Tignaynta USB-C-ka ee Cartridhka Nintendo ee Ku Dhex Jira: Epilogue SN iyo GB Operator
Shirkadda Epilogue, oo ku taalla Romania, waxay soo saartay laba qalab oo USB-C ah oo diyaar u ah inay ka akhriyaan oo u qoriyaan cartridhka Super Nintendo iyo Game Boy. Qalabkan ma ahan kuwo leh chip-yada Nintendo ee hore, balse waa akhriyaal oo u isticmaala emulator, iyadoo software-ka Playback-ka uu si toos ah uga qoro cartridhka marka la keydiyo.
Sida Qalabkan U Shaqeeyo
Epilogue SN Operator wuxuu ku baxaa $60, halka GB Operator-ka uu ku baxo $50. Labaduba waa akhriyaal oo USB-C ah oo ka akhriya cartridhka Super Nintendo, Super Famicom, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, iyo Game Boy Advance. Ma jiraan chip-yada Nintendo ee hore ama FPGAs, balse waa akhriyaal oo u isticmaala emulator si loo ciyaaro.
Software-ka Playback-ka Epilogue wuxuu si fudud uga qoriyaa cartridhka marka la keydiyo ciyaarta, isla markaana wuxuu toos uga joojiyaa marka la qaado cartridhka. Haddii cartridhku uu aad u dhacay, qalabkan wuxuu si degdeg ah uga joojiyaa ciyaarta, taas oo ah fursad iyo dhibaato isku jir.
Xad-dhaafyada iyo Dhibaatooyinka
Qalabkan ma shaqeeyo cartridhka flashcarts-ka badan, Super Game Boy, ama xaqiiqda cartridhka ee la sheegay inay si fiican u shaqeeyaan. Haddii cartridhku uu aad u dhacay ama uu aad u dhacay, qalabkan wuxuu si degdeg ah uga joojiyaa ciyaarta, taas oo ah fursad iyo dhibaato isku jir.
Cartridhka Game Boy ee hore ee leh batteriyada, sida Pokémon Gold, Silver, iyo Crystal, waxay u baahan yihiin inay keydiyaan save data-ka, balse batteriyada ayaa u dhaqaaqay. Haddii aad leedahay cartridhka Game Boy ee hore, waxaa laga yaabaa inay u baahan tahay inay keydiyaan save data-ka, balse batteriyada ayaa u dhaqaaqay.
Fursadaha iyo Shaqada Shirkadda
Epilogue waa shirkad Romania oo leh xirfadleyaal aad u fiican, sida Petru Sebastian Toader, oo uu sameeyay CRT filter-ka software-ka. Shirkaddu waxay ku bixisaa lacag iyo code-yaal emulator-yada furan, isla markaana waxay leedahay iskaashiga Delta Emulator iyo Flashback app-ka.
Qalabkan wuxuu si fiican u shaqeeyaa, balse shirkaddu waxay u baahan tahay inay si toos ah u sheegto xad-dhaafyada. Haddii aad leedahay cartridhka Game Boy ee hore, waxaa laga yaabaa inay u baahan tahay inay keydiyaan save data-ka, balse batteriyada ayaa u dhaqaaqay.
A new pair of USB-C cartridge readers from Romanian startup Epilogue lets users back up and play real Super Nintendo and Game Boy cartridges on modern PCs, Steam Decks, and even smartphones, though collectors should know the hardware has notable limitations.
How the Readers Work and What They Cost
The $50 GB Operator reads and writes to real Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges over a USB-C cable, while the $60 SN Operator does the same for Super Nintendo and Japanese Super Famicom titles. Both devices are transparent trapezoidal cartridge readers with no original Nintendo chips or FPGAs inside; instead, they save ROMs to a computer drive and play them via an emulator.
Epilogue's Playback software simplifies the process: plug in the reader, insert the cart, and hit play. The software automatically saves back to the cartridge when the user saves in the game and instantly stops the game when the cartridge is removed, creating a convincing illusion that you are playing on actual hardware.
Limitations and Battery Degradation Concerns
The Operators can be touchy about cartridge detection and may quit mid-session if cartridges are slightly dirty or damaged. They do not work with multi-game flashcarts, the Super Game Boy, and their counterfeit cartridge detection has been unreliable in testing. Additionally, original Game Boy cartridges with batteries may have lost their save data due to battery degradation, especially on second-gen games like Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal.
First-gen Game Boy games are also at risk; a 30-year-old copy of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening lost its save data last week despite having a working battery just a month prior. Epilogue should be more upfront on its product pages about the compromises users need to make, including these detection and compatibility issues.
Behind the Scenes and Future Plans
Epilogue's hardware is proprietary, but the Romanian company contributes money and code to open-source emulators. Co-founder Petru Sebastian Toader built the software's CRT filter himself, and every single SN Operator has its clockspeed factory-calibrated using satellites to avoid errors with certain SNES games. The company has also teamed up with the developers of Delta Emulator to allow plugging real carts into phones.
Epilogue has built its own Flashback app to turn phones into Game Boy Cameras, though the company's advertised webcam feature is more of an OBS screen recording hack. While the hardware is proprietary, the company's contributions to the open-source community and its innovative features make it a standout option for cartridge collectors and retro gaming enthusiasts.
Ilaha iyo xuquuqda sawirka
Sawir: The Verge Xigasho
