perhaps it's a prototype one of the Bung Game SF Doctors.. Some of them had M-PEG/VCD support with their custom CD Drive, and you would put them in carriage cases (as in the one included on that unit). Here's some links: [url]http://www.robwebb.clara.co.uk/backup/bung/bungcd.html [/url] [url]http://www.robwebb.clara.co.uk/backup/bung/bungsf7.html [/url] -- FH
The label on the underside of it says it's manufactured by "Pulstec", which checks out - they're a firm who do R&D samples for the optical media industry, by the sounds of it: http://www.ex.ac.uk/dsn/mt22jan01/pulstec/sld002.htm I'm still reserved as to what this is, though. A few more pictures showing the connectors etc would be nice.
I'll throw one more thing into this discussion. Why the hell does it have "Not For Sale" on it? Of course it's not for sale - why didn't they just right "Very Rare" on it too? That label is the only thing that made me suspicious. I've never seen a bta/dev.test system with that written on it. These things are so highly protected that the idea of sale is absurd.
I was thinking the very same think my self. I like the sound of FH's idea of it being a proto or Debug Game Doctor or something. I won't really be happy until they show pictures of the back of the system and the control port. Yakumo
Wow, quite a discovery. I'm not really sure myself on its authenticity, but I have seen the pad before, I don't know where but there's a file on my HD called "PSX proto pad.jpg" which is a picture of exactly that pad!
I think it's very possible it's some sort of Game Doctor prototype as well. Does anyone see any reason why it couldn't be? Oh, another area to check out would be the controller. I remember once somebody posted a bunch of playstation controller prototype pictures...does that controller compare to any of them? I can't find the pictures. I still think the dead giveaway would be the inside, someone would most likely recognize the SNES/SFC specific chips in there.
190% sure its not a Game Doctor prototype! Why is my title "Game Doctor"? A, backup units don't have "prototypes" such an idea is pretty silly. If you've ever seen inside a unit, you might understand... there really is no need. B, this is not by Bung/FFE/CCL, I know for a FACT. C, if it were a backup unit, it wouldn't be able to backup stuff. D, there NEVER was a VCD module for a SFC Doctor, the technology was put to use in the V64. This is simply not a possibility. E, the picture on Rob Webb's site is a Game Doctor SF3 drive, it uses a standard Matsushita 1/2x "MKE" CDROM drive. This is just an old IDE interface, if you've used computers before 1995, you'd know that LOTS of CDROM used caddys. This means nothing...
You guys mean this image? Also, I'm a bit skeptical, as if I remember right the whole concept of the Nintendo Playstation was that it was an addon for the SNES/SFC and was going to utilize the expansion port, not the cart slot or even be a seperate unit.
This is what I remember as well. I believe I read it in an older EGM issue, but I don't have it (I don't buy too many magazines).
Indeed, the SFC CD was gonna sit under the unit, much like the Satellaview. And Sony were gonna release a stand-alone 'Playstation' that was only compatible with the CD games. But surely there must be protos of back-up units. There must be some sort of protos before the units go and be manufactured...
Well, all computer devices developed are prototyped, I'm sorry if you feel that's a silly idea :smt009 And I am familiar with the guts of my two copiers! Cool! I personally would like more info on it, so if you have any to provide! ?? I'm not sure what you mean? If it's function was to solely see how it worked with a CD Drive, to load games, that's still a possibility (however slim anyone may feel!). But, there was also a pirate console which was a snes with CD in, I'll be damned if I can remember the name of it! (Gamestation, something?! I can't remember). It would load roms from disk - no cart; apparently very buggy too :/ Sorry for digressing, but a possible prototype for that?!! From sources, it says that was under development by bung; but that's getting away from the point - the fact is it could be *anything* (snes cd addon, psx/snes cd prototype, backup prototype, internet hoax, brick in a box!), and, for me, without seeing the innards, there's not enough to go on to say what is definately is, let alone what it definately is not!!! Just curious - do your posts mean to come across as angry??!! Apologies if I or others are saying something wrong, or that I've got the wrong end of this stick, no offence meant if that's the case. Yeah, I used computers before 1995 (?). I know the SNES CD was to use caddies. and I can see the Bung device used caddies; that was the only parallel I was drawning from that picture. -- FH
Backup units, factories... Nahunh. PCBs are made in the factory, things are assembled by hand... The only things that get machine placed in are surface mount components such as ASICs and sockets. Most aren't even PLD so that they can be upgraded without trouble. Sure there may have been ONE initial Game Doctor SFIII "pre-production" PCB, on perf board, discreet logic, and of course HAND wired, but DSFVIs and SF7s are simply SFIIIs with new ASICs and minimal modifications otherwise. The backup unit "prototypes" if they'd ever existed surely have been scrapped over and over a dozen times already for different projects. Of every line of copier, there are probably at most 3 different board revisions. This is because prototypes aren't economically feasible or necessary for enterprises whose net worth is under $500K. Because their foundation is set in stone and all logic is digital, instead of a prototype, they simply scrap one of their thousands of old copiers to build upon... 15 people at most worked for Front Fareast, two or three were techs. Bung had more workers but only had ONE primary tech. These aren't huge corporations and copiers aren't very complicated devices, their reputations preceed them. Sure someone like Sony would have a few dozen prototypes, but they're worth f(x)=Bung^fuckload.
Sorry, I am a little angry. I like backup units, perhaps too much and I'd hate to see people be misled. People talk a lot about copiers but little talk is reasonable or truthful. I'm only angry that people cite Rob Webb's site almost every day. Sometimes I convey my point in an angry fashion, this is because I feel its the only way I get heard... By not being able to backup I mean that there's no cartridge port. I have a GameStation, I'm sure thats what you'r etalking about. Its infact not made by Bung, its a bastardized mutation of a cloned SNES, cloned SF7, and a modified Game Doctor CDROM. It does have a cartridge slot expansion made from "header" pins on the back so it actuality, its simply a SNES & SF7, not a new creation. If anything, my guess is that this CDROM is A) legit, B) an empty case hoax. If someone says the name on the label checks out, I'd prefer to believe that. To me, this prototype looks a little too simple to be real. I could easily find a project case, put some lights and switches on it and call it a prototype.
Your 100% right Kyuusaku and have the right to be angry mate as FH is just talking nonsense. I think Kyuusaku is much more knowledgeable than robbwebb clara or whatever it is called and if you had been here long enough you would know that, his site is full of misinformation and pure crap...period. TRUST me if this was a backup prototype or anything along those lines kyuusaku would know, he is THE game doctor.
LOL!!! :smt043 Sorry, I don't do immature flaming!! I never said it was a backup unit - read the posts again carefully. Since when is being sceptical talking nonsense and being a twit!! No matter, kind regards! -- FH
When I first saw it with that cart port, I was a little suspicious. Why would it need a cart port and a socket? Well, it could indeed be that it goes on a SNES, and that it is just an interface. It is a CD to SNES cart interface (yes, it probably works much like a backup device!). It also has a cart slot so you don't have to remove the device to play cart games. Perhaps it takes power from the SNES? I admit this is unlikely, but it could answer Yakumo's question. There, that's my theory. It isn't a SNES CD machine, its a CD machine for a SNES, like a Mega CD or a PC Engine CD-ROM or a Jag CD.
