7 replies to this topic

[Rocko]

What is the difference between the:


Turbo Grafx 16

Turbo Duo

PC Engine

Super Grafx

?

[Ze_ro]

Turbo Grafx 16: Well, lets consider this the "basic" system...

Turbo Duo: A Turbo Grafx 16 that has a built-in CD-Rom drive. To get the equivalent system, you'd have to buy a TG16, a Turbo CD, and a Super System 2.0 card.

PC Engine: Japanese version of the TG16. PCE/TG16 games can be played on the opposite system with an adaptor.

Super Grafx: A slightly improved version of the PC Engine. It plays PC Engine games without trouble, but there were only 5 or so games that actually took advantage of the extra abilities of the Super Grafx. It's a cartridge-based system, but I think you can hook it up a CD-Rom drive with some work.

--Zero

[JB]

Ze_ro said:

Turbo Grafx 16: Well, lets consider this the "basic" system...

Turbo Duo: A Turbo Grafx 16 that has a built-in CD-Rom drive. To get the equivalent system, you'd have to buy a TG16, a Turbo CD, and a Super System 2.0 card.

I thought the Duo came with System 3, which also meant it had more RAM.

Quote

PC Engine: Japanese version of the TG16. PCE/TG16 games can be played on the opposite system with an adaptor.

Actually, it's 1 way only. As I understand it, TG16 games are written to detect a hardware diffrence between the TG16 and PCEngine and won't work on the PCE, though PCE games work on the TG16.

Quote

Super Grafx: A slightly improved version of the PC Engine. It plays PC Engine games without trouble, but there were only 5 or so games that actually took advantage of the extra abilities of the Super Grafx. It's a cartridge-based system, but I think you can hook it up a CD-Rom drive with some work.

--Zero

It CAN attach to a CD-ROM, but it needs an adapter for the older model drive.


And the only hardware upgrade to the SuperGrafx was another layer in the graphics hardware.

And there's a 6th game. Darius Plus had a SuperGrafx mode as well as a PCE mode.

[Vic George 2K3]

Just find it weird that the Japanese name for the TurboGrafx was the PC Engine, but the manufacturers would call their Japanese-only system the Super Grafx.

[sku_u]

Out of all those systems, which one is the best to own in terms of greatest overall compatability?

[JB]

sku_u said:

Out of all those systems, which one is the best to own in terms of greatest overall compatability?

Only a SuperGrafx with CD-ROM(and appropriate boot disks) can play every game.
...
But is missing 5 games and an enhanced version of a 6th really that critical?


The Duo is nice for the all in one aspect. It'd be what I went for.

[Susuwatari]

JB said:

Ze_ro said:

PC Engine: Japanese version of the TG16. PCE/TG16 games can be played on the opposite system with an adaptor.

Actually, it's 1 way only. As I understand it, TG16 games are written to detect a hardware diffrence between the TG16 and PCEngine and won't work on the PCE, though PCE games work on the TG16.

Actually as I understand, TG-16 and PCE cart slot differs only with 8 data line being flipped over. If you flip the 8 lines, you can play either games. Adapter exists with that 8 lines flipped or you could look for 8PDT switch and modify your TG-16/Duo/PCE/SG to take both USA and Japanese card without the adapter. Here's a copy of the old FAQ:

        How to put a PC Engine / TurboGrafx switch in your TurboGrafx

        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Karl Stenerud (mock@res.com) 29-Jun-96

Modified by Earnest Rymer (rymerel@valleyint.com) 12-Feb-2000



This document must be viewed in a monospaced font, 80 column format.







DISCLAIMER:

~~~~~~~~~~

I take no responsibility for any damages incurred through the use of this

document or its contents.  Use at your own risk.





       MAKE SURE YOU READ THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT THROUGH BEFORE STARTING!

            YOU WILL BE ALTERING CONNECTIONS WITHIN YOUR MACHINE!







INTRODUCTION:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few years ago, a friend of mine gave me his PC Engine.  I soon became

obsessed with the thing and gradually acquired a Turbo Duo and a TurboExpress

(as well as tonnes of games).  The only problem was that all my games were

the Japanese HuCards, which didn't work in the American systems without some

sort of converter unit, which I promptly bought.



I soon learned to hate the thing since it would crash my game at the slightest

nudge of the game converter (Very annoying since I liked to use my Turbo

Express).  I soon became so frustrated that I took apart the game converter,

found out what it did, and made a switch that would do it instead.



MUCH BETTER!



Anyway, if you hate the TV Game converter thingy for playing Japanese

HuCards, and you know a little about electronics, this text is for you!







THE THEORY:

~~~~~~~~~~

In order to play import games, eight leads from the HuCard to the console must

be rerouted like this:







                          /      #     #  HuCard socket unit

         front of machine ||      #     #  (top view)

                                  #     #

                                  #######

                                  #######

                                  ||||||| <- pins







                  10                  20                  30              38

                   |                   |                   |

         |         |         |         |         |         |         |

 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | | | | * | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                               | | | | |   | | |

                               | | | | |   | | |

                         +-----|-|-+ | |   | | |

                         |     | |   | |   | | |

                         | +---|-+   | |   | | |

                         | |   |     | |   | | |

                         | | +-+     | |   | | |

                         | | |        X    | | |

                         | | |       | |   | | |

                         | | |     +-|-|---+ | |

                         | | |     | | |     | |

                         | | |   +-|-|-|-----+ |

                         | | |   | | | |       |

                         | | | +-|-|-|-|-------+

                         | | | | | | | |

                         | | | | | | | |

                         | | +-|-|-|-|-|-------+

                         | |   | | | | |       |

                         | +---|-|-|-|-|-----+ |

                         |     | | | | |     | |

                         +-----|-|-|-|-|---+ | |

                               | | | | |   | | |

                               | | | | |   | | |

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | | | | * | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

         |         |         |         |         |         |         |

                   |                   |                   |

                  10                  20                  30              38



* these pins go straight through





pins: 16 -> 24

      17 -> 23

      18 -> 22

      19 -> 20

      --------

      20 -> 19

      22 -> 18

      23 -> 17

      24 -> 16





The pin swapping is symmetrical.  However, pin 21 is not rerouted.









