Hardware: Nintendo 64 - Doctor 64 Game System: Nintendo 64 Cheat Category: FAQ Game Company: Unknown Game Category: Unknown Hint, Cheat, Walkthrough:   Doctor64 FAQ V1.1 Since there's a serious lack of solid, V64 info around, I've decided to compile a file containing answers to frequently asked questions and write about my hands-on experience. I know this faq is put together rather quickly, but I think it is more important at this time just to supply the info. Future versions of this faq will have more info and a better layout. ********* CONTENTS: ********* I Frequently asked questions II How to... III Other interesting info IV Games V Tools VI Verdict ******************************* I Frequently asked questions ******************************* Here is are some general answers to frequently asked questions. More questions will be added when I receive them. Q: What is the Doctor V64? A: It is a device manufactured by Bung Enterprises. It's primary purpose is to copy and play games in conjunction with a Nintendo64. The Doctor V64 can also play Video CDs, CDIs and audio CDs. Q: What are the specifications? A: The device features an 8 speed CD drive. Included as standard are 128 Megabits (16 MB) of RAM, an adaptor and an audio-video cable used for connecting the N64's video output to the Doctor V64's video input. It also has SRAM, which stores savegame info. A special 'game tape adaptor' is included which is to be inserted between the Nintendo64 and an original cartridge. Another adaptor is included which is to be inserted between the N64 and the V64. The Doctor V64's bios is also easily upgradable by parrallel cable or CD. Q: What does the Doctor V64 cost? A: Depends on where you buy it. Around $400 to $450 is the most common price. Q: How does the unit work? A: It uses its internal RAM to store the game data. This data can be loaded into RAM by either the CD-drive, through cartridge or through parrallel cable. After the data is loaded, the Nintendo64 can be turned on. The 'game tape adaptor' routes the signals of the lockout-chip (included in the original cartridge) to the N64 and by doing so effectively 'tricks' the N64 into thinking it is playing a perfectly normal cartridge. The actual game data is provided through the N64's expansion port. Q: Have you encountered any problems so far? A: Yes: Because of the rather loose connection between the combined units, the setup is extremely vulnarable to shocks, most of the time resulting in errors in both the graphics and sound of the game. A good solution is to use a piece of elastic to squeeze the units together. I've had no problems ever since. When I tried to play a PAL CDI, I got a black and white screen on my television, even when the switch at the back was set to PAL. Pressing the 'previous','next','FR' or 'FF' will result in a color display. The playback is also quite choppy. Haven't had the chance to play anyhting NTSC. SRAM is sometimes deleted. There's no known way to transfer the contents of the Doctor V64's SRAM to the PC yet. The flexible bios system may provide a solution for this problem in new bios instalments. *************** II How to... *************** * load a game to the V64 from PC: -Turn on the V64 -Execute TPC.EXE on the PC -Enter the filename you wish to send -When the transfer is complete, turn on the N64 to play the game * load a game from CD: -Turn on the V64 -Insert the CD -Press 'play' on the V64 -Turn on the N64 when the game is loaded * backup games: For a 64 Meg game -Plug the cartridge into the V64's cartridge slot. N64 has to be removed! -Turn on the V64 -Press 'FR' and 'FF' simultaniously -When the V64 is ready loading the cartridge, run TPC.EXE -Type '/filename' to transfer the game from the V64's memory to PC For a 128 Meg game -Plug the cartridge into the V64. -Turn on the V64 -Press and keep holding down 'FR', 'FF' and 'CH' until you see 128 Megs are being copied -Run TPC.EXE when the cartridge is loaded -Enter '/filename' and while pressing 'CH' press enter * upgrade the bios