What is this Sega Gen Cart?

My friend that owns a local game shop got this in a little while ago, and he let me borrow this to take pictures of. I was wondering what it is (ie dev kit or other etc.) and if there is a way to obtain or create the cord that connects to it.

Here are pictures:
http://imgur.com/zJXYp
http://imgur.com/LVzx3

Thanks in advance,
LZ

 

Never seen anything like that before but if I could guess as to what you've got i'd say it's a custom bypass cart that allowed pirates to test their software on a retail unit without having to flash a cart every time. similar to how people were able to use a dreamcast BBA to test something made with the KalisiOS libraries on a retail dreamcast without wasting cdr's.

 

Crack it open and take some PCB shots. That doesn't tell us much beyond having a header for a cable to plug into.

Though the cart looks like it was modified quite nicely and not by someone with a box cutter.

 

Open it. Looks development related, not pirate related. You can't stream code to a console without running it from some programable memory be it system RAM, cartridge mapped RAM or flash. For it to be useful beyond running tests from system RAM, it must contain RAM or flash. 26 pins isn't enough for an EPROM emulator so I think it's some simple hardware interface considering it all fits into a standard case. If there's ROM and significant RAM (this would mean 2 surface mount SRAM, very unlikely) inside it's for developing games, if there's just ROM it's probably for sound/character testing.

 

I'm at work right now, but I don't have access to the correct bit for a little while, but I will post a picture asap.

I do agree though that the hole for the pin connector was manufactured darn perfect.

 

I have seen someone make something that looks similar for the SNES. He connected the cart to a bank of ZIF sockets for testing roms on actual hardware (translations, etc).

However, without seeing how professionally done it is inside - its only guess work.

Edit:

Too few pins (and notice calpis mentioned that above too)

 

That's the DS-16 cart changer adapter.

 

Makes perfect sense. All it does is carry a few signals (like the essential high address lines) missing from the expansion port.

 

Man, I forgot how ugly the Genesis is. Japanese / Euro mixed colour scheme which is not so bad but the over sized HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS text on the top, oversized and not very pretty Genesis logo coupled with a tinny Euro style 16 BIT does not make for a pretty system. Maybe Sega were trying to keep in line with the ugly SNES and ugly Turbo Grafix or whatever the PC Engine was called.

Yakumo

 

I always thought the Model 1 Genesis and Mega Drive were both butt ugly. The Model 2 is much sexier :nod:

 

x

 

Megadrive has always looked tank with the Model 1 CD

 

Model 3 or go home!

I mean...

 

I don't have anything against the Genesis I design, but it isn't anywhere near as stylish as the SMS I.

 

No doubt you guys hear me whine about it constantly, but being stuck here Genesis land is a damn atrocity. :banghead:

 

It may not be incredibly pretty, but it's a damn fine system. The Genesis 1 is much better than the Genesis 2 for those concerned with audio/video quality. The RGB output is much better (clearer, and the bar pattern is almost nonexistent), and it has clear stereo sound output (the Genesis 2 only has mono).

The Wondermega also has stereo sound and a pretty decent S-Video output, but unfortunately no RGB. It's certainly a lot prettier than any other Genesis model though. It's probably my favorite console, design-wise.

I got a Sega CD a while ago for $15. The guy originally wanted $25, but I worked it down to $15. A pretty good deal, I think. It's the tray loading model, like the one in Druid II's picture. I've yet to test it because I don't have any Sega CD games, and I don't have a power supply for it.

 

I've always hated the Mega drive 's color schemes they used and have always preferred the Genesis Color Scheme and design.

That's just me.
I guess it depends on what you were exposed to back then.

 

For me it's the whole "outsider" feeling. I hate that part. Having to see frequent praise for a brand used in 95% of regions beside my own.

Most users don't really grasp the degree of effort Sega took in their name re-brand. Almost to the point of seeming like censoring away Mega Drive. How many Genesis first party games or accessories can we even name that have allusions to MD they'd let slide as "fan service"?

 

Not quite sure what you mean. Anyway, I've gotten so used to thinking of it as the Mega Drive that I sometimes inadvertently refer to the Genesis as the Mega Drive. Mega Drive is a much cooler name in my opinion. I never liked the Genesis logo either.

I don't like the look of the European version of the model 1 very much, but the Japanese model 1 looks better than the American one IMO. I prefer the Japanese and European controllers, because they have the SEGA logo instead of the dorky Genesis logo.

 

That Genesis logo is just too much in your face as with the over sized HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS text arround the bezel.

Yakumo