Super Wildcard SWC DX 32Mb – Front FarEast
Autopsy:
The Super Wildcard DX is a Backup Copier for Super Nintendo (Super Nes / Famicom) made by Front FarEast (FFE), and shipped with 32 megabits (4 megabytes) of RAM, expandable up to 96 megabits.
The top of the unit contains a female cartridge port for inserting SNES cartridges. The left hand side contains the floppy drive. The bottom of the unit contains the male cartridge port that inserts into the Super Nintendo on the back you can found the parallel port to interface with the computer.
When powered on, the unit launches into a graphical menu. Each of the menu’s 8 items lead to sub-menus:
- Wildcard Options allows users to run programs, transfer cartridges to disk, edit memory or obtain program information.
- Disk options allow users to format disks, rename files, delete files, edit files, and copy files.
- Realtime Save Options allow users to backup and restore real time save data.
- Password options allow users to edit, backup and restore passwords, and search for cheat codes.
- Cart options allow users to run a cartridge, transfer programs, transfer battery RAM, and edit memory.
- Game/Utility options include a PCX picture viewer, a freeware game (Shingles), and a demo (in Chinese).
- Setup options include screen setup, user message, and reset to default.
- Diagnostics include self test, Wildcard info, System info, and credits
The Super Wild Card DX it’s fast, simple to use, and reliable. Its memory editing capabilities and password features greatly expand the functionality of the SNES, and it’s high compatibility means almost anything can be dumped and played.
I’m an owner of a Super Wildcard SWC DX 32Mb – Front FarEast. After some time the floppy drive went faulty. Instead of changing it with a similar drive, I’ve changed it with a 3.5″ 1.2MB USB SSD Disk Simulation Floppy Drive Emulator for Embroidery Machines. Now I have all games on only two USB sticks since the drive emulator can only emulate 100 floppies per stick. I got rid of all that flimsy floppy disks ;)
@Geoffrey.Farrugia
Hello Geoffrey.
I’m interested in your conversion.
Was it an easy fix?
I also have a Wildcard DX and think it’s a good idea to play from usb stick.
Greetings,
Toine.
@Geoffrey.Farrugia
The FDD doesn’t go bad, it is the user at fault. If your FDD doesn’t play the games properly 99.9% of the time it is going to be the operating system you are using. These are friendly with MS-DOS operating systems all the way up to Windows ME. If you use Windows XP or any other NT kernel based O/s (windows 7, windows 8, windows 9, windows server 2000/2003/2003r2 etc), don’t expect your games to run properly because the NT kernel takes full control of the FDD from the BIOS and for some reason the SWC DX is not compatible with games written to FDD from any NT kernel based o/s.
I own two of these and they both run flawlessly. I’m looking for information about upgrading to 96mbit although I probably won’t bother and looking for SWC DX 96 BIOS before I swap out the chip. SWC DX 96 BIOS is not compatible with the SWC DX 94 and I notice that my SWC DX 95 has a different PCB and different circuitry inside so I am guessing there is a possibility that the SWC DX 96 BIOS might work with it.
@Toine
Toine, use Windows ME and below for writing games to floppy. I have tested this and verified fully that was the issue. I purchased a genuine cartridge of a game that I was having difficulties with to check this. I verified that writing the game from the copier to a floppy worked fine and then I copied the game in Windows XP and it still crashed and then I copied the same exact ROM file to floppy in Windows 98 and it worked flawlessly.
Windows 98 = MS-DOS 7.0 with a GUI. The GUI is not the operating system nor the kernel, MS-DOS 7.0 is. These copiers work fine with MS-DOS 5, 6.xx, and 7.
Also don’t crack open these things if you don’t know what you are doing. If it isn’t in need of repairs, don’t open it.
Toine.
Yes it’s an easy fix. Just unplug the FDD and plug the USB to FDD emulator.
The emulator have same interface as the FDD.
Disk switching is done by two buttons (forward & reverse) on the USB side of the emulator.
Search for “3.5″ 1.2MB USB SSD Disk Simulation Floppy Drive Emulator for Embroidery Machines” and you will have a better idea what I’m talking about.
@Toine
Toine.
Yes it’s an easy fix. Just unplug the FDD and plug the USB to FDD emulator.
The emulator have same interface as the FDD.
Disk switching is done by two buttons (forward & reverse) on the USB side of the emulator.
Search for “3.5″ 1.2MB USB SSD Disk Simulation Floppy Drive Emulator for Embroidery Machines” and you will have a better idea what I’m talking about.
Hi guys,
I recently got my hands on one of these but sadly without a power supply.
I’ve got a few weeks of work and my hands are tingling but I don’t want to fry it !
So could anyone off you tell me what kind of power supply I need for this baby?
@Rene
You don’t need a PS at all. It’s powered by the SNES.
Hi, I’m grateful if someone help me
I’m a super wildcard but I can not transfer my game to the floppy drive
Who can help me so that I can play my transfer from PC to device
Thanks, dear friends
Hi
Some of the game’s high capacity 1.44-owners would split the field who guide and ticks
My questions are Can I split a rom up into 2 or 3 parts & put them on 2/3 disks? or Is there another way I can play games over 1.44mb using my Super Wild Card?
Hi,
I just bought a floppy emulator meant for musical keyboard and tried to install to my SWC DX. It does read and write the thumb drive but it gives a black screen after loading the rom. Is it because of the floppy emulator (meant for musical keyboard)? Or do I have to get another floppy emulator meant for embroidery in order for it to work?