custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

spanner · May 26, 2019

image45 said:
The UK/European consoles with the Megadrive logo does not have an about option. Only the North American Genesis consoles do.

Mine didn't have about tab but now I have updated it, it dose, mine says Mega Drive on it, It has one now cause its based on the US version i guess,I got it from eBay for £25 cause it was for parts and not working, it has a loose power connector so it can cut out but if I have the cable over the console it stay on.I am well happy with it,I could properly replace the Mini USB connector but happy with the way it is at the moment.

I have noticed something I didn't noticed before, the Mega CD games have a 1 second delay in its sounds so you notice it in FMV games cause there mouth is out of sync with there voice, so using Picodrive and cue+bin there is a delay, You don't notice it if you pay Batman Returns cause its not FMV. I thought it was my PC for a minute doing it,I run all my consoles from my PC using a Easy Cap USB and DScaler using composite.You can see the sound it in sync when you are on the menu with picture with the games,as you move it makes a sound at the same time.

I know Mega CD games work fine with Picodrive cause I use it on Retropie so it must be the version there using cause Retropie uses Libretro.

spanner · May 26, 2019

I think the lag is because they are PAL games, have to try a NTSC game.

image45 · May 26, 2019

spanner said:
Mine didn't have about tab but now I have updated it, it dose, mine says Mega Drive on it, It has one now cause its based on the US version i guess,I got it from eBay for £25 cause it was for parts and not working, it has a loose power connector so it can cut out but if I have the cable over the console it stay on.I am well happy with it,I could properly replace the Mini USB connector but happy with the way it is at the moment.

I have noticed something I didn't noticed before, the Mega CD games have a 1 second delay in its sounds so you notice it in FMV games cause there mouth is out of sync with there voice, so using Picodrive and cue+bin there is a delay, You don't notice it if you pay Batman Returns cause its not FMV. I thought it was my PC for a minute doing it,I run all my consoles from my PC using a Easy Cap USB and DScaler using composite.You can see the sound it in sync when you are on the menu with picture with the games,as you move it makes a sound at the same time.

I know Mega CD games work fine with Picodrive cause I use it on Retropie so it must be the version there using cause Retropie uses Libretro.

Did you get the firmware your currently using from the official atgames site or are you using one of the members custom builds? I did download an update from the AtGames site, file name is 20190226.img.img with a size of 138.44 MB, however I was not sure if it would replace the SEGA Mega Drive logo with a Genesis one. I don't mind about having the about tab if I have to however I would prefer to retain original logo if I can.

I did modify/ update the console to accept games via the SD option however this file was only around 33 MB in size much smaller than the one I downloaded from the AtGames site. The updated version I did install only plays.bin files not any of the others. I have read about Picodrive, however I don't actually know what the official emulator the European consoles actually comes with, therefore what's best if you want to play 32x & Mega CD games for example?

If your current firmware does all I have covered can you post a link to it please? If the firmware I downloaded from the official atgames site only adds the about tab, whilst retaining the megadrive logo and the SD card option to play games via the card then I would be happy to install it, however if another option is available then I would love to know.

Thanks

spanner · May 26, 2019

I am using custom firmware here.. https://gbatemp.net/threads/custom-firmware-for-sega-flashback-2018.523590/page-9#post-8537041
and Game manger... https://gbatemp.net/threads/genesis-flashback-hd-2018-game-manager.529624/

rrifonas · May 26, 2019

image45 said:
Did you get the firmware your currently using from the official atgames site or are you using one of the members custom builds? I did download an update from the AtGames site, file name is 20190226.img.img with a size of 138.44 MB, however I was not sure if it would replace the SEGA Mega Drive logo with a Genesis one. I don't mind about having the about tab if I have to however I would prefer to retain original logo if I can.

I did modify/ update the console to accept games via the SD option however this file was only around 33 MB in size much smaller than the one I downloaded from the AtGames site. The updated version I did install only plays.bin files not any of the others. I have read about Picodrive, however I don't actually know what the official emulator the European consoles actually comes with, therefore what's best if you want to play 32x & Mega CD games for example?

If your current firmware does all I have covered can you post a link to it please? If the firmware I downloaded from the official atgames site only adds the about tab, whilst retaining the megadrive logo and the SD card option to play games via the card then I would be happy to install it, however if another option is available then I would love to know.

