EricDeLee Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 I see on EBAY that people are selling the Sega Genesis 2 power adaptors as the adaptor that works with the Nomad AND the Game Gear. I know it works with the Nomad, but does it work for the Game Gear as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydian Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 Yup. The MK-3107 works with the game gear. (I think that's the right number.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kialan Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 The yellow tipped one works with it. I checked my PS and it is MK-2103. We got it specifically for game gear back in the day. Input:120v AC 60hz 15w Output:10v DC 0.85 A While it is smaller and not rounded like my Genesis 2 power supply (which came with our console when we bought it new) it has the exact same power stats and both have the yellow tip. Despite what people say about all sega systems pre-saturn using the same adapter..be wary..some are 9v some are 10v..some 1.2a and some 0.85. I'm quite sure that some systems may have gotten screwed because of people thinking 1v wont matter. I remember hearing about the Sega CD2 overheating? Might have been they were using a 10v and not the 9v. I'm just specualating. If you want I can list all the specs for my different sega systems. I've never switched any around and I have em all 'tagged' with what they go to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricDeLee Posted July 1, 2004 Author Share Posted July 1, 2004 That would be a great thing to see... as I'd like to make sure I don't blow mine up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 The yellow tipped one works with it. I checked my PS and it is MK-2103. We got it specifically for game gear back in the day. Input:120v AC 60hz 15w Output:10v DC 0.85 A While it is smaller and not rounded like my Genesis 2 power supply (which came with our console when we bought it new) it has the exact same power stats and both have the yellow tip. Despite what people say about all sega systems pre-saturn using the same adapter..be wary..some are 9v some are 10v..some 1.2a and some 0.85. I'm quite sure that some systems may have gotten screwed because of people thinking 1v wont matter. I remember hearing about the Sega CD2 overheating? Might have been they were using a 10v and not the 9v. I'm just specualating. If you want I can list all the specs for my different sega systems. I've never switched any around and I have em all 'tagged' with what they go to. A Genesis2 supply won't physically fit a SegaCD2. So I doubt that was the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydian Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 2103...that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FABombjoy Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 I'm quite sure that some systems may have gotten screwed because of people thinking 1v wont matter. I remember hearing about the Sega CD2 overheating? Might have been they were using a 10v and not the 9v. I'm just specualating. 1V won't matter, but the fact that the 9V and 10V power supplies are opposite polarity will. I have heard stories of people using the 10V adapter in 9V devices, but it seems like the connector would have to be damaged or altered since it shouldn't normally fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Tomlin Posted July 1, 2004 Share Posted July 1, 2004 I see on EBAY that people are selling the Sega Genesis 2 power adaptors as the adaptor that works with the Nomad AND the Game Gear. I know it works with the Nomad, but does it work for the Game Gear as well? Yep. I call 'em "yellow-tip" power supplies, since the plug has a yellow tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodLightning Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I see on EBAY that people are selling the Sega Genesis 2 power adaptors as the adaptor that works with the Nomad AND the Game Gear. I know it works with the Nomad, but does it work for the Game Gear as well? Yep. I call 'em "yellow-tip" power supplies, since the plug has a yellow tip. Hi, I'm replying to this old thread because Google is leading people here who want the power pinout for Sega Game Gear. I just dug one out from a box to see if it would power up. It's a thrift store find that I packed away and forgot long ago. I want to confirm again that the Sega Genesis power adaptor Model MK-2103 works with the Game Gear. If you don't have one and want to use a universal adaptor, set it to 9VDC positive center (tip) and use the yellow coded barrel end connector. Your power supply should be rated at about the 1 Amp range. I was annoyed to see that DC9V (9 volt DC) was stamped on the case next to Game Gear's power input, but no polarity is specified. I remember Sega switching polarity from system to system. For example, the Sega Master System has the same power requirement as Game Gear, but negative center (tip) with a larger connector. I think the second generation smaller Genesis has a different power pinout than the larger original but I'm not sure. Does anyone remember? I hope spreading this info around will save some units from being fried. Happy gaming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seob Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I use my megadrive 2 yellow tip supply for my game gear. I have checked my megadrive 2 states that it uses 9v DC. The power supply that came with the unit has a 10v rating, strange that sega sold that together. First things to check is the polarity of the power supply and the system and the power rating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royalshin Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 That is part of the SEGA promise. To bring unity with all there releases. Every single product is somehow interchangable with the last one. That also comes to mind that SEGA built systems focused on using there past devices. Maybe it was just cheaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadow460 Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I had to find the polarity of my Game Gear by trial and error. Switching it is not a good thing, but I didn't fry mine in the process. I might have got it right on the first try, though, knowing that most equipment had positive center tips at the time. Another way to find it is to open the unit. The power plug has a physical switch in it, so it has three solder points. Use a multimeter to find out which one connects to the center tip, then install fresh batteries. Now check for voltage between the solder point for the center tip and each of the two other points. One will have zero volts (this goes to the plug's outer ring) and the other will have between 7.2 and 9 volts depending on what batteries are used, or it may say -7.2 to -9 volts if you have the multimeter leads reversed. If you've got a + reading, whichever point you have the red multimeter lead on is the positive power input. If that's connected to the tip, then the center tip is positive. By the way, this will work with nearly anything that has a switched DC power input. My question is this: Long lasting NiMH batteries are cheap these days, and have been proven to work exceptionally well with the Game Gear. With a charger and six 2650 mAh cells, you're looking to spend about what you would on a 1 amp universal power supply. Why not