NEW MEGA FLASH ROM NOW FOR SALE --------------------------------
Manuel Pazos and Armando Perez (Ramones) have their new Mega Flash for sale now. 1.- PRODUCT DESCRIPTION. If you don't know this product, maybe you should know it: Mega Flash ROM is a cartridge which works with any MSX model and comes with a Flash ROM memory and with a set of characteristics that make it ideal for storing the real images of any ROM cartridge (.ROM files) which are available through Internet or inside several compilations distributed as CD. Its capacity makes that storing a ROM in the Mega Flash ROM and executing it will be the same as using the original cart. It is not an emulation. The characteristics of the Mega Flash ROM are similar to the ones of the original cart, in a 80% of times. For the remaining 20%, our loading program works as "patcher" and adapts automatically the ROM to the characteristics of the Mega Flash ROM, being transparent to the user in this way . The Mega Flash ROM cart comes with a modern "Flash ROM" chip which makes its data everlasting after being stored. This means that it doesn't work as a traditional memory which loses its contents when it is disconnected from the supply. Then it lets to carry data as if it were a floppy disk and keep the same ROM stored so much time as we desire without having to load it every time. Similar characteristics products exist or have existed in the market, as the italian SCC RAM or the LPE Flash G by Leonardo Padial, being only this last product the one which is closer to the characteristics of the Mega Flash ROM, because of using the same kind of memory chip. 2.- PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS. Mega Flash ROM doesn't make use of any JUMPER / SWITCH for its different configurations as other similar products. Everything is handled via soft and transparent for the user. Mega Flash ROM only comes with a switch (push-button) for avoiding the ROM execution when the MSX is turned on (or after a reset). If this switch was not available it'd made impossible to load any new program without inserting the cart while the computer is on. Mega Flash ROM comes with its cart-box and with a label. Then, it is not only a printed circuit board. In this way the circuit is protected of damages. In short, it is like a traditional cartridge. 3.- DIFFERENT VERSIONS. It is possible to get different Mega Flash ROM versions : [] BASIC MODEL : Equipped with 512 Ks of Memory, with ASCII8/16 mapping. [] SRAM MODEL : Equipped with 512 Ks of Memory, ASCII8/16 mapping and 2K or 8 Ks of SRAM memory. SRAM memory doesn't disappear after taking the supply out. It normally comes with a small battery button with a big autonomy. The SRAM is ready for saving "saved games" of the games which are ready for it, without needing of use a floppy or a hard disk. It makes the operation more transportable. Then, if we play a game and save the state in SRAM, we can carry the Mega Flash ROM SRAM to other computer and continue the saved game from where we were before. It is also possible to store the SRAM contents to disk and vice versa. [] SCC MODEL. Equipped with 512 Ks of Memory, with Konami SCC mapping. This kind of Mega Flash ROM is built from a Konami SCC cartridge. It lets us not to use other slot for enjoying the SCC sound when a Konami game is played with those characteristics. [] EXTENDED BASIC MODEL : Equipped with 1024 Ks of Memory, with ASCII8/16 mapping. This is an experimental model being developed. It is similar to the basic model but comes with more storage capacity. This lets us to use the main Flash memory as SRAM. Then, saved states can be stored in that Flash, without needing of SRAM. Furthermore, it lets to make game compilations, that prepared with a selector program, would let us to have more than a megarom game in the same flash and then be able to change the game using the selector after the boot of the computer. 4.- LOADING PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS (OPF.COM) OPF.COM is the program which loads the files and store them in the Mega Flash ROM. The program is fully compatible with any MSX model with at least disk drive unit. This is a program for MSXDOS, being compatible DOS2 too. Then, let's to revise the characteristics : [] Compatibility with all MSX models. [] Full compatibility with MSX-DOS2, letting to load programs from any storage device (HD, CD-Rom, ZIP, ....) [] Compatibility with MSX Turbo R, and use of the R800 speed. [] High speed of loading and erasing of programs. Using the special characteristics of the Am29F040B chip, OPF makes the erasing and writing verification faster than any of the actual programs. [] Transparent to the user. It is maybe one of the best characteristics of OPF combined with Mega Flash ROM. We can