Thanks

This has been discussed extensively in this thread.
The update from atgames website (20190226.img) is intended for the Genesis FB, so it has the Genesis logo/About tab.

The original emulator is Genesis Plus GX, so it runs Genesis/Master System/Game Gear/Sega CD games. The original firmware can only run Genesis and Sega CD games in .bin format.

If you want to try Picodrive, or run SMS/GG/Sega CD games from SD, you will need to go with the custom firmware. Picodrive runs Genesis/SMS/Sega CD/32x (Game Gear doesn't work).

You can read about the latest custom firmware in this post. There are different firmware for the US and EU models, and with Genesis Plus GX or Picodrive. The latest custom firmware is based on 20190226.img (so you have the About screen) but I included the assets (logos) from the Mega Drive Flash in the EU version.

image45 · May 26, 2019

spanner said:
I am using custom firmware here.. https://gbatemp.net/threads/custom-firmware-for-sega-flashback-2018.523590/page-9#post-8537041
and Game manger... https://gbatemp.net/threads/genesis-flashback-hd-2018-game-manager.529624/

Thanks - There is an addendum advising "EDIT: Added firmware with Picodrive replacing Genesis Plus GX"

Does that mean the console comes with Genesis Plus GX emulator out of the box rather than the picodrive?

Sorry for many questions, just a retro games player trying to get the best out of his Sega Megadrive Flashback 720p console.

Thank you

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rrifonas said:
This has been discussed extensively in this thread.
The update from atgames website (20190226.img) is intended for the Genesis FB, so it has the Genesis logo/About tab.

The original emulator is Genesis Plus GX, so it runs Genesis/Master System/Game Gear/Sega CD games. The original firmware can only run Genesis and Sega CD games in .bin format.

If you want to try Picodrive, or run SMS/GG/Sega CD games from SD, you will need to go with the custom firmware. Picodrive runs Genesis/SMS/Sega CD/32x (Game Gear doesn't work).

You can read about the latest custom firmware in this post. There are different firmware for the US and EU models, and with Genesis Plus GX or Picodrive. The latest custom firmware is based on 20190226.img (so you have the About screen) but I included the assets (logos) from the Mega Drive Flash in the EU version.

Reading everything in one consolidated message brings everything into focus for me. I did read the whole thread last weekend however due to being a bit to sleepy and it covering many months some of the various elements escaped me. I am not as a rule a lazy poster and do try to read fully before posting so apologies for appearing to be so.

As I am on a UK model I will therefore be installing the EU version to retain the logos. If I install the firmware to try Picodrive and change my mind will the firmware with Genesis Plus GX install on the console to replace it if I wish with out issues.

Thank you once again for your patience and help.

Robert

spanner · May 26, 2019

I just tried a NTSC US game Mad Dog Mcree and its in sync with the sound so its the custom firmware because its based on the US firmware so thats why PAL games are out of sync, PAL games are running at 25 frames a second on a 30 frame a second Firmware so its missing 5 frames a second. So thats why the sound is 5 frames in front and making a 1 second lag,I need Custom Firmware for PAL cos it not running at 50hz its making my console run at 60hz,I wondered why my the screen when I switched it on sometimes the Mega Drive 2018 its picture is funny where it looks like the horizontal has gone funny,lines across the screen ,its the 60Hz playing a round with the console,its thinks its a Genesis when its not..? this console would be different to the US one,it works on PAL and not NTSC. NTSC and PAL is still here,My TV works only on PAL not NTSC.

I heed custom Firmware for PAL, I have a lot of Mega CD PAL games and don't want to have to convert a lot of games when there is no need,I don't want to have to use the US version of the game when I have the original PAL version I copied it from.

rrifonas · May 26, 2019

image45 said:
Reading everything in one consolidated message brings everything into focus for me. I did read the whole thread last weekend however due to being a bit to sleepy and it covering many months some of the various elements escaped me. I am not as a rule a lazy poster and do try to read fully before posting so apologies for appearing to be so.

As I am on a UK model I will therefore be installing the EU version to retain the logos. If I install the firmware to try Picodrive and change my mind will the firmware with Genesis Plus GX install on the console to replace it if I wish with out issues.

Thank you once again for your patience and help.

Robert

Yes, you can go back to Genesis Plus Gx if you want. Only the save states will not work as they are not compatible between emulators. You will need to create new save state.

