The Nomad, is it worth it?

I was on a trip to California last week and I all of a sudden had the craving to play Sonic 2, Shinobi 3 and Gunstar heroes, but then realized that I couldn't because the DS doesn't have a Genesis Cartridge slot like it was supposed to.

So that's when I first considered getting the Nomad, but is it worth the money? How's the battery life? I've heard two hours from some people and six from others? Why do they always come with replacement Screens? Does it have an AC adapter?

It'd be nice to have some input on this, thanks in advance.

PSP+Custom Firmware+Picodrive=problem solved. You can pick up a PSP with a broken UMD for about $60 and with custom firmware you won't need the UMD drive anyway.

If you don't mind carrying around a car battery and cigarette lighter adapter than
you should be good on power for a couple of hours.:D

While I agree with 17daysolderthannes, I can certainly understand that from a purist sense, it would be neat to have the Nomad. Still, the PSP is a great machine for running emulators and the Genesis roms run so much better on the emulators for the PSP than the setup for the SNES. If that isn't attractive enough, think of stuffing your pocket with a PSP loaded with about 700 Genesis roms...now think of trying to stuff all of those cartridges in the same pockets with a Nomad! Yeah...I see you looking for a PSP now :D

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Originally Posted by 16-bit

I was on a trip to California last week and I all of a sudden had the craving to play Sonic 2, Shinobi 3 and Gunstar heroes, but then realized that I couldn't because the DS doesn't have a Genesis Cartridge slot like it was supposed to.

So that's when I first considered getting the Nomad, but is it worth the money? How's the battery life? I've heard two hours from some people and six from others? Why do they always come with replacement Screens? Does it have an AC adapter?

It'd be nice to have some input on this, thanks in advance.

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I dont remember how long the batts lasted maybe 2.5-3hrs...I have 2 rechargeable nomad paks that have had their batts replaced but havent used them for abit. As far as I remember they lasted alittle longer.
I choose the AC adapter or the Cigarette lighter adapter when I use mine.
Best part of the Nomad is the AV out on it...hook it up to any TV for a nice crisp picture and stereo sound. And its 2nd player controller port for those 2 player games, with these to great features it makes it a truley portable Genesis..
CDX is my fav but the Nomad is second in my book!
So just remember the TV out and 2nd player port...2 things the PSP wont do with out a add on (video screen cover to TV convertor...looks stupid as hell and pretty big) and you can get a nice flashcart for you Nomad and have your fav games on it...
And all you buddies will say "Sweet, what the hells that...No way a Genesis.....Cool"

I love playing the Nomad on the go, I still consider it the best handheld because of the software. If you're travelling in a car, just pick up a power inverter(?). They're really cheap now and if I remember correctly, you can just use a model 2 Genesis ac adaptor.

It's nice to be able to continue saved games on your home console after the trip, plus you can play Genesis games on a TV where ever you're staying. I used to bring along a Nomad and Game Gear battery packs when I took transit every day. Even holding the GG pack on the back was no big deal for me, although I have large hands.

I take my Nomad everywhere, and after some small mods, it lasts 7 hours off batteries under artifically held maximal power consumption... in real life, it goes around to 8 hours.

To make it playable, you need to put it into 50Hz though

I want a Nomad, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $80 bucks for one, which is the mean they seem to go for right now on ebay auctions.

I got a DSi and on it's face it makes me forget about the Nomad instantly with it's arcade perfect port of Ultimate MK3.


I do wish Sega had been smart enough not to pull out of the handheld business when they had a fighting chance of suceeding against Nintendos green and white non-color Gameboy.

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Originally Posted by gamegenie

I want a Nomad, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $80 bucks for one, which is the mean they seem to go for right now on ebay auctions.

I got a DSi and on it's face it makes me forget about the Nomad instantly with it's arcade perfect port of Ultimate MK3.


I do wish Sega had been smart enough not to pull out of the handheld business when they had a fighting chance of suceeding against Nintendos green and white non-color Gameboy.

