PAL 32X with NTSC Knuckles Chaotix

[omp]

Hello all,

I scored Knuckles Chaotix tonight (all complete) essentially for free. Well not 100% free I repaired a red ringing XBOX360 for the local Game Traders (a chain of stores here in Australia that deal with retro and modern consoles). I was browsing around in the back and found it buried under some stuff and offered to take that as payment. No worries he said! Anywho....

Now I saw it was the Genesis version, but thought I would give it a go.

I plugged the 32X into my modifed (region & 50/60) MD2 only to be met with the "NTSC only" message.

Now my question is thus, if I put the switch into the 32X (pin 17 of that 315 chip) and have the MD2 set on 60Hz will this Genesis or NTSC version of the game work on my Australian console?

Getting 32X stuff here in Australia (for a good price) can be bloody tough and if this was the PAL version it would be worth a fair bit. So I don't really want to ass about to much with the mushroom.

Plugging the 32X into my modified MD2 allows it to display in colour in 60Hz as well. I have to change a few things around in my MD1 to get it work again...

Thanks for your help Pete

[TmEE]

you need to have MD and 32X both in NTSC if order for things to work

[omp]

Sweet thank you! So I will have the switch on in the 32X (5V) and have the MD set to 60Hz and everything should be sweet!

Guess what I am doing tonight lol!

[flaxswe]

where did you find info on the 32x 50/60hz mod?

I've only found some french site who transletes rather poorly with googletranslate.

[TmEE]

the most cartside pin thats on the side of the chip facing the connectors is the pin you need to mess with in 32X to set the 50/60. Tie it to GND or VCC, I don't remember which is 50 and which is 60.

[omp]

0v is for eur (in my case AU) 5v is for american.

Will see how I got tonight, I have a Mega SD2 to clean and check (runs most times but occasionally doesn't spin the disc, I reckon just needs all the plugs cleaned and re-seated) and a whole bunch of master System controllers to fix the D-pad on.

Will report back on how it goes.

[omp]

It worked fine!

[Martin]

Now my question is thus, if I put the switch into the 32X (pin 17 of that 315 chip) and have the MD2 set on 60Hz will this Genesis or NTSC version of the game work on my Australian console?

I also have a modified PAL Mega Drive (Model 1) with a 50/60Hz switch, and a language switch. However, the PAL Mega-CD I got yesterday will only play PAL games. Interestingly, the MD seems to take charge of the refresh rate, as flipping the Hz switch on my MD to 60Hz forces the game I'm playing into NTSC, even a PAL Mega-CD game.

I'm by no means an expert, but as I understand it, the Mega-CD and 32X had their own BIOS chips, which were different depending on the region. So while your 32X has no problem operating in 60Hz, the BIOS chip doesn't match the cartridge you're trying to play on it, and so your 32X is refusing to run it. You'll need a region mod on your 32X.

[TmEE]

MCD has its own BIOS and it is what sets the region... PAL BIOS will only boot PAL games and USA BIOS only USA games. For 32X, you can get away with a 50/60Hz switch (your MD needs to have these too, and 32X settings must match MD settings for things to work.)

[Martin]

I was wrong, then!