Best Genesis/Megadrive Model Overall?

[Lawfer]

There was a topic recently about the best Genesis/Megadrive RGB output, but I am interested in the best overall system no matter the region nor platform nor maker, for the ones who don't know multiple consoles from multiple makers (Sega, Victor, Pioneer) accross the board can play Genesis/Megadrive games, like the LaserActive, it can play Genesis/Megadrive games with the Sega PAC and JVC made a console that can play Genesis/Megadrive games called the Wondermega/X'eye, so it's not just all about the Genesis/Megadrive either!

1. I need to know if I should get a Megadrive a Genesis a CDX a Wondermega an X'eye or anything else that plays Genesis/Megadrive games if I want the best RGB video quality with the least jailbars and other visual issues AND best audio output.

2. I need to know which is the best model revision to look for such as Model 1, Model 2, Model 3 Genesis/Megadrive, or a Victor RG-M1 or a Sega HWM-5010 for the Wondermega/X'eye and such and such.

3. I need to know also which is the best motherboard revision, as there are multiple ones such as V0, V1, V2, V3 and such. Different motherboards exhibit differences, such as the use of different video encoders like CXA1645, CXA1145, KA2195 in the Genesis/Megadrive motherboard revisions and such.

So which is the best overall?

[FinalBaton]

Get a Genesis model 1 with the mobo revision ranging from VA3 to VA6.5.
Those have awesome sound right out-of-the-box, so no need to mod them.

I don't think there's a big difference in RGB picture between them, all model 1s have solid RGB picture AFAIK. Once you lift pin 50 on the VDP (or cut a bit of trace right after it), they all look ace.

Here's the rundown of all Genesis/Megadrive model variations :
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread ... m-bad-ones

[FBX]

Get a Genesis model 1 with the mobo revision ranging from VA3 to VA6.5.
Those have awesome sound right out-of-the-box, so no need to mod them.

If you want to avoid TMSS, then the two very best revisions are the VA3 and VA4 (VA5 I believe has some form of broken TMSS, so it's probably better to stick with VA3 or VA4). However, you can make them look and sound EVEN BETTER by the following two mods:


For crystal clear RGB (assuming you don't care about composite video), you'll want to sever the subcarrier trace coming out of pin #50 on the VDP before it meets up and runs alongside the RGB traces. Below is the prime spot near the middle of the bottom of the VA3 board to cut the trace:



I went the full nine and completely peeled the entire subcarrier trace off the board because I never plan to use composite video with my VA3 again (and I have a VA2 to use for that if I need).


Next is audio. The trick hear is to replace the 5600pF audio filtering SMD caps with 4700pF versions, giving the VA3 and VA4 the same fidelity as the VA2, only with the advantage of still retaining the better preamp circuitry (loud games will still play without distortion, which the VA2 messes up). Here's a photo I took after replacing them:



So if you do these two mods, your RGB will be the best possible, and your audio too. This combined with being pre-TMSS makes the VA3 and VA4 model 1 Genesis consoles the best versions to have.

-FBX

[FinalBaton]

I did mention the VDP pin 50 lift/trace cut in my first post

The trick hear is to replace the 5600pF audio filtering SMD caps with 4700pF versions, giving the VA3 and VA4 the same fidelity as the VA2, only with the advantage of still retaining the better preamp circuitry

Were those values for the caps documented somewhere else, or did you find them by experimentation yourself?
I remember the other dude behind the MegaAmp, not named Ace, suggesting some values on sega16 but I forget what they were.

[FBX]

Were those values for the caps documented somewhere else, or did you find them by experimentation yourself?

Suggested by Ace, and I confirmed with audio recording comparisons. Gave my VA3 the same clarity as my VA2, only without loudness distortion.

[Elrinth]

Maybe the CDX or Wonder Mega rev1 with rgbmods?

[Ryoandr]

Next is audio. The trick hear is to replace the 5600pF audio filtering SMD caps with 4700pF versions, giving the VA3 and VA4 the same fidelity as the VA2, only with the advantage of still retaining the better preamp circuitry (loud games will still play without distortion, which the VA2 messes up).

A while ago I tried this, it was mostly fine, but one day I played Ecco, and heard some cracking. I then tried a stock console and to my surprise there was no craking.

The most obvious are Ice zone music (music 4), or welcome to the machine + direction change rumbling sound (music 5 + sound 30).

I don't know if Ecco is the only game affected, but now I don't do that mod.

[FBX]

The most obvious are Ice zone music (music 4), or welcome to the machine + direction change rumbling sound (music 5 + sound 30).

