Saga of a Sega system -- please post comments, etc.
Okay, I've recently had some problems in trying to pick up a new classic video game system for my collection and I REALLY would love to get some comments, feedback, advise, etc.
The whole situation started about two weeks ago. I've always been a game player but mostly have stuck to Nintendo and Sony systems. About a year ago I decided to start picking up some older systems I had missed back in the day and the best games for said systems. First I got a 3DO and then I got a TurboDuo. I decided, now, to pick up a Sega Genesis/32X/CD system as the next part of my collection. (and please note I bought all of these to play GAMES on, not just sit around and look pretty.)
I mointored EBay for several days, trying to find a good deal on a bundle. I wanted to get all three parts from the same person, to hopefully reduce any possible problems and make sure everything worked. I also wanted to get Model 2 for both the Gen and the CD. Finally, I did'nt want any games -- I intended to pick and choose the best ones myself.
After several days, a good deal on a bundle came up in this auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...015724911&rd=1
I e-mailed the seller and asked her if the system worked (as that was'nt stated in the description), what came with it, and if she might consider reducing the price a little. (Originaly it was for $70) The responses I got were very quick and polite, telling me that yes, everything DID work, the system only came with the power supply for the CD base, and agreeing to knock $10 off the price if I used a BIN.
Before I commited to buying the system, I read several FAQ's about the CD base and what to expect. Since I had never owned a Sega system, I wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into.
I admit, though, that I made several mistakes. First, I probaly should'nt have bought the system from the person as I did not notice the AS IS part at first and then wondered how the seller could confirm the system worked if she never said it was tested. Second, I did not know that the connection cable for the 32X to the Genesis was so rare and hard to find in the wild, and assumed it was included with the system. Of course assumptions are dangerous. Third, I probaly should have had on hand all of the needed parts and what not so I could do full testing on the system when it came right away.
Anyway, I bought the system and then started to buy on EBay everything else I would need -- some CD and 32X games, a RF switch, a AV cable, a couple controllers. I also went down to my local GameStop and bought a couple used power supplies as well as the Genesis game Kings Bounty.
A few days later, the system came in the mail. Wonderfull shipping and packing -- no complaints there. I had to wait a couple days after getting the system to get the needed parts to be able to test the system. On the same day the needed parts came -- a controller, a RF switch, and a Sega CD game, Slipheed. I hooked up everything, everything started up just fine, I started to play -- and then WHAM, lockup. Repeated attempts to reconnect the Genesis to the CD base to get the base to work again failed. I then disconnected the Genesis from the CD Base and tried Kings Bounty. Could'nt get THAT to work either.
At this point I had allready realized the 32X was useless without the needed cable, and now I had two out of three parts of the system that was'nt working. Or possibly three. I could'nt confirm the problem was the Genesis OR the CD Base. I e-mailed the seller and explained the situation to her. I wanted to get some of my money refunded to make up for having to buy another Genesis and 32X. Well, the e-mails did'nt get anywhere. It ended up with us leaving Netrual feedback on each other at EBay and her ignoring any more of my mails. I did send a apology about the 32X cable (not realzing it was'nt included) and said that I needed to do further testing on everything. After that I put in bids and won another 32X and Genesis system on EBay.
Fast forward about a week. Most of my other stuff from EBay has come, and today the new Genesis came. The Genesis also included a official Sega RF switch and a game (NFL 98). I promtly started doing testing on everything again, trying all of the possible hookups and both games to see what worked and what did'nt.
I found that the official Sega RF Switch gave better reception game play, for some reason. I also found that my ORIGINAL Sega Genesis (the one that came with the CD base) seemed to have some problems. It played both games stand alone, but it would not play Kings Bounty when hooked up to the CD Base. It also still refused to 'turn on' the CD base when connected. The new Genesis did not have either of these problems -- the CD base started right up when the new Genesis was hooked up to it, and several minutes of just shutting the Genesis on and off resulted in the CD base started up each and every time.
However, I still had problems with Slipheed -- more lockups with the game. At this point I wondered if the CD base was bad as well. Slipheed did'nt have any damage to the CD on it and Slipheed and the CD 2 were made in the same year (1993) so it did'nt seem to be included on the list of CD Games with lockups.
At this point I was quite upset and annoyed that I would have to buy a new CD Base as well. I would have e-mailed the seller to tell her I was filing a complaint with PayPal, but since my other e-mails had been ignored I saw no point in doing so. So I filed the complaint with PayPal. Would'nt you know -- almost right away I got a angry e-mail from the seller. I wrote her back explaing my reason for doing so.
Venting with a friend at this point about the whole mess, he suggsted to me something I honeslty had'nt thought off -- could the problem be the CD itself? I never had any problems with lockups on any of my other CD systems (with the exception of some PSX games on a PS2, but that was due to compatibility, not a bad CD) but my friend told me about some problems he had with his Sega Saturn and suggested I try other games. I did'nt have any other CD games yet to test with the game, but I DO have a Game Doctor. Even though the Slipheed CD looked fine, I went ahead and used the Game Doctor on it, and tried the game in the system again.
Would'nt you know? This time the game seemed to play fine without locking up. I ran it for 30 minutes on demo and then played it for another 30 minutes. No lockups. Checking my mail, I saw some other CD games had come, like Cobra Command, so I tried those games as well and they played just great.
I realized that my complaint was now unfounded. I'm STILL not really sure on what was working and what was not, but it does seem the original Genesis had some problems but the CD base is fine. This was the first complaint I had ever made with PayPal and it was not something I did lightly. So I went ahead and canceled the complaint, and sent one last e-mail to the seller, telling her I had canceled the complaint and also telling her of this note.
Finally, as I was working this note, the seller wrote back (I don't believe that has had received my canceled complaint) accusing me of ripping off other sellers I buy from and insulting me. The last thing I need is someone spreading false rumors about my feedback on EBay. It speaks for itself (my username is soulblazer99). Hopefully we both can consider this matter closed and go our seperate ways.
The main questions I have was -- how can I prove that the CD base really IS working and that I don't need to buy another one? Also, how would you have handled all of this? The testing I've done seem to indicate it's fine with the new Genesis I got, but I'd really like to be sure. I also know that I made mistakes in handling this whole matter, but I also feel misled by the original seller and annoyed I had to buy ANOTHER Genesis and 32X to go with the ones I allready had. And why the lockups with Slipheed when it's not listed on any 'lockup' lists that I could find?
After all this hassle, I ended up spending an extra $60 on top of the $100 I bought just to get the system working (not even counting games) and am stuck with a Genesis and 32X that I'm going to try to sell on EBay (with honest listings on their condition). I just wonder how much of this is my fault and how much is the original seller's fault. Please be honest -- I would'nt be posting all this to strangers if I did'nt want them.
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