Multi-cartridge for Dragon/CoCo 2 available

[Rolo]

I would like to add something to clarify things:

• The Dragon Multi-cart is the common memory device for all the systems (named after the computer, for which I started the project). There is one eprom included, which holds 64 games. You can swap eproms and burn your own eproms as you like. You can freely mix games for all consoles on one eprom.

• The "Extension Cartridges" are nothing but adapters for the different systems.

• I'm only making small numbers, since sales figures usually are quite low. This means, I'm running out of items quite easily. In most cases, I'm offering to register on waiting lists and I start to reproduce, when orders reach a certain threshold. This is not a commercial offer. There is no shop involved or something like that. It is just a private hobby project.

• For ordering just send me a PM and tell me what you want. I'll respond as soon as I can.

• Payment: Paypal or international money transfer directly to my bank account.

• I recommend to have an eprom burner and an UV-eraser (easy and cheap to acquire on ebay from China) to be able to change and burn your own eproms. Especially if you are planning to use the Multi-Cart for different systems.

• Please check out the feedback page: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/258478-rolo/

Edited July 31, 2018 by Rolo

[stupus]

Ah man, for a second I thought you were offering adapters to play mpt03 games on the Acadia 2001 etc!

Got very excited! Oh well

[Rolo]

I think, I do, in a certain way. As far as I understood the internet resources, MPT-03 consoles are compatible to the Emerson Arcadia 2001, except pin-out and format of the cartridge slot. The games are the same. They sold all the MPT-03 games also on Emerson-cartridges, maybe with slightly different names. Are there any exceptions?

So, you can play all those games on the Arcadia, too. Or do you want original MPT-03-cartridge-hardware on Emerson consoles? What exactly are you looking for? Please explain.

[stupus]

Yes i meant an adapter to plug original mpt03 carts into my Emerson Acadia.

There are 13 games for it that never had any type of release for the Emerson style pin out.

Thanks!

[Rolo]

Right, but the MPT-03 games all are available on the Emerson Arcadia, too. Just the same, only different cartridge hardware. You can use the Emerson Cartridges or a Multi-cartridge to play exactly those games.

[stupus]

No there are 12 titles that are exclusive to only the mpt03 and ormatu clones. As well as 3 that are exclusive to the palladium clones. And 1 more game exclusive to the mpt03, ormatu and palladium clones. So in total 16 games that have no version available to play on the Emerson machines with real carts....only playable if you use a multicart of course.

[Rolo]

Oh, I see. I still have no real picture, which game is exclusive to which console of that group. All the MPT-03 games I saw on various webpages look very familiar. To me, they look exactly like corresponding Emerson Arcadia games. I'm probably Multi-cart-spoiled. Which are the MPT-03 only cartridge games? Can you name a few, please.

Thank you!

[stupus]

Sure, these were only available on the mpt03 and ormatu clones:

Basketball

Combat

Blackjack and poker

Nibblemen

Devilman

Circus

Parashooter

Auto race

Boxing

Golf

Crazy climber

Super bug

 

These were only available on the Palladium clones:

Autorennen/car race (Monaco grand prix)

Panzerspiel/tank battle

Lexikon/dictionary

 

And this 1 was available for both the above groups:

Horse racing/pferderennen

[Rolo]

Hm, thank you.

 

In what respect, for example, is MPT-03 Circus different from Emerson Arcadia Circus?

Or BlackJack and Poker?

Or Nibbleman?

Or Crazy Climber?

Or Boxing?

Or Auto Race?

And so on ...

 

There are pictures of the Arcadia 2001 boxes (with artwork) of those games in the web.

Aren't those original releases for the Arcadia 2001? Are those only reproductions?

I can't find a list of real original releases. They probably all got mixed up (?).

Otherwise I still do not get, what makes them mpt-03 exclusive.

[stupus]

Because there is no Emerson arcadia circus. Or any of the other games I mentioned for Emerson.

If you see art for those online it is fake boxart somebody created. Probably for an arcade front-end so the boxes all match the silver style.

Those games definitely were not released for a Emerson compatible cart slot system.

[Rolo]

All right. Now I see your point. Only home-brew reproductions and copies, but not genuine Arcadia 2001 games. Thanks for clarifying.

So, a Multi-cart even makes more sense, by enlarging the Arcadia's relatively small game library, if your focus is playing the games, not so much collecting original hardware.

[stupus]

Yes if you see pics of those games in silver boxes they are just mock ups people made.

 

And right, close to 1/3 of the games can't be played on the Emerson family of systems unless you have a multicart

 

 

For people like me though who own all the games but have no multicart then a adapter is desirable.

 

Also there is no ntsc version for the palladium family and only 1 ntsc version of the mpt03 and it's pretty rare.

[Rolo]

project update:

 

I just got another batch of Odyssey2-extension-cartridges for using the Dragon-multicart on the Odyssey.

