MEGA CD NO SOUND........

[NAE1000]

Hi all, new to the forum and rediscovering SEGA's gaming genius!

So, I finally aquired a Mega CD 1 for some of what i couldn't afford as a kid (delivering a thousand papers a day wasn't gonna happen!)

i got the usual crap games with it but gave them a try: Sol Feace, Cobra Com',Arcade classics and Silpheed.
after my initial disappointment i left the Mega CD alone and concentrated on collecting up some Megadrive gems.

Last week though i got Final Fight CD.
I loaded the disc but there was no music or voice over on the intro screens-i continued into the game to find that no in game sound FX were playing- the music track was, but nothing else.

initially i assumed it was just a crappy port as the Arcade Classic version of Streets of Rage had some in game FX missing but not all-which also i put down to a lazy port.

then upon info gained from various sources it seems there should have been sound on Final Fight-also some kind of music at the Mega CD front end-which there's never been on mine.
I tried Final Fight again and hooked up and 3.5mm to phono to the megadrive headphone jack and the front AV ports on my TV. although there was no picture these was still no game sound FX either.

i disconnected the phono and tried 'fiddling' with the RF lead to no avail. but as i brushed past the power lead on Final Fight intro the music and voice over came on. still no game fx though, i kept messing with the power lead (smart-i know) and the sound kept fluctuating until a nasty hum replaced all Mega CD sound.

the Megadrive sound plays with carts but the hum is in the background, no sound from the CD though.

this is a Standard PAL Megadrive PAL Mega CD combo using only RF.

Does anyone know what's wrong and a way to fix this? Or would i be better of getting a Mega CD II that isn't so long in the tooth?

Please help:confused:

nathan

[Elusive]

So you're getting no chip sounds (the Mega-CD splash screen etc.), but you are hearing CD sound from Final Fight? Odd, I've never heard of that before. That would suggest a fault with your machine, and not the game.

Well, first off Final Fight is a pretty quiet game. It seems stupid, but have you tried fiddling with your TV's volume?

As you're only getting trouble from Final Fight and none of your other games, I'd suppose there's something wrong with the game CD. Some can be more delicate than others - if it's scratched, and still won't work after you've given the shiny surface a clean (wiping inside to out!), you might want to resurface the CD if you're desperate to play.

This could also be an issue with Mega-CD to Mega Drive connection, seeing as your Mega Drive seems fine, and not your Mega-CD: try disconnecting the Mega-CD and giving the contacts on the side connector on both machines a clean.

The power plug issue - what model Mega Drive do you have? Some Model 2 consoles have problems with loose power supply jacks - the plug should pop smoothly into place, and not jump out at the slightest touch. I can't see how that would affect CD sound, though.

I think you might have bought a fixer-upper Mega CD, pal :(

[NAE1000]

Hi, thanks for the reply

well the disc for Final Fight is in really great condition-not even any visible surface scratches-and i don't know if there's 'no problem' with the other games i have as i've not played most of them before. can anyone confirm the missing audio in the arcade classics streets of rage??

i tried cleaning the connectors but still no game sounds from the Mega CD.

it's an original Megadrive, but i don't think i was clear-the power lead doesn't come out and is fairly firm in its connection-but the application of pressure (to the internal board i suppose) on the connection made the sound fluctuate.

so, is the mega cd front end (words MEGA CD and SEGA animated bit) meant to have sound?

Any more replies would be more than welcome and appreciated.

nathan.

[Elusive]

Hi, thanks for the reply

well the disc for Final Fight is in really great condition-not even any visible surface scratches-and i don't know if there's 'no problem' with the other games i have as i've not played most of them before. can anyone confirm the missing audio in the arcade classics streets of rage??

It plays and sounds exactly the same as the regular SoR cartridge, aside from different jump-attack (for Axel, who goes HAAAAAR) and death noises.

i tried cleaning the connectors but still no game sounds from the Mega CD.

it's an original Megadrive, but i don't think i was clear-the power lead doesn't come out and is fairly firm in its connection-but the application of pressure (to the internal board i suppose) on the connection made the sound fluctuate.

so, is the mega cd front end (words MEGA CD and SEGA animated bit) meant to have sound?