switch your portable system over to batteries? My Lynx, Game Gears, PSP, and Game Boys are hardly ever hooked up to a power supply while they are being played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodLightning Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 My question is this: Long lasting NiMH batteries are cheap these days, and have been proven to work exceptionally well with the Game Gear. With a charger and six 2650 mAh cells, you're looking to spend about what you would on a 1 amp universal power supply. Why not switch your portable system over to batteries? My Lynx, Game Gears, PSP, and Game Boys are hardly ever hooked up to a power supply while they are being played. It's definitely a good idea. I use batteries exclusively with my Atari Lynx II due to the delicate (some would say cheap) nature of it's internal power circuitry. While I'm not sure how the 1st and 2nd generation Game Gear's compare with the Lynx II's in construction quality, I'll try some rechargeables and see how long they last. Batteries are probably safer in any case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerSpaceFan Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Just to necro-bump this ancient thread, does anyone have a picture of the yellow tipped "correct" power supply to get? I'll be rooting through the bins at Portland Retro Gaming Expo for one of these things and a picture is worth a thousand words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightbit Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 (edited) Just to necro-bump this ancient thread, does anyone have a picture of the yellow tipped "correct" power supply to get? I'll be rooting through the bins at Portland Retro Gaming Expo for one of these things and a picture is worth a thousand words. The Same PSU works for Genesis 2, 32X, Game Gear....and I believe Nomad. I use them with two Genesis model 2 machines, a 32X and a Game Gear. It is great that Sega kept the power spec the same for all of these systems. Goes by MK-2103. It is noteworthy to add that the MK-1479 (that came with the last Majesco Genesis Model 2) is also a yellow tip and is also the same spec. That one is a lot harder to find however. It is smaller than the MK-2103 but works just the same if you end up finding that one Edited September 30, 2016 by eightbit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerSpaceFan Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Awesome ! Thanks man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wongojack Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 I'm using nice rechargeable batteries on my new GG that work great on my Lynx, but the same batteries don't last for sh!+ on the GG. Will be digging out a 9v center positive. Edit. Ijust checked all my genesis PSUs and all 3 were center negative. Which is it? Edit again! My stupid replica Genesis 2 PSU was marked center neg when it is really center pos. It 100% powers my genesis 2, so I tested polarity with a meter and it was center positive. Sheesh! It seems I have a different GG problem though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
relo999 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Necro bump, seeing as this is the first page you get in google when you search for Gamegear PSU. The yellow tipped megadrive/Genesis model 2 PSU only works on some Gamegears, others use the model 1 PSU (only difference is formfactor and polarity between them). Based on what I know Gamegears with model number HGG-3210 use a model 1 PSU. While the Gamegears with a model number of HGG-2110 use a model 2 PSU. I know there is also a model number 2110-50 which has a different PSU requirement, I believe a model 1 but not 100% sure. Why there is a difference, I don't know. My best guess is either that the 3210 are european and Japanese (As I only got European and japanese GG's and are all that model number) or that it's an early model. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 I've never seen or heard of a GG that uses a model 1 adapter? I only ever used Gen2 PSUs for my Gen2 and GGs. I also have one on my 32x. But yeah, I've never heard of a GG using the larger size model 1 PSU? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ApolloBoy Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 On 1/13/2021 at 8:03 AM, -^CrossBow^- said: I've never seen or heard of a GG that uses a model 1 adapter? I only ever used Gen2 PSUs for my Gen2 and GGs. I also have one on my 32x. But yeah, I've never heard of a GG using the larger size model 1 PSU? Both European and Japanese Game Gear systems use the same AC adapter as the model 1 Genesis/Mega Drive, for some reason Sega changed the US version to use a different PSU (which of course was later used for the Genesis 2). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 33 minutes ago, ApolloBoy said: Both European and Japanese Game Gear systems use the same AC adapter as the model 1 Genesis/Mega Drive, for some reason Sega changed the US version to use a different PSU (which of course was later used for the Genesis 2). I've never seen a Euro or JPN model GG so I wasn't aware. Interesting and it would have been better if they just used the same PSU throughout the Genesis/Megadrive lifetime. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightbit Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 That is indeed interesting. I never knew that either....but then again I would never have known as I live in the USA as well and never encountered an import Game Gear console. Good to know! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 (edited) And from the other side of the Pond, I never saw any GG taking yellow tip adapter. I imported a Japanese one and same, it's a "standard" barrel. I assume Sega provided Europe and Japan with "standard" connectors because in Japan all consoles used the regular 9V barrel tip (including the Famicom) and in Europe, the Master System was popular enough that they could argue consumers didn't had to buy an extra adapter. I guess in the USA they changed for the new tip due to the popularity of the Genesis and to streamline their product line. As to why they changed the power supply... It's a weird decision, given there's no major differences in the electrical specs of both systems. Edited January 17, 2021 by CatPix 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt_Woloch Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Just for the record, I won a Game Gear back in 1992 at a Karaoke contest. It was the bundle pack with the power adaptor, and the power adaptor says "Adaptor for use with power base", so at that time, and for Europe / Austria at least, it was the same adaptor as for the Master System. The ratings are 9V 1A. The actual power requirements of the GG are lower though... it draws about 250-300 mA from the batteries while the Master System (at least the first generation) draws about 400 mA from the adaptor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Yep. It's not very important. An electrical device will only draw what it need from the power source, not more. It can be an issue with older unregulated power supplies tho because if the load is too low, voltage rise. I assume tho that Sega dimensionned the GG power supply to take the extra voltage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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