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

spanner said:
I just tried a NTSC US game Mad Dog Mcree and its in sync with the sound so its the custom firmware because its based on the US firmware so thats why PAL games are out of sync, PAL games are running at 25 frames a second on a 30 frame a second Firmware so its missing 5 frames a second. So thats why the sound is 5 frames in front and making a 1 second lag,I need Custom Firmware for PAL cos it not running at 50hz its making my console run at 60hz,I wondered why my the screen when I switched it on sometimes the Mega Drive 2018 its picture is funny where it looks like the horizontal has gone funny,lines across the screen ,its the 60Hz playing a round with the console,its thinks its a Genesis when its not..? this console would be different to the US one,it works on PAL and not NTSC. NTSC and PAL is still here,My TV works only on PAL not NTSC.

I heed custom Firmware for PAL, I have a lot of Mega CD PAL games and don't want to have to convert a lot of games when there is no need,I don't want to have to use the US version of the game when I have the original PAL version I copied it from.

There is no such firmware. This has been discussed before, AtGames emulator (retroplayer) is not optimized for PAL games, so you may have delay on the sound, or PAL games playing faster on older firmware. The libretro cores are fine, but the emulator is not. Unfortunately there is no way to fix this behavior with the current emulator, and it's impossible to change emulators in a 10MB partition and a device with no debug interface to test different modules/dependencies. Maybe that's the reason why the EU device never received an official update to unlock the SD Card or play Sega CD games.

And if you think the original EU firmware is better, it's not. It's the same file as the US firmware, and it behaves much worse than the last update.

spanner · May 27, 2019

Oh OK no wounder no one likes AtGames and don't want them making the Mega Drive Mini,they are crap at making consoles and why they made one each year,the console is only worth £25.its a cheap reproduction of the Mega Drive,I only bought cos it was £25,I have preordered the Mega Drive Mini but if I find out Atgames get involed I will cancel it. I think your better off using a Raspberry PI with Retropie and the RetroFlag Mega PI Case. I do have that too,I wanted to see what Atgames consoles were like.It show how much SEGA care all they care is the right to the console.

The thing I like about MD HD 2018 is the wireless controllers..

These consoles are made like a Android box,well probably the hardware and idea of it. Most of the hardware are copies of the development board they used to make the firmware on.

image45 · May 27, 2019

I have tried both of the custom firmware and I actually find the Genesis Plus Gx one to perform better, especially on sound.

I now have an about tab with a 16 digit uid number! Is this actually unique to my console or has it been copied from your own, out of interest.

I am in a PAL region and the games don't seem to have anymore lag than before I updated to your custom version.

I wonder if another firmware update will be issued? I ask as I have read but have not seen that another updated 2019 console is due for release too.

Thanks for the firmware and support

rrifonas · May 27, 2019

spanner said:
Oh OK no wounder no one likes AtGames and don't want them making the Mega Drive Mini,they are crap at making consoles and why they made one each year,the console is only worth £25.its a cheap reproduction of the Mega Drive,I only bought cos it was £25,I have preordered the Mega Drive Mini but if I find out Atgames get involed I will cancel it. I think your better off using a Raspberry PI with Retropie and the RetroFlag Mega PI Case. I do have that too,I wanted to see what Atgames consoles were like.It show how much SEGA care all they care is the right to the console.

This is their second "HD" console, and it seems they are making progress. They licensed the best emulator core, and they are improving the software - they've made a good update in February, and while it's not perfect, it's better than the original firmware.
I'm quite sure AtGames still in the game with the Mega Drive Mini as they recently got licenses from Disney and they have some licenses from Capcom as well, they could be the facilitators in an agreement with Sega, and/or they are producing the hardware. It seems the software will be handled by AM2, which is nice.

image45 said:
I have tried both of the custom firmware and I actually find the Genesis Plus Gx one to perform better, especially on sound.

I now have an about tab with a 16 digit uid number! Is this actually unique to my console or has it been copied from your own, out of interest.

I am in a PAL region and the games don't seem to have anymore lag than before I updated to your custom version.

I wonder if another firmware update will be issued? I ask as I have read but have not seen that another updated 2019 console is due for release too.

Thanks for the firmware and support

The 16 digit number is from your console, don't worry... I've tested it installing firmware from different consoles (and even the Legends Flashback), and this serial number doesn't change.

