Sega Nomad- Is it worth it? [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

c0ldb33r

11-27-2008, 10:43 PM

When I first got it, I played my Nomad all the time, but I haven't used it in months and months and months. The screen kinda sucks and you've always got to keep it plugged in, so it makes more sense just to use an actual Genesis.

It's neat to have as a collector's item, but you'll get bored of it before long.

One neat thing though is that you can plug in a second controller and connect it to a TV and it'll actually act like a typical Genesis.

ghostangelofcky

11-27-2008, 10:59 PM

I have to agree with Coldb33r, it's more of a conversation piece than a playable item. Don't get me wrong when I found mine I played the damn thing for a month straight :). But the nostalgia fades. Still looks great on a shelf!

zektor

11-27-2008, 11:12 PM

Yeah, while it is a nice piece of history, the system is bulky (although some like the feel) and the screen is not all that great....although a milestone better than the horrible Game Gear screen!

If you are simply looking for on the go Genesis gameplay, you are better off emulating through a PSP or a GP2X. Both systems have emulators that run Genesis games perfectly. I would recommend the GP2X first however, as the screen aspect is more correct and you do not have to do anything to the system (mod-wise) to get your game on.

c0ldb33r

11-27-2008, 11:17 PM

I just had a thought. Take the money you'd spend on a Nomad and get a CDX instead. They're much more useful and also much cooler :)

Tupin

11-27-2008, 11:37 PM

I just had a thought. Take the money you'd spend on a Nomad and get a CDX instead. They're much more useful and also much cooler :)
Yeah, the problem is that I can find a Nomad on eBay for relatively cheap, but the CDX costs so much.

Still, it's pretty much the best way to play Sega CD, so I might try to find one.

jb143

11-28-2008, 12:07 AM

I agree with what everyone else said. It's a great collectors item and conversation piece and it's fun to play the genesis on the go. You'll definatly want to have a power supply for longer gameplay. I tend to have gaming sessions that are less than an hour so batteries are fine for me. I use rechargeable digital camera batteries and they work great. You can see the screen start to get darker a while before they go dead so it won't stop on you. You just have to adjust the brightness for a while and fine a stopping point. The screen is fine on some games, some games not so much. I'm pretty sure theres a thread on here about that.

If you want it for your main Genesis unit then it's probally not the way to go but if your looking for a neat collectors item/conversation piece that's a functional portable system then you should pick one up. After all, who outside of the people on this board even know the thing exists.

Tupin

11-28-2008, 12:18 AM

You know what, I'm not going to go out of my way to find one just yet. I would rather get a CDX first.

Superman

11-28-2008, 02:29 AM

Don't forget, with the CDX you still need a monitor. So, you either have to have a portable monitor with you (and that would make two pieces to haul around), or you have to play it where their is a monitor (i.e. at home, or a friend's house).

Of course, if you have a monitor in your car and that is why you were considering the Nomad, because you travel a lot, for example, it could work. It really depends on why you want the Nomad to begin with.

retro junkie

11-28-2008, 09:59 AM

I love my Nomad. I love pulling it out to play a Sega game and it gets good use. I have the Sega Ni-MH rechargeable battery pack and would recommend it to any one that is thinking about picking up a Nomad. I have not yet tried any of the modern AA rechargeable Ni-HM batteries in my Nomad, so I have no idea as to the playtime that you get on those. Past estimates of battery life were determined on regular alkaline AAs, I think, which had very poor lifespan on the Nomad.

jb143 have you determined what the playtime of those AA Ni-HM batteries are giving you?

Do be aware that holding the Nomad in your hands with any of the battery packs and game cart is like holding a brick that has these odd worts.

