Hardware GBA to GBC flash cart switch

[oxitran]

Okay, so I have an EZ flash IV micro sd 2016. With custom skins, it is clean and works great. However, GBC playback is still an issue. I do not want to use emulation for it as the emu compatibility isn't great. I have used a cut-down matchstick under the flash cart corner to press in the GBC mode switch, but as expected, nothing happens with the EZ flash plugged in. I do not want to buy a GBC flash cart as they stick out of the top of the GBA and I don't want to have to carry it around to swap.

So I have some questions:
- Would there be a way to edit the EZ flash cart bios to also be usable in GBC mode?
- If not, could we assign a boot sequence to work on the EZ flash to boot into a rom select menu in GBC mode?
- Does anybody have an idea for a flash cart case mod to allow easy swapping of GBA to GBC modes? A slider mechanism similar to the original GB cart lock would be good, either on the flash cart case or the GBA shell.
- Or could someone use something like this to use a software-based mode selector/switcher within a unified menu?

Just some thoughts since the GBA mod scene is close to perfect now.

 

[MrCokeacola]

Best bet is to get an EverDrive GB or a JackDIY EverDriveGB. Sucks I know I wanted 1 flash cart for all GameBoy games but it's a no go.

 

[FAST6191]

The selector switch in that is a hardware switch that raises the voltage to 5V (from the GBA's 3.3) which is not good for things. It similarly also does not speak GB/GBC protocols.

There was once a flash cart that had an adapter (called a GB bridge) but I don't know that you could reasonably program one to do it for the GBA.

So yeah short version is get a proper GB/GBC flash cart or continue on with Goomba and Goomba color. That said I never found compatibility to be bad with them.

 

[oxitran]

The selector switch in that is a hardware switch that raises the voltage to 5V (from the GBA's 3.3) which is not good for things. It similarly also does not speak GB/GBC protocols.

There was once a flash cart that had an adapter (called a GB bridge) but I don't know that you could reasonably program one to do it for the GBA.

So yeah short version is get a proper GB/GBC flash cart or continue on with Goomba and Goomba color. That said I never found compatibility to be bad with them.

So the it would have to be an entirely physical switch, not to bad, match sticks are perfect for now, in the future I will mod the flash cart to be able to hit the switch.
The big hurdle is getting the EZ flash to use a bios menu to load games in GBC mode. Im sure it could be done its just a matter of how.
I posted this as more of a base to find what was available anyway, so Im not to worried about how to play my games today.
I hope with the EZ flash omega being open source that we might see a bios for these flash carts to use GBC mode in the future.

 

[FAST6191]

The kernel is open source. Any underlying code for the FPGA less so.

Anyway if you are collecting curios
http://mootan.hg.to/fmgbx/ez_fmgbx.html
Was a thing to turn the old linkers for the EZ1/EZ2 into a GBC capable reader.

 

[kuwanger]

There was once a flash cart that had an adapter (called a GB bridge) but I don't know that you could reasonably program one to do it for the GBA.

When GB Bridge is mentioned, I shall appear... Okay, not really. But the GB Bridge is till pretty awesome.

So yeah short version is get a proper GB/GBC flash cart or continue on with Goomba and Goomba color. That said I never found compatibility to be bad with them.

Goomba Color is really janky. For its time and for what it is, it's amazing, but the random slowdowns are off-putting to put it lightly, and that's ignoring the graphical glitches or other oddities. Like every time I mention it, I don't mean this as any sort of insult. But unless it's a really simple puzzle game--*cough*Little Magic*cough*--I wouldn't recommend Goomba Color. Goomba though is pretty amazingly good (except when it isn't).

The kernel is open source.

Is it? I mean, they clearly reused a lot of code from the EZ3 for the EZ4 (they have the same save file name limits), but has anyone tried to use it on the EZ4 or use it as a basis for something?

PS - I'd be really amazed if you manage to get the EZ4 working as a GBC cart.