Sega CD Transfer Suite - Anyone tried this?

[wolfchild]

Found that:

http://www.retrodev.com/transfer.html

This cable and the accompanying software allow you to do two things. The first is to test your programs on real Genesis/Sega CD hardware without burning a CD-R or using a Flash cartridge. The second is to dump Genesis and 32X cartridges to a file without the use of grey market hardware such as the Super Magic Drive or complicated traditional homebrew dumpers.

So, is it possible to stream roms from PC to Mega Drive / Sega CD?

Can`t believe that it will work...

 

[ExCyber]

What you're thinking of won't work, and it's not what the site describes. The cable can be used for dumping ROM images from a cartridge to a file on PC. The other way around won't work for precisely the same reasons that "playing Genesis ROMs on Sega CD" won't work. However, you can upload small programs that are written specifically to run from SCD RAM, and presumably with an appropriate server on the PC side you could make your own programs stream data over the cable.

 

[KuKzz]

Theoretically you can play small genesis games on Sega CD. In reality, nobody done this.

 

[ExCyber]

Originally posted by KuKzz

Theoretically you can play small genesis games on Sega CD.

Uh, how? AFAIK, there's enough RAM to do e.g. Columns, but it's in the wrong place. Any absolute address references to ROM would be broken, I think...

 

[KuKzz]

I said theoretically.

You can probably do this by doing blablabla (insert 100-page technical description here, Ex-Cyber style 😛)

 

[ExCyber]

Well, theoretically you can run small Genesis games on Sega CD by disassembling them, figuring out how the game manages all its graphics/sound data, and rewriting the game to run on Sega CD. Theoretically, you could do this for Genesis games of any size, though. 😉

 

[AmyGrrl]

I know that you don't like people asking about this. But I was thinking. Everyone has wanted to load Genesis games off the Sega CD for as long as I can remember. I know that people have even asked about a Flash Cart that you plug into the Genesis and have a burned CD with Roms. The problem is that the system always boots to the Genesis when a cart is connected. What I was wondering as I don't remember anyone asking. I know their is a certain pin on a Genesis Cat and its not connected that it boots to the Sega CD. Like when you connect the Ram Cart. What about having a Flash Cart with a Switch to disconnect this pin so it boots to the Sega CD and run then homebrew software to flash one game to the cart only. I think only allowing one game to be flashed to the cart would keep costs down. And you could use the PC Transfer metheod to backup game saves back and forth. Then turn off the system. Flip the switch on the Flash Cart. Then it boots the game off the FlashCart.

I put a little thought into this about having the switch idea. I just don't remember anyone thinking about adding a switch. And you must be able to copy data this way as you can store save game data to the Ram Cart. But again I don't know how hard it would be to make a FlashCart that functions like Genesis Cart and Ram Cart. This got me thinking about this when they wanted to stream games from the PC to the Genesis/Sega CD. If above methoed is feasable, they could stream the game from the PC to the Flash Cart also. I hope I don't anger anyone with this question. I just thought it was a new twist on an old question... and want someone to debunk the idea... lol

 

[Mask of Destiny]

A RAM or flash cart writeable from the Sega CD is feasible, but someone would have to design and manufacture such a cart first.

I'd actually love to see a RAM cart, it would make 32X/CD dev much more practical.

 

[Malakai]

Sounds like an awesome idea. I'm kind of surprised that sega did not do some thing like this, especially when the end was near. They could have sold some cheap compilation cds ($20-$30) and the cart/adapter for like $70-$100, and it would have made them just a little more money, possibly sold more sega cd and genesis systems, and maybe even kept their product on store shelves just a little while longer.

They could have been an "advanced" version and added a serial interface and had a "build your own genesis games" for the genesis package and dev kit, maybe even adding some adventure or rpg kit for people that can't code. Maybe a collection of hacks or edits to edit some of their own games. Maybe change the colors and size of sonic, or edit the maps for the game, even change characters completely. Save the changes on a floppy disk and send to your buddies if they have the cart and a pc. some thing like that..