Sega Megadrive (Genesis) Flashback Mini HD with an USB on internal mother board

[asper]

Sorry for the newbie question but to flash it in the feature what kind of cable we need?

USB-Mini male -> Usb Standard (type-A) male;

the best one is a 90° LEFT-angled USB-Mini male -> USB Standard (type-A) cable.

Also we can store games on a usb drive?

Yes.

If yes we need an adaptor cable?

Yes; a cable/adapter able to adapt an USB-Mini female port to the USB peripheral you need to connect;
(in my opinion the preferred one is an USB-Mini male -> USB Standard (type-A) female cable):

By default the USB-Mini female port DO NOT provide 5v so you have 2 options:

1 - buy an OTG-powered cable like the ones used fot NES/SNES Mini OTG support (it must then be connected to an external power source); the following ones will probably works both but I suggest you the one with the switch to be sure (the other one does not work with my SNES Mini):

2 - do the 1-wire hardmod as shown in the previous pictures (below my one):

it's your choice.

Sorry for the trivial questions but I cannot make it out from the various pics of this thread...

You should read a thread, not look at pictures only

 

[belmont]

@Hekel @asper Thanks for the reply my friends, I will see what I will order. Probably already have those stuff lying around somewhere.
Again sorry for troubling you with this, cheers.

 

[WD_Gaster]

Awesome. I just read the PM's that everybody got their dashboard to work fine.

 

[Hekel]

OK. i was away for a while and just came back to read something a bit concerning. anybody and everybody should be able to launch the atgames dashboard from my own without having to uninstall it. it can be launched from the app drawer.

is anybody still having problems with this?

The problem was not your dashboard. It was simple he broke the all-games.ini. I highly recommend to use my script instead of the symlink method. I helped him to fix this problem.

 

[WD_Gaster]

The problem was not your dashboard. It was simple he broke the all-games.ini. I helped him to fix this problem

thank you sir, i got concerned there for a moment.

 

[JackMonty]

You can try to delete the sym link and load it again but this will not fix the damage on the Partition. I was sometimes able to get it back to work by deleting it manualy and reupload it then reboot the console.. but better would be to reset the whole console.

Well i made a script which dumps and then removes all stock games from the console. Another script can reload all the games at once. in mind to have the storage for using as the most games dont makes sense anymore if you can simply upload them with youre own Folder.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Allright. This LOADER i made will prevent from this Problem. Stop the SYM-LINK.. Its crap..

INI LOADER
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6716ii37d0so3l2/GAME INI LOADER.zip?dl=0

This great! Just to check before I get started I did add a symlink originally by using:

adb shell ln -s /sdcard/Games/all-games.ini /system/atgames/all-games.ini

Is the correct syntax to remove this:

adb shell rm -s /sdcard/Games/all-games.ini /system/atgames/all-games.ini

Is that right? I want to use your loader to push an updated all-games.ini

Thanks!

 

[fixingmytoys]

I have it all sorted thanks to you both @WD_Gaster and @Hekel just have to the USB MOD/wire install and I think it’s all done

 

[WD_Gaster]

Allright im back after some sleep :-D, now i feel like reborn haha!

@WD_Gaster this Sounds very nice!! If you like to add parameters for emulators/apps i can provide them. I dont know how far youre coding skills reaching but it would be amazing if you could select from a bunch of execute parameter for each section (Game Gear, Mega Drive etc.) This would open the possibility to have absolute controll of the emulator/game choice. You could even launch specific games with specific emulators to avoid emulations limitations and other problems.

Well if the installation failed this might be happen cause you klicked on the joypad while it was working. I had 2x the problem the script was too fast cause my mega drive not even had boot fully at the moment. Maybe we should increase the waiting time.. but mostly it worked.. dont know.

If you like i can make a costum skin for youre dashboard (still loving it) im pretty skilled with Photoshop :-P.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



Hey, no actually its not an ssd but im
Working on a script which safty unplug the hdd from the device befor turning off. This should prevent. Sure ill send you the german one just a second :-D.

just had my evening coffee and read this, the parameter information may be quite useful. and yes, i would definitely love help with a skin for it. the one is using now is mostly just placeholder. Making one that genesis/megadrive fans would appreciate a bit more would be great. let me know if you have some time to work with me on this going into the weekend.

 

[Hekel]

This great! Just to check before I get started I did add a symlink originally by using:

adb shell ln -s /sdcard/Games/all-games.ini /system/atgames/all-games.ini

Is the correct syntax to remove this:

adb shell rm -s /sdcard/Games/all-games.ini /system/atgames/all-games.ini

Is that right? I want to use your loader to push an updated all-games.ini

Thanks!

Should be correct yes :-)

 

[asper]

Something new on the horizon

https://streamable.com/s/9t9u0/zhwfty

 

[Hekel]

Something new on the horizon

https://streamable.com/s/9t9u0/zhwfty

Does this replace the at game bootlogo?
It looks fantastic, but you should change the white background to black. Would better fit in. Dont know if this is a video xD could make things more problematic

 

[MaxiBus]

Hy,
just wanted to say THANK YOU ALL for your efforts to make this device great.

