Master System Converter question

[Coldguy]

Hi all, just was wonder if the master system converter would work for the Genesis 2, I know it does on the first model but there is no information on the second.

[InsaneDavid]

Yes it will, it simply doesn't fit due to its shape. Chop some plastic off (or remove the boards from the Power Base Converter) and you're set. I chopped mine up to work with my JVC X'Eye, no problems at all.

[Yukio]

The one sold on Brasil do work on SEGA Genesis 2 and SEGA Genesis CDX ... Or you could get one of those "Mega Master" and "Master Mega" adapters that only has the pause/start button and can not play card games or use 3D Glasses .

[JLukas]

^ What he said. The official Sega version for the Genesis 2 is hard to find, I don't think it was released in the USA. The Master Mega converter is the same shape as a regular Genesis cart and will fit.

[MarioMania]

^^ how much do the Mega Master sell's for...

[j_factor]

Tototek also sells their own SMS converters, which will fit on a Genesis 2, but it can't take cards. Sega released a Power Base Converter 2 in Europe, which also doesn't take cards. And Datel made a third-party adapter, which again, doesn't take cards.

[InsaneDavid]

Again, just take a Power Base Converter out of it's case, it will then fit and will work...

http://www.classicplastic.net/digitalpress/finds/DP-Finds-2007-04-17(05).jpg

You can also chop down the case until it fits (which I did eventually) but just taking the PBC boards out of the case is the cheapest way. It will also retain compatiblity with Sega Cards.

[j_factor]

But then you have exposed circuits! They'll get all dusty and stuff.

[InsaneDavid]

But then you have exposed circuits! They'll get all dusty and stuff.

LOL That's why I just cut down the case. :) That picture was from when I was making sure it would work. I'm still looking at making a custom case that fits more universally.

[Natty Bumppo]

You can also get a cheap project box (and some nuts, bolts and spacers) and adopt it to hold the guts of the converter. I didn't set mine up to still take cards
but that would be easy enough to do. Just don't cut yourself with the exacto knife . Protects it somewhat from accidental damage and dust and whatnot.

[Yukio]

"Mega Master" if not first-party would sell for $5-15 ... Usually $5-10 is a good price, after all their are a lot cheaper than SEGA Master System console and could play more games since the Mega Drive is slightly more powerful. But some games are slight glitch on SEGA Mega Drive.

Example of games that are playable on the adapter are the 20em1 mini games and Sonic Blast (8 mega). Game ROM that are different than the early SEGA games are not recognized by the early editions of the SEGA Master System BIOS.

Unofficial "Mega Master" adapter are common on Brasil and there was a SEGA Genesis clone that came with this thing to play SEGA Master System games.Usually their were sold each for R$10-20 used. Sonic Blast brand new was only R$20.00 (The price of TecToy titles were similar to the prices that Majesco had for SEGA Game Gear and SEGA Genesis titles, but the covers were Hard-cover boxes with B&W manuals). I believe that SEGA mass marketed the ROM chips ...

Other adapters.
There was a very nice adapter on Lik-Sang that would play International SEGA Master System cartridge and even Japanese Mark III games, but Lik-Sang is closed ... Maybe you could find this expensive adapter on other Chinese stores.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

But then you have exposed circuits! They'll get all dusty and stuff.
It's also sort of unstable without the case and will tend to glitch out, for instance when you press the pause button.

One of the later designed adpater carts like Yukio is talking about is a better solution. Ask yourself honestly, how often do you use the MyCard slot?


...word is bondage...

[Tupin]

So, there are third party alternatives on eBay, right?

I guess I could always just remove it from its case...

What is the actual thing you have to remove/fix from the official one to get it to fit?

[MarioMania]

Anyone have a link to the Mega Master Converter on ebay

[InsaneDavid]

Here's mine with the case back on, damn I need to dust down there...

http://www.classicplastic.net/digitalpress/PBCrework001.jpg

Admittedly it's just a big hackjob, however I've used it pretty heavily for a few years now without a single problem. I know I could make another with more of the plastic intact which I plan on doing next time I come across a Power Base Converter.

While using the Sega Card slot may not be a high demand fuction, without it you lose compatibility with some of the library including games that use the 3D glasses.

[Yukio]

Actually, even with the card slot the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis is not compatible with the old SEGA SG-1000. At least it was reported to not be compatible ... Because of it, some people can't play one card game that use the old video modes.

There are other games that are in the list of incompatibility, this list is huge. Maybe because of the glitches that SEGA pulled off this stuff!

[InsaneDavid]

I'll just simplify.


Hi all, just was wonder if the master system converter would work for the Genesis 2, I know it does on the first model but there is no information on the second.

Yes, as well as it does with the Model 1.

[j_factor]

Actually, even with the card slot the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis is not compatible with the old SEGA SG-1000. At least it was reported to not be compatible ... Because of it, some people can't play one card game that use the old video modes.

Correct, SG-1000 games are not compatible with the Power Base Converter in any incarnation. The Genesis VDP does not have an SG-1000 compatibility mode, and even if it did, our Power Base Converter still wouldn't work, because Japanese Mark III / SMS / SG-1000 games have a different pin setup from Western SMS games. The game you're thinking of is F-16 Fighting Falcon; it's a card-based game for SMS that runs in backward-compatibility mode. It should run on an SG-1000 with the Card Catcher add-on also. In Japan, it's basically only a Mark III game because of when it came out. It really doesn't matter though, because it's a pretty crappy game.

[ooXxXoo]

Sega Mark III games carts do work on the Genesis system model 1 and JVC X'eye as well with the proper converter..

[rbudrick]

LOL That's why I just cut down the case. :) That picture was from when I was making sure it would work. I'm still looking at making a custom case that fits more universally.

Yep..the old catch-22/moral dilemma. Buy 2. One to cut the excess plastic off and one to keep pristine.

Of course, if you hate to damage any old school items, you're pretty much screwed.

-Rob

[j_factor]

Sega Mark III games carts do work on the Genesis system model 1 and JVC X'eye as well with the proper converter..

Yes, they do, but the "proper converter" would be the Japanese converter. "Our" Power Base Converter will not play Japanese Mark III games. And either way, SG-1000 games will not work.

[MarioMania]

How much does the Master Mega adapters go for..are they che\eap

[Gentlegamer]

I think my PBC was $15-20 on ebay.

[MarioMania]

I mean the 3rd party Mega Master not the Power Base Converter..I can't find it on ebay

[JLukas]

Yeah, they don't show up often, but aren't too expensive, $20-30 range IIRC.

[eastbayarb]

Just to let you guys know,

the Tototek SMS adaptor DOES NOT work with a Sega CDX. It DOES work with a JVC X'eye

[Blanka789]

Do any of these solutions work with a 32X? I know the PBC doesn't, but maybe one of the 3rd-party ones? How about on the Neptune (like the one the Longhorn Engineer made)? I always heard it was a video problem or something that kept them from working, with the 32X built in does it change things?