Sega Master System Card Slot Mod

I wonder if anyone could advise me if this mod is possible:

I want to play Master System card games on my Game Gear / Master System 2...(like the card catcher device that was for the Mark III).

My idea is to de-solder the card slot from a Master System mark 1 and fix it to a stripped down Master System donor cart. I'd then link the card slot connectors to the corresponding connectors on the donor cart using the pinout info on these diagrams:

http://www.smspower.org/Development/SMSCartridge

http://www.smspower.org/Development/CardSlot

The card has 35 connectors and the cart has 50 so this would leave a few unconnected - not sure if this would matter.

Is this idea viable or a no go

 

Should work with ONE issue:

Japanese cards are not compatible with the export bios for not having TMSS signature. :shrug:

 

...but if you can exchange bios, then there's no problem doing this.
http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10908

Not sure if disabling will do the trick too:
http://www.smspower.org/Development/BIOSRemoval

 

Disabling does not work, it causes the two extra slots (expansion and card) to die as no program would check them and boot from there.

I have a "side project" of hacking the M404 bios and putting the japanese slot detection routine in it for an custom SMS design. :thumbsup:

That prototype bios is kickass. :love2:

 

Thanks.

I'm not bothered about playing Japanese Master System or Mark III cards, so I should be ok.

I'll start work on the mod soon.

 

I was thinking of SG-1000 games and cards (that's what the card catcher is for, no ? :shrug

Edit: and considering the case of the Master System II, disabling the BIOS is very doable as it has no multiple connectors anyway. Didn't think of that when I wrote my first reply ... lol

 

Wouldn't this help?

http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1640

 

I just wanted to post that! (http://www.smspower.org/Homebrew/SMSBootLoader-SMS)

 

PsychoFox any update of this great mod?

I think you won't need to replace/change BIOS, essentially the slot will remain one as you'll use cartridge connectors... Not sure though.

 

Not started the mod yet - still looking for a donor Master System mark 1 to take the card slot from

I think the mod will work, I hope so!

 

Any of those Sega card games worth playing? What ones are good, that aren't ports on other consoles?

 

Ports don't count. People like originals on original hardware.

 

Yeah, I don't like emulation, original games on original hardware for me.

I asked if there were any SEGA card games not as ports from other systems, as I have an SMS converter for MegaDrive 1 that also can take SEGA cards; just wondering if there are any cards worth getting on their gameplay quality?

 

As far as I know, the Mega Drive VDP does not have the all of the TMS9918 functions on it so the MD gets kind of broken reverse compatibility with SG-1000 MARKI/II. It's granted that SG-1000 MARK-III/Master System games will work but older stuff may not run. SEGA cards were originally an SG-1000 MARK-II thing as far as I know... So I would expect most of the games be of SG-1000 quality... :nod:

 

...in other words, crap graphics! Thanks for the knowledge!

 

I only had the racing game Hang-On in Sega Card format,but I can tell that most SMS games work with the Power Base Converter. A game that uses an increased vertical resolution did not run. You can make an card adaptor that goes into the top slot,I think its better because you dont need to take parts out of a console that might have only a damaged voltage converter(assuming you have got a defective SMS I). Inexperienced people can try a Flash card.

 

Master System cards list:
Bank Panic
F-16 Fighter
F-16 Fighting Falcon (same game with F-16 Fighter)
Ghost House
Great Soccer
Hang On
My Hero
Spy vs Spy
Super Tennis
Teddy Boy
Transbot



All games were also released as cartridges except Great Soccer.
Cartridges are cheaper, so if you're interested in just playing the game, try finding cartridge version.

I don't know if any of them are ports from other systems, but I think the quality is much better than SG-1000 games.

My favorite is My Hero.

 

I think the only game that does not work on the Mega Drive is F16 Fighter... :shrug:

And you're wrong my friend...

Great Soccer was released in Brazil as a cartridge with the title "Super futebol". :thumbsup:

Works great on the Mega Drive, btw...

 

I'm afraid you're wrong...
Great Soccer (Card) is totally different game from Super Futebol:


Great Soccer (Card) on left and Super Futebol on right.

A lot of people make this mistake... :thumbsup:

 

Oh I see .... :nod:

And the left one look so SG-1000ish .... :lol: