website/content/museum/sega-genesis.md

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Sega Genesis	Consoles	name image company company_name tabs forum_thread photos hardware connectors emulators links videos related software oc_id source Genesis /media/museum/photos/sega_genesis_2s.jpg /companies/sega Sega photos hardware connectors software emulators links videos 818 title subtitle text image GENESIS /media/museum/photos/genesis_face.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE /media/museum/photos/genesis_profil.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE UP /media/museum/photos/genesis_profil2.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/genesis_profil3.jpg title subtitle text image EUROPEAN MEGADRIVE /media/museum/photos/md_eur_face.jpg title subtitle text image MEGADRIVE - CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/md_eur_profil.jpg title subtitle text image MEGADRIVE - CONTROL PANEL The volume slider, on/off switch and Reset button. /media/museum/photos/md_eur_buttons.jpg title subtitle text image POWER LED /media/museum/photos/megadrive_close.jpg title subtitle text image BOTTOM /media/museum/photos/megadrive_back.jpg title subtitle text image JAPANESE MEGADRIVE /media/museum/photos/md_jap_face.jpg title subtitle text image JAPANESE MEGADRIVE /media/museum/photos/md_jap_profil.jpg title subtitle text image CONTROL PANEL /media/museum/photos/md_jap_buttons.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/md_jap_profil2.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/md_jap_profil3.jpg title subtitle text image VERSIONS COMPARISON From top to bottom : - European Megadrive - Japanese Megadrive - American Genesis Just a few cosmetic differences... /media/museum/photos/md_comparaison.jpg title subtitle text image CONTROL PAD /media/museum/photos/md_pad.jpg title subtitle text image PAD - TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/md_pad_2.jpg title subtitle text image PAD - CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/md_pad_buttons.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/photos/megadrive_box.jpg title subtitle text image BOX - BACK /media/museum/photos/megadrive_box_back.jpg title subtitle text image THE ACTION CHAIR The action chair is a rare item. Connected to a Genesis/Megadrive, it acts as a controller! When you lean backward/forward it tells the Genesis to go down/up and when you lean left/right it tells to go left/right. Two handles on each side offer two buttons each, resulting in 4 buttons : START, SELECT, A & B. The Action Chair is basically a chair mounted on a controller. It is thus possible to play all games with it, though it is more convenient to play games like After Burner II, Space Harrier II, Super Thunder Blade, Hang on, Road Rash, Super Monaco GP, etc. Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair.jpg title subtitle text image DOCUMENTATION Page 1 Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair_doc_1.jpg title subtitle text image DOCUMENTATION Page 2 Thanks to **Spycal** for this picture /media/museum/hardware/sega_action-chair_doc_2.jpg title subtitle text image THE UNIT The MegaCD was released in 1991 in Japan, in 1992 in the USA and in 1993 in Europe. This very expensive addon was meant to fight the Nintendo SNES which was just released, and alternatively the NEC CD based systems... The main interest of the MegaCD was that if enabled bigger games and FMV movies/music. Despite this, movie based games were often boring, offering very little interaction with the player. Finaly there were not a lot of games produced for the MegaCD. Another version of the MegaCD was released to be used with the Genesis / Megadrive II system. /media/museum/hardware/megacd_seul.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP /media/museum/hardware/megacd_close.jpg title subtitle text image GENESIS / MEGADRIVE FIITED ON THE MEGACD /media/museum/hardware/megadrivemegacd.jpg title subtitle text image PICTURE #2 /media/museum/hardware/megadrivemegacd_2.jpg title subtitle text image FRONT /media/museum/hardware/megadrivemegacd_3.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP #2 /media/museum/hardware/megadrivemegacd_profil.jpg title subtitle text image BACK /media/museum/hardware/megadrivemegacd_side.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/hardware/sega_megadrive_megacd1_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image PICTURE #1 The Sega Powerbase Convertor enables the Genesis / Megadrive to play Master System games. Its case design is a mix between the Genesis and the Master System. It fits on top of the Genesis / Megadrive and includes a cartridge slot and a cart slot. The Powerbase cannot be used with the Genesis / Megadrive II but a special version was later released for it, which, like the Genesis / Megadrive II, did not include the cart slot. /media/museum/hardware/md_powerbase.jpg title subtitle text image PICTURE #2 /media/museum/hardware/md_powerbase_2.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/hardware/sega_megadrive_baseconverter_box.jpg title subtitle text image A/V CONNECTOR PINOUT /media/museum/connectors/genesis_md_sms_mkiii_video.gif title subtitle text image 3 BUTTONS JOYSTICK The joystick port uses a multiplexing technique based on the 74HC157 chip (high-speed cmos quad 2-line to 1-line multiplexer) built-in the controller. There are 2 inputs for each 4 outputs of the chip. The console can determine which function is read by setting the *select* signal to 0v (logic low) or +5v (logic high). **Fun fact :** Atari 2600 joysticks could be used in the Genesis joystick ports. The button of the Atari joystick was the "B" button on a Sega Genesis, and the direction buttons are fully functional. /media/museum/connectors/genesis_joystick.gif title url platform text Gens http://gens.consolemul.com/ Windows Excellent Genesis emulator title url platform text KEGA http://www.eidolons-inn.net/kega/ Windows Kega is a Sega SG1000, SC3000, Master System, Game Gear, Genesis/Megadrive and SegaCD/MegaCD emulator for Win9x/ME/2000/XP title url platform text Wgens http://emu.makii.pl/pokazpliki.php3?tematy=smd Windows Sega Megadrive emulator title url text GameFAQs http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/genesis/ All sort of FAQs related to the Genesis / megadrive (games, hardware, etc.) title url text GameWinners.com http://www.gamewinners.com/GEN/ Great cheat codes archive ! title url text GAMEX.COM http://www.gamesx.com/avpinouts/genesisav.htm Genesis / Megadrive video pinouts title url text Genesis Collective http://www.genesiscollective.com/ Giant software database, full of useful info title url text IGN.COM http://codes.ign.com/ A LOT of Genesis game codes title url text Megadrive FAQ http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/faqs/megadfaq.shtml Megadrive FAQ hosted by Classicgaming.com title url text Official 32X pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/32x/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.) title url text Official Mega Drive pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/md/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.) title url text Official Sega CD pages from Sega! http://www.sega.co.jp/archive/segahard/mcd/ Excellent. Lot of info here (specs, pix, soft lists, ads,etc.) title url text SEGA CD FAQ http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/faqs/segacdfaq.shtml Sega CD FAQ hosted by classicgaming.com title url text The Dump http://www.classicgaming.com/thedump/genesis/ Box arts, covers, reviews and more title url text The McDonald Family Homepage http://www.billnkaz.demon.co.uk/segalist.htm How to build a RGB to D-SUB video cable for your Genesis / Megadrive 1. Also a big cheat file is available title url text Video Game Music Archive http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/sega/genesis/ Sega Genesis music files directory !!! title url text Zophar's Domain http://www.zophar.net/genesis.html Nice emulator list & some interestinf game info to download title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com Sega dedicated newsgroup title url text Sega Genesis TV commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd-tH9fKuOo Length: 30s /museum/sega-genesis-2 /museum/sega-genesis-3 /museum/sega-mega-drive /museum/sega-mega-drive-ii /museum/sega-nomad /museum/sega-wondermega /software/36-great-holes-starring-fred-couples-32x /software/after-burner-complete-32x /software/chaotix-32x /software/doom-32x /software/fifa-soccer-96-32x /software/kolibri-32x /software/mortal-kombat-ii-32x /software/nba-jam-tournament-edition-32x /software/pitfall-the-mayan-adventure-32x /software/sangokushi-iv-32x /software/space-harrier-32x /software/spider-man-web-of-fire-32x /software/star-wars-arcade-32x /software/stellar-assault-32x /software/tempo-32x /software/wwf-raw-32x /software/zaxxon-s-motherbase-2000-32x 837 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230602055346/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=837 2023-06-02