from PC: -Turn on the V64 -Execute TPC.EXE -Transfer the biosfile just as you would a gamefile * upgrade the bios from CD: -Turn on the V64 -Insert the CD containing the new bios -Press 'play' **************************** III Other interesting notes **************************** Users of PAL televisions with a RGB-modified N64 also need to setup the units differently then intended; the conventional method results in only the composite video signal of the N64 and the audio to be rerouted through the Doctor V64 to the TV. Even when the PAL/NTSC switch on the back is set to PAL, the signal will still be 60 Hz and will result in a black&white picture on most TVs. There's a simple way to maintain your RGB signal though and this is done by leaving the RGB cable of the N64 in your TV. The video-output of the Doctor V64 can be connected to another TV, or another SCART or A/V socket on the same TV. I've got the N64 connected to SCART-1 socket (extern 1) and the Doctor V64 to the Scart-3 socket (extern 3). This way, I only have to switch between the extern-1 and 3. The A/V signal of the Doctor V64 still is 60 Hz, so you'll get a b&w menu on a PAL TV. This is not important however, because the menu only displays info about the state of the unit (how many Megabits are received, which game is loaded etc.) The adaptor that comes with the system is intended for Chinese sockets. The input has to be 220 Volts, 50 or 60 Hz. In Europe, users can use a special socket, or, as I did, just tape a cable to the pins of the adaptor and attach a plug of your own country to the other end of the cable. Just make sure the pins are well isolated! ********** IV Games ********** So far, the Doctor V64 is known to work with every game released. Let's hope it stays that way! Here is a list of all games currently available: name developer version size ííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííí Cruis'n USA Midway US 64 Killer Instinct Gold Nintendo/Rare US 128 Kuiki Uhabi Suigo Seta Jap 64 Mahjong Master Athena Jap 64 Mario 64 Nintendo Jap 64 Mario 64 Nintendo US 64 Mariokart 64 Nintendo Jap 128 Mariokart 64 Nintendo US 128 Mortal Kombat Trilogy Midway US 128 NBA Hangtime Midway US 128 Perfect Striker Konami Jap 64 Pilotwings 64 Nintendo/Paradigm Jap 64 Pilotwings 64 Nintendo/Paradigm US 64 Proyakyu King Imagineer Jap 64 Shadows of the Empire LucasArts US 128 St. Andrews Golf Seta Jap 64 Wave Race 64 Nintendo Jap 64 Wave Race 64 Nintendo US 64 Wayne Gretzky Hockey Midway US 64 Wonder Project J2 Enix Jap 64 Here are official release dates of future games to look forward to: name developer release date version íííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííí Virtual Pro Wrestling Asmik Februari Jap Dynamite Soccer 64 Imagineer Februari Jap Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Acclaim/Iguana March 4 US Powerful Pro Baseball 4 Konami March 14 Jap Doom 64 Midway March 16 US Blast Corps Nintendo/Rare March 21 Jap Blast Corps Nintendo/Rare March 24 US FIFA Soccer '97 EA Sports March 25 US Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Acclaim March 28 Jap Blade & Barrel Kemco March Jap Doreamon Epoch March Jap Honkaku Yonin Uchi Mahjong Video System March Jap Rev Limit Seta March Jap Wild Choppers Seta March Jap Starfox 64 Nintendo April 27 Jap Ikazu no goto ku Seta April Jap Yuke! Yuke! Trouble Makers Enix April Jap Dark Rift Vic Tokai May 10 US Robotron X Midway May 15 US Morita Shogi Seta May Jap Mission: Impossible Ocean June 10 US War Gods Midway June 15 US Starfox 64 Nintendo June 23 US Clay Fighter 63 1/3 Interplay June US Hexen 64 GT Interactive June US Multi-Racing Championship Imagineer June Jap Shadows of the Empire Nintendo/LucasArts June Jap Goemon 5 Konami Spring Jap Goldeneye Nintendo Spring Jap Hexen 64 Gamebank Spring Jap Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Hudson Spring Jap Mission: Impossible Victor Interactive Software Spring Jap Goldeneye 007 Nintendo Summer US Lamborgini 64 Titus Summer US MLB featuring Ken Griffy