custom firmware for sega flashback 2018

Excalibur007

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You can't easily add bezels. The only way is to replace the ones on the device but that requires unpacking the firmware, replacing files, re-packing and flashing back to the unit (not the easiest process tbh).

You could make a script to dump the emulator folder to the SD card and read it from there so that it will read your own music and bezels from SD. It was done for the Atari Flashback 9 here. I'd think you'd just have to edit this script to point to the correct folder for the Genesis Flashback.
 

G-rasshopper

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You only need to do a simple bridge on the board to enable direct USB access, I think there is a image with the solder points in some thread. Connecting the device to a computer while pressing the recovery button will put the device in LOADER mode. I soldered 2 jumpers to the "Menu" button to make it easier to put the device in LOADER mode without need to reopen it.

Once in loader mode, you can use rkDumper to backup the device, using the following command-line:
rkdumper.exe /last dump

This tool will dump all partitions and the parameter file. It will also create a .cfg file (config_16.cfg) that can be used with AndroidTool to upload the firmware back to the device.

Thanks for the information.

Can you clarify why an Android tool needs to be used to upload the firmware back to the device? I was under the impression that the 2018 Sega Flashback was based on regular Linux as opposed to Android. Am I wrong?

Also, I've just had a thought. If I left the USB connection permanently enabled as you have done, then would it be possible to connect USB controllers to the device through an OTG splitter cable?
 

rrifonas

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Thanks for the information.

Can you clarify why an Android tool needs to be used to upload the firmware back to the device? I was under the impression that the 2018 Sega Flashback was based on regular Linux as opposed to Android. Am I wrong?

Also, I've just had a thought. If I left the USB connection permanently enabled as you have done, then would it be possible to connect USB controllers to the device through an OTG splitter cable?

The tool is called AndroidTool but it's the generic Rockchip tool to flash firmware. The recovery partition is based in Android even with the device running Linux.

No, otg doesn't seem to work.
 

rrifonas

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You could make a script to dump the emulator folder to the SD card and read it from there so that it will read your own music and bezels from SD. It was done for the Atari Flashback 9 here. I'd think you'd just have to edit this script to point to the correct folder for the Genesis Flashback.

It's not as easy as you think. Need the rebuild the image changing menu_launcher.sh to accept the extra file/folders. As I mentioned in AtariAge, I can try to add this feature to the Genesis images.

If you want to play with the tools by yourself, you can use ImgRePackerRK to unpack/pack the images, and mksquashfs to rebuild the emulator partition.
 

G-rasshopper

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This might be a naive question, but would it be possible to copy all of the partitions on the NAND flash chip to the SD card, and then set the device up to boot from the SD card?

Alternatively, if booting from the SD card is not possible, then could you put a small boot partition on the NAND flash chip, and the remaining partitions on the SD card?

If you did this there'd be much more flash memory available, so the emulator partition could be unsquashed and transferred to a filesystem that is easier to access and modify.
 

rrifonas

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This might be a naive question, but would it be possible to copy all of the partitions on the NAND flash chip to the SD card, and then set the device up to boot from the SD card?

Alternatively, if booting from the SD card is not possible, then could you put a small boot partition on the NAND flash chip, and the remaining partitions on the SD card?

If you did this there'd be much more flash memory available, so the emulator partition could be unsquashed and transferred to a filesystem that is easier to access and modify.

This is not possible with the current settings. In theory it is possible, but you would need to mess with the kernel or the root partition to change fstab. I don't know if it's possible to do using overmount, I've tried before and it didn't work. Anyway, there is nothing to do in the filesystem, a lot of things is hard-coded in retromenu/retroplayer. The only think you could eventually do is to modify the bezels, or have an easier way to switch between Genesis Plus GX and PicoDrive.
 

metal_slugger

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Ok now just wondering how to add artwork and also how to set the games in the SD Card to be alphabetical? I have 3 Ninjas and Beavis & Butthead and Aladdin for starters and its showing on the Genesis Beavis 1st Ninjas 2nd and Aladdin 3rd. Anyway to make them show in alphabetical order and add artwork?