Yes - the American Sega-CD screens have (naturally) been captured and uploaded to Youtube - the Model 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdKtIMoS7_E) and the Model 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YbBA3h3NFc). Both European Mega-CD models use the same BGM as the Japanese Model 1 - which I can't seem to find. It's more orchestra-ish than the poppy American versions.

I'd guess your Mega-CD is broken, as a) you've got thoroughly clean connections and CDs, b) your Mega Drive alone works fine, and c) the game itself is working and not the sound. If you got this from eBay, then I'd harass the seller a bit ;) If it was from a retail store - say, GameStation, or wherever - I'd check your receipt and harrass the till jockey behind the desk. If it was from a car boot sale - tough luck :(


EDIT: Thought. The Model 2 Mega-CD has two jacks on the back of the unit for CD Audio L and CD Audio R. Does the Model 1 have these jacks? You might be able to get CD sound out of these - if they exist - and have 'chip tunes' come out of the TV set.

[NAE1000]

so streets of rage on the cd doesn't have the death noises?

the mega cd 1 does have two RCA channels (left/right) but it's my understanding that they don't do anything unless you're using the mixing cable.

oh, well i'll just have to turn it into a keepsake box or something......

[Joe Redifer]

Streets of Rage featured new voice samples, so yes all of the noises are there. Actually they are the same samples, just re-recorded at a much higher sampling rate. The Genesis/Mega Drive voices/death noises/whatever you want to call them sounded worse than telephone quality. The newer versions sound pretty much CD quality. Revenge of Shinobi used completely new voice samples, however... not just a rerecording of the old original files.

The new voice comes from the Sega CD's sound chips, not the Genesis. So if you have a Genesis 1 and a mixing cable going into the back of the Mega CD and your system is hooked up via RF (or arial or whatever they call it in the UK) and you are getting your sound from that as well, a lot of sound will appear to be missing. That is because you are only listening to the Genesis sound. Unplug the cable going into the mixing jack of the Mega CD and all sound should be restored.

[NAE1000]

Streets of Rage featured new voice samples, so yes all of the noises are there. Actually they are the same samples, just re-recorded at a much higher sampling rate. The Genesis/Mega Drive voices/death noises/whatever you want to call them sounded worse than telephone quality. The newer versions sound pretty much CD quality. Revenge of Shinobi used completely new voice samples, however... not just a rerecording of the old original files.

The new voice comes from the Sega CD's sound chips, not the Genesis. So if you have a Genesis 1 and a mixing cable going into the back of the Mega CD and your system is hooked up via RF (or arial or whatever they call it in the UK) and you are getting your sound from that as well, a lot of sound will appear to be missing. That is because you are only listening to the Genesis sound. Unplug the cable going into the mixing jack of the Mega CD and all sound should be restored.


i'm not using a mixing cable or the rca outputs, just the RF

[Raijin Z]

Are you using the right AC adapter? If not, you probably already trashed the system.

[segagamer]

Is there a reason for using RF and not composite A/V? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you need to use the RCA jacks on the back of the Mega CD in order to hear the CD music as well as the PCM chip music/effects/voices from the Mega CD itself. The mixing cable is for hearing stereo music/effects from the MD itself, otherwise the sound for the MD will be mono regardless of the type of connection you choose.

[Joe Redifer]

You do not need to use the RCA jacks to hear everything.

NAE try plugging some headphones into the headphone jack if you are using a Genesis 1 and listen to see what sounds you hear. Make sure the volume is up.

[NAE1000]

You do not need to use the RCA jacks to hear everything.

NAE try plugging some headphones into the headphone jack if you are using a Genesis 1 and listen to see what sounds you hear. Make sure the volume is up.


i've used the MD1 front jack to speakers with the same results.

the AC adapter i'm using is what came with the Mega CD- it's Labelled correctly as far as i remember......