ToToTEK.COM

rippin snare · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 144

Hi there,

I am a long time Tototek visitor. I bought an SF7 from here a couple years ago that works great however I have my eyes on this new Superflash cart. My SF7 doesn't retain games when unplugged from the wall which is really annoying and my new computer is so new it no longer has a parallel port making it hard to get games to and from my SNES. This superflash cart looks like a new alternative. I have not kept up on this product since its release however as I had my SF7.

Wondering...

What exactly is the T Connector and the CIC chip and what are they for? I reside in Canada and have a North American NTSC SNES just to clarify.

As well... I understand you can only save one game at a time on this but can transfer games to your computer for storing which can later be sent back to the cart if wanting to play the game again. This is fine. Wondering if Ucon can convert games saved on my SF7 to play fine on the cart?

I am interested in playing the Secret of Mana's, Tales of Phantasia and Star Ocean (which I know doesn't work properly on this cart). I am wondering if anyone can sort me out with exactly what I need to get up and running without issues. I want to get the cart, transfer over my games and then play. Period. Thanks.

rpetrello · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Posts: 6

The exact same thing I wanted, and here's what I bought: What you'll want to get is the cart with the case (the $70 something one), and the CIC chip. If you purchase both, apparently the CIC comes soldered on (it did for me, at least). With your NTSC system, you don't need the T-Connector. The way that the cart works is that it can hold up to 48M. A large game like ToP takes up the entire 48M and thus can only be used by itself. You can burn up to (4, I believe?) smaller games, however - if there's more than one game on the cart, or the cart isn't full, you'll have a list to choose from when you boot up the game.

I've tested Secret of Mana, Seiken Den. 3, and ToP on my cart and all have worked fine - Star Ocean, however, uses a special chip and it won't work. Be sure to browse these forums for a certain topic that has a list of games that have "special chips" (games that won't work on the cart) - there are quite a few popular games that will not work on the cart, and you should be aware of it before dropping around $100. It's totally worth the $100, though - you really don't know how cool it is to look up at my big screen Tales of Phantasia in Dejap English and then look down at the japanese cart sitting in my SNES - it's emulation geek bliss Very Happy

!

cd_vision · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 38

>What exactly is the T Connector and the CIC chip and what are they for? I reside in Canada and have a North American NTSC SNES just to clarify.

The Superflash doesn't contain a "DSP" chip in it, so if you want to play a rom that requires it, you need to have a game that contains one inserted into the T-connector.

The CIC chip is a region lockout chip, and you have to have one. If you order it with your flash cart it will already be soldered on.

>Wondering if Ucon can convert games saved on my SF7 to play fine on the cart?

Yes, they should work the same way. You were correct about the one game save feature. Just don't ever program it with two games that require saves and you should be ok. The moment you load up another rom it wipes out the sram.

>I am interested in playing the Secret of Mana's, Tales of Phantasia and Star Ocean (which I know doesn't work properly on this cart).

I think someone said Star Ocean was unplayable, I haven't confirmed this.

>I am wondering if anyone can sort me out with exactly what I need to get up and running without issues.

The biggest issues seem to be with the programmer. Make sure that in your mainboard bios settings, that with the parallel port it is set to use EPP. Search locally to see if you can find a data cable before you order, they're somewhat hard to find. Otherwise, order one from Tototek.

syd · Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 12:39 am Post subject:

I'm also in Canada so I'll tell you the route I went with the superflash. I bought the superflash card WITHOUT the case, since the case is PAL and won't fit into a north american system so it's a waste of $5 for me. I just opened up a crappy SNES cartridge (NBA Give N Go), removed that game and put in the superflash card to give it some added protection.

I ordered the CIC chip, which came soldered on. I also ordered a USB cable since I didn't have one, and also a parallel port cable. I heard that some parallel cables will not work on this card so you might be better off getting it for only $3.

I ordered the T-connector but I still haven't even used it. Basically how it works is you take a game with a DSP chip (i.e. Pilotwings), plug it into the back of the T-Connector, then load up another DSP rom such as Super Mario Kart. All other special chips will NOT work with the superflash card, see the other topic for details about that.

I got EMS shipping for my order since it was the fastest and it seemed it wasn't too much more. It got here in 5 days and I live in Atlantic Canada!

Hope all this helps! Smile

rippin snare · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 144

Hi guys,

thank you ever so kindly for your response. I am totally understanding what you are saying and I appreciate the time and effort in helping me out. Just want to make sure I do everything properly the first purchase.

The T Connector to me sounds exactly like the BLUE DSP cart I got for my SF7 which I also have never used in the past two years that I bought it. I take it the T Connector is only for DSP games? Can it work to make Super Mario RPG work as I know that uses a special chip as well. If anyone can get me a rundown of what chips the T Connector supports and which it doesn't I would appreciate it.

