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Ace_1

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Posts posted by Ace_1

  4. Posted · Edited by Ace_1

    There's one that plays the NES, SNES, and Genesis too:

     

    http://gizmodo.com/5098589/yobo-fc3-plus-p...esis-cartridges

     

    I've seen the thing. Pretty accurate, but has quite a few issues:

     

    1) Video output seems oversaturated

    2) Sound reproduction on the NES is inaccurate(as usual)

    3) STILL incompatible with Castlevania III and Rad Racer II(does the RetroDuo work with Rad Racer II?)

    4) BROKEN GENESIS COMPATIBILITY! Between this and the GN Twin/Gen-X, I know of 3 things that no longer work on the FC3 Plus that worked on the GN Twin/Gen-X: Sega Master System converters(they didn't work right on the GN Twin/Gen-X in the first place), the 32X(this worked on the GN Twin/Gen-X), and the BIGGEST one for me: BROKEN VIRTUA RACING COMPATIBILITY! I CANNOT have a Genesis without Virtua Racing compatibility. That's the Genesis 3 all over again!

     

    The Retro Entertainment System pretty much looks exactly like the FC Game Console that Yobo makes. For all I know they come out of the same factory. The only difference is the Black/Red color scheme that replaces the Indigo/White of the FC Game Console.

     

    One thing I personally have suggested to Yobo and would like to see is that they get rid of these proprietary controllers they use for the GN Twin and FC3 (the GEN-X has the same problem as well). The ability to use original controllers is a big plus in my book.

     

    I guess the Retro Entertainment System doesn't use the same super-accurate NOAC from the RetroDuo, then?

     

    FYI, you know what type of controller signals those proprietary connectors use? NES controller signals! Yep, the GN Twin, Gen-X and FC3 Plus use that weirdo DB9 plug, but their controllers are just modified (Super) NES controllers. Check this video out to see an original NES Brick controller working on the GN Twin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx81apNT6rU&fmt=18

     

    Getting a Genesis controller to work on the system is harder. Because the NES and Genesis use different controller signals, some conversion circuitry is needed, so the solution(at least on the Gen-X) is to use TTR056 chips(I have no clue what those do). Of course, this causes some control lag(obvious on the Super Monaco GP games) and prevents D-pad inputs from being registered on the controllers when a Master System cartridge is being played. So to get a Genesis(and Master System) controller working is to either:

     

    1) Solder a switch on the proprietary connector with the NES and Genesis controller signals and shave down the plug of a Genesis/Master System controller

    2) Add 2 extra controller ports

     

    Another FYI concerning the Gen-X and GN Twin: the bad audio on those 2 systems can be improved. I've designed a circuit that needs to be finalized which will make the GN Twin sound just like a normal Genesis, making use of 2 LM324 quad op-amps.

  8. Posted · Edited by Ace_1

    ?

     

    What is that HCN-111 supposed to mean? I don't think my VA3 has that written on its board.

     

    And it looks like you're out of luck for an overclock, UNLESS you remove the Signetics 68000 and replace it with the real Motorola 68000(you might want to put a socket where the Signetics 68000 is placed so that you can make processor insertion and removal easier).

     

    By the way, I did a blue LED replacement on my VA4 Genesis 2 and I happened to be staring directly at the LED when I powered on the unit. Bad idea! Those LEDs are REALLY BRIGHT!

  9. Posted

    Yes, there is an RF shield under the Genesis Model 1's motherboard, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the RF modulator itself. Only the top cover of the thing is directly accessible because the modulator is soldered into the motherboard, and I have no clue where the solder side of the RF modulator's board is. If you can fill me in on how the RF modulator is put together, I'd appreciate it.

     

    @Nathan: What happened to that other pre-TMSS Model 1 Genesis you were supposed to open up for me?

  11. Posted

    One common problem I've noticed is that on most Genesis Model 1s, the RF unit is failing or has already failed. Out of 7 Genesis Model 1s I've used, 4 have failing RF units inside the system(have to either nudge the RF cord around or push it upwards), and 1 has a completely dead RF unit(doesn't work no matter how much you nudge the cable or push the cord). So that leaves 2 with fully functional RF units. How bad is the quality of the RF units Sega used in the Model 1 Genesis? Damn!