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I owned one about 10 years ago and it was a nice lil system but it is not really that good as far as portability is concerned and it eats batteries in about an hour or so. It's good for a collectors sense and that's about it.

I got mine for free from a friend (this was about 3-4 years back, maybe longer) because he didn't like the battery life. But I do like the system, it's good for a couple car rides and the hotel room. You can charge it with a Genesis Model II AC Adapter, so it's actually not too bad.

It's really up to you though. I like it, and I think it might be worth the $80

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Originally Posted by TmEE

I take my Nomad everywhere, and after some small mods, it lasts 7 hours off batteries under artifically held maximal power consumption... in real life, it goes around to 8 hours.

To make it playable, you need to put it into 50Hz though

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Why would you need to do that? Is it unplayable with 60hz? Does it even come in 60hz?

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Originally Posted by 16-bit

Why would you need to do that? Is it unplayable with 60hz? Does it even come in 60hz?

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The LCD screen blurs a lot in 60 Hz mode.

TmEE needs to work his magic and put an improved LCD screen it in.

Or maybe a job Ben Heck could do in his sleep.

I think the problem was that the Nomad doesn't use an LCD that could be replaced.

Anyway, the Nomad isn't a good portable due to its size but it is a great Mega Drive / Genesis thanks to its awesome sound and MD2 compatible RGB out.

Nothing is impossible when it comes to Ben Heck.

The Nomad is great, buy one now. It is only plagued by people who think handhelds MUST be played on busrides that are ALWAYS at least three hours long and who NEVER thought about the AC adaptor use.

^ what he said.

Yes, the Nomad su su su sucks on battery life, but I have had mine now for about 6-8 years and have never once used batteries. I just love the ability to watch TV and play Sega games.

hmm...maybe I should get one so I don't have to fight for the TV (I'm thinking my wife wouldn't watch TV on the Nomad...but I could be wrong ;) )

I know you can watch TV on the Game Gear. But on the Nomad, how? Did it also have a TV tuner?

I am not aware about any TV tuner for Nomad, and I would not know how it'd work out even... TV part generates a bunch of tile data you DMA to VRAM so it could be seen ? Such kind of TV tuner would work on a regular MD too :3

No no no no no. I meant like being able to sit on the couch in the living room, play a game on my nomad and watch TV on the TV.

And in about 6 weeks, that Game Gear tuner won't work because of the switch to digital television.

mwahahaha...

**breaks chain and runs...to the nearest classic game store to grab a Nomad**

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Originally Posted by The Sports Guy

No no no no no. I meant like being able to sit on the couch in the living room, play a game on my nomad and watch TV on the TV.

And in about 6 weeks, that Game Gear tuner won't work because of the switch to digital television.

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Yeah, someone should find out how to convert the signals in the Game Gear tuner to digital so we fans can still use it or buy it.

But hey, in 6 weeks I'll at least be able to get one super cheap.

There's no way you get the GG tuner digital... at least not getting it decode MPEG4/H.264 and AAC, which is what digital TV is made of here

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Originally Posted by TmEE

There's no way you get the GG tuner digital... at least not getting it decode MPEG4/H.264 and AAC, which is what digital TV is made of here

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Do it two-stage: get a digital converter box, then hook it to one of those old UHF repeater transmitters for the house.

The converter box I have sitting on top of one TV here does not output digital content out of its RF out... so I would have to hook up a RF modulator (from a Famiclone, they're surprisingly good) to the box and then to the GG tuner.... too much effort for too shit image :P

I was in storage were all my games are and i ran up on my Nomad and I think I have everything IDK but were can i get a new screen from?

as in the screen underneath the protection is not showing anything/is cracked or the protection is scratchy etc. ?
if its what is actually doing the image, then there's nothing to do, there's no replacements.

Mine had a shortage so i got pissed off and broke the screen idk how bad i damaged it but I never threw it away.