Jr. Nintendo Summer US Perfect Striker Konami Summer US Robotech: Crystal Dreams Gametek Summer US Bomberman 64` Hudson Soft Summer Jap Body Harvest Nintendo/DMA Summer Jap Cavalry Battle 3000 Japan System Supply Summer Jap Chameleon Twist Japan System Supply Summer Jap Climber Nintendo Summer Jap Cu-On-Pa T&E Soft Summer Jap Dual Heroes Hudson Soft Summer Jap Golf Nintendo Summer Jap Human Grand Prix in Formula 1 Human Summer Jap Human Wrestling Human Summer Jap J-League Live 64 EA Victor Summer Jap Jikkyo Golf Tournament '97 Konami Summer Jap Kirby's Air Ride Nintendo Summer Jap Magic Century Eltale Imagineer Summer Jap Sonic Wings Assault Video System Summer Jap Super Power League Baseball Hudson Soft Summer Jap Tetrisphere Nintendo Summer Jap Top Gear Rally Kemco Summer Jap Yoshi's Island 64 Nintendo Summer Jap San Francisco Rush Midway October US Top Gear Rally Kemco October US Duke Nukem 3D GT Interactive Fall US WCW Wrestling T-HQ Fall US Buggie Boogie Nintendo '97 Jap Buggie Boogie Nintendo '97 US F-Zero 64 Nintendo '97 Jap F-Zero 64 Nintendo '97 US Zelda 64 (64DD?) Nintendo '97 Jap Zelda 64 (64DD?) Nintendo '97 US Actua Golf Nintendo '97 US Body Harvest Nintendo/DMA '97 US Command and Conquer Virgin '97 US Condemned Acclaim '97 US Crazy Cars Titus '97 US Creator Nintendo '97 US Cruis'n World Midway '97 US Deadly Honor TecMagik '97 US Freak Boy Virgin '97 US Hed Ubi Soft '97 US Joust X Midway '97 US Lode Runner 64 Bandai '97 US Mr. Tank GT Interactive '97 US Quake 64 Midway '97 US Quarterback Club '98 Acclaim '97 US Raze Interplay '97 US Rotor Gunner TecMagik '97 US Space Station: Silicon Valley BMG Entertainment '97 US Tetrisphere Nintendo '97 US Turok 2 Acclaim '97 US Ultra Combat GT Interactive '97 US Ultra Descent Interplay '97 US Ultimate Racer Acclaim '97 US WWF Wrestling Acclaim '97 US Yoshi's Island 64 Nintendo '97 US Great Emperor of the Jungle Nintendo Spring 98 Jap ********** V Tools ********** Here's a list of all known Doctor V64/N64 tools and biosversions released so far: name remarks íííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííííí Doctor V64 bios v1.01 VCD playback only Doctor V64 bios v1.02G Doctor V64 bios v1.03 + up/download games Doctor V64 bios v1.04G Doctor V64 bios v1.05 + improved (?) PAL VCD playback, file transfer errors fixed, faster transfer Doctor V64 bios v1.05G Doctor V64 bios v1.08G TPC upload/download tool v1.0 Needed to backup games Cart Identifier v0.2 (PC & Amiga executables) Cart Identifier v0.3 (PC & Amiga executables) Disassembler v.8 beta for N64 images New&improved Windoze version in the works! N64SHELL lightbar RS232 loader Lightbar controlled transfer program, also displays full gamename Cart header converter for GD64 files VD64 image header editor ************ VI Verdict ************ The Doctor V64 is one cool device that lets you play any game out there right now. Through the clever use of an upgradable bios and the 'game tape adaptor' this copier has the ability to adapt to protective measures Nintendo may apply to their games in the future, such as new lockout-chips. The games themselves run perfectly, with absolutely no difference between the cartridge and the copied version. Although the loading times are quite long through parrallel cable, 40 Megs per minute, the results are well worth it! Another option is to burn the game to CD, which should result in a loading time of about 10 seconds for a 64 Meg game. So far, the bios only supports one file per CD though. Rumors indicate a new bios, version 1.1, is about to be released which supports multiple files. As an MPEG player, the Doctor V64 scores low in my opinion because of the choppy playback of PAL CDs. As a games copier, it is almost perfect. Almost, I say, because the use of the SRAM is still shrouded in mystery. Maybe future bios upgrades or tools will provide a solution. Despite all this. I heavily recommend this unit to any self-respecting gamer. The initial investment may be a bit steep, but it will be more than worth it. Buy this sucker!