FZ1-ODE Review - Drop-in Optical Disc Emulator for the 3DO!

VIDEO INDEX:
00:00 - Intro
02:13 - Compatibility
02:31 - External model
02:44 - Price
03:13 - Menu, Interface, Supported File formats
03:37 - Booting Need For Speed
05:12 - Load Time Comparison CD-ROM vs. ODE
06:25 - Quick Reset
06:54 - Game Queue Feature
08:09 - NVRAM Backup
09:09 - CD Audio
10:06 - Conclusion

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[berner]

This takes me back to the days where you're just finished high school, still live at home, have no priorities and hang out with your friends until like 2 o'clock in the morning in their parents' basement. I'd have a couple of friends I'd hang out with and I'd bring my 3D0 over and we'd have a blast. A couple of my favourite games were AD&D: Slayer, Escape from Monster Manor, Way of the Warrior, Shockwave and obviously a whole lot more.

[spawnlink]

Thanks for the great coverage. The attention is appreciated.

[MacGyver_Lamb]

I had a 3DO back in the day. It was a very fun console but over the years it was lost at some point (likely sold in a garage sale by my mom 😆).

I'm definitely interested in buying a used 3DO and installing the ODE.

[Cyrus_Nagisa]

I love that we have these "no CD" replacements for these older systems, between these and Flash carts, you could own every system with every game, and never worry about space ;p
well...other then 30 game consoles hooked up to your TV -.- lol

[MasterCWelch]

Lon you kick butt, just bought one of these.

[edt]

I'm a sucker for the classic gaming hardware reviews.

I want to keep my hardware original, but I would absolutely do this mod if the drive ever fails.

[marccaselle]

Great video Lon. 🙂. If I could afford a 3do, I would get this ODE adaptor because of the prices of the games themselves.

[MikeNovelli]

Road Rash.
So far ahead of it's time. Disc for the game + a Disc of just the audio included. Pretty sure that was my first introduction to Soundgarden. That was long before bands were allowing their music in games. ... If only they knew...

[michaelpegasiou]

That’s crazy cool, I had a 3do Japanese import in the uk way back in the day got good memories of it but wouldn’t try and do all this for nostalgia it’s so expensive now although I suppose it was never cheap but I wanted cutting edge back then 😊

[garypranzo]

I got newer one for $40 on Ali express that is much smaller and I was able to install without removing my CD drive. Works great.

[spawnlink]

Correction: The comment about SSF2T "CD audio" is not accurate. Games don't ever use Red Book audio. Games have to play audio themselves. Often AIFF or AIFC files are used as that was supported directly by 3DO Company and their software.

As for CD+G and VCDs... they *should* work. If it wasn't send the image to Fixel and he'll look into it.

[MasterCWelch]

Hi Lon, question. On your 9yrs retro review of the 3DO you mention Dolby Surround output. Do you know if current day recievers have this codec Included? I currently use a Sony DN1080 and it has alot of features. I remember buying a Sony Reciever for my PS2 back then that decoded Dolby Prologic 2 for the armored core games. So guess im getting to does Dolby integrate these older codecs into the upgraded versions of their codecs on receivers or other devices?

[jc]

Hey Lon!

Thanks a lot this video, another 3DO fan here. I was wondering what settings were you using on the retrotink 5x for this video? I've been trying tweaking the settings on mine and I'm happy with the results but it definitely doesn't look as good as yours.

I also have a Japanese 3DO with the 240p switch.

Thanks!

[pablogutierrez]

Hi!.

I would like to know how does it work the exchange of save file feature between the internal memory and the micro SD card.

As I understand, you can place the save files from the internal memory to the micro SD card.

So this way you can keep more than enough save files in the micro SD card, but:

It is possible to send the save files you need from the micro SD card to the internal memory of the 3DO every time you want?.

I ask this because I heard that you can use the save files of the 3DO and use them with an emulator, but I don't know if you can send them back to the 3DO internal memory.

Excuse me for the long message.

Thanks in advance.

[jothain]

Quite cool device. Expensive as hell though 😯

[adamdavis]

Lon, I threw in a 200 Gig Micro SD and noticed the program freezes up when you attempt to scroll through the games … have you come across this?

V/r,
Adam

[joshuaharper]

Where do you get this? Thanks, rant info.

[nickh]

So does this come with all the 3do games in it?

[ericochoa]

This is cool but man for that price you gotta really love the 3do though!

[jessragan]

Regrettably, I can't justify the cost. I own an FZ-1 from way back, but if you're jumping in from scratch, you're paying around two hundred dollars for the system itself and another two fifty for the ODE. At that point, you're well beyond Xbox Series S money and in the backyard of a Xbox Series X. Probably a wise investment for the dedicated 3DO fan whose optical drive is on its last legs, though.