I found a way to establish an Internet connection via reverse thetering on the Flashback HD, maybe it could be useful for your project.
Quick overview, pls ask if you need more details:

1:
Connect a linux pc to the Flashback HD USB Port. I used a Raspberry Pi 3, but a Pi Zero would be better because of its small size. It would easy fit in the Flashback HD case.

2.
Install ADB on your linux PC (for example "apt-get install adb" on Debian, Ubuntu, Raspbian etc)

3.
On the Linux PC:
"adb devices"
-> you should see the Flashback HD, mine shows up as "V5NQX36ZJH"

4.
At first, we need to start USB tethering on the Flashback HD:
"adb shell"

This starts a shell on the Flashback HD. It is rooted by default, so: Yeii!
As the Flashback runs on Android 4.4, type:
"service call connectivity 34 i32 1"

This command should kick you from the android terminal session, so you are back on your linux PC. Now check, if theres a new network device called "usb0", which is the connection to your Flashback HD:
"ifconfig"

You should see the usb0-device in the list.

5.
Prepare your Linux PC to pass connection to the Flashback HD:
"ifconfig usb0 10.42.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0"
"echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward"
"iptables -t nat -F"
"iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -j MASQUERADE"

6.
Now connect back to your Flashback HD with
"adb shell"

DHCP isnt working on our Flashback, so we setup the network device manually:

"ifconfig rndis0 10.42.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0"
"route add default gw 10.42.0.1 dev rndis0"

7.
Thats it, test your internet connection with:
"ping google.at"

Pings should be successfull.

This is a temporary setup, but its a proof of concept to go further. Your project will skyrocket with an internet connection

EDIT: To be honest, when we permanently hook up a Raspberry to the Flashback, we could just use the Pi itself to make a RetroPie, but hey, we are not the typical user, isnt it?

EDIT2: Maybe you could host your Workbench Tools on Github?

 

[Hekel]

Hy,
just wanted to say THANK YOU ALL for your efforts to make this device great.

I found a way to establish an Internet connection via reverse thetering on the Flashback HD, maybe it could be useful for your project.
Quick overview, pls ask if you need more details:

1:
Connect a linux pc to the Flashback HD USB Port. I used a Raspberry Pi 3, but a Pi Zero would be better because of its small size. It would easy fit in the Flashback HD case.

2.
Install ADB on your linux PC (for example "apt-get install adb" on Debian, Ubuntu, Raspbian etc)

3.
On the Linux PC:
"adb devices"
-> you should see the Flashback HD, mine shows up as "V5NQX36ZJH"

4.
At first, we need to start USB tethering on the Flashback HD:
"adb shell"

This starts a shell on the Flashback HD. It is rooted by default, so: Yeii!
As the Flashback runs on Android 4.4, type:
"service call connectivity 34 i32 1"

This command should kick you from the android terminal session, so you are back on your linux PC. Now check, if theres a new network device called "usb0", which is the connection to your Flashback HD:
"ifconfig"

You should see the usb0-device in the list.

5.
Prepare your Linux PC to pass connection to the Flashback HD:
"ifconfig usb0 10.42.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0"
"echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward"
"iptables -t nat -F"
"iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -j MASQUERADE"

6.
Now connect back to your Flashback HD with
"adb shell"

DHCP isnt working on our Flashback, so we setup the network device manually:

"ifconfig rndis0 10.42.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0"
"route add default gw 10.42.0.1 dev rndis0"

7.
Thats it, test your internet connection with:
"ping google.at"

Pings should be successfull.

This is a temporary setup, but its a proof of concept to go further. Your project will skyrocket with an internet connection

EDIT: To be honest, when we permanently hook up a Raspberry to the Flashback, we could just use the Pi itself to make a RetroPie, but hey, we are not the typical user, isnt it?

Can you maybe help me to make this mod? If this really is working i can implement my scraper. If this could be happen we can use retroshield with simply put the game in the folder. The rest will be downloaded automaticly

 

[MaxiBus]

Can you maybe help me to make this mod? If this really is working i can implement my scraper. If this could be happen we can use retroshield with simply put the game in the folder. The rest will be downloaded automaticly

Sure, what do you need? Do you have a Raspberry? For testing, you can take any linux PC of course.

 

[Hekel]

Sure, what do you need? Do you have a Raspberry? For testing, you can take any linux PC of course.

Yes i have a raspery pi3 here with an os on it :-)

 

[MaxiBus]

Yes i have a raspery pi3 here with an os on it :-)

Best way to go
Just try the steps and check in, if you have questions. I am online for the next hour

 

[Hekel]

Best way to go
Just try the steps and check in, if you have questions. I am online for the next hour

Well there are a lot of cheap usb wireless adapter if we can aktivate this function it would make sense to pluck one of these in.

 

[MaxiBus]

Well there are a lot of cheap usb wireless adapter if we can aktivate this function it would make sense to pluck one of these in.

Would be better indeed, but i am not that deep into Android. Can you test it? i have no stick lying around yet

 

[Hekel]

Would be better indeed, but i am not that deep into Android. Can you test it? i have no stick lying around yet

Yes i even have some for linux. But first i would need to perform the mod.

 

[MaxiBus]

Well there are a lot of cheap usb wireless adapter if we can aktivate this function it would make sense to pluck one of these in.

OK, just report when you know further details.
Meanwhile i try to make the Game Foldes on the Flashback accessible on the local network