> As someone else said, when you switched to another game, it would
> initialize
> the joystick ports, and you'd lose your bank setting. I suppose one
> could
> modify the code for each game to not initialize the DDR for the second
> joystick
> port; then, as long as the game doesn't try to output to the port (none
> should
> except Video Touch Pad games), it will work... though you're limited to
> one-player games (two with paddles.)
>
> I see possibilities to develop a standalone cart this way... that pretty
> much provides
> bankswitching for a ROM up to 64k, and the hardware would likely be
> simpler and
> cheaper (?) than Wilkson's 128k cart design.
While this is simpler, it leaves you with only 1 joystick port, and no
external RAM. The RAM (and any battery backup you might add) really adds
cost to the Megacart. RAM size really isn't an issue...it's a binary
function. Either you add an extra chip and the board area that goes with
it, or you don't.
If I just built a 128K ROM cart, it'd knock about $5 off the parts cost.
-Chris
PS. I liked the latch idea...
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