Ask general Genesis/MD/Sega CD/32X questions here (for new members)

[jriquelme]

Hi, two question. Why i cant start treads?

Any guide to fix my Sega Model 1? It won't power on....

[Drakon]

I'd really like to get some technical explanation for this, because the VA0 unit I have sounds way better than my VA6 despite the "not quite perfected" audio mixing. It's less muffled, clearer, compared to the VA6.

Well that's what people said who I talked to. They said the va6 sounds better overall haha. All the pre-va7s use the same hardware so I don't see why they'd change the mixing circuit and then keep it the same from the va3 to the va6.8 if it wasn't good

Hi, two question. Why i cant start treads?

Any guide to fix my Sega Model 1? It won't power on....

Seriously though I think you need more posts to make a new thread. The more pictures / information you provide the better people here can assist you with your broken machine.

[Teh Lurv]

While I was taking apart my model 1 genesis, I found what looks like a tiny reed stick inserted in the headphone volume slider. It seems too deliberately placed in the mechanism to be some random debris. Is this a valid part?

[Teh Lurv]

Some additional info from the issue I have with a model 1 Genesis I explained on page 105: I did some more through cleaning of the slot connector. With tiny tweezers I gradually pulled out clumps of hair and other debris from the connector and cleaned the slot with damped microfiber cloth and emery paper wrapped in a credit card. After about an hour of this, I plugged the genesis in and fired up Sonic. The cart ran until halfway through the demo stage, where it froze with a memory address error. Unplugging/replugging the console, I tried gently pushing it the cart from side to side to see if the issue was pin contact. All other restarts after that first one just resulted in a red screen of death. The same thing when I then tried using another game.

However when I put in a third game (Marble Madness), the console fired out and played the game with no issues! I plugged in a controller and played for about 5 minutes with no freezes. Tried Sonic again with no luck.

All these carts work fine with my At@Games clone console, so the issue has to be with the genesis. My first thought is there is a problem with a pin connector that Marble Madness isn't using. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do next?

[Drakon]

Some additional info from the issue I have with a model 1 Genesis I explained on page 105: I did some more through cleaning of the slot connector. With tiny tweezers I gradually pulled out clumps of hair and other debris from the connector and cleaned the slot with damped microfiber cloth and emery paper wrapped in a credit card. After about an hour of this, I plugged the genesis in and fired up Sonic. The cart ran until halfway through the demo stage, where it froze with a memory address error. Unplugging/replugging the console, I tried gently pushing it the cart from side to side to see if the issue was pin contact. All other restarts after that first one just resulted in a red screen of death. The same thing when I then tried using another game.

However when I put in a third game (Marble Madness), the console fired out and played the game with no issues! I plugged in a controller and played for about 5 minutes with no freezes. Tried Sonic again with no luck.

All these carts work fine with my At@Games clone console, so the issue has to be with the genesis. My first thought is there is a problem with a pin connector that Marble Madness isn't using. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do next?

If it were me I'd be looking for a place to buy a replacement cartridge slot and I'd swap the entire slot. Of course inspecting the pcb for damaged traces / connections also helps.

[Teh Lurv]

Update #2: I need some help with the slot connector in my Genesis. Looking into the connector with a flashlight, I noticed something odd inside. There is what looks like a staple at the bottom of the connector with the prongs pointed upward making contact with two of the center pins. One of the prongs is loose and I can poke at it with a pin, the other seems to be stuck in-between the two arms of a pin. I assume that isn't a normal part of the slot connector?

[Drakon]

Update #2: I need some help with the slot connector in my Genesis. Looking into the connector with a flashlight, I noticed something odd inside. There is what looks like a staple at the bottom of the connector with the prongs pointed upward making contact with two of the center pins. One of the prongs is loose and I can poke at it with a pin, the other seems to be stuck in-between the two arms of a pin. I assume that isn't a normal part of the slot connector?

Picture would help but I'm guessing that's not a part of it.

[Teh Lurv]

Yep, it was a staple. I was able to gently pull it out with precision tweezers. Once it was out, Sonic fired out perfectly. I let the game run idle for 5 minutes to confirm it wasn't going to crap out again. The staple was probably shorting the two pins. I don't know who used to own this Genesis, but they certainly put effort into abusing this console.

I read through the Genesis revision thread, looks like this Genesis I bought is a Model 1 HDG VA6.

There is still dried brown/black gunk across the mainboard, but I'll deal with it another day.

[Drakon]

Yep, it was a staple. I was able to gently pull it out with precision tweezers. Once it was out, Sonic fired out perfectly. I let the game run idle for 5 minutes to confirm it wasn't going to crap out again. The staple was probably shorting the two pins. I don't know who used to own this Genesis, but they certainly put effort into abusing this console.

I read through the Genesis revision thread, looks like this Genesis I bought is a Model 1 HDG VA6.

There is still dried brown/black gunk across the mainboard, but I'll deal with it another day.

Goo gone would probably fix that. I love the va6 it's a great revision.

[bahamutzero]

Hi everyone. I've been searching the web like crazy, but I haven't found what I'm looking for. Anyway, I have Model 1 Mega Drive but Model 2 RGB Scart cable. Is there an adapter (male DIN > female mini DIN) to make this connection possible? Or alternatively, is there an online store that has female mini DINs for sale. I'm pretty sure I saw something similar in a youtube video about a year ago. Thanks in advance.

[lumclaw]

There's two non-technical options I can name off hand. Probably more I've overlooked.

1. Buy 32X, and a 3rd-party cable who connects model 1 directly to 32X. Then your model 2 RGB cable will attach on 32X.

2. Try to find Sega's now scarce model 1 to 32X female mini DIN adapter by itself. (since you wouldn't need the model 2 half who links that adapter to 32X)

[KillerBean2]

Why not just buy a model 1 scart cable?

If the model 2 cable is the official one from Sega, it's crap. I've got one, and f##ks up the picture.

You're much better off buying a 3rd party cable.

[ApolloBoy]

You could try the 32X adapter for the model 1, but in my experience it caused some weird distortion near the top of the screen on certain games (odd grounding issue perhaps?). Model 1 SCART cables are cheap enough and good quality ones aren't hard to find.

[bahamutzero]

I have two Model 2 RGB Scart cables: official Sega one, and 3rd party cable i bought from ebay, so buying another Model 1 specific cable would be a waste of 15-20€. 32Xs around here are not exactly cheap (like in USA), so the simplest and cost effective solution would be that "Model 1 to 32X female mini DIN adapter" as lumclaw mentioned. Are there any online stores that sell those 3rd party adapters? What was the part number of the official Sega one? Thanks again.

[STONEDSTONER]

Hi im having a problem running CD 32x games, I tryed Night Trap CD 32x NTSC and i get this message

ERROR!

This is a pal/secam compatible mega cd and will not operate in NTSC regions

im using MegaDrive II (running 60hz) Mega CD II and Genesis 32x , im also using everdrive md for loading Different Sega cd bios, I can play normal unpatched NTSC cd games fine with either (U) bios or Region free bios, But no luck at all with CD 32x no matter what the bios used

Is there anyway to get them to work?? i havnt tryed making a backup yet and patching to Pal,but i think there would be problem with Genesis 32x ( i put a 50hz switch/wire in 32x but it makes it Black and White so i removed it)

any help/tips would be great!

heres a pic of my Beast, doesnt look as dirty as in pic lol

Attachment 6051