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Kazzo NES Cartridge Dumper - Finally Build Your Own Legit NES ROMs Library. (20$+)

Seik

Banned
I always was an emulation enthusiast and when I heard this thing existed a few weeks ago, I ordered one instantly! I always wanted a way to be able to rip our NES cartriges. I have a Retrode+Plug-ins for SNES/GEN/N64/GB and I was kind of losing hope for everything NES-wise because I heard the only way to rip an actual cartridge was to possess a copyNES, which is a NES modded with an USB port in the back and those are quite rare nowadays.

But now this problem is gone because we have the Kazzo NES Dumper-Programmer (but I'll only be talking about the dumper part here.) and it is quite cheap for a minimum of 20$ (without shipping) for the device equipped with the 72-pin input, add 5$ and you'll have a FC input, another 5$ and it's an extra SNES input (though this one seems to be mostly for programming.). The Retrode alone is something around 75$ so the Kazzo, while it's a bare bone board, is quite cheaper and does the job quite well.

Since ripping NES games with this thing (Well, ripping NES games itself never was an easy task.) ain't so easy and I needed quite a bit of time yesterday to learn how to use it. I decided to make a tutorial for it since there doesn't seems to be any on the whole internet, so it'll make life easier for everyone that's interested I guess.

BABY STEP.

Really, because if you don't have this you won't be able to do much since it's not included with the device. You'll need an A/B USB cable. Buy it while you're waiting for the thing to reach your mailbox, you'll be salty if you're last minute.

rSxM381.jpg


STEP 1.

You got your Kazzo, prepare your body for a long session of ripping and make sure the switch on the board is at RUN and not BL.

3NdHlud.jpg


STEP 2.

You'll need the firmware/software package: Click here for download.

Plug your Kazzo in your PC (it won't recognize at first, it's totally normal) and start this file that will install the necessary drivers for your PC to recognize it. You're supposed to see the Kazzo in the plugged device list and you only have to choose it and click 'next'.

Tn6dD7V.png


STEP 3.

Now that it's done, the Kazzo doesn't work like the Retrode. It won't get recognized as an external hard drive to only copy/paste the ROMs out of it. You have to run this program right here (anago_WX)

4Iwmfen.png


STEP 4.

Equip your Kazzo with one of your favorite games, let's say...Mega Man V!

JF0Q0V3.jpg


STEP 5

The thing with NES games is that many of them are programmed differently and have different sets of chips that are in those. So you have to know which games have which scripts. At first I was going the try/error way but I found a complete list which is perfect.

Here's the list in question.

So all you need to do is to find your game in this list and choose it's corresponding script in anago_wx. Then all you need to do is to choose the folder where you want your ROM to be and give it a name.

B2mi1HX.png


STEP 6.

Rip dat ROM mah man.

A62M4jw.png


After this all you need to do is to test it with an emulator of your choice. If it doesn't work, try to clean your cartridge's contacts with a Q-tips and alcohol, it makes all the difference, even if it looks clean, count on me.

9ULZcyl.jpg


STEP 7.

If all seems to work fine, rinse and repeat for all your other games!

Enjoy having your own library of digital NES games, you can now play those on your PC, smartphone, Ouya or modded console in the most legit way and in the best image quality possible! :D

xokCjTb.png


Thanks to everyone at Infiniteneslives for making this possible! Here's where you can buy it: http://www.infiniteneslives.com/aux3.php
 

Storm360

Member
So, can the programming side of things be used to put roms on carts then play on actual hardware? i'd love to use translation patches on a few famicon carts i have here
 

Seik

Banned
Damn
This is surprisingly detailed!

Haha, thanks! :D Like I said I searched for a tutorial yesterday and never found one, so I decided to make one so next time someone will search for one maybe he'll find mine. :)

So, can the programming side of things be used to put roms on carts then play on actual hardware? i'd love to use translation patches on a few famicon carts i have here

I think it can, yes. Don't take my word on it though, I only ripped so far.

Is a ROM dump from a physical cartridge actually any more legal than one downloaded? I was under the impression they weren't.

Yes, the illegal side of things is if you distribute it, correct me if I'm wrong.

EDIT:


Oh....well...it is certainly more legal than downloading, I guess. :p
 
Lol at the name, I would like to see this advertised in Italy.

For those not familiar with Italian slang, cazzo is a gross term for a penis equivalent to cock in English.
 

Castcoder

Banned
Whoa, $25 to get one with NES and SFC? That is dirt cheap and very tempting, since these are systems where effectively perfect emulation is available.



To be fair, Nintendo also considered game rentals illegitimate. They don't have the final say.

Did Nintendo influence Japan to not allow game rentals?
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
much more interested in the flash cart on that page. I was just wondering this week or so how much effort it would be to get homebrew running on an actual NES unit..

edit - holy shit does that flash setup look fucking complicated.. I suppose to fuck around I could go with "just the basic mappers please" but I don't even know how to go about ordering that.
 
No italian-speaking gaffer has read the thread yet, the OP is hilarious with this thing's name.

Kazzo here, kazzo there, plug your kazzo into your pc, etc.

xD

cazzo = cock, for those wondering
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Was going to make a joke about the NES having a wicked dumper or something and leave, but yo. That's a really informative op. nice work.
 
In spite of that, it's considered legal by the legal system of the United States of America.

You are allowed to make at least one copy of any game, movie or what have you, so long as that copy is distributed alongside the original or destroyed, if you give the original to somebody else.

I suppose the burden of proof is on Nintendo to show that someone's use wasn't "Archival" in nature.
And I agree, that entire page is oddly imperative, but that's Nintendo Legal for you.
 