Just played several minutes of Ice Zone and not one 'crack' (edit, just tried Welcome to the Machine for another 15 minutes and no cracks there either). I'm thinking you had some other issue with the console going on. Properly performed, this mod would not cause cracking in the first place. All it does is slightly narrow the filtering bandwidth. It does not mess with the underlying audio at all. It just makes it have the same frequency filter level as the VA2.

[Ryoandr]

Alright, turns out it was my stereo out circuit that somehow interacted with even headphones output. It was an old schematic I guess.

[Taiyaki]

Maybe the CDX or Wonder Mega rev1 with rgbmods?

This would be my choice as well.

[Ikaruga11]

Maybe the CDX or Wonder Mega rev1 with rgbmods?

This would be my choice as well.

What's the difference between those and the "normal" Genesis?

[mvsfan]

VA5 is the Hardest genesis to find. there just arent that many of them out there. sega only built them a short time before they added tmss, and called it a VA6.

Ive bought several large lots of genesis systems over the years.

only 1 genesis has been a Va5. I still have it.

It doesnt have TMSS. It has good sound. Its hard to tell from a Va6 because they are identical except for 1 chip.

[Lawfer]

VA5 is the Hardest genesis to find. there just arent that many of them out there. sega only built them a short time before they added tmss, and called it a VA6.

Ive bought several large lots of genesis systems over the years.

only 1 genesis has been a Va5. I still have it.

It doesnt have TMSS. It has good sound. Its hard to tell from a Va6 because they are identical except for 1 chip.

Interesting, this sounds like the CECH-210x model for the PS3, which was only sold for 4 months before it was replaced by the CECH-250x model.

May I ask, how can you identify a VA5 model without opening it?

But from what I am reading VA5 HAS TMSS, the only VA5 that doesn't have TMSS are the japanese VA5 Megadrives, but the Genesis and EU Megadrives do have TMSS.

[FBX]

May I ask, how can you identify a VA5 model without opening it?

You really can't identify a specific revision externally, but you can get pretty close. The trick is to look at the back of the console where the power jack is. If the jack is close to the right edge and/or has a visible EXT. port, you're good to go. If the power jack (along with the AV and RF ports) are shifted over to the left a good inch or so (and covering up where the 'EXT' port used to be), that's the crap console revision.

However, The V5 really doesn't have any advantage I'm aware of over the VA3 or VA4. With the VA3 being more easily found, just getting one of those and doing the two mods I listed will get you set with perfect RGB and superb audio.

[Lawfer]

May I ask, how can you identify a VA5 model without opening it?

You really can't identify a specific revision externally, but you can get pretty close. The trick is to look at the back of the console where the power jack is. If the jack is close to the right edge and/or has a visible EXT. port, you're good to go. If the power jack (along with the AV and RF ports) are shifted over to the left a good inch or so (and covering up where the 'EXT' port used to be), that's the crap console revision.

However, The V5 really doesn't have any advantage I'm aware of over the VA3 or VA4. With the VA3 being more easily found, just getting one of those and doing the two mods I listed will get you set with perfect RGB and superb audio.

Any way to identify a VA4 then? At least from the FCC ID, should be possible, no?

[FBX]

Any way to identify a VA4 then? At least from the FCC ID, should be possible, no?

Same deal: There's no concrete way to know for sure other than opening the sucker up and reading the stamp.

If you want a more in-depth look at what the best revisions are, check out Ace's thread on the subject over at the Sega-16 forums:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread ... m-bad-ones


-FBX

[Lawfer]

heck out Ace's thread on the subject over at the Sega-16 forums:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread ... m-bad-ones

LOL I was just reading this exact same page like RIGHT NOW, apparently here is a way to tell apart a VA5 Megadrive, the way to tell is by looking at the lower right part of the console, and if it's written SEGA without an R next to the A, then it's a VA5.

[FBX]

apparently here is a way to tell apart a VA5 Megadrive, the way to tell is by looking at the lower right part of the console, and if it's written SEGA without an R next to the A, then it's a VA5.

For the Japanese version of the console, yes. However, you don't get this logo on the North American version.

[bonzo.bits]

Finally got around to cutting the trace for pin 50, sure is nice to be free of jailbars.

Anyone have a spare couple 4700pf's they can send me for the audio fix for VA3? I can in return send you a 470uf for the SNES mini vertical smeggery fix

I'm in Australia and my only option is to order 4700pf's online as the nearest electronics shops don't stock them. I don't have anything else I need to grab atm, so would be looking at $15 postage for a component worth less than $1

[Ryoandr]

Finally got around to cutting the trace for pin 50, sure is nice to be free of jailbars.

