Setting out for new adventures: I am currently looking into building an adapter for *Atari 2600 games. Here is a fabrication shot of a couple prototype PCBs which I should receive later this week. If this works, it might be a cheap way to open the Retrode for other systems.
I have 2 loose cart connectors. NES and Famicom
Hey, what about the Nintendo 64? I still use my N64 console, but it has started randomly resetting while being played, lately. Is there any chance a retrode may work with it in the future? It may even spur 64 emulator development, which stalled a year or so after UltraHLE – from what I remember. I’m betting the cart thickness is non-standard like the SNES carts. Thanks for making the retrode.
PS: Where do I get one? I can’t find a link anywhere on your site!
To keep it short: donate carts, and maybe(!) one day they will be supported. Subscribe to the newsletter, and you will be notified when the Retrode is available. :)
EDIT: Bad news – N64 uses 3.3V and 12V, instead of the USB’s 5V. So a simple “wires-only” solution won’t do here.
I am pretty sure that GBA and DS carts both run off 3.3v too. GB and GBC are both 5v though!
oh so cool! So theoretically the retrode could be expanded to other cartridge based systems like jaguar and 32x and…..neo geo? This is very neat Matthias!
outstanding! I suggest you to mount other adapter (Retrode 2?) for these consoles: N64, NES, SMS.
I have over 80 carts at home this is going to be very much oblidged if and when it’s completed.
This is very interesting indeed! Am I correct in thinking that the Megadrive side of the Retrode is effectively an EEPROM reader, and you are mapping the pins from the 2600 cart (which link directly to the EPROM) to the Megadrive pins via the adapter? If so, would it follow that you could do the same for Virtual Boy cartridges? As I understand it, it wouldn’t bee too difficult hardware wise (no idea about the clever stuff you do with software though).
Oh, holy cow this takes things to a whole new level. I know you guys talked about the possibility of adapter and firmware re-writes, but to actually see you take a proactive step towards that goal is something different. Is this a DIY sort of thing, or is it something that is better off to be purchased? As always ballpark price estimates are appreciated, and again thank you for all the hard work on this awesome product.
I will provide the schematics for these adapters, and they will be supported by future firmware updates. If there is sufficient demand, I might as well have a bunch of them made. Too bad the SNES slot takes 1.2mm thick PCBs, which is a non-standard measure. If 50pcs are made they should cost around 10 EUR each (with gold-plated contacts), or 5 EUR without the gold plating.
outstanding! let me know if you need some test carts. have a bunch lying around over here.
mostly NTSC. how are you going to get the dust covers open? :)
What’s with the dust covers? On the carts I have, the lid that covers the card edge can easily be pushed back.
Will send you one of my NTSC carts. I notice a lot of German carts don’t even use dust covers.
All he’ll need is some kind of notch that matches the 2600’s one, two triangles on either side, shouldn’t be “too” difficult.
I’ll definitely be buying the “next” round of Retrode’s that is the original retrode with a bunch of adapters and firmware updates. ;) GB, GBC, GBA would be big on my list of priorities then prob SMS then maybe NES moreso famicom. All I sound like is some greedy punk kid, Matthias, everything you’re doing is awesome and I so what you to add more features.