One good thing about the Nomad is that you can hook it up to a TV and play, and if you have an extra controller, play with a friend.

c0ldb33r

11-28-2008, 10:02 AM

I have the Sega Ni-MH rechargeable battery pack and would recommend it to any one that is thinking about picking up a Nomad.
I thought the Nomad's rechargeable battery pack used Ni-CD cells, not Ni-MH. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not 100% sure.

cyberfluxor

11-28-2008, 10:13 AM

I haven't really spent time playing the Nomad in over a year. Some Genesis games just don't workout well on a small screen, but for those that do it can be great. Today if I had an itch to play a Genesis game had was going over a friends house I'd bring it so I wouldn't rely on a TV and haul Genesis hardware + cables.

I once brought it into IHOP with a Genny arcade stick hooked into the player 2 port playing Bomberman. It was hard sharing a tiny screen, but it was fun and we got a few odd stares.

Icarus Moonsight

11-28-2008, 10:46 AM

I really like my Nomad. Though, as you can no doubt tell by the tone of some posts, it's not all that great to everyone. Chances are if you really want a handheld Genny then the Nomad will be very welcome.

darkslime

11-28-2008, 10:56 AM

This is kind of a n00b question, but what is a CDX?

c0ldb33r

11-28-2008, 11:01 AM

This is kind of a n00b question, but what is a CDX?
Sega CDX aka Sega Multi-Mega
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Multi-Mega

I love mine. It's nice having a genesis and sega CD that sits comfortably on top of my xbox 360, and only takes up less than half the size of the top.

darkslime

11-28-2008, 11:08 AM

Sega CDX aka Sega Multi-Mega
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Multi-Mega

I love mine. It's nice having a genesis and sega CD that sits comfortably on top of my xbox 360, and only takes up less than half the size of the top. That's cool, I thought the only genny and cd combination was an xeye.

Xian042

11-28-2008, 01:11 PM

DeputyMoniker

11-28-2008, 01:19 PM

MarioMania

11-28-2008, 01:54 PM

PSP with a Genesis Emu would be better..you don't need to haul all your games with you

Damaramu

11-28-2008, 02:42 PM

I agree. PSP w/ Genesis emulated is the way to go.

Wraith Storm

11-28-2008, 05:29 PM

This thread brings me back to my final years of high school.

No matter where I went, I had my Nomad + Phantasy Star IV and an extra set of batteries. If I finished my work early in class I would pull out my Nomad and level my characters a bit.

On the weekends a group of us would be at my friends house chilling, talking, watching TV and of course I would be setting there on the couch level grinding.

I remember waiting in line for the Blair Witch Project (playing my Nomad + PS IV) and I finally made it to "The Edge" and my brother and my friend that were with me kept talking about how cool it looked with all the color cycling and stuff.

I NEVER had a problem with the Nomad. I loved it then and I still do now! It always allowed me to take the same games I played at home on the go. Thus giving me x2 the chances to level grind! :-D

retro junkie

11-28-2008, 05:50 PM

I thought the Nomad's rechargeable battery pack used Ni-CD cells, not Ni-MH. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not 100% sure.

Here is a pic of my Sega Nomad battery pack, back side.
http://file.walagata.com/w/redmoon/segaBAT.gif

As you can see, it is Ni-MH. And it is recharged using the Nomad AC adaptor.

I am presently playing Phantasy Star IV

c0ldb33r

11-28-2008, 06:08 PM

As you can see, it is Ni-MH. And it is recharged using the Nomad AC adaptor.
Hey you're right. So the battery pack must work a lot better than I anticipated. The battery pack for the game gear is a Ni-CD, and was crap, and I just assumed the Nomad one was the same.

PSP with a Genesis Emu would be better..you don't need to haul all your games with you
The only problem with using the PSP is that you can never continue a save game on the big screen. I'm not a huge fan of my Nomad, but I love the idea that I can continue the same save file on a game on on a big screen with a genesis and on the go with a Nomad. I suppose it doesn't really matter unless the game has save files (Phantasy Star for instance).

