custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

[ATFlashback2018]

Extensions are not meaningless for some cores as they load different modules based on it. Genesis cores are typical as they need to load different modules or mappers for Genesis, SMS, GG, CD... Renaming a SMS game to .BIN will cause the game to attempt loading as a Genesis game and it won't work.

CHD is a lossless file format to compress HD and CD images. In some cases it's better than those multiple bin files you see in redump images.

You don't need a Windows machine unless you want to backup your device or rebuild the update images. The custom firmware for these devices is just a img file you can drop in a SD Card formatted as FAT32. To be honest I don't like the 32x performance on this device as there are some framerate issues.

Would you say in your unreleased AtGames Legends Flashback 2018 (50 game) software experiments, the pico 32x games have a couple frames less than the AtGames Genesis Flashback 2018 32x pico software you did (thank you for making btw) which is couple frames from perfect - but I luv it.

 

[rain2591]

I had rebuilt the cfw firmware files with the latest version available for armv7 Linux of Genesis Plus GX but upon testing it slowed the system to a halt, this was a late 2020 release of the core, but I've been looking at tinkering the UI images and changed the BGM this works internally to replace the stock system UI.

Do you think they made some significant changes to the cores code base to cause the massive slow down of the system

 

[rrifonas]

That's interesting, it shouldn't cause a massive slowdown as I don't think there are significant changes in Genesis Plus GX for some time. I remember building the core by myself when I was still working on this device and I haven't had any performance issue. I've tested the latest version of Picodrive recently - just for fun -, and it also worked well.

 

[rain2591]

That's interesting, it shouldn't cause a massive slowdown as I don't think there are significant changes in Genesis Plus GX for some time. I remember building the core by myself when I was still working on this device and I haven't had any performance issue. I've tested the latest version of Picodrive recently - just for fun -, and it also worked well.

Yeah I tested latest Pico and had no issues with that version, do you happen to have the latest core you built or a link to the source for it which works on the system. Else I will have to setup a build system for the source myself

 

[Yugimumoto1]

I'm not exactly sure whats going on. I picked up one of these a week ago and got the custom firmware and placed it in the root of the SD card and nothing happened. No section for SD games, no change to UI.

 

[iray1979]

That's interesting, it shouldn't cause a massive slowdown as I don't think there are significant changes in Genesis Plus GX for some time. I remember building the core by myself when I was still working on this device and I haven't had any performance issue. I've tested the latest version of Picodrive recently - just for fun -, and it also worked well.

I would love to get a hold of a picodrive update for my Sega Flashback. Any chance this will ever be released and does it improve on how 32x games are displayed/the framerate at all? Thank you!

 

[samedifference]

Atgames released a new update for the Genesis Flashback HD 2018 last week (v20190226).
The issue with PAL games seems fixed (I've only tested Sonic 2 for Master System and Sonic CD) and the games are running even better in my opinion. The scanline filter is much better than the older version. The core was not changed but they've implemented the improvements from the latest update for the Legends Flashback emulator.

I've made a custom firmware based on this new update in case anyone want to try it.
Features:
-> Genesis Plus GX to load Genesis, Master System, Game Gear and Sega CD games from SD Card OR Picodrive to load Genesis, Master System, Sega CD and 32x
-> Support to mount the games from the SD Card
-> Game Genie support won't work with this update as Atgames changes the emulator and most of the settings for retroplayer.ini are now being read from a read-only file in the /emulator partition
-> The European Firmware is based on the US version but I've replaced the assets, the "About" section will not be displayed as it's the US firmware
-> This update replaces the data partition. Save states stored in the console will be deleted. Backup them to the SD Card before starting the update

For the latest version, check this post.

If the controllers stop responding, you may need to pair them again:
-> Turn off the console and the controller
-> Press A+UP and turn on the controller; The blue light will start blinking
-> Turn on the console, the controller will sync

To mount the rom partition in the SD Card:
-> Create a file mount_sd.ini in the root of the SD Card
-> Copy the backup from your 'rom' partition a 'rom' folder in the root of the SD Card
-> Removing the SD Card and rebooting the device will revert to the original partition
-> Renaming/deleting mount_sd.ini will also revert to the original partition

EDIT: Removed old build, update link to the latest version.