I would love to see a new firmware from Atgames fixing these audio/video sync issues for PAL and some NTSC games, that would improve their credibility. While I can replace the cores and edit some things with a hex-editor, I can't fix the emulator or replace with a better alternative, as Linux + small partitions are a pain for that.

WD_GASTER2 · May 27, 2019

its like i told Bill at Atariage. 4gb flash, and bump the ram to 512 at a minimum. it would be a dream of a little machine at that point. the rk3066 is very competent when handled correctly.

spanner · May 27, 2019

Its kind of funny it can only play US Sega CD games,so that means you can't play the full library of Mega CD games,some regions have there own games,they made the console compatible with china,Japan,Canada and America only,if you play a mega drve game on it too its missing 5 frames a second too and has a lag,it so stupid.Why can't they made it like a raspberry PI 3 so that can play NTSC or PAL games,I guess if you used a RPI3 from the UK in a US TV it wouldn't work cause of the TV format.Thats why there are 2 versions of the C64 Mini, the EU version thats PAL and the US version thats NTSC, HDMI still uses it.the PAL version came out on the 29 March 2018 and US in 29 October 2018.People were buying the EU version from the US and was having problem with the frame rate and getting a lag in C64 games so they had to make a NTSC version.

What I never understood is why SEGA can't make there own console,when they use to, properly don't have that part of SEGA anymore,SEGA is just a software company now not hardware,just hope the Mega Drive Mini is worth £79,this just makes SEGA look bad.One thing they have done right is remove the crappy Bonus games..

and have 40 Mega Drive games only,its should only have Mega Drive games on it cause its a Mega Drive not a Master System or Game Gear.
Maybe they should make a Master System too some day...

I think there should get rid of the TV format but they can't cause old tech still need NTSC and PAL like the real Genesis/Mega Drive or Sega/Mega CD dose.
its a shame you can only use up to 16GB SD card,I did try a 64GB in the slot but it couldn't read it.

So do PAL games lag with the other emulator too Genesis Plus Gx..?

spanner · May 27, 2019

How many mega drive consoles did Atgames do so for..? just look 3 consoles so far 2016(MD Classic Game Console that don't look like a MD),2017(MD HD ) and 2018(MD HD).

I understand now...

Atgames is a US digital media Inc and part of Atgames Holding, LTD, they only work with digital media not hardware(*they are a holding company,digital media Inc appeared in 2017, on the 2016 console box says "Atgames Holdings, LTD" changed to "Digital Media Inc" name only in 2017/8).
MD Console 2018 is a re badged US Genesis Console 2018 and its imported by Argos UK not Atgames, Argos name is on the side of all 3 MD boxes, they have imported all 3 MD Atgames consoles, there is no Atgames in the UK or in Europe, only in the US, thats why they use the same firmware, cause it imported from China, so the box and manual are made by Argos, when they import it, it has a Chinese box,(when companies buy stuff from China they have to change the packaging into English, Maplin did it and Poundland do it,most of there stuff comes from China on cargo ships.) Atgames gave the rights to Argos to import it, Atgames never made the hardware, Hantat MD Classic (http://www.hantat.com) and Dichroic Cat MD 2017/8 (https://panjiva.com/Dichroic-Cat-Shen-Zhen-Electronic/35899048) did, a cheap way of making a console.
if you look on the box its imported and not made by Atgames only the firmware is and the design, its properly not imported into the US but could be by Atgames themselves cause it was made for the US market originally and Atgames is from the USA that why updated firmware is for US Console only.

If they allow there consoles to be imported to other countries then they should support them but they don't and that why no one likes them, this is the wrong way of doing things, this is why they lost the contract with Sega, they can't make a Flashback Console without the IP. Rant Over..

*A holding company is a company that owns other companies' outstanding stock. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies to form a corporate group. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow the ownership and control of a number of different companies.

image45 · May 27, 2019

rrifonas said:
The 16 digit number is from your console, don't worry... I've tested it installing firmware from different consoles (and even the Legends Flashback), and this serial number doesn't change.

The 16 digit uid must be missing from the European consoles as there is no official update support for them.

When I downloaded megadrive games previously once unzipped they came in the form of a single .bin file however the master system games are in a different zip format eg

Sonic The Hedgehog.7z

and when you open up the zip it contains two files eg
Sonic The Hedgehog (UE) [!].sms
&
Sonic The Hedgehog (UE) [T+Fre_Terminus].sms

Can you advise what you actually put onto the SD card to play the 8 bit master system games please?

spanner · May 27, 2019

Sonic The Hedgehog (UE) [T+Fre_Terminus].sms looks like a cracked version of the game.I would put Sonic The Hedgehog (UE) [!].sms in but you can try the other one if you like.

