Sega Mega Drive
From Sega Retro
What's with the opening paragraph? Why is it written like a narrative?
HIGH DEFINITION GRAPHICS
Okay so apparently some Mega Drive Model 1s have this text printed on them, while others don't. I heard it was something to do with a change of graphics chip - with the high def machines having sharper and clearer visuals. Problem is, very little is documented about all of this, so I don't know the exact details surrounding the various models.
Example
"HD" version
http://www.museodelvideojuego.com/wp-content/gallery/cuarta-generacion/Sega%20Mega%20Drive%20Japonesa.JPG a non-HD version
I seem to recall this applying to some North American models too. -Black Squirrel 09:38, 23 January 2011 (CST)
- It's a little late and I'm not 100% certain of this but: EU and JP never had the label; NA models without labels are all TMSS models (I have to check if they also have the changed audio wiring). GerbilSoft, Sik, Jorge Nuno, and Tiido would be the ones to ask. I know PC2 has a NA Genesis without the label and I know I can get one from a local Play N Trade. - Andlabs 12:59, 30 March 2011 (CDT)
- The VDP didn't change between the MD1 VA6 with "High Definition Graphics" and MD1 VA6 without "High Definition Graphics". I think they may have changed the composite video encoder from CXA1145 to CXA1645 during this revision, which probably results in sharper composite video, but I'm not positive. (Both my VA2 and VA6 "High Definition Graphics" systems have a CXA1145.) I seem to remember that the MD1 VA7 board reworked the audio logic a bit, probably to be somewhat cheaper in parts but resulting in lower-quality audio. (This was carried over to the MD2.) ---GerbilSoft 14:29, 30 March 2011 (CDT)
- EU had the text. JP had a different text: "AV Intelligent Terminal High Grade Multipurpose Use". There is a very detailed analysis of the MD variations on the Sega-16 forums, on a thread named "GUIDE: Telling apart good Genesis 1s and Genesis 2s from bad ones."
- The VDP didn't change between the MD1 VA6 with "High Definition Graphics" and MD1 VA6 without "High Definition Graphics". I think they may have changed the composite video encoder from CXA1145 to CXA1645 during this revision, which probably results in sharper composite video, but I'm not positive. (Both my VA2 and VA6 "High Definition Graphics" systems have a CXA1145.) I seem to remember that the MD1 VA7 board reworked the audio logic a bit, probably to be somewhat cheaper in parts but resulting in lower-quality audio. (This was carried over to the MD2.) ---GerbilSoft 14:29, 30 March 2011 (CDT)
Price
UK
- £189.99 (1990-09 -> 1991-??)
- £149.99 (1991-?? -> Christmas 1991?) Forced by Dixons [1]
- £
France
- A price drop mid-1991
-Black Squirrel 05:47, 20 January 2013 (CST)
Japanese logo
I'm genuinely not sure which logo to use - the "European" one offers a nice middle-ground between the others, though it's true that it's not a good match for the Japanese console (which is a good middle ground between all the different types of consoles).
I've made the switch back because our Japanese logo isn't great. It came from sega.jp, but I think they must have produced it many years after the console's initial run, because I've not seen it in any official material outside of that website. Usually you just get the big "MD" with "Mega Drive" written beneath - no "MEGA DRIVE" to the side or red text.
Of course, maybe the correct solution is not to have a logo up there at all! -Black Squirrel (talk) 05:50, 8 July 2018 (CDT)
- My mistake - they did use a similar "logo" on Model 1 boxes for a short period. Although it's still very different to ours -05:58, 8 July 2018 (CDT)