Ok, just recently having found out about the Mega-Tech (yes im a noob), just had a wonderful idea. For some stupid law reason, most arcade cabinets are gambling cabinets for the dutch law. Except for the Playchoice or Mega-Tech or MegaPlay (because they are restricted to time, earning extra playtime makes it gambling due to the idiotic dutch gambling law). I would love a machine like that, but I would need 6 buttons so it can run Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat 3 (the best fighting games on the Mega Drive/Genesis). tldr: I know you can build your own adaptors so you can run regular home cartidges on it instead of Mega Tech or Mega Play ones.. But can you mod it so you can use the 6-button configuration instead of the default three ones? I have been reading, http://ftp.kameli.net/pub/pkp/megatech.pdf But from it I cannot figure out whether it the buttons are directly hooked up to hardware, or if there is a seperate controller chip, in keeping with its home console origins, in which case a 6 button controller chip could possibly take it's place. If I know this is possible, then I'd be willing to save up to buy it, make a cabinet (since I can only find the arcade hardware without said cabinet) and mod it for good fighting games. If anyone knows if it is I'd greatly appreciate it, but if it isn't I'd also appreciate it to let it go .
Why not just mod a Genesis/MegaDrive to fit in the cabinet? A model 1 puts out both stereo sound and perfect RGB with stock hardware. You really only need to mod the controllers into a control panel. Then you can play any stock game you want just by swapping carts.
I guess it just seemed like the obvious choice, since your goal was to play home carts. Plus, you always have the option of adding SEGA CD hardware later.
If you wanted to do this to have Genesis/ Megadrive games in an arcade cabinet there is an alternative that isn't too hard to do. It's the JAMMA Genesis/ Megadrive mod. Basically adding a JAMMA edge connector to a console to make it JAMMA cabinet compatible. This guy did it to his and even made it possible to play CD games as well. Adding 32X is possible as well but a bit harder since you need to mod the RGB video cable to go through the 32X before it goes to the monitor. Check out his 2 videos showing the system off. It isn't a build video but he does cover what needs to be done. Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhjjdUqZP8g Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVx0-MshFNA Hope this helps.
I mod a model 2 genesis is not difficult but you need a sound amp at least I need it for the jamma candy cab because the audio was to low. Anyway here are some early photos of my jamma gen without the audio amp, the audio is taken from below on the mono solder point of the output connector.
Hah very cool pictures and videos. Very informative, thanks. It's actually been quite a point of frustration with me, of how dutch law considers arcade machines as slot machines. When I was a kid I wasn't allowed in because I was too young, then that law got into effect and they all disappeared.. One local game shop had some SNK machines but then the local city government and said it was gambling, no further explanation given. So you couldn't run arcade cabinets without making it all 18+ and with security as an actual gambling den. A second one had a Virtua Striker machine, but it wasn't even connected before they arrived. If I got a convincing cabinet with such a mod running, it'll be completely legal. But they'd still come, try and shut it down. But I could explain to them how it was legal and the perhaps have them admit how stupid the law is.. That will be such a catharsis..