There wouldn't be a 16 digit uid for the European consoles cause they are re badged Genesis consoles, They have the same hardware inside them.

rrifonas · May 27, 2019

@spanner, unfortunately anger will not help, we can only hope the Sega console will be good and support everything out of the box or using a custom firmware, the "real" retrogame scene - I'm just a hobbyist learning how to edit/compile stuff - will work hard on this device. The Raspberry Pi or Tinker Board with a MegaPi case is beautiful and for me it's a great "MD mini" if you don't need to read cartridges. Sega CD/Mega CD support was never made official by Atgames, it's a collateral effect from this device having Genesis Plus GX core and supporting games in BIN format. It was discovered by the community and later expanded to CHD by my custom firmware. While there is no PAL and NTSC anymore, these old games were intended to run at different framerate/speed, and the emulators need to handle this.

About Atgames, they are making crappy licensed Genesis clones for years - their Atari consoles are good though -, but this is only their second iteration of "HD consoles" using emulation instead of the 'Firecore' chip or a GOAC. I own a clone console with a GOAC (Hyperkin MegaRetroN) and I can tell you the emulation approach when done correctly is much better than any clone. I've done some progress with the Atgames Flashback HD 2017 (modded the atgames launcher to change emulator, compiled RetroArch for it) and I can tell you it's the perfect "MD Mini" if you need or want cartridge support. I've tried to compile RetroArch for HD 2018 but it's impossible to debug it without a proper interface (ssh/telnet/whatever) to look for errors or missing dependencies.

@image45 , I really recommend you to re-read the threads about this device. You will need the uncompressed games with no spaces to make it work, Sonic_The_Hedgehog_(UE)_[!].sms should be fine.

spanner · May 27, 2019

OK no worries..

its not you, I am happy with what you have done.

There is still NTSC and PAL in HDTV... https://www.lifewire.com/why-ntsc-and-pal-still-matter-1847856

HDTVs in the US still use 30 frames a second and in the UK uses 25 frames a second,Atgames should know this when making a console for another country.

Thats why my console has a horizontal problem sometimes when I turn it on,its trying to run at 60hz, 30 frames a second, thats not PAL its NTSC. anyway...lol..

spanner · May 27, 2019

@rrifonas How did you get in to the firmware to change it..? or did you get into the .img file. you said you can't debug the emulator cause of no shh,you mean no Uart right no shh,Putty shell..??.If a Uart is on the board the traces of it will go to its CPU.

Do you have TheC64 Mini...I have 2 of them. One is the
Pre-order model I got on 29 march 2018 and the other one I have has a working uart and I have put all the American games on that are missing from the UK model.it comes with 64 games but you can put 150 games on it.

They must of used a developing board to make the firmware before making the hardware,the C64 Mini use the A20-OLinuXino-LIME2
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXino-LIME2/open-source-hardware
They made the firmware first for theC64 Mini then made the hardware.

So dose the emulator have it own partition but it only 10 mb,one way of stopping hacking..

never heard of it before.TheC64 Mini has one partition and the games can be changed using its uart.

Unless they made a custom board for it first but you make the firmware first to see what works and what don't.
Whats the CPU,MMU and memory and that of the MD Console 2018...?

WD_GASTER2 · May 27, 2019

they didnt "stop" any hacking. rather the resources to do anything other than the targeted emulation there is not enough power and resources to do anything of substance with it.
2018 = 2019.

2017 HD is a different monster altogether. Please read the thread below man:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/sega-me...-with-an-usb-on-internal-mother-board.491498/

spanner said:
@rrifonas How did you get in to the firmware to change it..? or did you get into the .img file. you said you can't debug the emulator cause of no shh,you mean no Uart right no shh,Putty shell..??.If a Uart is on the board the traces of it will go to its CPU.

by disassembling the firmware image. It was possible to dump it. This was also discussed in this thread:

https://gbatemp.net/threads/atgames-sega-flashback-2018-edition-is-out-in-the-wild.522990/page-12

if you look in the early posts of this thread this was done before atgames released any firmware updates.

custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

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