WHAT YOU NEED:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- A TurboGrafx, Duo, or Express (duh!)

- gamebit or equivalent

- soldering iron and light-gauge solder

- hacksaw blade / X-acto knife (for cutting notch in case)

- wire cutters

- 16-conductor ribbon cable

- an eight-pole, double-throw switch

- epoxy

- other various tools (tweezers, toothpicks, you'll figure it out!)





  The switch should look something like this on the bottom:

          1      2      3      4          1      2      3      4

        a b c  a b c  a b c  a b c   /   a b c  a b c  a b c  a b c

        ###    ###    ###    ###          ###    ###    ###    ###

                                     /

        ###    ###    ###    ###          ###    ###    ###    ###

        a b c  a b c  a b c  a b c   /   a b c  a b c  a b c  a b c

          5      6      7      8          5      6      7      8

                                     /

        There are eight individual      When you throw the switch,

        switches                     /   eight contacts change the

                                        eight switches



  NOTE: This kind of switch is hard to find (Especially one small enough

  to fit in the Express).  I found mine by using the part locator at

  www.e-switch.com. The part number is EG-8202.









BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Open up your machine.  Unfortunately, your machine likely has some strange

   screws in it.  Someone on the Turbo Mailing List said they know where to get

   the screw bits.  You can make your own tool by cutting a notch in the end of

   a blade-type screwdriver with a hacksaw.



2. Locate the HuCard socket unit.



3. Find a nice place to put a switch.  On the Express, I found that the best

   place is at the bottom of the machine, although I had to remove the COM

   port.  Another list member went into the battery compartment.  On the

   TurboGrafx, I mounted it on the right side of the machine.



4. Decide how much wire you'll need.  You'll have 16 wires running from

   wherever you decide to put the switch to the HuCard socket in parallel.

   This is where ribbon cable comes in real handy.  I just hacked up an old

   SCSI cable.



5. Test-fit everything first.  I have found that it's better to do the case-

   cutting first, because your hands (and likely your brain!) will become

   fatigued from all the electronic work.  This way, you'll be doing the

   cosmetic work when you are at your most patient.



6. I strongly suggest you find out where to get a replacement HuCard socket

   unit in case something goes wrong.







LET'S HACK!:

~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Get your switch and solder small pieces of insulated wire, crossing

   "a" on one switch and "c" on the opposite switch like so:



                         1       2       3       4

                      a  b c  a  b c  a  b c  a  b c

                         /      /      /      /

                        /      /      /      /

                        /      /      /      /

                       /      /      /      /  

                      a  b c  a  b c  a  b c  a  b c 

                         5       6       7       8



   NOTE: the crossing wires must NOT be connected to each other!



*** STEP 2 IS THE POINT OF NO RETURN! ***



2. Desolder pins 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24 (NOT 21!) from the PC board

   (see above, "THE THEORY").  Straighten the pin out and cut it at a

   convenient length for you to solder on the new wiring.



3. Using the soldering iron and solder, connect the insulated wire from the

   switch to the pins of the HuCard socket unit like so:



                 1            2            3            4

             a   b   c    a   b   c    a   b   c    a   b   c

                16l 16h      17l 17h      18l 18h      19l 19h





                24l 24h      23l 23h      22l 22h      20l 20h

             a   b   c    a   b   c    a   b   c    a   b   c

                 5            6            7            8



   where "l" ("low") is on the PC board and "h" ("high") is on the pins of

   the HuCard socket unit.



   ie. terminal "b" of switch 1 connects to 16l, which is pin 16 on the PC

       board.

       terminal "c" of switch 1 connects to 16h, which is pin 16 on the

       HuCard socket.

       



                         pins

                          ||

                          /

   

                "high" -> ++--########   HuCard socket unit

                          ||  ########   (side view)

                "low" -> -------------



                         /   /   /

                         ||   ||   ||

                           pcboard



4. Connect all vital components and test the machine.  I recommend giving

   everything a real good wiggle to ensure a proper connection.  If

   something is going to pop off, you want it to happen now, and not after

   the epoxy's dry!



5. Mount the switch.  I used epoxy, but you'd be surprised how well that blue

   tack stuff works in a pinch!  I recommend scoring the surfaces of the

   switch and the TurboGrafx before gluing them.  This will help the epoxy

   set.





Congrats! You now have a PC Engine / TurboGrafx switch!

[Ze_ro]

JB said:

I thought the Duo came with System 3, which also meant it had more RAM.

You may be right... I'm not up on all the TG16 stuff.

sku_u said:

Out of all those systems, which one is the best to own in terms of greatest overall compatability?

Well, ideally you'd have to get a Super Grafx with a CD-Rom (and the necessary adaptor), as well as the "Arcade card"... but that would be a huge pain in the ass to collect, and it would be a total Frankensystem (and is the Super Grafx also locked out from playing North American TG16 games?).

I'd say just get a TurboDuo. Every North American release should work fine, and you can pick up an adaptor to play the Japanese releases. However, there's a "Super System 3.0" card out there that might be needed by some games (Was this needed for any NA releases? or just Japanese?), and there are a handful of Japanese games that require the Arcade Card...

--Zero