I used a windows application called "FAT Sorter" to FAT-sort the contents of the Game directory, now all the games show in proper alpha order on the Flashback. This is something I learnt using clone Mega Drive flash carts
 
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mdancevic

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Hello i am new in forum, nice to meet you all

I have bought some second hand at @ames Sega Mega Drive Flashback, i has been good price. But when i connect to TV i got this on screen?

Red screen with some error says press D+A for SD CARD TEST

Anyone got the similar problem, is it possible to fix this somehow, i hear music in the background?

Thanks in advance
 

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image45

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Does that mean a UK console purchase from Argos now has the SD card option out of the box with out the need for the update?
 

dcuk7

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@mdancevic I had this problem with one of my units and I could not get it to work. I tried updating the firmware but it did not help. Maybe opening the unit up and flashing using Android Tools might work but I didn't try this as it was easier to just get a replacement.
 

rrifonas

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@mdancevic I had this problem with one of my units and I could not get it to work. I tried updating the firmware but it did not help. Maybe opening the unit up and flashing using Android Tools might work but I didn't try this as it was easier to just get a replacement.

I replied to him on the other thread he opened with the same request.
I will send him a full flash and the tools to backup this device (I'd like to understand why it gets stuck in test mode) and flash the firmware.
 
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ThaSINista

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Hey Ho
Its a NTSC system thats why you have this pal games sound delay. You can patch pal games to ntsc with this is patcher: romhacking. net/hacks/4596/ the sound will be synched. i'm from GER there are a few games i need to play in Pal like soleil, landstalker, story of thor, chaos engine etc.

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

There is a space in the link cause i'm a newby i can't post links. Sorry just wanna help you
 
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Val9613

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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
Hello @rrifonas. I am Val9613. I just discovered an issue regarding the Sega CD games I have added on my Sega Genesis Flashback 2018. I now have 11 Sega CD games on my SD Card along with some Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, SG-1000, and Sega Pico games. After I downloaded my tenth Sega CD rom on my SD card, I began to notice that the save states no longer work. This issue only happens whenever I play a Sega CD game on my Genesis Flashback. And when I picked a non-Sega CD rom (Sega Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, etc.) after playing one of my Sega CD roms, the save states don't work on those roms either. However, if I choose a non-Sega CD rom first when I turn on the console, the save states work fine. I have my roms on a 16GB SD card and roughly have 13GB of storage left. Is this a problem with my SD card? Or is it a problem with the custom firmware? Can this issue be fixed? Keep in mind that I only encountered this issue after downloading my tenth Sega CD rom. Prior to this, the save states worked perfectly fine.
 
Last edited by Val9613,

rrifonas

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I've never tested this scenario so I can't tell you what happened. I don't think this is an issue with the custom firmware as there are no changes in the built-in player (which creates the save states), or significant changes in the menu besides allow other file extensions.
 

Val9613

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I've never tested this scenario so I can't tell you what happened. I don't think this is an issue with the custom firmware as there are no changes in the built-in player (which creates the save states), or significant changes in the menu besides allow other file extensions.

So @rrifonas, do you think that it might have to do with the storage in the SD card or the .brm backup ram files that are created when a .chd file for a Sega CD rom is placed in the "GAME" folder? Does it have to do with the how some of the .chd files run on the Sega Genesis Flashback 2018? Also, is the maximum storage for the SD card still 16GB, or does the custom firmware allow to use SD cards larger than 16GB (i.e. 32GB, 64GB, etc.)?
 

ThaSINista

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I'm using a 32gb sd card and custom fw i have copied around 30 sega cds to sd without game manager i don't have save isses.
 

Val9613

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I'm using a 32gb sd card and custom fw i have copied around 30 sega cds to sd without game manager i don't have save isses.

So the Sega Genesis Flashback 2018 with the custom firmware can read 32GB SD cards. I am going to copy all of my roms onto a 32GB SD card and see if the SD card storage was the issue. Hope this fixes the problem I am facing.
 

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