I know the Mega Drive Everdrive can't load Mega CD games but is it possible to do? Can a Mega CD game image be loaded via cartridge? The reason I ask is because the Mega CD has a very poor Sony made laser and units are dropping like flies. Even my own unit is a bit iffy at time. I would love to keep my Mega CD 1 console but I just know that one day the drive will fail.
I'm not sure about CD images but I know the Everdrive can load a different Mega CD/Sega CD region's BIOS, allowing imports to run without modding the Mega CD/Sega CD.
If worst comes to worst and it isn't possible, after the PSIO is completed they're going to work on the MegaCD version. (PSIO being a sd loader for the ps1 in case you wasnt aware.)
I've noticed some of those dumped disc images won't work on the original hardware via a CD-R but work fine in an emulator. I wonder if this new board would allow those games to work.
It's possible to load a Mega CD game ( in theory ), but it won't run ( correctly ). Games communicate directly with the Mega CD using the I/O PORT for a host of things ( including CD access ), and those instructions can't be intercepted.
I know you can load a Sega CD/Mega CD BIOS from the Everdrive. For example: you can load a Japanese Mega CD BIOS on a Genesis/Sega CD combo using a flash cart then use that to play Japanese imports on an unmodified Sega CD.
A lot of dumped discs have been dumped improperly. Try to get a TOSEC set if you want properly dumped discs.
BIOS are different from CD images. BIOS are basically cartridge that are built into CD system and is loaded when the cart slot is empty. CD images has to be loaded like a real CD to work. It is possible to make a substitute device to replace or bypass CD mechanism and stream ISO into the console the same way CD loads. Something like how PS-IO works for Playstation. Sega CD and Turbografx (or PC Engine or Duo) CD needs to be done the same way. There's a talk of doing SD card mod for Saturn system and some other consoles (DC, 3DO, and GC) can already run games off SD. PS2 and 3 and XBox runs off hard drives. I haven't paid any attention to Neo Geo (fucking expensive) so I don't know if NGCD has SD option or not.
I'd be surprised if some type of iso loader comes out for the mega cd. There can't be that much of a demand, so its going to take a hardcore hobbyist with the personal interest to do it. Kinda like how gdemu started. He wasn't planning on selling it but more of hobby project for him. But perhaps he will create something for the sega cd (I hope its for a model 1 )
