EverDrive - MD/Genny flash cart

[Icarus Moonsight]

http://www.krikzz.com/

Did a search to see if a thread was already here for this... Found nothing.

Why this is interesting over Neo/Tototek carts:
Uses SD/MMC media. (FAT16 - currently 2GB max - can be updated in the future via SC/MMC slot for FAT32 and HC media)
Writes and loads saves direct to the removable flash media.
Price!

Negs
Don't know about vendor reliability/honesty, or longevity of support.
I know this won't run Virtua Racing or Super Street Fighter 2 (pretty much a given). But I can't find a compatibility list at all on the site, or off.
Only .bin roms will work right on the cart (off-site source, assembler boards) .smd cause problems because of how those roms are extracted and built.

Does anyone here have one of these? I'm seeking information, references and opinions before I even think about sending someone a money wire transfer... Can you get this thing from someone that takes a service with buyer protection like paypal (which he says that he can't accept, living in the Ukraine)? Any insight is much appreciated!

Quick edit in here: I'm interested in using this to play sound/music files that I would be composing and building myself along with it's other uses. I've seen the demo vid where it is running extracted audio files from carts/roms through it's module function. If anyone has any experience with that aspect, I'd love to hear about your experiences with it.

[goldenegg]

It also doesn't support 32X games, while the Neo Myth cart does. Btw, the Neo cart can use SD cards with an add-on.

Other than that, it looks pretty solid. I just wish he'd sell them in shells rather than the bare board.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Since I was mostly interested in it to go with my Nomad and the whole "make my own Genny tunes" thing, 32x support is not an issue either way for me. I can understand how that could be desired by others though. Supposedly, it has some issues with some of the SMS titles as well... I haven't found anything specific on that though.

If I do take the plunge on this one, I'm just going to go up to the pawn shop and pick up a Genny sports game with a nice case for a buck or so. Cut the slot for the media and drill a hole for the SMS pause button and pop the PCB in there.

[ccovell]

Here's my review:

I got an Everdrive cart about a week ago, and have been trying it out. At first it didn't read a couple of my SD cards correctly, showing garbage in the file menu. And for some games (Sonic, Moonwalker), it loaded them, but they had graphical glitches and ran too slowly.

So I thought the Everdrive was shit. HOWEVER, I gave it the benefit of the doubt and now have it working perfectly with MD ROMs. I suppose I could have skipped a few hours of frustration if the seller (Igor) had sent me an instruction manual of any kind.

So here's what must be done in order to get ROMs working well:

- Format your SD card fully on a PC/Mac (using FAT). Don't just do a "Quick Format" and don't use the "Format" option in the Everdrive; it just clears the directory table of the card.
- Only use clean ".bin" MD ROMs. Super Magic Drive ".SMD" interleaved ROMs will not work and the Everdrive will think they are SMS ROMs. If one of your .bin ROMs gets loaded mistakenly as an SMS ROM, chances are it's just a renamed .smd file.
- Turn off the MegaKey option on the Everdrive. This was the cause of the graphical glitching and slowdown that I originally had. Even though I was using a US/JP ROM like Sonic, on a Japanese Megadrive, the Everdrive thought I should be playing it in PAL and was glitching up (regulating?) the speed.

I tried the cartridge with the 32X and Mega-CD as well. 99% of the time, the Everdrive doesn't even boot up with the 32X attached, so playing 32X ROMs is almost completely impossible. The Everdrive will load a MCD BIOS and run it, but it (presumably) can't access the CD hardware and thus freezes right upon boot-up.

The Everdrive page says it works with almost all MD games, and I'd say that's true. It has much higher compatibility than the Tototek MD cart. It also says it works with most SMS games, but on sampling about a dozen SMS games, I'd say only 50% of them booted up. So don't count on this playing SMS games as a feature; it's more of a small bonus.

Anyway, compared to the slightly cumbersome Tototek MD cart, the Everdrive is really fast, compatible, and convenient for MD games. For 32X and SMS, stick with the respective Tototek stuff (I don't know about Neo Myth.)

Oh, look! The Everdrive page is updated with a new 2.0 hardware revision. And right after I received the old 1.0 ver of the hardware... X-(

[Icarus Moonsight]

... Right after I posted this, I read your review on the assembler boards. Well, I've read it twice now.

Might have to just take my chances on this, and test out the 2.0 revision. I can't test for 32X (no hardware), but I can check for MegaCD bios loading. See if I can load up Sengoku. Maybe the revision addresses those issues?

[AB Positive]

Wow... can't beat that price either. Sure, bare board but for only $65? Hmmm...

[rbudrick]

Anyone selling cheap empty Genesis shells? I don't have any carts to spare, and I'd hate to use it without one. I'd hate to waste a game, even if it is an R0.

-Rob

[Icarus Moonsight]

I just got my trade bin cleaned out of Genesis stuff. I got a copy of Air Diver to gut if I can't turn up a Madden in decent time. We're used to passing on them blighted Genny Maddens... Who ever thought they would be sought for something this cool?

If I find some cheapies, I'll grab one for ya.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Bumping this thread. Just got my cart a few days ago and I'm currently putting it through the wringer. Brought it to work with my Gen 3... I don't know it it's because I tried to hook it up to a LCD widescreen or if it doesn't work on Gen 3's, but I didn't get to play it more than for about 45 minutes as of yet.

Playing it on the Nomad so far, and I think I very much got my monies worth. Trying to overcome some TMSS issues right now. I have a solution (Mega Key 2), but I'm trying to see if the cart can handle these by itself without help.

