Anyone have an Everdrive 64? Did you solder your own CIC onto it?

[marioxb]

http://stoneagegamer.com/everdrive64_boardonly_nocic.aspx

Everdrive 64. Similar to the NES and SNES Power Paks at retrousb. They have them for a few systems, but I'm mostly interested in the N64 version. They sell one complete in an N64 cartridge shell, but the bare board is much cheaper. Problem is, you have to gut an N64 game and remove it's CIC chip and solder it onto the Everdrive board. I can't seem to find any tutorials online for doing this, so I wanted to see if anyone here has done it. I haven't ordered one yet, but I will get one at some point.

[satoshi_matrix]

The thing about the Everdrive64 that's stopping me from buying is the price. For the asking price of the flashcart, you could buy every single N64 game that's worth playing with perhaps a few exceptions. This is the main problem with the N64 and its small library of games. the NES and SNES Powerpaks are very handy because the equivalent of every worthwhile game for those would be several times more than the costs of the flashcarts.

I use both Powerpaks to try games out to see if I'd care for them and then go pick up the physical copies. If I bought a Everdrive 64, this wouldn't happen, as I own almost every N64 game I'd ever care to already, and the few games I don't (such as Sin and Punishment) are just for cost reasons.

I get that the cost is mainly because of the FPGA, but the N64's small library is the biggest stumbling block of all.

[Sneak]

Although I don't have a tutorial, or any advice, I just wanted to post a link to another N64 "Power Pak" - The "64Drive".

http://64drive.retroactive.be/

I can't speak for either this one, or the Everdrive, but I'm told the "64Drive" is the one to get.  Faster loading times, and more compatibility - according to their site, it plays 99% of all the games.  I know there was a thread talking about the two somewhere (Nintendoage?). 

Only thing with the 64Drive is that you're looking at (at the minimum) like a month or two for it to ship, as the guy custom makes them.

As for the price, these Power Pak's tend to run from $175-$200, so you're right, they are a bit pricey.  But realistically, the SNES Power Pak goes for about $145, so it's not that much less...

Satoshi:  I find it hard to believe you'd be able to pick up "every single N64 game that's worth playing" for under $200.  Then again, that's all subjective too, right?    Depends how many games you feel are worth playing, and how rare those games are...

Anyways, just wanted to add my 2 cents. 

[marioxb]

Yeah, but I can get a "naked" everdrive for about half the price of a "naked" 64drive. $90 doesn't seem that  bad. Hey I wonder if these play 64dd games?

[shenske]

Hey I wonder if these play 64dd games?

I doubt it. They may not even play all n64 games. My guess is the compatibility is similar to the SNES and NES versions. Similar to how they will play most titles but not all due to a slightly different chipset on the game board. Just my guess though .... 

[scarmullet]

Yeah, but I can get a "naked" everdrive for about half the price of a "naked" 64drive. $90 doesn't seem that  bad. Hey I wonder if these play 64dd games?

It won't, not even if you have a DD. And the only two games that cant be used on the Everdrive 64 are Jet Force Gemini and Banjo-Tooie as it uses a 6102 CIC instead of a 6105 which is used in those games.