This link doesn't seem to work, it just links back to this post which is missing the link. Does anybody still have a download for the last version of firmware? The game manager (from this thread: https://gbatemp.net/threads/genesis-flashback-hd-2018-game-manager.529624/) doesn't seem to be able to download the custom firmware at all.

 

[rrifonas]

I've fixed the link on the post https://gbatemp.net/threads/custom-firmware-for-sega-flashback-2018.523590/post-8537041

 

[samedifference]

I seem to be having an issue with loading ROMs. Regardless of which firmware I use, starting any installed game results in a black screen and the system freezes. Is there any other steps I need to do aside from copying the system update to the SD, along with the associated folders/ini for ROM loading?

 

[ATFlashback2018]

I've fixed the link on the post https://gbatemp.net/threads/custom-firmware-for-sega-flashback-2018.523590/post-8537041

Thank you for everything you do, we appreciate it.

 

[rrifonas]

I seem to be having an issue with loading ROMs. Regardless of which firmware I use, starting any installed game results in a black screen and the system freezes. Is there any other steps I need to do aside from copying the system update to the SD, along with the associated folders/ini for ROM loading?

Are the built-in games working?
Dropping the sega_update.img in the root of the SD Card and start the console will trigger the software update.
You need to create a "GAME" folder in the SD Card and drop your games in this folder (BIN format for Genesis). Important: You roms cannot have space in the name! example: "Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II (USA) (En,Ja).md" must be renamed to "AyrtonSennasSuperMonacoGPII.bin"

 

[samedifference]

The software update installed without any issues, but the built in games aren't present when the SD is inserted. Only the games I added through dcuk7's tool seem to show up (which seem to be placed into the /rom folder by default with all-games.ini). However, even if I start the system with the SD absent, none of the original games seem to be working anymore either (same issue, black screen when started/freezes the device).

Was I supposed to install the latest official firmware before installing CFW?

 

[rrifonas]

You don't need to apply the official firmware. CFW contains the same files as the official CFW. Please test the sega_update.img from the "Genesis" folder, that's the version I probably tested the most. Removing the SD card reverts the device to the 'original' state.
Take a look at the readme file... drop mount_sd.ini at the root of the SD card to dump the ROM folder from the device.

 

[samedifference]

Decided to wipe card, reinstall the firmware (sega_update.img from 'Genesis' folder) and then placed mount_sd.ini and startup.sh on the root of my SD. All of the base games show up, and after placing my own ROMs in a folder called 'GAME', they show up under the SD card menu. Though I'm still having the same problem with both the built-in games and my own.

 

[rrifonas]

I will try to find my device and take a look at the emulator. I haven't touched my device in months.
In the meantime, you can test an older version. This version is the closest you can get from the official Atgames firmware, only adding support for other file extensions in the "GAME" folder.

 

[AmirAnimations]

Hey I was trying to load sonic cd jp with all of the bios files and when i pressed play, it would go black but then bring me back to the menu screen, do u have a fix for that by any chance (Im using Megadrive picodrive for the flashbacks's firmware)

 

[DoctorEvil8]

Hey I was trying to load sonic cd jp with all of the bios files and when i pressed play, it would go black but then bring me back to the menu screen, do u have a fix for that by any chance (Im using Megadrive picodrive for the flashbacks's firmware)

The bios files need to be named a specific way. Pico's bios naming requirement is different than the GenPlus.

 

[AmirAnimations]

The bios files need to be named a specific way. Pico's bios naming requirement is different than the GenPlus.

How should I name Them

 

[DoctorEvil8]

bios_CD_E.bin
bios_CD_U.bin
bios_CD_J.bin

 

[AmirAnimations]

bios_CD_E.bin
bios_CD_U.bin
bios_CD_J.bin

I tried that and it still crashes, where do i put it in the directory, i have it in the roms file