Fc-twin compatability.

[themadhacker]

I haven't seen this posted anywhere, but does the fc-twin work with games with the super fx chip? Preferably doom? Also, I remember seeing a spot for a lockout chip on some models, but I'm unsure if anybody has ever tested to see if adding a lockout chip will improve compatibility. I would prefer to use the retro duo, but since the fc-twin is more common I'll just go with that if it can play the super fx games alright.

[Ace_1]

The FC Twin works with the three SuperFX games I own, which are StarFox, Doom and Stunt Race FX. The only carts with co-processors which give problems are those with the SA-1 co-processor as those can detect the presence of a lockout chip and refuse to run if they can't detect the chip is active. Unfortunately, Yobo has removed the solder spot where you could have soldered a lockout chip. I just bought a new FC Twin a few weeks ago and compared to my old FC Twin from 2007, the Super NES board is almost completely different. The RAM is the same, but instead of a solder spot for a Super NES lockout chip, the audio amp was relocated from the back board to directly on the Super NES board right around where the lockout chip was and the TCT-9xx chips have shrunk. They're the same TCT-900 series chips as found on all modern Super NES clones, but the chips themselves are much smaller.

If I can find my old FC Twin(which no longer works), if you get an FC Twin with the bigger TCT-9xx chips, I can retrace the solder points for the lockout chip for you. One thing's for sure: if the year on the seals put on the box is 2011, you're guaranteed to get an FC Twin with the smaller TCT-9xx chips. I'll post a picture of that Super NES board tomorrow.

[themadhacker]

If you could send me a picture of the completed lockout chip mod done on the older board, that would be great. I had been keeping an eye out for an older non-yobo branded version and just had one used come in the mail today. I notice the older models don't have a death grip on the snes games either.

[Ace_1]

I had been keeping an eye out for an older non-yobo branded version and just had one used come in the mail today.

Ugh... I wouldn't buy one of those. I heard reports of some of those older non-branded FC Twins having issues with cartridges containing co-processors(which I think is complete BS), but by far the biggest problem with those older FC Twins is its video output. Several Super NES games have incorrect colors. Watch this YouTube video to see what I'm talking about:


Those FC Twins don't use the TCT-900 series chipset, but instead use a different chipset, the GF-6900 series. I don't know much about it, but from what I've seen looking at that clip, it has problems reproducing the Super NES' twin PPUs.

Come to think of it, though... I wonder if these older FC Twins have the same problem with excessive green in the video output like the Gen-X, GN Twin, FC3 Plus and RetroN3 have on the Genesis side causing weird colors in certain instances. Either that or the GF-69xx chips suck and should be replaced by their TCT-9xx equivalents. It does seem like the hue is off on non-branded FC Twins.

I notice the older models don't have a death grip on the snes games either.

They certainly don't have a death grip on Super NES games. In fact, the cartridge slots on my new FC Twin are the opposite of those on my old FC Twin from 2007(Yobo-branded): the 2007 FC Twin had a NASTY death grip on NES cartridges and a very soft grip on Super NES cartridges, but my new 2011 FC Twin has a death grip on Super NES cartridges, but a rather soft grip on NES carts. It's not as soft as the grip on my FC3 Plus, but it's still soft enough to not have to yank out the carts with all your might.

[themadhacker]

I went ahead and installed the lockout chip and it works great. As for the nes, bit, I'm making an snes portable so the nes half is of no use anyway.

[Ace_1]

I'm making an snes portable so the nes half is of no use anyway.

At least, you don't have to deal with the crap NOAC from the earlier models of the FC Twin. Though I must ask: have you seen any weird colors or excess smearing with Super NES games? In that video I linked, look at StarFox. Some colors are COMPLETELY wrong, and I want to know if your FC Twin has that same problem. Better yet, how about taking a picture of the motherboard so I can see what chipset the Super NES side of your FC Twin uses?

[themadhacker]

I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. Mine has the TCT-900 chipset.

[Ace_1]

In that case, you're good. Carry on with your portable Super NES project.

I must ask, though: what NOAC does your FC Twin use? The inaccurate one with reversed sound channel duties or the newer NOAC with accurate square waves? I'm asking this as the NES board from my old FC Twin no longer puts out audio due to the audio trace being completely broken. I'd like to see if I can recover my old FC Twin and have it second my new fully-functioning FC Twin, but since that one has an NOAC with accurate square waves, I will not settle for an NOAC with reversed sound channel duties.