Then you're just having a miniature MD... there's no replacement screens, other than from other nomads.

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Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes

PSP+Custom Firmware+Picodrive=problem solved. You can pick up a PSP with a broken UMD for about $60 and with custom firmware you won't need the UMD drive anyway.

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Even cheaper: Get a Motorola A925 Mobile Phone off ebay (about 20$) - PicodriveN & there you go in landscape mode.

For me, it was the screen that made me sold my Nomad. The passive matrix and resolution just made for a bad combo. It's useless for shooters, and even games that are playable, like Sonic, make you feel like you have to have your vision checked. It's good for fighting games, and some platformers, but forget shmups.

For me the refresh and contrast just aren't good enough. It's too bad, because it's a great design. It's certainly cool, and certainly worthwhile for a collector who likes playing a game on the go or on the couch on original hardware, but just keep in mind that it has limited potential because of its screen.

If you get the Nomad for about $50-60, then, I would go for it.
But $80, is a bit much.
I own a nomad myself, the screen is not terrible. But as Sketch said above, the Nomad is impossible to play with shumps.
I had a helluva time playing Wings of Wor, Elemental Master and Arrow Flash on that thing.

The main benefit of having the Nomad is lazingly laying down in your bed, and having the thing right in your face.


The emulation route with PSP is a pretty good idea, if you don't mind modding your firmware.

So, you decide.

Putting Nomad into 50Hz makes majority of shmups playable... I have beaten TF4, Battle Mania 2 and Dangerous Seed on my Nomad.

What mods for Nomad do you offer ? - I know about these:

1. LED mod for 8h battery life
2. 50Hz mod for fixing the blurry LCD
3. region mod for allowing JP/EU games to be played

+overclocking
+sound tweaks for slightly higher quality
+start+mode=reset
+things you may come up with and I can realize

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Originally Posted by TmEE

+start+mode=reset

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Wow, that is quite interesting. Could this technique be used for other switches too ? (like JP/EU/US, 50/60Hz) - And could it be used on a regular MD as well ?

It is not possible on regular MD, unless you have the controller inside the system.
Region mod (in most cases on Nomad) is usually just the matter of holding down a button, I can add a switch if really needed (especially for 50/60Hz).

I used to play through Lightening Force on the bus on my Nomad. I had to switch it to 99 lives, but it was still a fun way to pass the time and the sound is still great with head phones. I also used to do laps with Ghouls 'N Ghosts on the standard settings.

Phantasy Star IV and Shining Force I & II alone made the Nomad worthwhile for me.

Um, i got a gp2x for Megadrive on the go, its running Picodrive, it was cheap, and always gets interest from people who think its a psp at first glance and then realise it really, really isnt. It runs emulators and plays div x movies straight out of the box with no firmware flashing needed. If you dont set it up right it eats batteries a little. But you can underclock Picodrive on most games
so helps stretch them out. And it runs on aa's , so if your travelling you can always nip into a camera store even in eastern europe and get some high capacity nimh or something. All in all i would reccomend it. some people dislike the control stick on the f100, i find its fine for most games but i die on chaos engine a little more, but meh , save states..
if you play a lot of twitch games, maybe the f200 would be a better buy, but they cost a little more, and more importantly the f100 is good ol megadrive black, wheras the f200 is a more *modern?* whiteish colour.
However,
I will buy a nomad for the following reosens
1: to add to my wifes hatred for my sega obession (lol)
2: they seem to be increasing in value (if i can find one with a perfect box in a thrift store haha *prays*)
3: they look really really cool
4: see 3
5: you can get the satisfying click of inserting a genuine cartridge, something thats lacking from the insert a flash card on a modern box

Anyways, nice forum,
Hope you find your portable retro games soloution.
I dont know how there priced on american ebay, but over here gp2x is a viable alternative to psp.
then again there's people still playing on there gizmundos (i would lol but that things pretty sweet)