  14. Posted

    I want to make(yes; make, not buy) flash cartridges for the NES, Super NES and Genesis. Not exactly sure what layout I can follow for NES carts, but I would like to know what kind of Flash ROM TotoTek's Genesis and Super NES flash carts use. I've been wanting to make flash cartridges both for myself and for a friend of mine, but I'm not sure what kind of Flash ROM to use. Anyone know? And what kind of Flash ROM would be appropriate for an NES flash cart(it must be able to take at least 10 games)? Also, how's the programmer for TotoTek's Super NES and Genesis cartridges made?

  15. Posted

    I just have 2 complaints about it: Sega cheapened out on the boot screen(just a static Sega logo) and it only uses RF, but the RF quality is MILES ahead of the Top-Loader NES'.

     

    I was actually expecting the Master System II to be SMALLER, about the size of a Genesis 3, but man, was I wrong. It's quite big for a miniaturized game console.

     

    Your Sega Master System II looks just like mine, right? I know European Master System IIs(some of which have the multi-A/V out only... damn it - I think those come from France) are all black, whereas the US Master System II is a two-tone gray with a white Pause button.

     

    Which version of the Master System II is rarer, anyways? The US version, or the European one(did Japan ever get the Master System II?)?

  16. Posted

    Not sure how color-changing LEDs work, but I'll look into those. I'm not even sure of the specs of my other LEDs! I'll have to look into that.

     

    That Genesis Model 1 is exactly like mine, a VA3, EXCEPT with one major difference:

     

    The 68000 processor is made by MOTOROLA, not SIGNETICS.

     

    This means I can overclock mine, but you can't overclock yours. That's the advantage. What video encoder is in that Genesis(it's under the metal plate where the 2 voltage regulators are screwed in)?

  18. Posted · Edited by Ace_1

    I don't know anything about LED voltages, so I won't be able to answer you.

     

    Also forgot to mention: my Neptunized Model 1 Genesis will have a color-changing LED. The LED will fade to different colors as the unit is left on(red, yellow, green, blue, you name it).

     

    By the way, what's the motherboard revision of your 2 pre-TMSS Genesis 1s(I don't mean to be a pain in the @%!, but I always wanna see the motherboard of every Genesis I find)?

  19. Posted

    Something's been really bothering me about my 2 Intellivision IIs: they're both making noise. It's buzzing, as if I can hear the electricity passing through the unit(it can be heard very faintly at a distance(the range of the noise is low), but it's kinda loud when I place my ear right next to the system). What's strange is that when the Power button is pushed down, the buzzing becomes barely audible, but when the button is released, if the systems reset, the noise becomes louder. One Intellivision II doesn't emit the noise as loud as the other, which I think is really weird. Is it normal for the Intellivision II to emit buzzing noises that sound like electricity passing through the unit?

  20. Posted

    Look what I got:

     

    11t1ix1.jpg

     

    A Sega Master System II! Complete with hookups, 1 controller and 3 games(2 on cartridge - Space Harrier and Double Dragon, and Alex Kidd in Miracle World built into the BIOS). You can see the Pause button is missing, but I'll fix it.

     

    The bundle set me back 40 bucks.

     

    And I got this too:

     

    8yets0.jpg

     

    Yep, it's Super C. And you know what this cost me? 1 of my hand-made Sega Genesis A/V cables for the Genesis 2 and Genesis 3.

  21. Posted · Edited by Ace_1

    That's TMSS you're talking about. You can tell if your Genesis has TMSS if it says PRODUCED BY OR UNDER LICENSE FROM SEGA ENTERPRISES LTD. before a game boots. If it doesn't, it's the earliest ones(the motherboard revision in those can be either VA0, VA1, VA2, VA3 or VA4).