The Mega Drive was renamed Genesis for its 1989 American launch.

Lack of awareness of the TurboGrafx-16 left the NES as the Genesis' biggest competitor until the release of the SNES. By this time the Genesis had established a large user base and was able to outsell the SNES in America. Shortly after the release of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (on Sonic 2's Day, which as you probably guessed was a Tuesday!) the Genesis held a massive 65% share of the market.

However, the success of the console in the States, and as the Mega Drive in Europe, may well have contributed to Sega's downfall. Two misjudged pieces of hardware, the 32X and Sega CD put a huge dent in Sega's reputation, one so large that the company would never recover.

A redesigned Genesis II was released in 1994. The smaller console was cheaper to produce, similar in concept to the Master System II.

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Taneli Lukka from Filand adds :
Connecting the 32X addon to the original Genesis/Mega Drive is very difficult because a special adapter cable is required to link the 32X unit and the MD console together. This happens because MD1 has a diffirent AV port than the MD2. This cable was very hard to get even when 32X was released (many people had to buy a MD2 unit to get their 32X working) and it's almost impossible to get your hands on one of these cables today.

James (UK) comments : I believe i have a seen two different versions which havent been mentioned here. the Mega Drive i own has a white piece of plastic around the power L.E.D, and no writing at all on the ring. it has no EXT port and all plastic feet and only mono sound from the a.v out port - i modified it for stereo by taking the output from the headphone port. The Mega Drive my uncle had was one of the first in the UK. That had a GREY piece of plastic around the led and had 'high definition audio' only written on the ring :)