Has anyone region modded a Gen 1 va7?

Howsit?

Today for the giggles I tried to region mod my Gen 1 va7. Why? Because I am in Australia so have a few pal only titles.

Here's me thinking it's a piece of piss as it has all the jp points labelled. So I sorted the video encoder cut the traces and off I went. Language works but 50/60hz has sound issues.

What happens is, as examples (on 50hz)

Sonic 2 no "SEGA" chime just a few clicks and the game goes to the titlescreen then freezes.

Xmen (the spiderman one) loads but the sound is just screech and sqwuaks. Soon after starting console resets.

I am thinking since it is the first board with the intergrated sound ic that could be causing issues? Perhaps if PAL had the same rev it was would have used a different ic?

For now i have taken it back to stock (i didn't butcher it too much) & it works fine.

Thoughts?

Edit

I have modified various Genesis in the past (model 1 & 2) to play pal titles with no issues....

No patches to play these pal exclusives on a ntsc system?

Don't own an everdrive.

I will have a comparison look at a va0/1.0 md2 since they are supposed to be similar.

That is not cool, I was actually wanting to try this very mod on my VA7 o_o

Btw, is there a good list of all the games that need this switch to run properly on a NTSC system?
I only found a few by browsing the question.

Edit: I guess I looked at the wrong question, I just looked for PAL exclusives and found a list there: http://www.assemblergames.com/forums...drive-releases

I assume any Pal exclusive will require a speed switch.

I traced the trace back and it goes straiggt back into pin 4(ty something). Unlike the md/gen2 where you have to cut a nearby trace. I am considering lifting the pin for a final go, but it just seems odd...

I once region-switched a VA7 Genesis Model 1 just to see where the solder points for the mod are, but I don't remember ever having any problems with the system running in PAL. I might have to pull out that system (I think it's one I'm currently using to finalize the ASIC YM3438 Mega Amp) and set it to output PAL video, see if I can replicate any of the weird things going on with your VA7 Genesis Model 1.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MaxWar

That is not cool, I was actually wanting to try this very mod on my VA7 o_o

Btw, is there a good list of all the games that need this switch to run properly on a NTSC system?
I only found a few by browsing the question.

Edit: I guess I looked at the wrong question, I just looked for PAL exclusives and found a list there: http://www.assemblergames.com/forums...drive-releases

I assume any Pal exclusive will require a speed switch.

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Apparently after years Brazil version Donald in Maui Mallard was dumped.

http://datomatic.nointro.org/index.p...rd&s=32&n=1679

I region modded a VA7 and didn't run into any problems.

I see...

All i did for mine was cut the trace at jp4 to +5v, cut the trace at jp3 to pin 7 of the encoder (to lock into pal mode).

From the common point of jp3/4 was where i ran the wire for switching purposes.

The only difference i did was to use a 4 pin oscillator on the cxa1145 vs the circuit the datasheet called for. That could be an issue but i doubt it, not for audio anyway..... I will try the proper freq. cct as i have a few pre-fabbed boards done, i was just feeling lazy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by omp

Don't own an everdrive.

I will have a comparison look at a va0/1.0 md2 since they are supposed to be similar.

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Own an eprom burner desoldering iron heatgun and soldering iron?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Drakon

Own an eprom burner desoldering iron heatgun and soldering iron?

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No, yes, yes lol!

I will see how I go for time on this one, I am trying to sort my XBOX out at the moment.

I lifted pin 46 on the main ic. No change.

This morning before work I had a quick look at the differences between the model 1 & 2 frequency cct. On the model 1 jp3/4 go to pin 46 (vdp) & 154 (bus arbiter). Both are labelled "ntsc".

For a model 2 it appears jp3/4 only goes to pin 46 since this ic is a combination of the vdp & bus arbiter.

In the service manuals it does list the main ic there and it only references ntsc once.

Also in one of the supplementals it shows the va7 ic's and again only shows pin 46 as the only input for ntsc. I was thinking perhaps it had a bad trace from pin 46 to elsewhere but couldn't locate it. If someone who has modified their va7 confirm if jp3/4 goes to and only to pin46 that would be tops.

If i do this modification what happens to regular NTSC games will they just work slowmo or it will crash? Depends on the game i guess?

NTSC only region games will come up to say "For NTSC region only".

Or say region free game like Sonic 2 you will "enjoy" the game as we PAL people have/had for many years at about 17% slower.

For now the VA7 has been reverted back to stock.

I have to try and seperate the 2, but I am in foul mood today, I was repainting a US SNES console case. 1st undercoat>wet and dry rub back, 2nd undercoat>wet and dry rub back. 1st layer top coat>allow to dry. Go out this morning to garage to leave for work and it has fallen off it's perch, knocking a chip out of the side of the top part, a section of the lip from the bottom case and general bumps and scrapes..... I am f*#king pissed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by omp

NTSC only region games will come up to say "For NTSC region only".

Or say region free game like Sonic 2 you will "enjoy" the game as we PAL people have/had for many years at about 17% slower.

For now the VA7 has been reverted back to stock.

I have to try and seperate the 2, but I am in foul mood today, I was repainting a US SNES console case. 1st undercoat>wet and dry rub back, 2nd undercoat>wet and dry rub back. 1st layer top coat>allow to dry. Go out this morning to garage to leave for work and it has fallen off it's perch, knocking a chip out of the side of the top part, a section of the lip from the bottom case and general bumps and scrapes..... I am f*#king pissed.

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Damn that sucks, now you have to glue the chip and start over?

Anyway I have a VA7 and Sonic 2, If I try it I will let you know if it works for me.