     

    And, by the way, Nathan, I will be moving my Neptunizing to a Genesis Model 1, hopefully one without TMSS, and doing a couple of radical things:

     

    -Region switches for both the Genesis and 32X

    -Separate cartridge slot for Sega Master System games, plus a switch to switch between Genesis and Master System mode(the Reset button will become the Pause button), and *maybe* a Sega Card slot

    -Standard RCA Composite video output with Stereo sound plus S-Video for both the Genesis and 32X(with the use of a CXA1645)

  22. Posted · Edited by Ace_1

    That's because Nathan recorded his sound clips improperly. I can tell the VA3 and VA4 have good audio. My VA4 is currently recovering from a failed attempt at making it into a Sega Neptune(I will resolder the cartridge slot and fix a trace that's been damaged), so once I get it working okay, I'll compare the VA4 to one of my numerous VA1s. VA3s and VA4s have NO STATIC at all. And your Genesis is an example of piss-poor Genesis audio.

    And it's a good thing I have Thunder Force II, which I will be using for the comparison(and Ayrton Senna's Super Monaco GP II).

  23. Posted

    @Nathan: That VA3 is the same like my VA3, except mine has the Z80 with the T and a Sega 315-5700 ASIC. That has the CXA1645. That's the best Genesis 2 in existence.

    The Malaysian VA1 has a Fujitsu MB3514 video encoder. It's one of the better encoders. Seems like Malaysian-made Genesis 2s have the real Z80, too. However, because it's a VA1, it has static-filled audio.

    Your Japanese VA1 has the T clone Z80 and a CXA video encoder(not sure if it's the CXA1145 or CXA1645). Another one with good video, but bad audio.

    The Chinese VA1 is nasty. I have a VA1.8 made in China with the exact same motherboard components, except it has the Sega Z80 and a 68000 made by Motorola(I believe that one is made by Hitachi). The sound circuit is DREADFUL in this one. Not only does it have static, but IT STRAINS, and on some games, the straining is REALLY bad. It also has the Samsung KA2195D video encoder(sucks!)

     

    @Christophero: That's one of the better pre-VA2 Genesis 2s in existence. It has the Fujitsu encoder, which should give quite good video, but bad audio.

     

    Here's a complete rundown from what I was able to test first-hand:

     

    VA1: Video quality varies by unit. Those with the Samsung KA2195D have line noise like a Top-Loader NES, dull colors and pixelated(sometimes blurry) sprites. Those with the Fujitsu MB3514 or Sony CXA1145 have the best video output. Audio sucks bigtime. They ALL have static, and those with LM324 chips around the power button have the worst audio.

     

    VA1.8: Same deal as the VA1.

     

    VA2: Video quality varies greatly, as it can have a Samsung KA2195D, or the newer Sony CXA1645. Audio sounds superb with a revised audio circuit, but there's a problem with the volume balance of some sound channels. The Genesis' FM overpowers the Genesis' PSG channels, the Sega CD's PCM, and the 32X's PWM. While that can be fixed with 6 resistors, PSG also has volume problems, but fixing those is harder. DO NOT EVER play a Master System game on the Genesis 2 if it has a VA2 motherboard. You will puke. Seriously.

     

    VA3: Same deal with the VA2 except the volume balance is perfect. This is the first of two motherboard revisions to have the shorter motherboards.

     

    VA4: Same deal as with the VA2 and VA3 except the only video encoder in it is the CXA1645. That is also a shorter motherboard.

     

    And from my knowledge, the VA0 is like a VA7 Genesis Model 1, which is identical in sound quality to a VA1/VA1.8 Genesis 2, though the video quality may be either crap(Samsung KA2195D) or good(Sony CXA1145 or Fujitsu MB3514).

  24. Posted

    I have PLENTY of Genesis hardware available, though EVERY SINGLE Genesis I took apart either had the Sega Z80 or the Z80 clone with a T on the chip.

     

    And that's ANOTHER VA3 with a Samsung encoder! It's next to the voltage regulator. WTF? My VA3 had a Sony CXA1645 there. Mine was made in China, though(LEAD PAINT! :P ). Looks like Thailand and Japan had quite a few Samsung KA2195Ds. Do any of your Genesis 2s have a Sony CXA1145 or Fujitsu MB3514 by any chance? Or do they all have a KA2195D like ALMOST EVERY DAMN GENESIS 2 in existence?

     

    And about the recordings: holy crap, that's so loud it strains EVERY SOUND. You will need to redo the recordings again, but you may want to make it as a video(what do you use to record everything?).

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