You will need a multimeter. Set it on continuity (Buzz-o-meter) Start with the slide of the switch down one end. Test between a row of the pins until you get a "BEEEEEP" Move the slide, test between the pins again until "BEEEEP" You should notice that ONE of the pins that you had the test probe (of your multi-meter) is the same as the first position. Move the slide to it's next spot Keeping your test probe from the multi-meter on what you believe to be common move your other test probe to the other pin to test for "BEEEEP". etc
Gotcha, ok heres the results with the switch in the 4 positions..... Position 1 Position 2 Position 3 Position 4 So pin 3 is the common, how do i wire this to the megadrive as i take it there will be 3 wires coming from the megadrive?? Ideally id like it so it would be wired so, PAL/US/ASIAN/JPN
I have the answer for you as I have a switch like that on a model 1: You can change the lines for the order in which the regions show up but remember this handy little cheat for region and language settings: NTSC= +5v language +5v hertz PAL= +5v language GND hertz JAP= GND language +5v hertz ASIAN= GND language GND hertz Follow this and my image loosely and the single switch region mod will go flawlessly. EDIT: So I just did this mod to my model 3 revision 2 Genesis. SUCCESS!!! Enjoy some pictures of the mod: The regions are as follows in the last picture going from left to right: ASIAN, JAP, PAL, NTSC Everything works flawlessly. The PAL mode makes my screen flicker and show B&W as to be expected. The JAP test came from the game Streets of Rage. Everyone knows it still has the Japanese stuff in the U and E versions too. Sure enough in the JAP mode it showed up as Bare Knuckle. Can't test the ASIAN mode since I don't know of any games for that region only as well as the fact I couldn't see the shittin screen from the flicker if there were... One last thing, switching modes powered up causes the console to reset. Hope it's just an effect on the model 3 ones.
Thanks sonicdude!, so you have to have all the legs wired up the switch then?, as I thought you'd be able to get away with just 3 or 4 wires coming from the megadrive?. Good to know that this mode can be carried out in the model 3 aswell I'm hoping the Crystal clear audio mod can also me done on the system 3
Just follow my picture. Here's another one for if you want to get the same order I have for my setup: Here's the basis of what's needed. 4 wires. these are for language, hertz mode, GND, and +5v. You still need all 10 pins on the switch because 4 of them need +5v and 4 need GND. Last 2 are where the wires for hertz and language attach. These go to the common in the center. Just put the +5v and GND in order in picture above and the order will be the same as mine. Left to right or other way depending on how the switch is mounted. ASIAN, JAP, PAL, NTSC. I did it this way on my model 3 so that the furthest to front would be default NTSC for me being in the US. I should've put JAP before PAL but I did this in a rush and actually put it to be the above order purposefully. Now I wish I had changed it specifically because of Super Street Fighter and Bare Knuckle. Hindsight is 20/20 after all... EDIT: It should be possible to do the clear audio mod for a model 3 but I don't think it warrants doing that. Not sure on what resistor values would be needed. If anything I'd say to do the stereo mod first. That's next for me. Along with S video, RGB, 32X and Master System fixing, overclocking... This thing's gonna be a mess of wires before I'm finished! At least the above photos of single switch all region mod look decent for a rush job.
