Difference between revisions of "Sega Mega Drive/Genesis"
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==Hardware== | ==Hardware== | ||
Over its lifetime, the Genesis came in three different models, each of which had several motherboard revisions. For more details, see [[Sega Genesis Hardware]]. | Over its lifetime, the Genesis came in three different models, each of which had several motherboard revisions. For more details, see [[Sega Genesis Hardware]]. | ||
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{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="width: 100%;" style="text-align: left;" | {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="width: 100%;" style="text-align: left;" | ||
− | ! colspan=2 width="100%"|Model 1 differences | + | ! colspan=2 width="100%"|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Model 1 differences |
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! Country !! Particularities | ! Country !! Particularities | ||
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*"HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS" along circle above cartridge slot, and "SEGA GENESIS" graphic in two shades of gray, on early models. | *"HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS" along circle above cartridge slot, and "SEGA GENESIS" graphic in two shades of gray, on early models. | ||
*Model number MK-1601 is made in Japan, newer revisions were made in Taiwan to cut production costs | *Model number MK-1601 is made in Japan, newer revisions were made in Taiwan to cut production costs | ||
+ | *Are considered to have the best audio output of any version of the Genesis. | ||
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|style="text-align:center"|Asia || | |style="text-align:center"|Asia || | ||
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*Model number: 1601-15 (revision without the EXT port) | *Model number: 1601-15 (revision without the EXT port) | ||
*Not region locked. | *Not region locked. | ||
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|- style="font-size:0; line-height:0;" | |- style="font-size:0; line-height:0;" | ||
! style="width:10%; padding:0" | | ! style="width:10%; padding:0" | | ||
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{| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="width: 100%;" style="text-align: left;" | {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="width: 100%;" style="text-align: left;" | ||
− | ! colspan=2 width="100%"|Model 2 differences | + | ! colspan=2 width="100%"|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis Model 2 differences |
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! Country !! Particularities | ! Country !! Particularities | ||
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*New square shape | *New square shape | ||
*No headphone jack | *No headphone jack | ||
− | *One custom multi-output for picture and sound | + | *One custom multi-output for picture and sound (stereo) |
*Has a red power LED between the power and reset buttons | *Has a red power LED between the power and reset buttons | ||
*"Genesis" logo printed in the area above the cartridge slot | *"Genesis" logo printed in the area above the cartridge slot | ||
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− | The | + | {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" style="width: 100%;" style="text-align: left;" |
+ | ! colspan=1 width="100%"|Sega Genesis Model 3 differences | ||
+ | |- | ||
+ | ! Particularities | ||
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+ | [[File:Genesis-model3.jpg|200px|right]] | ||
+ | *The model 3 was released exclusively to North America in 1998 as a "budget system", and sold for $50 with many features removed for cutting costs. | ||
+ | *Smaller square shape | ||
+ | *No expansion port | ||
+ | *No headphone jack | ||
+ | *No power LED, but there is a red mark underneath the power switch, which becomes visible when the Genesis 3 is turned on | ||
+ | *One multi-output for picture and sound. It has the necessary pin outs to be able to use the Genesis 2 Stereo A/V cable; though an apparent revision of the Genesis 3 was manufactured that is incompatible with stereo sound, despite also having the pin-outs | ||
+ | *Does not support [[Sega CD]], [[Sega 32X]] or [[Power Base Converter]] | ||
+ | *"Sega Genesis 3" written below cartridge slot | ||
+ | *Model number MK-1461 | ||
+ | *Does not support [[Game Genie]] device | ||
+ | *In addition, Japanese Mega Drive cartridges (which do not contain an internal region lockout) can be played without a converter or modification, as the cartridge slot, which is the same shape as the original Japanese console, allows for these cartridges to be inserted freely. | ||
+ | *Has compatibility issues with virtua racing. | ||
+ | *An addressing bug was fixed with the genesis 3, which makes it incompatible with games that exploit this bug. | ||
+ | |} | ||
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===Sega CDX/Multi-Mega=== | ===Sega CDX/Multi-Mega=== | ||
===[[File:800px-Genesis-CDX-Console-Set.jpg|thumb|200px|Sega CDX]]=== | ===[[File:800px-Genesis-CDX-Console-Set.jpg|thumb|200px|Sega CDX]]=== | ||
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About 5,000 CDX units were released in North America, and are considered rare and collectable. | About 5,000 CDX units were released in North America, and are considered rare and collectable. | ||
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==Add-ons== | ==Add-ons== | ||
*[[Sega 32X]] | *[[Sega 32X]] |
Revision as of 06:45, 31 May 2013
[[File:|230px]] | |
Manufacturer | SEGA |
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Generation | Fourth generation |
Release date | October 29, 1988 (JP) August 14, 1989 (NA) |
Media type | ROM cartridge |
Predecessor | Sega Master System |
Successor | Sega Saturn |
The Sega Genesis is a home video game console released on October 29, 1988 by Sega as the Mega Drive (メガドライブ Mega Doraibu), the name it is known as outside North America. The reason for the two names is that Sega was unable to secure legal rights to the Mega Drive name in North America. As a fourth-generation console, the Sega Genesis is Sega's third console and the successor to the Sega Master System with which it has backward compatibility when the separately sold Power Base Converter is installed.
The Sega Genesis was the first of its generation to achieve notable market share in continental Europe and North America, where it competed against a wide range of platforms, including both dedicated gaming consoles and home computer systems. Two years later, Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the competition between the two would dominate the 16-bit era of video gaming. The console began production in Japan in 1988 and ended with the last new licensed game being released in 2002 in Brazil.
Contents
Technical specifications
Processor: | Motorola 68000 16/32-bit processor @ 7.67 MHz |
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Co-processor: | Zilog Z80 8-bit @ 3.58 MHz |
Video display processor: | Yamaha YM7101 |
Memory: | 64kB work RAM (68000), 64kB video RAM, 8kB work RAM (Z80) |
Display palette: | 512 colors (normal) or 1536 (shadow/highlight mode) |
Onscreen colors: | 64 (normal) or 183 (shadow/highlight mode) |
Maximum onscreen sprites: | 80 (320-pixel wide display) or 64 (256-pixel wide display) |
Resolution: | 256×224, 256×448, 320×224, 320×448, (PAL and NTSC)
256×240, 256×480, 320×240, 320×480 (PAL only), 256×192 (SMS games only) |
Sound: | Yamaha YM2612 5 channel FM and 1 channel FM/PCM, Texas Instruments SN76489 4 channel PSG (Programmable Sound Generator) |
Hardware
Over its lifetime, the Genesis came in three different models, each of which had several motherboard revisions. For more details, see Sega Genesis Hardware.
Sega Genesis Model 3 differences |
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Particularities |
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Sega CDX/Multi-Mega
The Sega CDX was released in 1994 in North America for $399, and in 1995 in Europe as the sega multi-mega for £350.
The Sega CDX is a Sega Genesis, and Sega CD combined into one compact machine. It can also be used as a portable CD player.
About 5,000 CDX units were released in North America, and are considered rare and collectable.