FM-TOWNS CD-ROM interface reverse engineering project

Hi all,
I'm starting a new project about the possibility of finding some replacement for the built-in CD-ROM of the Fujitsu FM-TOWNS PC (like it as done by GD-EMU for the Dreamcast).As many know, FM-TOWNS pc machines use a custom CD-ROM controller (unit has 40 pin that reminds me of IDE but nothing in common with this interface) and a built-in CD-ROM unit.This unit is very prone to failure and no spares parts exist.So, since the system can boot most of the software only from CD, a faulty built-in CD-ROM unit means a useless machine.The same will happen on the Marty console.
I can provide all the needed hardware and partial schematics of the CD-ROM interface (still W.I.P) as well as funds but I'd need the help of some skilled reverse-engineer/coder.
Are there someone interested in?Please, reply to this thread if any.Thanks.

 

maybe i'm interesting in this, but just need to know more info.

 

I replied you via PM.Thanks.

 

As the owner of FM-towns computers with bad lasers, I am definitely interested in this and would support that project. Cannot help you on the technical level sadly

 

how many ppl has got such console? how is it popular? how many games were made?

 

Yes, I can say it's popular among collectors .Many game have been developed for this machine.In particular it has some of the best arcade conversions ever made (Bubble Bobble,Afterbuner, Truxton II, The New Zealand Story and many other).For example it has an arcade perfect port of Splatterhouse which I recommend to everyone, it's a masterpiece.

 

Also boasts the best version of Shadow of the beast. And yeah, the Splatterhouse port on the FM-Towns is awesome.

 

Would the goal of this project be to use a different 3rd party CD-Rom drive, or will it aim for booting isos from USB or HDDs? Personally I find USB and HDD replacements boring and quite frankly soulless. But if you manage to get either of those working, I guess it could be used as reference for a replacement CD-drive later?

Just asking as I don't have one of these myself, and either way it will be great for keeping these systems alive. So I hope you'll succeed

 

Hi, as far I know sadly there are no existing 3rd part CD-ROM drives for FM-TOWNS, the built-in CD-ROM unit is a proprietary one, maybe someone more expert could contradict me .The aim is to develop something similar to Dreamcast GDEMU in order to boot disk images from external storage (SD, HDD, CF, etc..).So, everyone interested in please support this project.

 

If you actually do it I'll personally give you a medal. It would be also cool to do a CDROM unit adapter but I guess that's too much trouble.

 

Yes, sure ,also a simply CD-ROM unit adapter would be fine as long as it will be something that would allow us to not trash FM-TOWNS machines...

 

if the TG-CD has it bagged (ide/sata optical drive replacement) i'm sure with enough DEMAND (aka: ask aggressively enough) they could produce something?
i mean the TG-CD is about as rare as rocking horse shit as it is... (and the towns marty surely would be a LOT more rare)
i see no reason why this couldn't be viable sometime in the future. (the DC boards in development, i like to think i did my part by DOUBTING the original concept by authenticity, REALLY came down HARD on them, as a gamer, NOT a fan of a brand, and the thread was a giant e-peen session. 'look what i have, you can't HAHAHA!' is how it looked. NOT at assembler was this thread)
so, give it time, FORCE the issue, a bit and if there's enough echos of demand, sit back and watch progress. :friendly_wink:
...
a saturn pass-through cartridge was being worked on too, but that's another story....

 

Is there any TurboGrafx CD emulator around?I didn't know this.

 

CRAP!
was i thinking panasonic 3DO, one of them!
apologies for the mixup! (a thread somebody was selling a console with an ide interface outfitted, may have been a 3DO or TG-CD? one of them, that's certain)
it's why i chipped-in here, the console is rare YET it got priority over the known ones, shows enough voices of dissent can work!
[edit]
typo

 

You can use PC Engine CDROM2 units on the Turbografx-CD dock, and also theoretically you could use the Turbo with an IFU-30 with an adapter a la Supergrafx.

 

^^ good to know, thanks! :friendly_wink:

 

Back when CDroms were first coming out, there wasn't a standard for connecting them to the PC, this was before they used the IDE connectors. You'd connect them via the same 40 pin connectors to your sound card. I'd see sound cards with like 4 different connects, labled like: Tosiba, Sony, etc.

So this is what I would do if I had one of them computers and need to replace the CDrom. I'd check the MB and see which chips the cdrom connectors go to, and get the name of it. That is probably the controller, and chances are they are using an off the shelf one for whomever made the CDroms they use. With the chip name & number, finding out how it is different then current CDrom standard and making some sort of an adaptor would hopefully be possible.

Another option is FM Towns are supposed to have a hidden compartment with a SCSI controller in it, see if you can boot up a SCSI CDrom that way.

 

I was aware of these pre-IDE proprietary CD-ROM controllers.One of this is the Panasonic CD interface, also known as the MKE CD interface (for Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics) , FM-TOWNS built-in CD-ROM unit are made by Matsushita and they have inside some Technics (same company as Panasoni/Matsushita) ICs but based on the command set, it doesn't appear to be like the Panasonic interface.Do you kniow something more about?

Sure, FM-TOWNS PC has a SCSI external port which you can connect SCSI CD-ROM but first you will need some drivers to be loaded so you can't boot from this unit.You can also launch executables hoping the game will run like shown in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B4UNjoZjBM

 

any news here?