Thanks for your help sonicdude!. I was hoping i could just dasiy chain all the GND wires together and the same with the +5v wires so ill just have 4 wires coming from the switch, but looking at how the switch is configured this wont be possible? I wanted to trying to figure out if it was possible to use just 3 wires coming from the switch like the 3 throw switch mod mentioned on the previous page Can you actually add stereo sound back to the model 3 I thought the best you could do was just have the same audio channel coming out of both speakers so in effect double mono?. Why do you think it's not worth doing the CCAM on the system 3, I thought the audio quality wasn't the best? Also I was under the impression you could already get RGB from the a/v socket?, I hope so as I wanted to use a Scart lead with mine
Where do I start??? That's exactly what I did. I don't really know if you need to connect the pins to GND for the PAL hertz and Japanese language. If not then 3 wires will do it and all GND points can be left alone. All diagrams of the region mods I've ever seen always said to connect these wires to GND for respective mode so I played safe and did that hence the 4 wire setup. As for daisy chaining the wires, I did that. Notice the diagram in my last post there are 3 +5v on one side and 3 GND on the other. I bent the pins together so I just needed a short jumper to go to the 4th pin on each side. The +5v and GND from console go to these big joints. 5 connections tied together there. It's simpler than it appears in the pictures further up. I believe the stereo mod is truly stereo. You do need to add an amplifier to the right channel to level them out. Google this for more info. Mainly 'cause I don't know the resistor values needed. They will be different from those for a model 2. They change depending on the type of audio chip console uses. I know nothing on that. I just seen the mod and assumed it was needed. Turns out this console uses a different plug than a model 2. Don't know if they can be swapped out or not without massive rewiring. That would make sure you have a plug for SCART then. Use a model 2 SCART cable that way. Hope this helps. Also if this really helped out some of you, there is an "add to this user's reputation" button in each post. ;P
As I mentioned before grounding the pins is necessary, running +5v is not as the pins on the relevant ic pull themselves high if not grounded. Ie there is no need to run +5v to the switch. Again this works for model 1 & 2 (all their revisions) I believe it shoul be the same for model 3 (didn't get that one here in Australia). I would be interested if the above poster could lift his +5v source (so no +5v to switch) and share.
Yes you can run one source of ground to the switch and link all necessary ground points (as you say daisy chain).
I can now confirm what omp has said on my model 3. You only need ground on the wires. By pulling the +5v off I still get high on the pins for them causing 60 hertz and english language. Even better yet I can switch modes while playing now without it resetting. All 4 modes work for sure. #1 NTSC: everything normal. #2 PAL: screen flicker since my TV is NTSC only and got the classic PAL music slowdown. #3 JAP: Streets of Rage shows up as Bare Knuckle and the opening text changes as I go from NTSC to JAP during the scene. #4 ASIAN: Got the JAP language on the opening text of the same game along with the screen and musical effects of PAL. As I've said, they can be switched in game with no reset now. Thanks omp for that helping me to fix the reset problem and simplify my mess a bit. Funny how factory had the traces running to +5v for my NTSC unit if they weren't needed...
Sonicdude, what are the 3 pads on the Genesis 3 that need soldering to for this mod, as its hard to make out in your picture you posted??
Sonicdude, just had a thought why (maybe) your console reset when you switched live. The switch you used may have been make before break (or elements of) as opposed to break before make. What I mean is the switch was momentarily shorting +5v to ground, reseting the console. Maybe...
Check this picture. The top shows 8 little pads in 4 red circles. The left bottom 2 are for the 50/ 60 HZ and right bottom 2 for language. On top the 4 pads go like this from left to right: - + + - Also take note of the surrounding stuff. You'll need these for markers to get to right location. This is for a revision 2. Revision 1 was different. If you have that then search for it on the web. Just remember incase you forgot that this is a model 3 and this picture is for that only. I think that's the case from what I saw when I had it pulled apart for cleaning up. (Came from an old digital alarm clock that was outside for 5+ years...) Makes sense. Don't know why I didn't think of that before... ANYWAYS, problems fixed and all working perfectly minus me having a PAL TV set. Meh, I just switch to NTSC or JAP once past the region check.
Ok getting back on to topic, i noticed this capacitor on the rear side of the PCB, now im not sure if it was factory fitted or was part of the R/F module module that was added so the JNP console can use an r/f lead in 50hz... One leg of the capacitor just has a blob of solder and isnt attached to the pcb, im not sure if it once was or not but by the looks of it the resistor on the pcb is missing.... Would this be the cause of the red display i get on turning the system on??
I can't recall if that cap is supposed to be there or not as I am at work. When you removed the other stuff (crystal etc) did you restore ALL of the old traces? What happened in your 2nd pic there is a cap missing looks like it has exploded! (see the 3 vertical rectangle jobs, on the right it seems to be missing) I will see if I have a VA4 board at home to compare. EDIT seems that jumper that is missing goes to pin 5 which is the clock. Also had a look again at your pic on page 1, that cap has been added for sure. See how that link has been knocked off and the cap links up to the video encoder clock? It is all tied in with that. I reckon remove it and restore ALL the traces back to standard.