You know what, I'm not going to go out of my way to find one just yet. I would rather get a CDX first.
That's a good idea. Actually, the best idea is to get both. They're both neat. You can play your genesis games on the CDX, which is awesome, then take them on the road with the Nomad. If I had to pick one, it'd be the CDX, but just keep your eyes out for a good deal and get 'em both. Just to get you motivated, here's a pic of my CDX sitting on top of my 360. It's a full Genesis and Sega CD combo with room to spare.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/th_354.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/?action=view&current=354.jpg)

kedawa

11-28-2008, 06:39 PM

The only problem with using the PSP is that you can never continue a save game on the big screen. I'm not a huge fan of my Nomad, but I love the idea that I can continue the same save file on a game on on a big screen with a genesis and on the go with a Nomad. I suppose it doesn't really matter unless the game has save files (Phantasy Star for instance).

PSP 2000 and 3000 models have TV out.
Problem solved.

Tupin

11-28-2008, 07:19 PM

Hey you're right. So the battery pack must work a lot better than I anticipated. The battery pack for the game gear is a Ni-CD, and was crap, and I just assumed the Nomad one was the same.

The only problem with using the PSP is that you can never continue a save game on the big screen. I'm not a huge fan of my Nomad, but I love the idea that I can continue the same save file on a game on on a big screen with a genesis and on the go with a Nomad. I suppose it doesn't really matter unless the game has save files (Phantasy Star for instance).

That's a good idea. Actually, the best idea is to get both. They're both neat. You can play your genesis games on the CDX, which is awesome, then take them on the road with the Nomad. If I had to pick one, it'd be the CDX, but just keep your eyes out for a good deal and get 'em both. Just to get you motivated, here's a pic of my CDX sitting on top of my 360. It's a full Genesis and Sega CD combo with room to spare.

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/th_354.jpg (http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s182/c0ldb33r/?action=view&current=354.jpg)
Yeah, I'll just go with whatever I find cheaper first. And damn, that CDX sure looks nice, especially since there's no easy way to hook a Sega CD up to a Model 1 Genesis and have it look aesthetically presentable. There's a couple of auctions on eBay right now for both, and I'm watching them.

Oh, and is the rechargeable battery pack hard to find? I bet it would just cost less to use 6 rechargeable batteries...

retro junkie

11-28-2008, 11:38 PM

Oh, and is the rechargeable battery pack hard to find? I bet it would just cost less to use 6 rechargeable batteries...

I just saw several up for "Buy It Now" on ebay. Looks to be around $18.00.

Tupin

11-28-2008, 11:44 PM

I just saw several up for "Buy It Now" on ebay. Looks to be around $18.00.
Hm, that's less than buying six rechargeable batteries and a charger....

The 1 2 P

11-28-2008, 11:58 PM

I like my Nomad but it's prone to freezing in the middle of a game. This has happened while playing Contra, Castlevania and Double Dragon. I wonder if it's just my Nomad or if they all do this.

Pantechnicon

11-29-2008, 12:05 AM

I just saw several up for "Buy It Now" on ebay. Looks to be around $18.00.

There's a catch on Nomad battery packs. To wit: The majority of them will no longer hold a charge, even ones that are NIB. Whatever sort of power cells Sega put in those things didn't have any sort of longevity. The reason they're so cheap is because they're useless unless you want to try and replace the battery inside with something functional. I found one cheap and not working, have managed to partially disassemble it, but have not yet tried installing new batteries. And per Tupin's suggestion about rechargeables and an external charger, it may not be worth the effort.

retro junkie

11-29-2008, 09:19 AM

There's a catch on Nomad battery packs. To wit: The majority of them will no longer hold a charge, even ones that are NIB. Whatever sort of power cells Sega put in those things didn't have any sort of longevity. The reason they're so cheap is because they're useless unless you want to try and replace the battery inside with something functional. I found one cheap and not working, have managed to partially disassemble it, but have not yet tried installing new batteries. And per Tupin's suggestion about rechargeables and an external charger, it may not be worth the effort.

I purchased my battery pack at the time when you could walk into a store and purchase a Nomad. It sill holds a charge and I have had no problem with it. I think I have had mine for 12 years. Where did you read about the problem with the battery packs?

c0ldb33r

11-29-2008, 11:05 AM

It probably depends on your charging habits. If you don't discharge and charge them properly, the battery chemistry will break down.

