Megadrive with only black screen

[saji_b]

I was wondering if anyone could help with a problem with my Megadrive? It uses the old-fashioned aerial socket. It always works, but recently, when I turned on the power, nothing seemed to happen. All that came on screen was just a black screen. The power light had lit though.

Please help out! I've had my Megadrive for years, and it was the first ever console I ever bought. I'm really not willing to let it go. If anyone could help me find the solution to the problem, I would be very grateful.

:(

[HetmanTancred]

This might be a stupid question but, did you insert a cartridge?

[saji_b]

well, yeah, obviously.

[oneupthextraman]

what is your connection method? I don't know what an aerial socket is, but try using an RF modulator, or av cables. I would reccomend AV cables, or a Super 32X that is compadible with your model. I don't know. Is your megadrive making a weird noise?

[Liquid Stool]

I was wondering if anyone could help with a problem with my Megadrive? It uses the old-fashioned aerial socket. It always works, but recently, when I turned on the power, nothing seemed to happen. All that came on screen was just a black screen. The power light had lit though.

Please help out! I've had my Megadrive for years, and it was the first ever console I ever bought. I'm really not willing to let it go. If anyone could help me find the solution to the problem, I would be very grateful.

:(

2 things come to mind here - i'm having the same problem...how long ago did you last play it?

are u using just an areial lead or an official rf thingy?

[Nazza]

I might be totally wrong, but it could be that the cartridge isn't in the right way. Try pushing the cartridge back before turning on, or alternately forward.

[ned267]

Hi, anyone found a fix for this problem yet?
I recently bought a mega drive from ebay and have the same problem....black screen and nothing else. I tried it on 3 tv's, setup as per instruction book, but no good.
I sent the unit back and bought another one, but am still having the same problem.
Using the RF unit and arial cords.
Thanks for any help.

[Elusive]

I was wondering if anyone could help with a problem with my Megadrive? It uses the old-fashioned aerial socket. It always works, but recently, when I turned on the power, nothing seemed to happen. All that came on screen was just a black screen. The power light had lit though.

Please help out! I've had my Megadrive for years, and it was the first ever console I ever bought. I'm really not willing to let it go. If anyone could help me find the solution to the problem, I would be very grateful.

:(

Does your Mega Drive usually display 'PRODUCED BY OR UNDER LICENSE FROM SEGA ENTERPRISES, LTD.' when you power on? If so, if this doesn't appear when you start the machine the cartridge isn't seated right. This happens with my machine when the game contacts aren't shiny clean - as a rule of thumb, carts should smoothly 'click' into position, which doesn't happen with dusty or grimy carts.

So, to fix this, first check your game: flip it upside down, and give it a clean - I use spectacle lens cleaner on a cotton bud. Give it a blow to dry it off, then carefully 'click' it into place and turn on the power again. This might take a couple of tries. Mine is pretty picky how you insert games - to get the best connection you need to rest it in the slot, put an index finger from each hand on the left and right edges of the cartridge, and push downwards.

If it still won't work, and your game is cleaner than a really clean thing, check your cartridge slot. Obviously it should be free from obstructions and grime - to be sure, give the slot a blow (hur hur hur), maybe give it a squirt of lens cleaner and slide the game in and out (hur hur hur hur hur).

Other than giving the game and console a thorough clean and persisting, there's very little you can to to revive a decades-old games machine, I'm afraid.

(this might help you too, Ned :))

[ned267]

Thanks mate, I'll give it a try.
Don't know if this would be the problem though, as I've tried 2 different consoles and heaps of different games for the same result, but got nothing to lose by trying, hey? ;)

Could it be a problem with newer TV's using this old game system? :?

[Genesis Knight]

I use a brand new television with my Model 2, so I don't think that's it.

[Raijin Z]

I once had a Genesis that did that... only produced a faint hum. My 32X had apparently fried it somehow. No components were fried, no capacitors had blown. The processor was still heating up, but nothing was happening. I sold my then-new 32X to get another Genesis.

So it could just be dead.