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Preserve Your Games with the Open Source Cartridge Reader (www.retronews.com)

submitted 15 hours ago by Kain1@lemmy.world to c/retrogaming@lemmy.world

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The Open Source Cartridge Reader (OSCR) is a versatile tool designed to help preserve video game cartridges and save data. Developed by Sanni and the community, this device allows users to back up ROM files and save games from a wide range of vintage consoles.

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[-] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Honestly, as cool as this is, I just keep collections of downloaded entire game libraries like PS1, PS2, PSP, 3DS, NDS, GB, GBC, GBA, etc.

I'm more interested in preserving my save games, which I can dump myself on my modded 3DS for 3DS and NDS games, plus my PSP I can just copy paste those save games from the memory card. Those are more what is really irreplacable. Everyone has my games, not everyone has my save games.

[-] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Idk about this one but my GB/C/A dumper can do both the ROM and the save (well, no save on GB because there are no batts, but on the C and A it can.).

I used it to back up my Pokemon Yellow cart, solder in a new batt, and put my save back on the cart.

I assume this likely can do the same with at least most of those systems. But out of your listed systems GBC/A would be all you need as this doesn't seem to do disks but only carts, you could just get a dedicated GBC/A dumper for backing those up, idk if they still sell the Joey Jr but that's the one I use.

[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 30 points 10 hours ago

Better make a full copy of this project before Nintendo comes after it too.

[-] xenoclast@lemmy.world 10 points 10 hours ago

At this point are there any cartridges on earth I couldn't find a torrent of in about 2 mins on Google? They'd have to be deliberately being kept for rarity.

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 11 points 6 hours ago

Probably not, but it does add a touch of legitimacy to the claim that emulators are for playing your own backed up games.

[-] ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 hours ago

Nintendo doesn't even care about that so tbh fuck em.

[-] Couldbealeotard@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

Did that claim have any actual grounding in reality? Or is it just an urban legend that keeps persisting?

[-] skulblaka@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 hour ago

It did, yes. Emulators as a piece of software that does not do anything illegal are not themselves illegal. But piracy is illegal, and downloading roms of games you haven't purchased constitutes piracy. But if you purchased a game and used an emulator to play it that's a perfectly valid use case that falls within the law.

Nintendo has been trying to push the envelope on that for years though. And it seems like they might recently be succeeding in some fashion.

[-] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 7 points 7 hours ago

Very few. However, this type of devices can also backup saved games.

[-] x00za@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 9 hours ago

It's not meant for you obviously.

[-] Psythik@lemmy.world -1 points 5 hours ago

Yeah honestly, what is the point of these devices when literally every retro game ever already has a perfect 1:1 dump available for instant download all over the internet? Why are new cartridge dumping devices still being produced? Even the rarest of rare games have easily-obtainable ROMs available. Who are these meant for?

[-] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 5 points 4 hours ago

There are still undumped games.
This device can also backup saves.

[-] xenoclast@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

That's pretty neat about save games, actually.. but this seems like a service tool not a purchase for everyone.

I definitely believe there are a few handfuls of games out there that need dumps. Most of them are owned by collectors who don't want the value of their collection to go down. Eventually they'll die and we'll get those too.

[-] _sideffect@lemmy.world 31 points 14 hours ago

Someone should buy this and then charge like $5 to backup someone's cartridge for them.

Too expensive for everyone to own

[-] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 3 points 11 hours ago

Yeah seriously.

Also are we not at a stage where most games have been dumped perfectly already?

[-] NewNewAccount@lemmy.world 26 points 11 hours ago

This is for preserving one’s own library, which makes emulation fully legal instead of the wink wink “legal” that many gamers find themselves in.

[-] Fergie434@lemmy.world 6 points 10 hours ago

Some people care about piracy laws?

[-] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 5 points 7 hours ago

Nintendo bootlickers salty about having to pay a subscription for Super Mario Bros.

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[-] RiQuY@lemm.ee 37 points 14 hours ago

Official site: https://www.cartreader.net/

[-] vaguerant@fedia.io 49 points 14 hours ago

US$249.99 ready-built, for anybody curious. Not saying it's not worth that, but that will price a lot of people out of it.

[-] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 24 points 14 hours ago

Me.

I was like "oh cool!"

And then I saw the price.

[-] LowtierComputer@lemmy.world 3 points 8 hours ago

I had someone build one for me a while back. I don't have any rare cartridges, but the games my dad and I played together have saves that I value. Hopefully the thing works!

[-] v1605@lemmy.world 11 points 13 hours ago

Yeah if you can do it yourself it's about half that. Save the hero builds an older revision but it's also cheaper.

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[-] henfredemars@infosec.pub 17 points 14 hours ago

This is really cool, but I wonder how long it’ll last before they are bullied with legal threats.

[-] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 2 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Cartridge dumpers have existed for decades. They are 100% legal, just like any physical media player (VCR, DVD player...).

[-] RiQuY@lemm.ee 15 points 13 hours ago

I think dumping your game cartridges is legal, otherwise you couldn't emulate games legally.

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 5 points 8 hours ago

Nintendo sent a bunch of thugs to the home of an emulator developer last week, and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Everything he did was legal, but that doesn’t stop Nintendo from literally threatening harm to your family.

[-] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 2 points 5 hours ago

If you dump a game cartridge, Nintendo can kill your wife.

[-] peto@lemm.ee 5 points 10 hours ago

The thing about legal threats is that they can work even if the theory they are based on isn't any good. Fee-shifting isn't always guaranteed, if it is available at all. Capital has already budgeted for its lawyers this year, have you?

[-] BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago

Yep, this even has a name, SLAPP.

[-] peto@lemm.ee 3 points 6 hours ago

I'm not sure if this would strictly be a SLAPP rather than general litigious bullying (GLiB has a nice ring to it actually.)

In this respect though open sourcing it was a good move. Even if the creator were to be blocked from distributing, it's out there.

[-] Ferris@infosec.pub 4 points 12 hours ago

yes tiptoe around that eula

[-] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 8 points 12 hours ago

Since when did cartridge games have EULAs?

Also: in sane countries (i.e: not the so-called US), EULAs don't overwrite civil laws.

The only dangersis when DRM is circumvented.

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 hours ago

In glorious people-protecting America, we actually have something called “shrink wrap” EULAs which state that you agreed to the terms by opening the box. Even if those terms were inside the box.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrinkwrap_(contract_law)

[-] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 2 points 8 hours ago

Wow... but did e.g. Gameboy games have those?

[-] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 hours ago

I honestly just assumed they did because everything does, but thinking back I don’t recall noticing one in the box but I was young and may have just tuned it out. I hope someone else here can recall!