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NEC TG-16/TE/TurboDuo => TG-16/TE/TurboDuo Discussion => Topic started by: BlueBMW on October 02, 2010, 03:20:09 PM

Title: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 02, 2010, 03:20:09 PM
Rumors told me that there was a great game out there.  But there were a few catches... one it was very expensive, and the other was that it required a Japanese Arcade system card to play...

That game of course is Sapphire!

So what do I do if I have a US Duo and I want to play it?  That has been my quest over the last several weeks!

Step 1: Bought a cheap copy of Sapphire from Tobias...

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/sapphire.jpg)

Step 2: Bought an Arcade Pro card from Henrycsc... (and later an arcade duo card from Opethian!)

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/arcade.jpg)

Step 3: Sourced region mod parts from Digikey, Radio Shack and a local electronics store. Also bought some nice shiny new tools!

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/parts.jpg)

Step 4: Construct region mod chip as per http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fplayoffline.wordpress.com%2Fmod%2Fpceswitch%2F&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=Translate

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/modchip.jpg)

Step 5: Opened my precious US Duo and hacked away!

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/finalmod.jpg)

Step 6: Switch the region mod to JP region!

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/modswitch.jpg)

Step 7: Insert Arcade system card AND Sapphire CDROM.....

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/sapphire1.jpg)

Step 8: The moment of truth....

VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


VVVVVVVV


(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/sapphire2.jpg)
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: nat on October 02, 2010, 04:28:36 PM
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 02, 2010, 05:08:35 PM
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.

I hadn't got that far yet!  I was just glad the whole thing worked at all.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 02, 2010, 05:26:42 PM
Congrats! She definitely is a pretty Duo. :)
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: MotherGunner on October 02, 2010, 05:35:09 PM
Good deal man, is that a bootleg/care4data version?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: turbogrfxfan on October 02, 2010, 05:44:15 PM
great work blue!!!! 
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 02, 2010, 05:45:21 PM
Good deal man, is that a bootleg/care4data version?

I'll answer that question-Yes. We happened to both buy ours the same week from Tobias who runs the anime4ever service. I already checked my disc and sure enough it says "care4data."
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: henrycsc on October 02, 2010, 06:42:13 PM
Congrats on the Region Mod BMW!  Now is this a switch system where you can go back and forth between the regions?

Very subtle little switch there!  Bravo!   :clap:
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: SignOfZeta on October 02, 2010, 09:12:16 PM
Quote
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.

Dang...beat me to it.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 03, 2010, 01:34:27 AM
Congrats on the Region Mod BMW!  Now is this a switch system where you can go back and forth between the regions?

Very subtle little switch there!  Bravo!   :clap:

Yep, just a quick flip back and forth.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Tatsujin on October 03, 2010, 04:15:19 AM
The swisslers counterfeight tools: http://www.care4data.ch/index2.php
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 03, 2010, 04:27:24 AM
The swisslers counterfeight tools: http://www.care4data.ch/index2.php


While I don't normally care much for counterfeit copies, in the case of this game I just dont have the $300 (or maybe more now) that it would cost to own a legit copy.  I hope the community can forgive me for this evil deed!
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Joe Redifer on October 03, 2010, 04:36:47 AM
Quote
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.

Dang...beat me to it.

Me, too.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 03, 2010, 04:44:14 AM
Quote
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.

Dang...beat me to it.

Me, too.

I guess I should mention... that duo's connected via composite!  [-X

So 16:9 + Composite means double fail :(
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: SignOfZeta on October 03, 2010, 06:12:48 AM
Not really. Switching to 4:3 requires a simple settings change. Switching to RGB requires a a ton of soldering and extra parts. While the image is muddy in composite, it isn't just out right wrong and fat and distorted like it is when its stretched in the funhouse mirror that is a modern wide TV.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 03, 2010, 06:35:25 AM
Fixed! :P  I was excited last night that it even worked at all and hadn't switched it to 4:3.  Some games are ok stretched, but others not so much...

(http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Video Game Stuff/sapphireproper.jpg)
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Colossus1574 on October 03, 2010, 09:22:50 AM
Good stuff man!  Thanks for taking us thru your "Fight" round by round! hahah
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: turbogrfxfan on October 03, 2010, 09:31:28 AM
ha ha I think the only people that talk crap about fake copies of sap[phire are the suckers who paid the cash for a real one or they bought it years ago so they could brag about it.  I do have to say one of these days I will be a sucker with a real copy.  Afar as what aspect ratio it depend on what u like.  If you like retarded lookin space ships so be it.  Some of the same people that dont like 6:9 aspect are the ones that butcher their system so it could play both regions.  It just depends on whats good for you  .jmo
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Duo_R on October 03, 2010, 09:59:51 AM
I for one don't like the 6:9 ratio aspect, but I do like 16:9 ratio for movies.  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Some of the same people that dont like 6:9 aspect are the ones that butcher their system so it could play both regions.  It just depends on whats good for you  .jmo
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: turbogrfxfan on October 03, 2010, 10:13:31 AM
I for one don't like the 6:9 ratio aspect, but I do like 16:9 ratio for movies.  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Some of the same people that dont like 6:9 aspect are the ones that butcher their system so it could play both regions.  It just depends on whats good for you  .jmo