KeyserSoze61

11-29-2008, 08:09 PM

I use it on every trip I take. The screen kinda sucks for certain game types, but I get by just fine.

Rechargeable NiMH batteries are the way to go. I get great battery life (>6 hours) out of 2650 mah batteries. Now I have to go buy some more batteries to feed my newly acquired Turbo Express :)

Steve W

11-29-2008, 08:43 PM

Well, I just came back from a store where I bought a Nomad for $59. I've got a question... there's a big box attached to the back of the unit - is that a rechargeable pack, or does this thing hold batteries, or what? I don't want to attempt to remove it until I know what it's for.

c0ldb33r

11-29-2008, 09:05 PM

to use batteries you need to put them in a battery pack which is external to the unit itself. That's probably what you're looking at. Open it up and you'll see an empty battery area.

This site has a pic of the battery pack:
http://www.vidgame.net/SEGA/NOMAD.html

Tupin

11-29-2008, 09:10 PM

I've only seen a Nomad in a store once, for $70.

There's one on eBay at $26 now with 2 days left, with 7 games, so I'm watching that as well as a CDX auction.

Watch me find both at Goodwill tomorrow. LOL

guitargary75

11-29-2008, 11:08 PM

I like mine. So I will say yes!

alexkidd2000

12-01-2008, 04:47 AM

I still have my original Nomad. Paid almost $300 with taxes for that bad boy. Never use it anymore because the screen sucks so bad. PSP emulation is far superior.

Leonidas

12-13-2008, 01:53 PM

Well, as a long-time nomad owner, here's my scoop on it.

The screen is rather small, but not that bad (you can adjust the brightness manually too). The controller actually seems a bit more responsive than a normal genesis or 6-button controller. 6 AA batteries will get you 2 to 2.5 hours of gameplay before dying. The rechargeable battery pack lasts about an hour longer than 6 AA's. The nomad's AC adapter (also used to recharge the battery pack) is identical to a sega genesis AC adapter, so don't buy another if you already have one. Also, if your genesis broke like mine did, you can plug the RF adapter into the nomad and use the nomad to play genesis games on your TV.

Seeing that my genesis broke, it was nice to have the nomad to hook up to the TV. Battery pack life was kind of short, but the AC adapter works very well in a car if you have an AC/DC power converter.

eskobar

12-13-2008, 02:35 PM

If you want to use the NOMAD to play your genesis games, think twice before buying the system .... besides Game boy, Wonderswan and Neo Geo Pocket Color; no other portable system is good, the batteries do not last enough.

If you want it for your collection, i agree with anyone that you should buy the CD-X before NOMAD, both are cool; but CD-X is cool and MUST BUY to play your genesis or sega CD games :D

john_soper

12-14-2008, 06:31 PM

If you want it for your collection, i agree with anyone that you should buy the CD-X before NOMAD, both are cool; but CD-X is cool and MUST BUY to play your genesis or sega CD games :D
I love my CDX, bought it bundled with games back on ebay for about $150 back in 2001. Kinda pricey, but was a celebration gift to myself for 10 years without alcohol.
The 32x and power base converter (SMS games) work with it also. They look damn strange, but they work.

We Are Ninja

12-14-2008, 07:32 PM

Nomad is a good system to keep plugged in by your bed to play some Genny goodness before you fall off to sleep. Its hard to read RPG's and see bullets coming in shmups, but its great for action games and arcade classics.

Truth. That thing devours batteries like nobody's business. It was cool to be able to access the Genesis' entire library, but you could only do it for an hour or two before it was time for new batteries.

c0ldb33r

12-14-2008, 07:52 PM

I love my CDX, bought it bundled with games back on ebay for about $150 back in 2001. Kinda pricey, but was a celebration gift to myself for 10 years without alcohol.
The 32x and power base converter (SMS games) work with it also. They look damn strange, but they work.
I've never seen a CDX and power base converted together. Could you post a pic?