Wondering... If I buy the card with a case is it true that it comes with a PAL case and not an NTSC one? I don't want to spend the $5 like the gentlemen above mentioned just to have it not fit in my system.

The CIC chip. I still have no clue what it is for but if you say it is mandatory then I will order one with the cart so I can get it soldered on before shipment saving me the hassles. If I need it I need it.

Here is the problem. I thought this cart was able to transfer games to and from USB yet you mentioned Parallel port? That is a problem. My new NF4 based system has no serial or parallel ports and only USB and firewire. Guess it felt parallel was a way of the past. The main reason I wanted to get this flash cart is because my SF7 won't work without a parallel port. If it wasn't for this I would be ordering now. I think the USB is only for supplying power while parallel is for the actual transfer? If this is the case can I perhaps transfer the games to the cart from another computer and still have the games on the cart when I bring it back upstairs to my SNES or are they going to be erased from lack of power like my SF7

This is the end of my rambling guys, sorry. Like I said just want to make a wise first purchase and the more I know the less dissapointed ill be.

P.S. that Super Mario RPG is a big one. Will that work on the cart? What about the DKC games?

cd_vision · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 38

Yeah you got a problem there, the cart uses the parallel cable to transfer data. USB is used only to supply power to the cart.

See Tomy? You need to hurry with the USB-only version, you're losing potential sales!

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

Games are stored in Flash, not RAM so no your games won't be erased. Yes you need a parallel port because you're right, the USB is only for power.

Super Mario RPG won't play with a DSP cart because it doesn't use DSP, it uses another very different special chip called SA-1

DjoeN · Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 9:39 am Post subject:

rippin snare · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 144

Ok guys thanks. I guess If I get this now I will have to use another computer to transfer my games over as my computer now has no parallel port as mentioned above. Boo!

Now in regards to the CIC chip. With me using a North American NTSC SNES will the CIC chip ordered from Tototek with the cart be ok with this or is the CIC chip that comes with the cart if ordered from Tototek only for Jap/PAL. I am not comfortable with removing a chip from an exisiting cart and soldering it to the flashcart on my own. If it will work I would like to order the chip and have it done for me before it gets here so I can just flash and play.

One last thing. All region of roms be compatible on this flash cart even if mixed? Can I play jap/pal/us roms on the cart on my NTSC North American SNES with the included and ordered CIC chip?

If all this is ok I suppose getting my games on the cart from another computer is not a big deal.

Thanks again guys and sorry for my being ignorant and difficult.

DjoeN · Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject:

rippin snare · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 144

Thanks again for the response. I am not comfortable in removing and placing the CIC chip myself so perhaps someone with a definate answer can let me know if the CIC chip ordered from tototek will work ok on my NTSC SNES with any region rom?

I was thinking of getting a pci based lpt port however another computer is in the house eliminating the need right now.

cd_vision · Joined: 22 Apr 2005 Posts: 38

Get the CIC from Tototek. I play on a US system and Japanese/US games play fine. I haven't tested any PAL stuff yet, but I'm sure that they're gonna work ok too.

DjoeN · Posted: Tue May 03, 2005 7:48 pm Post subject:

The Flashkit with the CIC from Tototek will definitly NOT work on a pal system, that i tested on a non modded pal snes.

I changed the CIC to PAL so i could take the cart to friends with a non modded snes to play.

rippin snare · Joined: 09 Sep 2003 Posts: 144

coolio guys. Glad to hear that the CIC from tototek will work with jap and usa games on a north american snes. There is one game which I want to play but I forgot the name now. It was an rpg made by Enix but it was only Europe bound AH YES terranigma I believe it was. Would you mind testing to see if this will work on your system cd_vision? I am 99% sure this is a pal game.

Thanks a bunch. If that works im sure all else will.

kyuusaku · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 941 Location: .ma.us

The CIC chip is Nintendo's protection against unlicensed games, there are only 2 types, NTSC and PAL for whichever console you own. NTSC CIC chips will let you play ANY game on a NTSC console and a PAL CIC will let you play any game on a PAL console. This is because it has nothing to do with the games, the purpose of the chip is to simply "unlock" the console from a reset state. Remember though, the GAME decides whether or not a PAL game is appropriate to run on a NTSC console or not so to play some specific games you may have to do some work. It also doesn't mean that the game will play well in NTSC because many games are optimised for timing appropriate to 50Hz and will play strangely in 60Hz, NTSC timing.

Terranigma will definately work but may require a crack or two. Likely uCON64 can handle all of your needs. IIRC Terranigma runs well in 60Hz