Can anyone school me on Ultracade

ELutz

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A friend of mine just picked up an Ultracade. He was complaining about the cost of discs....and asked me if there was any "work-around". I've never seen the inside of an Ultracade.....and I honestly don't care to. He said it's basically a computer....and wondered if you could burn game ROMs to a CD and load them into it. I told him...I doubt it, but try it and see what happens.

So, anyone want to give me a quick schooling on this set up?

Thanks!
Edward
 
The inside of an UltraCade is using PC components, however, it has a custom operating system and you cannot just load ROMs onto a disc and install them. You can only load games using gamepacks that were made specifically for the machine. There is no "workaround"
 
The game packs were released on USB jumpdrives. There is a connection inside the coin door. When you hook up the jumpdrive, it automatically loads everything for you. Unfortunately, it also locks that jumpdrive to the cab ID it was installed on so that it can't be installed on another cab, forcing you to buy another upgrade pack.

Now, I'm not a hacker, so maybe that can be worked around, or perhaps it's best to copy the jumpdrive before it's installed...
 
The game packs were released on USB jumpdrives. There is a connection inside the coin door. When you hook up the jumpdrive, it automatically loads everything for you. Unfortunately, it also locks that jumpdrive to the cab ID it was installed on so that it can't be installed on another cab, forcing you to buy another upgrade pack.

Now, I'm not a hacker, so maybe that can be worked around, or perhaps it's best to copy the jumpdrive before it's installed...

Gamepacks were released on both CD and USB drive. Both CD's and USB drives were individually serialized in production. You can copy the CD's, but you must obtain an unlock code for the CD, and when you get that unlock code, the CD serial number is stored and cannot generate a new unlock code for a different machine id. You cannot copy the contents of the USB drive to another USB drive because the contents are locked to the specific serial number in the USB drives hardware, and the drive that you copy it to would have a different serial number and thereby not allow the contents to be installed.
 
If someone wanted to break this, they could, given the proper motivation. That said, I'm not aware of any currently existing way to do so.
 
If someone wanted to break this, they could, given the proper motivation. That said, I'm not aware of any currently existing way to do so.

If you know how to make it - you know how to break it. This security is like windows in your house. They're only good for keeping the honest people out.
 
There have been many attempts to break it, so far no one has succeeded. And I agree, it can be broken, it just hasn't been done to date.

I disagree about it keeping the honest people out. The entire purpose is to require customers to purchase the game packs and not just copy them without paying for them as was the request of the original posting. The customer didn't like the price, so he intended on copying them for free and was asking if it could be done.

In order to break the security, one would have to figure out the file system that is being used. That's where all current threads discussing cracking UltraCade have stalled.
 
The system sucks anyway. It was built with the "pocketbook" in mind, not the user... The best part was the menu system. Why not just build a nice MAME cab then you don't have to deal with all the bullshit and 100x more games are available (with more coming out every few weeks).
 
You can easily install a DOS based MAME setup on the existing hardware. You can even add a second hard drive and make it dual boot using XOSL to select which drive to boot on power up. XOSL can be configured to use the joysticks in the cabinet. If you want to use HyperSpin or other Windows based tools, you'll need to install a new computer as the system in there won't handle XP well.
 
There have been many attempts to break it, so far no one has succeeded. And I agree, it can be broken, it just hasn't been done to date.

I disagree about it keeping the honest people out. The entire purpose is to require customers to purchase the game packs and not just copy them without paying for them as was the request of the original posting. The customer didn't like the price, so he intended on copying them for free and was asking if it could be done.

In order to break the security, one would have to figure out the file system that is being used. That's where all current threads discussing cracking UltraCade have stalled.

I have copied games from system to system. Also, if you backup a dongle before installing it, you can restore it, and use it again. It's been a while, so I don't remember all the details, but it can be done.
 
I'm not allowed to comment on ongoing litigation. I've never been accused of making a "workaround"

Making a workaround would mean lower profits for his own illegal game pack sales, if you believe the allegations. I think the allegations were that he was selling unauthorized game packs, after selling the rights/licenses to Global VR. There are news articles out there about it.

Wade
 
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