Anyway have a spare couple 4700pf's they can send me for the audio fix for VA3? I can in return send you a 470uf for the SNES mini vertical smeggery fix

I'm in Australia and my only option is to order 4700pf's online as the nearest electronics shops don't stock them. I don't have anything else I need to grab atm, so would be looking at $15 postage for a component worth less than $1

ask someone (or dave himself) at EEVBlog maybe.
(half serious, half joking)

[bonzo.bits]

ask someone (or dave himself) at EEVBlog maybe.
(half serious, half joking)

Lol. I wonder what is his policy toward begging. I'm thinking an enthusiactic 'eff off' or something similar.

[mvsfan]

1 chip is different between Va5-Va6. On the motherboard, it says how to tell if its va5/va6.

if number is ___ -Va5
if number is ___ -va6.

its easy.

no way i know of to tell without opening it.

[Lawfer]

1 chip is different between Va5-Va6. On the motherboard, it says how to tell if its va5/va6.

if number is ___ -Va5
if number is ___ -va6.

its easy.

But BOTH the VA5 and VA6 says this same thing, here:

VA5:

Spoiler

VA6:

Spoiler

[FBX]

But BOTH the VA5 and VA6 says this same thing...

You need to put spoiler tags on those pics as they are rather large. But anyway, if you look at the chip directly above those stamps, you can see that the stamps tell you exactly which revision you have:

If the chip reads "315-5402", then you have a VA5.
If the chip reads "315-5433", then you have a VA6.

You can see this is the case with both pics (you have to look closely on the VA6, but you can just make out that it is a 5433).

[FinalBaton]

Why is VA5 better than VA3 and VA4 and VA6 and VA6.5 again?

I must have missed that bit...

[Lawfer]

Why is VA5 better than VA3 and VA4 and VA6 and VA6.5 again?

I must have missed that bit...

The japanese version doesn't have TMSS and it has a sure way to know wether you are getting a VA5 or not without having to open it, for the other revisions it's pretty much a guessing game.

[FinalBaton]

The japanese version doesn't have TMSS and it has a sure way to know wether you are getting a VA5 or not without having to open it, for the other revisions it's pretty much a guessing game.

Ah. gotcha

You can make sure you get a good US model without opening though. All model 1s with "High-Definition Graphics" on top are VA2 to VA6.

TMSS is really no big deal, it's just a 3 seconds screen, and a handful of very early carts won't work.

Spoiler

Known official games without support
This list is incomplete; please add to it if you find something missing. However, one of the ways to bypass this is using the Game Genie
Space Harrier II Japanese launch cartridges (skips step 2)
Super Thunder Blade Japanese launch cartridges (skips step 2)
Juuouki Japanese cartridges with revision 0 (skips step 2)
Osomatsu-kun Hachamecha Gekijou all cartridges (skips step 2)
Alex Kidd: Tenkuu Majou all Japanese cartridges (skips step 2)
Phantasy Star II: Kaerazaru Toki no Owari ni all Japanese cartridges (skips step 2)
Super Daisenryaku all cartridges (skips step 2)
Budokan: The Martial Spirit all US cartridges (skips both steps)
Populous all US cartridges (skips both steps)
Zany Golf all cartridges with revision 0 (skips both steps)
After Burner II all Japanese cartridges (skips step 2)
Sega Channel Japanese version all cartridges (skips step 1)
Known unofficial/unlicensed games without support
Ishido: The Way of Stones all cartridges
Onslaught all cartridges

IMO if you find a cheap TMSS one it's worth grabbing either way. But if you really need a non-TMSS than the ones with the FCC ID FJ846EUSASEGA at the bottom are almost sure to be non-TMSS, so that's a way to tell without opening it up. (the main post mentions that some units with that FCC ID may have TMSS, but no one in the thread could actually corroborate that)

Of course your method of looking for a jap VA5 one is good. But I just thought I would highlite an alternative here.

[FBX]

For the record, the VA5 isn't any better than the VA3 or VA4.

[Triple Lei]

How much better is the VA3/VA4 over the VA2? I'm talking both in sound quality and RGB picture quality.

I got mine last year and reading up some more I guess I overpaid. Is the VA2 salvageable or is it a clunker?

[Lawfer]

I got mine last year and reading up some more I guess I overpaid. Is the VA2 salvageable or is it a clunker?

Overpaid? Why, how much did you pay?

Is the VA2 salvageable or is it a clunker?

You'll have to get some modding done, at least for the picture.