[MASTERWEEDO]

Flash cart for SEGA megadrive/genesis

+ all SEGA megadrive/genesis games supported, except virtua racing

+ Super Street Fighter II supported! (req firmware 3+)

+ most SEGA maser system games supported.

+32x games supported (req firmware 4+)

+ 32kb FRAM for game saves keep. FRAM it is some like SRAM, but this memory not need battery supply for data keeping

+ save ram data can be stored or loaded from SD card

+ saves available for megadrive/genesis and master system games

+ SD/MMC cards support.

+ FAT16 support. 2GB max partition size

+ button for pause in SMS games

+ connection to PC and any additional software/drivers is not required

+SPI port. usually it used for SD cards reading, but can be used for some other action. it can be used for communication with micro controllers, for example

+ module system

+GameGenie codes is supported (coming soon).

says it now works with the 32x games. anyone confirm?

[Greg2600]

Yes on other forums a few people confirmed that 32X worked.

[Wraith Storm]

Looks like I know where part of my next check is going! I have a TON of Import Sega CD games that I have never been able to play. I didn't want to copy/region patch/burn them, so I have patiently been waiting (several years) for a card that would allow me to boot them on a US system.

I looks like the Everdrive has been updated again. Not only does it play Genesis, 32X, and Master System. But the new firmware also boots import Sega CD games!!! Looks like it was added June 21st!!!

+SEGA-CD bios loading (req firmware 8+)

Has anyone tried this. I am wondering how reliable it is at booting import Sega CD games. And has anyone tried it on a JVC X'Eye or CDX? Those are the two systems I will be using it on.

[Greg2600]

You're best asking at Sega-16.com or the "official" forum on assemblergames.com. The user base is still very very small.

[StoneAgeGamer]

We are going to begin carrying the Everdrive soon. Waiting on our first shipment to arrive.

[Icarus Moonsight]

That's great news. I wired my money to the Ukraine and got my cart a while back. I understand why some folks have a problem with paying not knowing the person without paypal like this, but I really wanted this thing, bad.

[Gavica]

Anyone selling cheap empty Genesis shells? I don't have any carts to spare, and I'd hate to use it without one. I'd hate to waste a game, even if it is an R0.

-Rob

noone will miss ShaqFu

[StoneAgeGamer]

That's great news. I wired my money to the Ukraine and got my cart a while back. I understand why some folks have a problem with paying not knowing the person without paypal like this, but I really wanted this thing, bad.

Yeah normally we follow a NO Western Union policy, but I know quite a few people that successfully got them so I know he is legit.

[Greg2600]

You're just selling the bare cart/board itself, right? I went in on a mass purchase with peeps on Atari Age just recently, should get mine in a few weeks.

[StoneAgeGamer]

You're just selling the bare cart/board itself, right? I went in on a mass purchase with peeps on Atari Age just recently, should get mine in a few weeks.

May offer both bare or in shell. We will see when I get them. Is it pretty easy to mod a cart shell for these?

[Icarus Moonsight]

I did mine with a Swiss Army knife, saw, pliers and file. You only have to work on the front half of the cart shell. Didn't even bother with the Dremel. Even by hand with dinky multi-tools it only took a few minutes. Just need a label and a method to cover the SMS button part (still investigating options and possible solutions).

In a word, yup.

[StoneAgeGamer]

Anyone have any idea where I could get nice quality labels printed for the carts? I have looked at a lot of places online, but the sizes they offer seems limited. It appears a Genesis label is 2 5/8" x 2 7/8".

[Wraith Storm]

You're best asking at Sega-16.com or the "official" forum on assemblergames.com. The user base is still very very small.

Yeah... But DP is my main forum, my main source of info, my guide to how I live my everyday life, because everything that is said on this site is true ... so I thought I would ask here first. I might just have to ask on those sites as well, however.

We are going to begin carrying the Everdrive soon. Waiting on our first shipment to arrive.

That is AWESOME news!
I would much rather order one of these from an active member of this site that someone, somewhere, far far away. Can you tell me what price to expect to pay or will I just need to wait and see?

[Greg2600]

These are the pictures from the guy on AA who was supposed to modify cart shells for us, but disappeared.

There are some label designs on this thread, including one I modified for those of us in the USA.

Pictures from the KRIZZ website itself (front view, interior shot).

Basically, yes you only have to modify the front half of the shell. The hole for the button probably needs a small drill bit. The slot for the SD card some kind of dremel.

[Gameboy415]

May offer both bare or in shell. We will see when I get them. Is it pretty easy to mod a cart shell for these?

If you do offer them later on, I'm in for an in-shell copy!

[Icarus Moonsight]

It really depends on how many units you are going to shell and how much extra people are willing to pay vs a bare pcb. Especially if you are using donor shells... Factor in the time, on top of materials and labor... Might not even sell for what it takes per unit to get it done. It's certainly possible either way, depending on the specific conditions.

If you can get some plastic to extend the SMS button (by gluing end-to-end) and just drill a hole that is just big enough for the added plastic protrusion, that might be the simplest and most presentable option for that.

I was thinking about making another shell this way, using a Battleship peg.

On the first shell, I cut out a fingertip sized piece. I rounded it out and filed a little into the shell face. Perfect for a direct switch press by hand, but it will let the dust and (in an even worse case) other crap in... Might find a method to seal it up, make a new shell or just leave it as it is.

The SD slot is easy peasy. Notch and cut out a rectangular chunk, and then sand/file to de-bur the new edges.

It really is a super simple process. Not too much harder than opening a Genesis cart (well, that is the hardest part actually).