Replacement Neo memory cards?

TMOSteel

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Maybe this will have more luck in this forum:

Do we have a list anywhere of what memory cards can be used to replace the Neo 2K? Or for that matter is there a detailed technical description of the card?

With many of these reaching 14+ years old and no new productions on the horizon I think it would be useful to know what they can be replaced with.

(Although I have seen the article on replacing the Neo’s card battery I'd rather not go that route; sorry if I can’t remember who to credit for it).

Aside from the 2K card there's the 1MB card (arcade operator?) and the 2MB card, correct? Anybody know who makes them and the specific model number? I've also seen a Neo sell with a 256KB card but the auction picture wasn't that clear.

I have a link saved at home for a site that sells memory cards with a replaceable battery and would love to match one up to the Neo's specs. I figure this type of card would also be great for use with the Universe BIOS to save the region settings etc. since you'd never have to worry about killing the card and could leave it in all the time.

Please feel free to correct me on anything and add your two cents, thanks.

-Michael
 
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TMOSteel

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Can anyone tell me if this sounds like the correct replacement:

PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association)has jointly defined standard specifications for an
IC memory card system interface. Now the IC memory card
can be used as general-purpose media for exchanging data
between systems.

SRAM Cards: 68 Pin JEIDA 4.2/PCMCIA Rel 2.1:
• Available with or without attribute memory
• Tool less replaceable battery (CR2025)
• Contains a rechargeable sub-battery which provides data back-up for up to one hour during battery
changes.
• Type I Card

Thanks!
 

ki_atsushi

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Just buy a Neo memory card off of eBay. There's tons out there.
 

kernow

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JEIDA I believe the correct specification to be
 

SuperGun

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Neo Geo Memory Card FAQ

TMOSteel said:

Just a couple of weeks ago I brought up this very topic in a thread I started here on the forums. As a result I obtained some more information and I subsequently added this new info to the Neo Geo Memory Card FAQ. What you say is pretty much correct, just check out the thread if your interested.

Every so often I post the newest revision either here on the forums or on the Neo Geo Mailing List. Maybe rather then having to do that, one of the moderators could upload my FAQ to the FAQ section on this website?

Any mods here have that power? Let me know and I will either post the latest revision here again, or email the FAQ to the mod for permanent posting here on the website. I will edit this post with the results.

Billy Pitt
 

PUNJABEE

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There was a thread like this at DolphinLord's Neo Geo yahoo group. Someone (NeoBomberMan?) posted a picture of a 1 meg memory card that could work with the AES/MVS setups and it was not made by SNK.

It was a green one, I believe. I just looked at that page on yahoo and it seems the pictures are all gone.
 

TMOSteel

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SuperGun said:
Just a couple of weeks ago I brought up this very topic in a thread I started here on the forums. As a result I obtained some more information and I subsequently added this new info to the Neo Geo Memory Card FAQ. What you say is pretty much correct, just check out the thread if your interested.

Every so often I post the newest revision either here on the forums or on the Neo Geo Mailing List. Maybe rather then having to do that, one of the moderators could upload my FAQ to the FAQ section on this website?

Any mods here have that power? Let me know and I will either post the latest revision here again, or email the FAQ to the mod for permanent posting here on the website. I will edit this post with the results.

Billy Pitt

Billy-

Do you have a link to the Memory Card FAQ? I'd be interested in whatever info you have.

Before I go and spend the $$$ for a card that may or may not work I'd like to have as much information on hand as possible.

A lot of the sites selling the SRAM cards charge restocking fees or exchanges only so obviously I'd like to get it right the first time.
 

TMOSteel

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PUNJABEE said:
There was a thread like this at DolphinLord's Neo Geo yahoo group. Someone (NeoBomberMan?) posted a picture of a 1 meg memory card that could work with the AES/MVS setups and it was not made by SNK.

It was a green one, I believe. I just looked at that page on yahoo and it seems the pictures are all gone.

I believe thats the Panasonic card, if memory serves me.

I just found the eBay auction I saved as a .pdf document which shows the 256KB card. It's blue/silver/grey and looks to be Mitsubishi? It also says (unless I'm going blind in my old age already) "MELCARD" at the top.
 

TerryMathews

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I've purchased a 2MB PCMCIA SRAM card - I'll post when it arrives and I know if it works or not.

Earliest it could be here is Wednesday.
 

Neo Bomber Man

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PUNJABEE said:
There was a thread like this at DolphinLord's Neo Geo yahoo group. Someone (NeoBomberMan?) posted a picture of a 1 meg memory card that could work with the AES/MVS setups and it was not made by SNK.

It was a green one, I believe. I just looked at that page on yahoo and it seems the pictures are all gone.

That was actually DolphinLord who posted the picture, not me. It's probably still in the club photo section, or possibly even in the extention photo gallery club. That was the Panasonic one I think.
 

kernow

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Do you know how many saves you'll get on a 2MB memcard?


