Genesis Modding

[MarioMania]

I'm going to mod a JP/US & 50/60 Herts switch..with my bro's friend, a Model 1

Is there any guide to do this, In Pictures not Txt. What stuff do I need to do it, How many wires will it have, Thanks

[suppafly]

I'm going to mod a JP/US & 50/60 Herts switch..with my bro's friend, a Model 1

Is there any guide to do this, In Pictures not Txt. What stuff do I need to do it, How many wires will it have, Thanks

Ask Kamino, he´s the genesis modding expert

[Fighter17]

I also recommend getting a S-Video mod done on the Genesis as well. Ten times better than composite.

[Humongous Forum Troll]

I also recommend getting a S-Video mod done on the Genesis as well. Ten times better than composite.

That is a complete waste of time on your part.

[Lil_John]

I also recommend getting a S-Video mod done on the Genesis as well. Ten times better than composite.

WHAT!?

[MarioMania]

Thanks guys..

[InsaneDavid]

As with the Genesis 2, while the theory is pretty much the same between all Genesis 1 units - there are a few different board divisions. Tutorials using pictures aren't going to help you as rarely do you have the same board that is pictured.

[MarioMania]

I PMed you with Pics & Info

[InsaneDavid]

Good deal, but you should post that second picture here in the forums. Anyway, you have the easiest to mod revision of the Genesis 1 board.

Lower right, you have...

JP1 (JPN)
JP2 (USA)
JP3 (50Hz)
JP4 (60Hz)

This is where the work is going to be done. Since you have a USA system, JP2 and JP4 are connected (Region: USA, Output: NTSC 60Hz). You want to break the trace that goes across JP2 with a sharp utility knife. Don't go crazy, just make sure the trace is broken and there's no longer a connection.

If you look carefully there should be a side of JP1 and JP2 that is common, in that at one point close by they came from the same connection. I believe this is usually on the left side of the jumpers, just look carefully and you'll see that JP1 and JP2 come from the same connection on one side. That's the common point, connect that side to the middle of a SPDT switch. Connect the other side of JP1 to one of the other poles of the switch, and the other side of JP2 to the remaining switch pole. This makes it so having the switch one direction connects JP1 (JPN mode), and the other direction connects JP2 (USA mode).

If you want to do the 50Hz / 60Hz mod it works exactly the same except that you use JP3 and JP4. Break the trace, find the common point - run that to the center of ANOTHER switch. Other side of JP3 to one pole, other side of JP4 to the remaining pole. PAL mode is USA + 50Hz.

You will also need to widen the opening for the cartridge slot to accomodate Japanese Mega Drive games. An excerpt from MANY of my posts, including one from last week...

"You also need to widen the cartridge slot and that's not just the removal of the two little tabs on the surface. The entire slot needs to be widened as Japanese Mega Drive carts are rectangular with a half circle on each end. (I say a good way to think of this is to imagine putting a Genesis cartridge in turned around, with the cartridge label facing the back - you need around that much clearance) Best way to go about that is via a small handheld rotary tool, I use a fiberglass cut off wheel on one personally."

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I also recommend getting a S-Video mod done on the Genesis as well. Ten times better than composite.

I totally agree. I got it specifically so I could play my Sega CDs in S-Video and, damn, they look even better now. Makes me appreciate them even more.

[swlovinist]

Anyone here do genesis mods to s-video other than oldschool gamer? I am interested. Thanks, John

[MarioMania]

I have this set-up..like I showed Insanedavid in a PM..But why is there wires in the Middle

[InsaneDavid]

I have this set-up..like I showed Insanedavid in a PM..But why is there wires in the Middle

Ignore them and leave them alone, there are always a few handwired jumpers on Genesis consoles - on nearly everything electronic for that matter.

[MarioMania]

Do I cut the Traces in the Back or Front

[InsaneDavid]

To save myself further headaches I'm going to say this first - if you don't know how to cut a PCB trace, then this mod (or any mod) is far beyond your technical capacity.

With that, I bow out of this thread unless questions come up of a technical nature outside of electronics 101.

[MarioMania]

I forgot to mention..I have a Guide that Cover's Modding a PAL Mega Drive by Matthew Neilson "Mult-Regoin" Mega Drive..

[coreycorey2000]

I recently modded a Genesis Model 1 just like yours. I cut the traces between JP2 and JP4. It seems to work fine. I can play Streets of Rage in all three modes. I can also play a PAL Megadrive game that was region locked. However I have seen JP3 cut instead of JP4. Could anyone explain this to me? Does it make a difference?

[InsaneDavid]

I recently modded a Genesis Model 1 just like yours. I cut the traces between JP2 and JP4. It seems to work fine. I can play Streets of Rage in all three modes. I can also play a PAL Megadrive game that was region locked. However I have seen JP3 cut instead of JP4. Could anyone explain this to me? Does it make a difference?

If JP3 was originally connected instead of JP4 then the board was from a PAL Mega Drive (EUR). USA + 50Hz = EUR. Again...

JP1 (JPN)
JP2 (USA)
JP3 (50Hz)
JP4 (60Hz)