[Rolo]

project update:

Not really much spare time at the moment.

But received new extension cartridge pcbs.

Supplies refilled

[mutterminder]

I sent a PM to order a multicart plus 2 extension carts.

[feldhamer]

This is pretty awesome. Question - have you ever considered building this in the reverse direction? Instead of multi-carts to plug into original systems, cart dumpers to attach to PCs via USB for emulation purposes?

[duduche]

Hi,

 

I would like to acquire Dragon / CoCo Multi-cart. Path to follow ?

 

Thank you.

[Rolo]

 

 

Question - have you ever considered building this in the reverse direction? Instead of multi-carts to plug into original systems, cart dumpers to attach to PCs via USB for emulation purposes?

 

Sorry feldhamer, I did not notice your post.

 

No, I haven't yet. I believe probably all the "classic" 70ies and 80ies cartridges have already been dumped and are available as .bin or .rom-files somewhere, which emulators are expecting to access anyway. I know of some console specific dumper-projects, of course.

Personally I'd have some concern, to "attack" modern home-brew cartridges, with a device like this, which I do not want to do, since I'm thinking, everybody who puts a lot of time into such a project very well deserves the money for his/her cartridge. For emulation of those games, I'd suggest to contact the author, if he/she would also sell a rom-file, maybe with a registration number or so. I think, as long as a game still is actively sold and available by an author or a company, it should not be "pirated", because this prevents authors from making new cool games. That's why I do not do any dumper devices.

Old, undumped cartridges I'd probably tap the pins of the chip and simply read with an eprom programmer.

[Rolo]

project update:

 

Sorry, there is a little break. I can't work on the project at the moment. But it will go on for sure. I have a "mountain" of components waiting to be assembled and soldered on my desk at home. Just currently can't. Things hopefully will switch back to normal in a couple of weeks.

Edited February 3, 2019 by Rolo

[Rolo]

project update:

 

Today I shipped the final multi-carts of the latest batch. Concerning memory-carts, I'm sold out at the moment. I still have all extension-types on stock.

I will make more multi-carts, after finishing a revision (almost there).

 

Unfortunately there seems to be no cheap international shipping available by DHL anymore. Until end of last year I could deliver worldwide for EUR 6,20.

Now, it's dependent on the destination. For example, same service to

• EU countries: EUR 13,99 (price increase 225.6 %)
• USA: EUR 19,89 (price increase 320.1 %)

Better rates only are available for business customers. I've been asking several employees, but nobody could tell me how that really works. Obviously you'd have to do some standardized online preparations and provide a lot of data before bringing the parcels to some obscure place, that nobody knows. I think, DHL management simply loves adventure games!

I wonder, what's their plan? Is it just to see how much they can squeeze out of the business? Do they have more goods to transport, than their capacity is able to? Are they trying to get back into control by choking the market? I wish them good luck with their new business model and am waiting for some competitor to see his chance and jump into the gap.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

• I recommend to have an eprom burner and an UV-eraser (easy and cheap to acquire on ebay from China) to be able to change and burn your own eproms. Especially if you are planning to use the Multi-Cart for different systems.

 

Do you recommend any brands/products/links?

[Rolo]

Hi Bill,

 

well, me, I'm using a good old Willem Programmer (version 5) http://www.sivava.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=33&product_id=181 which used to be on ebay for years. Now this model seems to be sold out.

It has a few drawbacks, like you need a real $2f8/$3f8 parallel port. Ok, retro-people usually have an old XP-laptop lying around.

The loading coil of the onboard converter is too small to reach higher programming voltages. I lift it up with a laboratory power supply.

The burner-software is not really ready. But it usually works.

So this setup is ok for me, since I got my work-arounds and I burned countless eproms with that.

 

Nowadays, you would look for an USB-capable burner of course. Maybe not the cheapest one (makes life easier). There are not many different models out there anymore. It should be capable of burning 27C-types, which is what we mostly need. I'd ask the seller, if that type is served (usually yes), if there's no data sheet available. For me a Chinese "version" would be sufficient.

But I have no personal experience with the newer models. Maybe somebody else?

[Thorsten Günther]

Hi Rolo! I did some research because my Genius G540 doesn't seem to work with Windows 10 - amongst the affordable Chinese models, the MiniPro TL866 models seem to be very popular - to an extent that someone even developed a Linux open source software for them: https://gitlab.com/DavidGriffith/minipro/

[Rolo]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

Genius G540 doesn't seem to work with Windows 10

 

Can't you just operate it out of an XP or Win 7 virtual machine?

If not, why not format a 2nd partition and install some old Windows OS for that purpose and make your PC a dual boot machine?

[Rolo]

project update:

 

I'm working on a few modifications and add-ons at the moment, as far as rare spare time allows. Progress is slow.

But the project is not dead at all. A bit patience is required...