Intriguing, even if the NES (and SNES) library is almost totally dumped. A part probably some obscure Chinese bootleg and some pirate cart - good luck finding the MMC mapper with those.
Just a couple of question:
  1. It can produce only a complete .NES file, or can dump the roms separately?
  2. How it works for the SNES? It produces a raw dump or what?

No italian-speaking gaffer has read the thread yet, the OP is hilarious with this thing's name.

You're wrong, but almost all the ItalGAF is too educated to make some cheap jokes.
And I'm sure the pronunciation is different from the italian word.
 

ampere

Member

Are Game Copying Devices Illegal?

Yes. Game copiers enable users to illegally copy video game software onto floppy disks, writeable compact disks or the hard drive of a personal computer. They enable the user to make, play and distribute illegal copies of video game software which violates Nintendo's copyrights and trademarks. These devices also allow for the uploading and downloading of ROMs to and from the Internet. Based upon the functions of these devices, they are illegal.
Based on that paragraph, if you rip your own ROMs and do no distribute them you are fine. It doesn't matter what they enable you to do if you don't perform the illegal act.

It really doesn't matter if Nintendo likes it or not, personal backups of games are legal provided you do not distribute them.
 

Vitacat

Member
I see no good reason to do this instead of simply downloading a good ROM dump and being done with it. This is not more legal, and the results will be no different. Waste of time and money IMO.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Based on that paragraph, if you rip your own ROMs and do no distribute them you are fine. It doesn't matter what they enable you to do if you don't perform the illegal act.

It really doesn't matter if Nintendo likes it or not, personal backups of games are legal provided you do not distribute them.

Nintendo's actually not entirely off their rocker on this one. Certain devices that basically have no real value aside from infringing copyrights can be held to violate the DMCA. Of course, Nintendo's acting like being able to back up games isn't a real, viable use of these devices, which is dumb. I guess all I'm saying is that there is some logic to what they're saying... but it's about as twisted as one would expect from Ninty.

But yeah, dumping carts you own is completely legal, regardless of how Nintendo's legal team feels about it.
 

Seik

Banned
I see no good reason to do this instead of simply downloading a good ROM dump and being done with it. This is not more legal, and the results will be no different. Waste of time and money IMO.

Well, downloading a ROM, basically, is illegal, since it's someone else and not yours.

It is more legal imo, because it's you're personal cartridge and the data comes directly from it.

Waste of time and money? ...Well, like you said, that's your opinion my friend. 25$ to be able to have your own library with your own ROMs ain't that much and I think it's worth it. Especially if you like gadgets like this, I think it's fascinating.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Well, downloading a ROM, basically, is illegal, since it's someone else and not yours.

It is more legal imo, because it's you're personal cartridge and the data comes directly from it.

Waste of time and money? ...Well, that's your opinion my friend. 25$ to be able to have your own library with your own ROMs ain't that much and I think it's worth it.

I think the whole notion of "downloading is wrong, but expending energy to achieve the same result" is a little silly in this context, but Congress gonna Congress.
 
You're wrong, but almost all the ItalGAF is too educated to make some cheap jokes.
And I'm sure the pronunciation is different from the italian word.

No, it's just a phonetic spelling and asa native speaker I'm pretty much positive it sounds exactly the same, since before an A the letter C is pronounced like a K, while in other cases - e.g. before an E - it sounds like CH.
 

Seik

Banned
I think the whole notion of "downloading is wrong, but expending energy to achieve the same result" is a little silly in this context, but Congress gonna Congress.

I totally know what you mean and I'm aware that It's kinda silly and that I'm in a very little minority.

But I think it's great have options like this and to play around with products available for us like that. It's awesome that there's still people around that makes devices for retro gaming.

There's that part of me that just feels good when playing my own ROMs (even more with the OG controller hooked via USB adapter), it's psychological but I guess it doesn't hurt as long as you know it, haha. :p
 
Well, downloading a ROM, basically, is illegal, since it's someone else and not yours.

It is more legal imo, because it's you're personal cartridge and the data comes directly from it.

Waste of time and money? ...Well, like you said, that's your opinion my friend. 25$ to be able to have your own library with your own ROMs ain't that much and I think it's worth it. Especially if you like gadgets like this, I think it's fascinating.
Plus, even though it would be marginally interesting for NES, dumping your own saves before the battery dies on you is a pretty big deal.
I'd totally kickstart an all-in-one cart dumper for various platforms.
 

Green Yoshi

Member
Is the other way round also possible? To build your own NES games if you have the ROMs? I know that some companies created games for the NES in the 80s without signing a licence contract with Nintendo. Can't be rocket science.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
I totally know what you mean and I'm aware that It's kinda silly and that I'm in a very little minority.

But I think it's great have options like this and to play around with products available for us like that. It's awesome that there's still people around that makes devices for retro gaming.

There's that part of me that just feels good when playing my own ROMs (even more with the OG controller hooked via USB adapter), it's psychological but I guess it doesn't hurt as long as you know it, haha. :p

Nah, I totally get it. I bought a Retrode, so I'm in the same category of weirdo.
 

brainpann

Member
Really like the idea of this product but mainly for making translated repro's for my personal snes library. I REALLY like that they offer flash carts to be used specifically for this using new parts, and at a cheap price.
 
What about Famicom carts? Everyone always asks me to dump my bootleg Rockman 6 in 1 cart...

(they want to see what mapper it uses to create an American version...)
 

Seik

Banned
What about Famicom carts? Everyone always asks me to dump my bootleg Rockman 6 in 1 cart...

(they want to see what mapper it uses to create an American version...)

It works, you can have NES, FC and SNES.

EDIT: Whoops, I wrote 'SFC' in the OP, corrected.
 
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