ED64 plus:
My thoughts
For those who are not familiar with what a flash cart is. Here is a rundown : A flash cartridge is one of several cartridges containing flash memory that have been developed for use in video game consoles. These cartridges enable homebrew applications and games to be used. The capacity of the cartridges can range from 64 Mbit up to 8 Gbit (Commercial carts range from 32 Mbit to 256 Mbit). More recent cartridges use external memory cards as memory, in place of onboard memory, such as Compact Flash, Secure Digital, etc. memory cards.
These cartridges remain the best-known way to create and distribute homebrew games for many consoles, such as the Game Boy Advance. (another option in this case being the GBA Movie Player, which can run specially designed homebrew programs but cannot run illicit copies of commercial GBA Game cartridges due to the lack of onboard RAM for fast data access).
Games are written to the cartridge with a device called "linker". Depending on the brand of flash cartridge, the linker either connects to a link port on the console and writes to the cartridge through the console, or connects to a mini-USB slot on the cartridge itself and writes directly to the flash cartridge. These linkers usually connect to a PC through a USB or parallel plug on the other end. Most linkers that connect to a link slot are capable of copying ROM information from commercial software cartridges. Some more recent flash cartridges use digital media cards (SD,MMC,CF, etc.) in which files are placed via a memory card reader.
Most everyone is familiar with the Everdrive family of flash carts/cartrideg emulator for NES, Genesis, N64 etc. and most everyone knows that they can be a little pricey if you are on a budget. However there are clones out there for much cheaper if you look hard enough. Are they as good quality as an Everdrive? Most are not.
Now, to set the record straight, I prefer to have physical copies of games and 98% of my collection is. There are however, games that have gone up in price, like hundreds of dollars and I can't justify spending that kind of money on one physical game.
So....The main focus of this article is going to be the comparison of the Everdrive 64 and ED64 Plus. Both do the exact same thing, makes it possible to run game Rom files via SD card on a real console. Both support SD cards, and support PAL and NTSC regions. The only big differences I have seen is that for the ED64, in order to save a game that generally utilizes the battery save of a cartridge, you have to hold the reset button on the console for several seconds. No big deal really.
Also the Everdrive uses better quality plastic for the cartridge shell but the ED64's shell isn't going to break if you look at it wrong either.
The ED64 Plus comes with a disc that contains the firmware and operating system files that need to be put onto and SD card in order for you to use the cartridge. Its fairly simple, pop the disc in your PC or laptop, and drag and drop the files onto the SD card. Same drag and drop method for the Rom files. Also included is an instruction manual on how to use the ED64.
The old model of the ED64 Plus needed a donor cart that plugged into the top of it to bypass the CIC lock out chip and came with a USB cable. Newer versions have the chip built in so a donor cart is no longer needed and no USB cable. I have had mine for over a year at this point and every Rom file plays flawlessly. So all in all, if you are on a budget, the ED64 Plus works just as well as an Everdrive for about half the cost.
Below are some pics of the ED64 Plus cart and the internals along with a few traditional flash cart boards. Also included is a custom cover insert I made with a N64 box art template and a link to my quick video review.
These cartridges remain the best-known way to create and distribute homebrew games for many consoles, such as the Game Boy Advance. (another option in this case being the GBA Movie Player, which can run specially designed homebrew programs but cannot run illicit copies of commercial GBA Game cartridges due to the lack of onboard RAM for fast data access).
Games are written to the cartridge with a device called "linker". Depending on the brand of flash cartridge, the linker either connects to a link port on the console and writes to the cartridge through the console, or connects to a mini-USB slot on the cartridge itself and writes directly to the flash cartridge. These linkers usually connect to a PC through a USB or parallel plug on the other end. Most linkers that connect to a link slot are capable of copying ROM information from commercial software cartridges. Some more recent flash cartridges use digital media cards (SD,MMC,CF, etc.) in which files are placed via a memory card reader.
Most everyone is familiar with the Everdrive family of flash carts/cartrideg emulator for NES, Genesis, N64 etc. and most everyone knows that they can be a little pricey if you are on a budget. However there are clones out there for much cheaper if you look hard enough. Are they as good quality as an Everdrive? Most are not.
Now, to set the record straight, I prefer to have physical copies of games and 98% of my collection is. There are however, games that have gone up in price, like hundreds of dollars and I can't justify spending that kind of money on one physical game.
So....The main focus of this article is going to be the comparison of the Everdrive 64 and ED64 Plus. Both do the exact same thing, makes it possible to run game Rom files via SD card on a real console. Both support SD cards, and support PAL and NTSC regions. The only big differences I have seen is that for the ED64, in order to save a game that generally utilizes the battery save of a cartridge, you have to hold the reset button on the console for several seconds. No big deal really.
Also the Everdrive uses better quality plastic for the cartridge shell but the ED64's shell isn't going to break if you look at it wrong either.
The ED64 Plus comes with a disc that contains the firmware and operating system files that need to be put onto and SD card in order for you to use the cartridge. Its fairly simple, pop the disc in your PC or laptop, and drag and drop the files onto the SD card. Same drag and drop method for the Rom files. Also included is an instruction manual on how to use the ED64.
The old model of the ED64 Plus needed a donor cart that plugged into the top of it to bypass the CIC lock out chip and came with a USB cable. Newer versions have the chip built in so a donor cart is no longer needed and no USB cable. I have had mine for over a year at this point and every Rom file plays flawlessly. So all in all, if you are on a budget, the ED64 Plus works just as well as an Everdrive for about half the cost.
Below are some pics of the ED64 Plus cart and the internals along with a few traditional flash cart boards. Also included is a custom cover insert I made with a N64 box art template and a link to my quick video review.