PAL Asian Mega Drive + Mega CD?

Discussion in 'General Gaming' started by cookie, Mar 24, 2013.

  1. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    I've had one of the Galaxy Group (Thailand) Mega Drive 2 consoles for a while now and, as I understand it, it's a PAL board in a Japanese shell. I could swear there were some PAL Asian Mega CD consoles around last year (saw a few completed listings on eBay, and saw a few on Taobao), but now I can't find any for the life of me, so maybe I'm wrong. I have two questions guys, if anyone here can help:

    1) Did they even produce an Asian Version Mega CD 2?
    2) If not, is the Thai Mega Drive compatible with a PAL European Mega CD 2? (Any region-lock nonsense?)

    Thanks
     
  2. Pikkon

    Pikkon "Moving in Stereo"

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    A asain megadrive will only play jpn games,its a jpn board with a pal crystal oscillator.
     
  3. Lum

    Lum Officer at Arms

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    We have one clue to help us learn more about that. If it has RF video output, its not a jpn board.

    Yeah I guess jpn region with pal color is plausible.
    I was under the impression sega didn't officially sell megadrive set to japanese language at 50hz. Region modders and emulator authors often skip the mode.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2013
  4. Pikkon

    Pikkon "Moving in Stereo"

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    I actually own one,its a jpn board.
     
  5. Bad_Ad84

    Bad_Ad84 The Tick

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    You can change the language/region jumpers to make it what ever you like.
     
  6. reprep

    reprep Gutsy Member

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    i have one of these asian pal megadrives. i don't have a pal mega cd 2 but my friend has one and it works perfectly with it.

    as Bad_Ad84 says you can mix and match it with whatever you want. i use mine set to 60 hz and use it with a ntsc 32x.

    i have a few pictures here: (not insides)


    https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49362080/DSCN0230.JPG
    https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49362080/DSCN0231.JPG
    https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49362080/DSCN0232.JPG
    https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49362080/DSCN0233.JPG
    https://dl.dropbox.com/u/49362080/DSCN0235.JPG
     
  7. Lum

    Lum Officer at Arms

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    Ah that makes sense. If the 50hz asian pal megadrives are european boards, then our info doesn't conflict. :victorious:
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2013
  8. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    This may not be the case, as I've been playing plenty of UK titles on the thing, as well as "Asian Version" titles sold by the same guy. We're talking about this guy:
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-BOXED-SEGA-GENESIS-MEGA-DRIVE-2-CONSOLE-/170957154039
    By the way the "asian version" games are all PAL and in English, but are japanese cart shells. They sometimes have japanese artwork (like in the case of Sonic 2). It's confusing as hell for sure.

    From what you guys are saying it sounds like there's no region lockout stuff so I should just go ahead and buy a PAL Mega CD 2. I don't want to mod the thing because I bought it new in box, I've been thinking I'll grab a cheap used UK mega drive and mod it for 60hz anyway..
     
  9. Lum

    Lum Officer at Arms

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    When you set the UK mega drive to 60hz, that would be US mode and a PAL Mega CD 2 shouldn't boot.
     
  10. reprep

    reprep Gutsy Member

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    unless you use a multi-region bios or load mega cd bios from somewhere else (everdrive md etc.)

    or you can just set the 50/60 hz switch back to 50 hz.
     
  11. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    But it's simple to mod a mega cd for 60hz too right? I think I'll just leave the Asian console out of this and pick up some cheap used UK kit for 60hz mods :)

    thanks for the replies btw guys
     
  12. Lum

    Lum Officer at Arms

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    bios loading cart is the least invasive option for mega cd.

    language is separate from hz on mega drive, so there's 4 possible regions. Why you see two switches in that picture above.
     
  13. svotib

    svotib Site Supporter 2013, 2014

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    By the way, this guy is selling really original Sega? Or is it a clone?
     
  14. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    Sounds good, I'm going to look into this. I'm on a modding kick at the moment.

    Almost certain it's legit Sega hardware. I did a great deal of research before I bought the thing, contacted other people who had bought it via eBay etc. It does have quite a light/cheap feel to it, but I don't have another console to compare it to at the moment. The accessories and power adaptor etc are all Sega branded, and it has the expansion connector that a lot of clones don't. I'm not going to open it up and check the board, but others have and reckon it's legit. Just a genuine case of overproduced / old stock I think.
     
  15. reprep

    reprep Gutsy Member

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    they look real. i am pretty sure some of these were officially sold, at least in east parts of europe, along with europe pal megadrives (red button ones).

    they are PAL/ENG not PAL/JAP.

    i know mine is real with the manufacturing code MK-1631-07

    http://www.assemblergames.com/forum...rd-version-of-Mega-drive-2-need-help&p=498753

    here is some more info.

    the good thing is you can use jap cartridges without enlargening cartridge slot or using a 32x. of course this is true if the cartridges are region-free or your console has a eng/jap switch.
     
  16. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    Thanks for the link. I liked the comment about the metal shield - do Mega Drive 2 models normally have one? Might explain why it feels so light.
     
  17. reprep

    reprep Gutsy Member

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    agreed, it is light. about the picture quality, it has great picture when connected to a crt tv via rgb scart. i haven't tried composite.
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2013
  18. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    I can vouch for this. Fantastic quality.
     
  19. Lum

    Lum Officer at Arms

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    Yes for US, and Europe I believe. Asian models probably not.

    Don't bother. mega drive is infamous for its composite quality.
     
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2013
  20. cookie

    cookie Active Member

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    That explains it! I knew there was something off about the weight. Thanks.
     
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