New Genesis Coprocessor/Add-On Possible?

[50RingsLetsGooo]

I recently heard about a new piece of hardware made for the 7800 that increases its ram and stores high scores. Hearing about this got me wondering if something like this could be done with the Genesis. At first I was considering only the ram, but then I started thinking about the SVP chip and also the 32X. What if a stronger chip that is readily available and compatible with genesis could be integrated into a flash cartridge or pass through in the cartridge port? It's not my intention to pervert the original hardware, I love the genny the way it is. Just a hypothetical situation. Can anyone think of chips that might be decent candidates for such a project, if there are any?

[TmEE]

There's no point as only future homebrew can use any of the new features

[Tor Landeel]

...or maybe new hacks..

[50RingsLetsGooo]

I understand that only future developments could use it, that is the point. Just wondering what might be compatible. This is completely hypothetical, and probably not practical. I'm still curious though

[kool kitty89]

There's no point as only future homebrew can use any of the new features

Which is exactly what the XM for the 7800 does.
Well, except it works with some existing POKEY hacks that previously only worked via emulation, and some of the original games that supported the unreleased high-score cart. (no pre-existing homebrew or commercial games made use of the 128k of RAM or YM2151 though, but some are currently in development)

It's all up to interest in the community. The 7800 project was/is obviously much more limited than the Genesis, though the 7800 also had a total absence of commercial add-ons and 1 canceled add-on to cater to outright. (and making a fully 32x and CD save RAM cart compatible device would be far more costly/complex than what the 7800 project did -especially for the engineering required for direct compatibility with 32x)

[QuickSciFi]

This thread reminds me of a couple of add-ons that came out in the 90s. What were they? 32X and Sega CD?

[Zebbe]

The 32X didn't fail enough, we need a bigger failure... NOW!!!

[N.Saibot]

We need something that uses both slots: the cart and the addon slot on the side. It will basically
combine the 32X and the CD, but will read DVD discs with modern speeds. It also should come with
a Direct X 10 compatible graphics chip and a quadcore processor. The CPU is to be non-compatible
architecture-wise and shall be programmed only in some odd assembler.

The only two games released for the system:
a Sonic 1 hack, with no differences whatsoever except for detecting the addon and showing it on the
title screen.
A tech demo with Crysis-like graphics, playtime 10 seconds.

[Sik]

And emulators for the current console generation?

[Mordan]

i really want a hack to store highscores on a RAM chip.

so you play X game. stores highscore / dump state to RAM chip.

when loading a cart, RAM chip loads back the state.

no idea if that's feasible.

I also have a question. would it possible to Run a 32X Cart that use the CD to play music?

[Dant]

i really want a hack to store highscores on a RAM chip.

so you play X game. stores highscore / dump state to RAM chip.

when loading a cart, RAM chip loads back the state.

no idea if that's feasible.

I also have a question. would it possible to Run a 32X Cart that use the CD to play music?

That first one isn't very feasible, the 7800 High Score Cart worked because commercial games were already programed for an offical add-on with the same function.

Of course a 32X can operate the CD drive Pier Solar, though it was a Genesis cartridge, could access a connected Sega CD for an enhanced audio CD.

[N.Saibot]

And emulators for the current console generation?

No, that would be actually useful. We're building the second 32X, so all we need is basically an
indication of untapped potential and lost opportunities.

Also, if you build an add-on for the Mega Drive that can EMULATE current gen, the question will be
who is whos add-on ; )

[Barone]

The 32X didn't fail enough, we need a bigger failure... NOW!!!

You made me laugh a lot!
I was thinking exactly the same...

[Mordan]

You made me laugh a lot!
I was thinking exactly the same...

well we will see who will get the last laugh.

[axel]

The Mega Drive does not need another add-on.

Instead I am working on one for the 32X. My prototype includes a Pico-ITX motherboard inside a mushroom-shaped shell, a 1.5Ghz processor, 1GB DDR2 RAM, and a VIA VT1625M daughterboard with video capture and TV output to overlay existing MD/32X video. Audio will still be output via the headphone jack. The case only has room for a 1.8" Kingston SSD but I am looking into adding a Blu-Ray drive using SATA.

I call it the Super 64X and will be taking orders starting April 1 2012.