oooooooo zinger! ya sure got me on that one!!  hey pull my finger
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Tatsujin on October 03, 2010, 01:26:17 PM
Now buy yourself an XRGB-3 device and get back as best as just possible old fashioned true-scanlines on your flaty :)
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Necromancer on October 04, 2010, 03:29:24 AM
Congrats, Bimmer.  Have you beat it yet?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 04, 2010, 04:29:05 AM
Got real close last night.  Although I was cheating by putting it on easy with 9 credits lol.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: SuperDeadite on October 04, 2010, 04:33:31 AM
Now buy yourself an XRGB-3 device and get back as best as just possible old fashioned true-scanlines on your flaty :)

XRGBs don't give you real scanlines.  They look good, but still way different then real 15k scanlines.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Tatsujin on October 04, 2010, 04:37:45 AM
Now buy yourself an XRGB-3 device and get back as best as just possible old fashioned true-scanlines on your flaty :)

XRGBs don't give you real scanlines.  They look good, but still way different then real 15k scanlines.

Don't flush down all our big hopes for the non-crt existing future  :cry:
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: JapanTokei on October 04, 2010, 08:21:35 AM
Quote
Sapphire lose:

Playing 4:3 games in a 16:9 aspect ratio is.... ridiculous.

Dang...beat me to it.

Me, too.

I guess I should mention... that duo's connected via composite!  [-X

So 16:9 + Composite means double fail :(


BLUE!  greatwork.  I woulda just wussed out and got a convertor to go with the Arcade card.. props to you for making that region mod!  the DUO with the switch looks awesome.  Enjoy Sapphire.  It's a game that needs to be played a few times to be fully appreciated.  I speak from experience as I sold a CIB minty sexy one last year after buying it from Tokyo since I didn't really dive into it, I wasn't really impressed and decided against paying $300 for collectibility only.  I bought it again this April and man I saw the light and it is one of my most treasured games now. 


I've been away for too long .... gotta get my stuff in order so I can comeback regularly.. argh.  moving to Singapore very soon likely !  hopefully they will have more PCE/gaming shops there compared to Commie-land (Shanghai)..
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Tatsujin on October 04, 2010, 05:01:37 PM
Singapore? Whatcha gonna do there, tokei?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: ceti alpha on October 05, 2010, 05:27:44 AM
Great work, beamer!! Looks good. Be careful of the stretch, though! haha :P
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Tatsujin on October 05, 2010, 02:39:58 PM
Be careful of the stretch.

:teh axe:

HAHA!!
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: rag-time4 on October 06, 2010, 01:24:57 PM
Fixed! :P  I was excited last night that it even worked at all and hadn't switched it to 4:3.  Some games are ok stretched, but others not so much...

Very nice to see the 4:3!! Felt almost as good as playing through a sweet game a second time to get 'the good ending'!!
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: exile on October 14, 2010, 02:48:56 PM
So how do I go about buying Sapphire? Is there someone in North America sitting on a ton of reproduction goodness?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: BlueBMW on October 14, 2010, 03:15:03 PM
So how do I go about buying Sapphire? Is there someone in North America sitting on a ton of reproduction goodness?


http://sapphire.anime4ever.de/

:P
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 14, 2010, 03:25:55 PM
So how do I go about buying Sapphire? Is there someone in North America sitting on a ton of reproduction goodness?


http://sapphire.anime4ever.de/

:P


Hopefully he still has some copies. Beemer, Joe (I think), and myself all swiped the "cheaper" copies from there.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: exile on October 14, 2010, 03:37:57 PM
How much should I expect to pay Mathius?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 14, 2010, 03:57:31 PM
I think I paid $45 shipped. They come from Germany.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: exile on October 14, 2010, 06:00:23 PM
I tried the link to contact him,but it doesn't work on my MAC could you PM his e-mail addy to me if its not too much trouble?
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 14, 2010, 06:23:34 PM
PM'd
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Obfuscate on October 16, 2010, 11:37:58 AM
mind pm that email to me Mathius? Having the same problem.  Exile has dibs if only one left..
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: shubibiman on October 16, 2010, 12:27:08 PM
I guess that if a lot of you are ready to buy copies from him at the same time, he would probably be able to print other copies. Maybe I'm wrong but I think you'd better try and make a bulk order. That's what we did with the french NEC comminuty a few years ago and we only paid something like 30$ each.
Title: Re: One man's fight to play Sapphire! - Lots of pics
Post by: Mathius on October 16, 2010, 02:47:45 PM
I guess that if a lot of you are ready to buy copies from him at the same time, he would probably be able to print other copies. Maybe I'm wrong but I think you'd better try and make a bulk order. That's what we did with the french NEC comminuty a few years ago and we only paid something like 30$ each.

From what I understand he doesn't make these copies. I could be wrong about that though.

mind pm that email to me Mathius? Having the same problem.  Exile has dibs if only one left..

PM'd