This thread is dedicated to spotting bootlegged goods. Sometimes it's incredibly difficult to tell the real thing, and the intention of this thread is to provide information on how to spot a boot, know if you've been sold a boot, and vise-versa: confirm that you're buying the genuine article.
To keep it concise (as conversation has already dragged things slightly off course) if someone writes something up and PM's it to me instead of posting, I can put the HTML into my first post, crediting the poster for the work. This way bootleg info will all be collated at the top in an easy to find manner, and I can keep it neatly arranged.
Feel free to send any information you have, images are helpful, so I'd encourage you to add some, and hopefully we can build a list that includes:
-CPS2
-PCB's
-TAITO F3
-ST-V
-MVS
and others!
We'll start with Sega ST-V carts (following on from the recent trading station event.)
SEGA S-TV
Sega ST-V carts can be bootlegged, and are most likely to be ones that fetch higher prices like Radiant Silvergun or Cotton Boomerang.
First let's look at the setup on genuine ST-V carts, running right up until the end of the ST-V's production.
One of the last cartridges released is this, Final Fight Revenge (1999)
Note the PCB layout on the inside
Next a genuine Cotton 2 cart:
Note the same general layout as Final Fight, Sega logo stamped on the board.
Below are two genuine ST-V boards with a little variation between them. Note that the general setup is the same.
The first is Cotton 2 again, the same layout as that shown above, Sega logo stamped on the right:
Here is a picture of the back of the same board. Says 'Sega' with a date stamped next to it.
One very important way to spot ST-V boots is that genuine boards have rounded edges on the Jamma connector (also rounded at the 'key' - the section circled in the image:)
Now we'll do a direct comparison using Cotton Boomerang, a well known bootlegged cart!
COTTON BOOMERANG
Genuine cart - Notice the same layout as shown in above, and the rounded edge connector etc?
Bootleg cart - An example of an excellently made boot, complete with sega on the board (although no logo). However, notice the layout and spacing of the chips, no dates by 'sega', and importanly, the sharp cut of the edge connector and the key section:
ST-V bootlegs come in a variety of styles, so let's take at some other example's of bootlegs.
First this one provided from Dave K. Dave K wrote: "Here is another example of a cart I recently bought from a Hong Kong distributor that marked it as a "copy". This one is a professionally (factory) produced PCB with Intel flash chips. No sega logos or wording. "
And another example from Dave_K.
Dave_K. wrote: "Here is one example of an obvious boot. I bought this as an original [Cotton] boomerang cart on ebay by GWGAT. Hand soldered MX chips on some random ST-V cart PCB...similar to MVS boots. "
Front:
Back:
Finally, we're going to look at labels.
LABEL COMPARISON
Labels on ST-V carts should look like these - Notice the colour of the red around the edge - quite soft bordering on orangey. Also, importantly, look at the font. It's consistent in size, boldness and spacing on both carts.
Here is a boot label - bootleg's are done very well, but the type and letter spacing is a giveaway, and the red colour is deeper than it should be:
That about wraps it up, but lets do a summary:
- ST-V carts all have a similar layout right up until the end of production
- SEGA logo's don't necessarily appear on all carts as they do on Cotton, but they should be dated.
- Look at edge connectors - they should be rounded off on the connector itself and the key section. Sharp cuts are a giveaway.
- Label colour is important, as is font size, strength, and letter spacing. Look closely and you'll see the difference.
NOTE: None of these features are guaranteed to be consistent - you may find that the edge connector is properly rounded on your cart, but the chips look all wrong. If you're unsure, get the proper screwdriver and investigate!
KNOWN BOOTLEG SELLERS:
EBAY: GWAT - Great Western Trading: have been known to sell bootlegged ST-V's regularly.
YATON (? unconfirmed)
(NOTE: If you have any other information on sellers, or places that have sold you a bootlegged ST-V cart, please PM me and I'll update the list.)
BIG THANKS TO:
pcb_revival
Dave_K.
Maxlords
The Sheep
These guys provided all the information and images, I just compiled it - thanks for your help!
You might add that a missing notch in the JAMMA connector of a PCB is a sign of a bootleg.
