unmodded Japanese MD displays PAL?

[BuckoA51]

I must be the most unlucky buyer of Megadrives ever. My first Genesis turned out to be a PAL console in disguise, now I've bought a Japanese Megadrive. The unit is unmodded as far as I can see, it boots Japanese cartridges but it displays them in PAL? What's the deal with that?

[antron]

How are you determining the output format?

[fagin]

Is it an Asian multi region 50hz version!?

[BuckoA51]

How are you determining the output format?

With the Framemeister

Is it an Asian multi region 50hz version!?

Maybe, what's that?

Edit, just seen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpNbx53ErzQ That must be what it is, damn

[Fudoh]

definitely an "asian" one. They were originally japanese models which have been modded to PAL and exported for PAL SE Asian markets, e.g. HK. But that's ok. Mine was a HK-one as well and you just open it up, remove the additional 4.43MHz quartz, repair the 50/60Hz jumper and that's it. Genuine JP-NTSC again.

[BuckoA51]

Oh! so they have the same timing crystals as NTSC machines, meaning it wouldn't have issues V-locking if modded? In that case I might keep it after all.

[Fudoh]

They are original japanese units with ADDITIONAL PAL clocks. The old clock is bypassed. It's a 5-minute mod to get it back to the original state.

[BuckoA51]

Right I see, yeah there's a guide on Youtube. Hmm, well I guess for all the hassle of sending it back I might as well just pop it off to my favourite modder and have that mod done plus the region free stuff my old unit had.

[fagin]

Right I see, yeah there's a guide on Youtube. Hmm, well I guess for all the hassle of sending it back I might as well just pop it off to my favourite modder and have that mod done plus the region free stuff my old unit had.

You lazy git..... it takes about 30mins (if you take it easy lol) to do all the mods on these MD's!

[BuckoA51]

After my last attempt at soldering I'm now barred from ever touching a soldering iron again by court order.