divide them in 2 parts : * No need of jumpers : OPF detects automatically the ROM which is being tried to load. If the ROM needs a 8 Ks mapping, OPF prepares the cart for that. Similar characteristics for a ROM with 16 Ks mapping. The user has not to be worried about changing jumpers for the working of the program. * Automatic Mapping Patchs : As the previous characteristic, OPF detects automatically the mapping of the actual ROM (ASCII 8 Ks, ASCII 16 Ks, Konami without SCC, Konami SCC, etc ...) and prepares the file for its correct use, depending of the Mega Flash ROM hard. Everything is set during the storing process and it is not necessary in the 90% of times a ROM file "Prepared for". [] Possibility of mode / keyboard patching. It is possible to patch a ROM while it is being loaded for executing it in European or Japanese mode not depending in the MSX model used. Then it is possible to play (for example) Maze of Galious in english in a MSX2+ or in a MSX Turbo R, or Gradius 2 in a European MSX2 in Japanese. [] Possibility of executing the game 'on the fly' modifying the executing parameters. It is possible with OPF to execute a game with R800 actived, directly, without needing of prepare the ROM. It can be executed in NTSC (60Hz) or in PAL (50hz), without depending of the MSX model. Because of executing the game 'on the fly' it also lets to load / save 'saved games' from DOS2 (using other storage methods as HD, Zip ...) [] Executing of a file already stored without needing of storing it again OPF comes with the possibility of executing the game directly without making the erasing / storing process again. Of course we talk always about loading it 'on the fly' for modifying any option. It is clear that if a ROM is already stored in the flash and we turn our MSX on, the program will be executed automatically. [] Forcing of Mapper. Being an automatic mapper detection, it is possible that OPF can't recognize a kind of ROM and doesn't know how to patch it for being executed in Mega Flash ROM. Then it is possible to force OPF to patch the ROM to any of the mapping types (ASCII 8 Ks, ASCII 16 Ks, SCC, Not SCC .... ) and paged (8Ks / 16 Ks). [] Possibility of storing any kind of file. OPF lets to store any file (no need to be a ROM file) with the same or less size of the Flash Memory capacity. Then it can be used as a storage unit. In developing process for future OPF versions is being made the possibility of extracting the contents of the Mega Flash ROM to a file. [] Executing on the fly, simulating Konamis. It is known that in some Konami games if we have in the other slot other Konami game, some cheats or curiosities are activated for those games not directly appeared directly by the game itself. In a 90% of times, the program only searches for a bytes chain for detecting if the cart is found in other slot. There are some cases where it is necessary some portions of the other game (Salamander - Nemesis 2), but they are not too much. Then we will be able to enjoy of many games with cheats and curiosities by only indicating it during the storing or execution of the program with OPF. [] Execution of Game Master. OPF can (once the game is stored) to search in the same folder the ROM GMASTER.ROM and it will be loaded in memory and prepared during the storing for acting together with the game executed in the Mega Flash ROM. In this way we'll be able to get all the advantages of the Game Master in the used game, such as changing the speed, adding lifes, starting in different levels and the most spectaculars as saving the game in any moment and place and being possible to recover (load) it later. Full Compatibility with DOS2 for this option. As final note, just add that ALL those options are available in ANY OF THE MODELS of Mega Flash ROM. It is possible to load Head Over Heels in a Mega Flash ROM SCC and a Nemesis 2 in a Mega Flash ASCII and execute Game Master with it. All the process is transparent to the user: without jumpers, without configs ... 5.- DISPONIBILITY, CONTACT AND PRICES. - Flash 512: 50 euro - Flash 1024: 70 euro - Flash SRAM: 80 euro - Flash SCC: 100 euro Contact mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Manuel) [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Armando) Fidonet : 2:343/107.20 Armando Perez Snail Mail : Armando Perez Abad C/ Santo Tomas 2-21 46100 Burjassot (Valencia) Manuel Pazos C/ Faustino Cavadas, 29 39011 PEŅACASTILLO (SANTANDER) 6.- Greetings To Kazuhiro Tsujikawa, for his wise advices. To Francisco Alvarez, for this english text (c) 2003 Armando Perez Abad (Ramones) and Manuel Pazos. _______________________________________________ MSX mailing list ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Info page: http://lists.stack.nl/mailman/listinfo/msx
