From the snega2usb’s point of view, at no time there is more than 1 byte from the ROM/SROM being stored in its memory, so IN PRINCIPLE it is possible to randomly access the cart data. In practice, any SCSI read access always gets an entire sector of 512bytes. Also, most emulators do load the entire ROM file before executing it. This is to avoid read/write delays during execution, and reading the whole thing is the only way to check the contents against the checksum. So, by the time you start playing your game, it will no longer be read from the cartridge but entirely from your computer’s memory. If you WANT your emulator to crash upon cartridge removal, just like the real console, I can have the snega2usb deploy a special hotkey which tells it to ;-)

Would it be fair to say that the ‘volume label’ that was detected was renamed so the emulator could use it (why was that again?) and not that an actual rom file was downloaded and given a local file name?

Would it also be fair to say that while at least some part if not all of the rom data must be in memory, any read functions that take place are being sent to the cartridge? And not handled by a local PC copy of the rom data?

Forgive me if any of that doesn’t make sense, I don’t really have much experience with the rom scene, I just read about it a lot and it seems those points might benefit from some clarification.

Also, technically I don’t actually dump the game to a file. The ROM chip is the contents of the file.

Someone who has a console and some games in a box is not the target customer really. Someone who has nothing and wants to get started playing older games for nostalgia is not the target customer.

For someone who had a console(s) and the console(s) have long since died yet they have 100 cartridges that they can’t play unless they re-purchse a console (good luck on what condition you can find one in) may find this very useful. Being able to play the box full of games they used to enjoy without the chance of buying a brick console on ebay or buying one that works but will die soon anyway seems to be a valid goal to me.

I realize we’re talking to the DIY crowd here, and some people just don’t want to actually pay someone for their work no matter what though. I don’t think the whole community is that way, but as one poster said it, even if the parts cost $100 he’d rather buy them for himself and put it together instead of giving money to another person.

I guess I can see some kind of logic there with re-using parts, but not after you look at the device (which is NOT a bunch of resistors that could be re-purposed). And c’mon, we blow $100 on tons of stuff as electronic geeks. You really can’t stomach the idea of one of our own getting a little monetary prop for some hard work that provides real benefit to people?

You turn a hard drive into a clock, cool. But nobody was lacking a clock before. Still, I’d bet a few people might be willing to buy one versus make one. Like if I had all those spare parts sitting around then I’d make one, but I don’t, so I’d have to destroy a hard drive to make one and buy all the components at full retail in low quantities. I’d buy some of these projects completed in a heartbeat if they were available and I’d be happy that I was supporting a hardware hacker’s next project.

I get the idea of being cheap, but you won’t even *consider* the idea of supporting another human being that is contributing to society? Really? *sigh*

@chris: it appears you are easily saddened :-) There will of course be a public release of the source code, once it is polished to a point where I could give away the source without losing face. Until then, allow me to sell a bunch of units so I can at least get rid of my debts. The wiring is more or less trivial. Take a datasheet of your favorite USB microcontroller, marry it to your favorite SNES/SEGA cartridge pinout document, and you’re done.

@Mr. Sandman: Is this a part of some Things Mr. Sandman Wouldn’t Consider Buying Blog, or am I missing your point?