2700 ? as opposed to the normal 27 (which is also too much unless you are big-tyme)

why not just get a normal memcard ? its .. snk and stuff.. and they arent exactly rare or expensive

I mean shit, I have one :(
 

omnedon

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I would prefer 2700 saves to 27 any day of the week, and also the original SNK card could be put away fort posterity. :cool:
 

Neo Alec

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Are you sure they can always hold 27? Mine doesn't even seem to take that many. Maybe there's a big file on there. I don't use mine for this, but does anyone know how much space the Unibios AES settings take up on the card? All I know is that my card holds way less than I would like it to, and I'm constantly deleting stuff from it that I rather wouldn't.
 

ki_atsushi

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omnedon said:
I would prefer 2700 saves to 27 any day of the week, and also the original SNK card could be put away fort posterity. :cool:

Most original Neo memory cards are beat up from old age and/or the batteries are dying anyways. Might as well use them.
 

TMOSteel

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kernow said:
Do you know how many saves you'll get on a 2MB memcard?


2700 ? as opposed to the normal 27 (which is also too much unless you are big-tyme)

why not just get a normal memcard ? its .. snk and stuff.. and they arent exactly rare or expensive

I mean shit, I have one :(

Most of the SRAM cards today have two batteries: one that's replaceable and one that's rechargeable (for maintaining memory when you change the battery).

Read: REPLACEABLE

So not only won't you loose your saved games ever (in theory, basically the life of the memory card itself) but I had noted the + of this feature being used with the UNIVERSE BIOS.

If leaving the card in all the time saves the BIOS settings think of the possibilities (I would assume if the NEO is powered on the settings remain while you pull the card out to change the battery, but I think Razoola would be better at answering this than me).
 

TerryMathews

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TMOSteel said:
Most of the SRAM cards today have two batteries: one that's replaceable and one that's rechargeable (for maintaining memory when you change the battery).

Read: REPLACEABLE

Exactly. The 2MB SRAM card I purchased off eBay has an accessible and easily replacable CR2535 lithium battery for the memory. I chose it for that specific reason. I paid ~$35 for the card, and I felt much better than spending ~$25 for a legit Neo card.
 

TMOSteel

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TerryMathews said:
Exactly. The 2MB SRAM card I purchased off eBay has an accessible and easily replacable CR2535 lithium battery for the memory. I chose it for that specific reason. I paid ~$35 for the card, and I felt much better than spending ~$25 for a legit Neo card.

Damn, $35 for a 2MB card, nice deal! Was it new/used? What brand was it?

The cheapest I have found new was $60-70 and that was for a 1MB card with dual batteries and 2K attribute memory (don't know if the Neo needs a card with the attrib or not but most sites say it can't hurt to have it).

Let me know if/how it works when you receive it.
 

TMOSteel

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Just a follow up on this post:

Picked up a 4MB Panasonic SRAM card on eBay for $29.00 (finally). It's the type with an internal battery (rechargeable) + a replaceable Lithium-Ion battery.

Works like a charm (just needed a replacement battery; although "new" it's an older Panasonic card) and has plenty or room for saved games.

Just finished copying all my saved games from my OEM Neo Geo 2K card and put that one away for safe keeping (after deleting the saved games).

There are plenty of them out there on eBay from various manufacturers, new and used. Just do a search for "SRAM" and go from there.
 

daybona

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Its also possible to replace the battery in your memory card.

Hardmvs.com has a very good faq on how to replace the battery. I just picked up the battery, took out the old one, resoldered the new one and glued everything back together, so I only spent 3 bucks instead of 30.
 

TMOSteel

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daybona said:
Its also possible to replace the battery in your memory card.

Hardmvs.com has a very good faq on how to replace the battery. I just picked up the battery, took out the old one, resoldered the new one and glued everything back together, so I only spent 3 bucks instead of 30.

True, you can replace the battery, and I have read that article as well (see my initial post and thanks for the tip that it was Hardmvs.com!).

But it's not really as easy as "took out the old one, resoldered the new one and glued everything back together" for the average user. There is also the possibility of damaging the case or the card itself. Add to that just the pain hassle involved in actually doing it: the whole "time is money' thing" etc. etc. which really equates to more than three bucks (that's what sticks in your head when you take Economics 1 & 2 in college!).

For me replacing the OEM battery would only be a last resort when it fails. Plus the fact that the larger memory gives you almost "unlimited" storage for games all on one card. I have not yet purchased a Universe BIOS as of yet so I cannot test if the region settings are saved if the card is left in and the Neo turned off.

If that is in fact the case you'd still have to replace the OEM battery over and over again in the same manner as the article states.

I'll PM Razoola and see if he can confirm anything.
 

Razoola

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The region settings are saved on the memory card when the Universe Bios is on an AES system.

Raz
 

Neo Si

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There's 3 of these PCMCIA cards on Ebay atm. One is a Mitsubishi Melcard jobbie, but a 2m one. There's also an Epson and a Transcend, both 1m.

The Transcend is damn cheap. No idea if it works, but i'll get it if it stays cheap and post results.
 

TMOSteel

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Razoola said:
The region settings are saved on the memory card when the Universe Bios is on an AES system.

Raz

That's just what I wanted to hear. Thanks Razoola for confirming it.

So again, another advantage to using an aftermarket card with replaceable battery, provided you have the Universe BIOS.
 

daybona

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Razoola said:
The region settings are saved on the memory card when the Universe Bios is on an AES system.

Raz

so when you load a game it automatically goes to the region you were in when you saved??
 
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