm stumped. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

[Zeon]

You do have the "jumper" power cord that hooks power up from the core grafx to the super cd-rom correct? The super cd-rom does not get power simply by plugging it into the expansion bus and plugging in the core grafx.

[Lorfarius]

Sorry forgot to mention that! But yes the lead that links the Core to the CDRom is there.

[Zeon]

No hucard game is in it correct? What setting do you have the power adapter on? If memory serves it is 12volts and center positive polarity, don't quote me on that though. Finally the led on the super cd-rom doesn't lite up at all until you have a cd in it and press run on the controller.

[Lorfarius]

Hussah! It worked just by pressing the Run button

[NecroPhile]

Hussah! It worked just by pressing the Run button

Mwuhahahaha!  Dontcha just hate those 'senior moments'? 

[Lorfarius]

Hussah! It worked just by pressing the Run button

Mwuhahahaha!  Dontcha just hate those 'senior moments'? 

Fraid so. I recently bought a MegaCD which tends to boot the games once they are in the drive so all I can say is that I was expecting the same to happen with the Super. 

[Lorfarius]

Have a few more questions  Thinking I might need some sort of memory card for the system (I'm hoping to play a few RPG's on it) I decided to invest in one of these:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/ten-no-koe-bank-hudson-soft-pcenginehardware/hc692

I also noticed this and thought it might make a good investment for any future game purchases:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-pro-no-box-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac2

Both seem to be compatible with the setup that I have but with the Super CD Rom 2 plugged in and switched on whenever I add a card (of any type, game or the above) I just get a blue or white screen. When I take them out the system runs fine. Am I missing something really obvious? Having said that is there a way to load card games without unplugging the Core from the CDRom system? 

[Zeon]

Have a few more questions  Thinking I might need some sort of memory card for the system (I'm hoping to play a few RPG's on it) I decided to invest in one of these:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/ten-no-koe-bank-hudson-soft-pcenginehardware/hc692

I also noticed this and thought it might make a good investment for any future game purchases:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-pro-no-box-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac2

Both seem to be compatible with the setup that I have but with the Super CD Rom 2 plugged in and switched on whenever I add a card (of any type, game or the above) I just get a blue or white screen. When I take them out the system runs fine. Am I missing something really obvious? Having said that is there a way to load card games without unplugging the Core from the CDRom system? 

Having a super cd-rom attached to a core should not interfere with normal operation. Hucard games or otherwise should play just fine.

[Lorfarius]

Nothing happens when I switch it on though The Core plays Hucard games just fine when its on its own but when I plug the two together I just get a blank screen for cards. My Core is a region modded unit though with a flick switch right next to the bus bay on the back. I'm going to buy a TG game and see if that makes any difference when I fire it up.

Edit. Problem solved! Just slid the two apart at the bus connector and eased the tension on the region switch. All working now. Phew!

[NecroPhile]

I also noticed this and thought it might make a good investment for any future game purchases:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-pro-no-box-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac2

You might be able to save yourself a few bucks by getting a Arcade Card Duo.  The Pro card is only needed if you have the original PCE-CD system, as it lacks the additional memory found in your Super-CD.

[Lorfarius]

I also noticed this and thought it might make a good investment for any future game purchases:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-pro-no-box-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac2

You might be able to save yourself a few bucks by getting a Arcade Card Duo.  The Pro card is only needed if you have the original PCE-CD system, as it lacks the additional memory found in your Super-CD.

So if I buy this one then I can effectively play any of the CD games:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-duo-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac1

I'm most confused with these add on cards 

[td741]

So if I buy this one then I can effectively play any of the CD games:

http://www.genkivideogames.com/games/arcade-card-duo-nec-pcenginehardware/pceac1

I'm most confused with these add on cards 

All except:
-those games express games that have their own system card
-Altered Beast CD which requires the 1.0 System card for full functionality.
-You have a Japanese system so you also don't have to worry about the few buggy SCD games that don't work on a US SCD system.

[Lorfarius]

The Pro card is cheaper than the Duo one  Do they effectively do the same thing (with one having the System 3.0 software on as well) or are both compatible with the Core?

[NecroPhile]

The Pro card is cheaper than the Duo one  Do they effectively do the same thing (with one having the System 3.0 software on as well) or are both compatible with the Core?

The Pro card is less common and usually more expensive, but not this time apparently, so buy whichever you want.  They would both work with your Super-CD; the only difference between the two is that the Duo card has only 16mb o' memory and the Pro card has 16mb plus the extra 1.5mb not found in the original PCE-CD.

[Lorfarius]

The Pro card is cheaper than the Duo one  Do they effectively do the same thing (with one having the System 3.0 software on as well) or are both compatible with the Core ?

The Pro card is less common and usually more expensive, but not this time apparently, so buy whichever you want.  They would both work with your Super-CD; the only difference between the two is that the Duo card has only 16mb o' memory and the Pro card has 16mb plus the extra 1.5mb not found in the original PCE-CD.

Ah ha that makes more sense, thanks  Its such a minefield trying to work out what's what for these systems.

[Zeon]

Nothing happens when I switch it on though The Core plays Hucard games just fine when its on its own but when I plug the two together I just get a blank screen for cards. My Core is a region modded unit though with a flick switch right next to the bus bay on the back. I'm going to buy a TG game and see if that makes any difference when I fire it up.

Edit. Problem solved! Just slid the two apart at the bus connector and eased the tension on the region switch. All working now. Phew!

By the way, there have been reports of a region modded core having issues with certain hucard games only when a super cdrom is attached. There is a thread here on it somewhere that has a list of games that were noted to have weird behavior or just plain not work at all. It might be worth your time to look into it.