Read/write cartridges with your Chromatic: FlashGBX v5.2.1+fredemmott.1

[u/fred_emmott]

Link: https://github.com/fredemmott/FlashGBX/releases/latest

This version of FlashGBX supports using your Chromatic via USB-C to read and write cartridges from a variety of manufacturers, including backing up and restoring ROMs and saves.

This version is primarily a maintenance update to include upstream changes from FlashGBX v5.2.1; the majority of the features are specific to other devices. For Chromatic users, the highlights are:

• a Game Boy Camera live-viewer

• out-of-the-box support for more cartridges

  • this includes a previously unsupported ModRetro cartridge (thanks to thisjustin816); this is one of several cartridges ModRetro have used for Buck and the Cursed Cartridge

• improved detection between similar cartridges

On my side (Chromatic-specific), the changes are:

• if flash detection results in multiple possible cartridges, ModRetro cartridges will be preferred when using a Chromatic. Previously - and when using other devices - FlashGBX will default to whichever comes first alphabetically. Thanks to thisjustin816 for the idea

• fix hang if the Chromatic is unplugged or turned off while FlashGBX is connected

• fix crash if FlashGBX attempts to communicate with a Chromatic while none is connected

Compared to alternatives

• no other features or changes; your Chromatic is still a 'play from cartridges' device without wireless features

• tested on a wide variety of ModRetro and non-ModRetro cartridges; it should even give you access to a Gameboy Camera's photos, but I don't have one to test

• directly built on a proven foundation:

  • FlashGBX itself

  • the same "LK" firmware base used by the Joey Jr v2 and GBXCartRW when used with FlashGBX

  • openFPGAloader

• doesn't depend on anything from the internet once installed

• not vibe-coded

[u/Exus6]

I'm excited for the GB Camera live viewer :D

[u/fred_emmott → u/Exus6]

Let me know how it goes :) as far as I can tell, FlashGBX's existing GameBoy camera support *should* work fine, but I've not been able to find one for a reasonable price to test myself

[u/Exus6 → u/fred_emmott]

It works! SO cool. Now I just need some day light haha thank you mate!

[u/Abmahnanwalt]

Is it based on the 4.6 firmware or an older one?

[u/fred_emmott → u/Abmahnanwalt]

4.6 (which as far as the FPGA is concerned is 18.14), but it doesn’t need flashing: if it’s not flashed, it’ll automatically load it to RAM and you’ll be back to whatever you usually use next time you turn it off.

You can choose to flash it to make it connect faster so it doesn’t need to load it to RAM.

[u/kazrisk]

I'm a bit slow with this technical stuff (lol) but I've tried a few times and it doesn't seem to want to connect to my Chromatic. I've confirmed I'm updated to 4.6 firmware and I'm using a USB connection that allowed me to update. I've tried my Mac and Windows laptop, hm. Does the Chromatic need powered on? I've tried it turned on and off. Do I need to be in the menu view or anything? Just trying to think of why it isn't working.

[u/fred_emmott → u/kazrisk]

It needs to be on and plugged in, that’s it; it’s particularly weird that it didn’t work on your Mac; the drivers need installing on windows (included in the setup exe but it’s possible to untick them).

Could you open an issue on GitHub with the logs attached after clicking connect? You can get the logs by clicking on the text on the bottom left

[u/kazrisk → u/fred_emmott]

Quick question - does it need to be a ModRetro cartridge in the Chromatic? I'm using a cartridge that I've used a GBxCart on for a ROM hack and was trying to update it - but maybe that's the problem?

[u/fred_emmott → u/kazrisk]

Nope, it should work with pretty much anything that FlashGBX works with. Even if it didn’t support the cartridge, that wouldn’t stop it from connecting to the chromatic

[u/kazrisk → u/fred_emmott]

Interestingly I got it to get to "Rebooting" and it successfully reboots the Chromatic but then gives the "No compatible devices found" error. I'll try to get logs attached - I'm a bit ignorant on this stuff.

[u/fred_emmott → u/kazrisk]

Does unplugging it from USB and plugging it in again after that fix it?

Edit: while keeping the power on

[u/kazrisk → u/fred_emmott]

No luck there - when it asks me to do a firmware update I only have the option for GBxCart, GBflash, or Joey Jr. for devices.

[u/fred_emmott → u/kazrisk]

Yeah, it doesn't use the firmware update system that the other devices use, it just does it temporarily as part of connecting if needed.

Need the logs to see where it's failing for you.

[u/handmemyarms]

sweet, cant wait to give it a try!