Customer Reviews

Interact DexDrive

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let me tell you, DexDrive is worth every single penny you spend. Just the memory card on your hard drive feature is worth it. With it, you have unimaginable number of memory card. And with the addition of online download and upload, it is like addition of infinity new possibilities. you could download other gamers rpg games, you could show the world your wrestling character creations, and you could even download GameShark cheat codes off the net. I have played an rpg for five straight days in a row to find out my file was corrupted, so I got so discuraged, that I stopped playing, but with dexdrive, I downloaded someone elses file at the exact same location. DexDrive was not only a lifesaver for me, but a lifegiver, I gave files to others who were totally frusterated, and it made them totally happy. Trust me, if you own a Playstation, get this.

If you have a PC and a Playstation, this is a great thing to have. Not only does this thing count as nearly infinite memory cards (limited only by the space on your harddrive), you can go online and download saved games that other people have made, backup your memory card (you only need one if you have the DexDrive!), and trade saves with your friends even if you don't have the internet (using 3x5 floppies, zip drives, ect....). The DexDrive is definitly a must-have for anybody with a Playstation and a PC. Don't wastre your money on 2, 3, or more memory cards ;)

The DexDrive is the best thing you can buy for your Playstation. Having what is virtually a unlimited amount of memory cards is enough of a reason to pick one up, but the best reason is to swap game saves over the net. That feature can be priceless at times. Before you pick one up, make sure that you have the right serial port needed to plug one into your computer.

Talk about your bright ideas--initially introduced as a money saving peripheral, this ingenious little device allows you to archive your N64 (Nintendo 64), and PSX (Playstation) save games on your computer's hard drive--thus allowing you to erase, and re-use the memory card(s) instead of buying extras. Perhaps the first real attempt at bridging the gap between consoles and the PC (an innovative feat in it's self), Interact expanded Dex Drives' functionality further by gracing it with a couple of other convenient, and innovative functions aside from being a memory card money saver.

Interact even figured out a clever way for Gameshark users to get some use from it too since they could download new game codes in what was called a "code save" to a memory card, then upload the new codes directly into the Gameshark from the memory card as opposed to having to manually program the codes in one letter, and number at a time--a feature you come to appreciate after the first time you've spent over 2 hours manually programming new codes into your Gameshark. Yet another innovative function the Dex Drive posesses is the ability to email save games to your friends. This is very handy for lots of things--a friend of mine who also has a Dex Drive used to exchange his CTR (Crash Team Racing) time trial ghost saves with me to compete against--this is just one example. People lucky enough to still have one can still use it for all these purposes (except downloading the code saves unfortunately) if you still have some PSX, and/or N64 games, which makes it a great value (given that it usually sells for just a fraction of it's original launch price) just in the money you save on memory cards.

The downside to the Dex Drive however was that by default, it could only be attached to COM 1 on your computer, and no other. I discovered this glitch after having trouble getting my computer to see it, and called InterAct's tech support, and found I'd attached it to the wrong COM port. Unfortunately, this means that people with both PSX and N64 versions cannot not attach both to the same computer--only alternate them, or connect them to seperate computers. I have heard of, but never seen USB versions of the Dex Drive available that sidestep this issue (by virtue of being USB), but they're hard to find--N64 versions in particular as they always seemed less common than PSX versions. The driver for it also comes on floppy disks, which can go bad over time (like mine did), and the driver can be a pain to find on the web--thus, it's advisable to copy, and burn the driver to CD promptly. Also, Dex Drive is not compatible--even a little with PS2. The next best option for that is Dex Drive's successor, the "Shark Port" which has all the same functions on early PS2's (the older type made before March 03). Like all Interact products, the Dex Drive is discontinued, and unsupported which is an undeniably bad thing, but at least to me, forgivable since it's fairly cheap, saves money, is easy to use, and quite useful if you still have PSX, and/or N64 games in your collection.

UPDATED EDIT: Dex Drive is incompatible with x64 based operating systems as well as Vista/Win 7 since it's driver is unsigned.

I bought this device several years ago, well after the playstation 2 came out. Even then, this was still a great purchase. Your computer might not be able to use this now, but if it does, and you want to avoid having to buy or deal with shoddy memory cards, then this is the device for you.

The device itself is pretty basic in what it does: it copies your saved data from a memory card to your computer. The amount of file space that each block takes up is tiny: around 15kb, if I recall. It also allows you to copy saved data back onto the memory card (even saved data that you did not create, if you're interested in that sort of thing).

The sad part is that this device can not replace a regular memory card. At least one (preferably 2 if you switch games much) is needed. Also, you want to make sure your computer can use this kind of port (which is a 9 pin female serial port) as it doesn't come in any other versions, to my knowledge. Also, this only works with the original Playstation, and not the Playstation 2 or the Playstation 3.

If you think you need it, I'd recommend it.

It's practically like turning your computer into a PlayStation (PSX, not PS2) if you follow up with a copy of ePSXe, a LEGAL PSX BIOS file (you'll have to own the actual hardware) and LEGAL games. Now I can save space putting my old PSX away and play on my computer in my room with enhanced features and on my PS2 in the living room. Nice! Heck, I might even try a case hack and put the little DexDrive in the front of my computer's enclosure. LOL I just wish ePSXe read the DexDrive directly instead of having to convert the GME file to an MCR file with a third party utility.

Oh, come on, you know that's what people are REALLY using it for. ;-)

That's what I called it as I held it in my hands. Solid, stoic and reverberating with silent, realised potential; ready to unleash its mind-blowing ancient capability upon our puny, insignificant, over-estimated selves.

Built as sturdy as a rock, its simple and unassuming design does all of one thing; a thing which in this day and world many might deem impossible; converts all your PSX game saves from your ancient memory cards into .GME formats on your computer, which are then able to be converted into any other conventional PlayStation-related format(even emulators) and carried around. Including .MCR formats readable by your PSP, which is what I purchased this item for. You can even duplicate and organize the saved data on your computer to be copied onto other PSX/2/3 memory cards to be playable on their respective consoles. It is a thing of marvel.

Important items to note during utilization are; That it requires a 9-pin serial port that is no longer available on modern computers. You require a serial-USB converter cable that is not included, but these do not always work. Digging up an old PC with an on-board serial port is the most reliable and fail-safe method to ensure that the drive works. Another thing to note is that the LED on the drive does not light up the instant the drive is powered on/plugged in. It only lights up when the original DexPlorer(available on the internet) program is launched and running. This might be misleading in a sense that it appears as though it is not connected or not functional. While some resellers might include the program in a CD, any original, unopened drives include the program in two three-and-half-inch floppies, which are, surprisingly, not readable by any modern computer either. Hence resorting to the internet.

And the best part is? I needed it for all of two minutes. Two wholly magical minutes. Then came the gruelling 6 hours of troubleshooting attempting to get your save file to work on your PSP. When you finally get it to work, however... Trust me when I say it's ecstatic.

This is great for RPG Maker for the PS1! If you like making RPGs and trying out RPGs made by other people, get this product now~!

With it, I can have *all* the save-games I want - and not worry about losing any of my old ones! Interact really did a great job with this!

For any system it is a must.

One of the greatest Inventions for the systems that need memory cards.

I love this little thing, so on this level. where is My Dreamcast Dex Drive now!