cd help wanted please. newbie!

[pantzman]

Greetings SEGA fans
This seems to be the place to come for expert advice so... (basic question)

I picked up a mega cd 2 at a boot sale for a fiver. No leads with it.
Does it use the power source from a megadrive (2) or did it have its own source? I'm pretty sure it has its own as theres a socket for one. but...
Did it have its own unique power source or will a mega drive 1 plug work.
I have tried one but there is no power light .
Will it have a power light if you give it mains without a megadrive connected.
Never had one of these so I have no idea.
Its probably knackered as it seems dead. Just need to be sure.

[Zebbe]

I use a Mega Drive I AC adaptor to my Mega CD II. You must have the Mega Drive connected, meaning you use two AC adaptors. The power light comes from the Mega Drive, but there is a access light for the CD.

[pantzman]

Thanks for that
In that case I think i'm doing it right.
There is no access light on the cd. Therefore it must be Ker-knackered!
Don't spose theres anything else I can do is there? Is it likely to be anything simple?

[Zebbe]

What happens if you turn on the system with no cart or cd?

[pantzman]

Just been out. I'll try it in a mo and let you know.

[pantzman]

Right...when I turn the megadrive on with no cd or game in the static on the tv goes but thats all. No power light on the mega cd.
If i put a cart in the megadrive while its all connected the game comes on fine. Still no power light on the cd. The plug doesn't get warm either which i think is a bad sign....

[dougfunnie]

Hmmm, as a long shot, maybe the contacts on the Megadrive are dirty?
If not, then yeah maybe its busted. Good you didn't pay a fortune for it.
Maybe try and get a cheap loose one off ebay?

[pantzman]

Pretty sure the contacts are ok. What would you recommend to clean them. CD cleaner should be ok? Cant remember the proper name for it..
I think its busted but what can actually be broken? I took it apart and gave it a 'hard stare' (like when your car breaks down and you stare at the engine...) and everything 'looks' OK.
As for Ebay are there any cheap things on there anymore???

[dougfunnie]

I'm not the most technical minded so I'm afraid I'm out of ideas. Sorry about that. I saw one where the contacts were covered in dirt once and that didn't work. Someone around here might know if you can do the same as you would for cleaning carts?

[nik]

check how dirty the power port on the megaCD is.. try holding the AC plug at an angle when you turn it on.

If both the megadrive and megaCD are plugged in it should work unless that power port is messed.

[evildragon]

Just would like to add, if I may...

On the Genesis 1, the polarity on the connector is negative tip. On the model 2 Genesis, it's a positive tip, yielding no power to the console..

I don't know what the Sega CD uses, but it's worth checking out.. the symbols look like this:

Negative tip (Genesis 1):
+ --C-- -

Positive tip (Genesis 2):
- --C-- +

(get the idea? the open part of the circle, is the "tip", and the line the open part goes to, is the polarity of the tip..)

*It's a very bad idea to get the polarity backwards, that's a one way ticket to killing the thing*

[Joe Redifer]

Sega CD 1 uses the same polarity as the Genesis 1. I have no clue about the Sega CD 2.