Genesis/SegaCD: non-CD audio not working

[j_factor]

I newly hooked up my new-ish setup (switching over from an X'Eye), and the audio only works for CDs. Perhaps I just hooked up my system wrong or something, but I can't figure out what I did incorrectly.

I have a Genesis 1 with a Sega CD 2. I have the mixing cable hooked up between them, and a dual RCA cable from the "line out" on the back of the Sega CD to the audio inputs on my TV. That should be it, right?

I can play audio CDs without any problem. Cartridge games give me no audio whatsoever. Sega CD games will play in-game redbook audio fine but chip-generated audio (sound effects etc) still doesn't come through. The Sega CD screen music (where it says "press start" with a giant Sega CD logo) works but the tidbit of audio where Sonic wags his finger does not.

[Joe Redifer]

Sounds like you are not hearing any Genesis-produced audio. Try turning the volume slider on the Genesis all the way up (where it should ALWAYS be). If that doesn't work, remove the mixing cable completely as well as the RCA cables coming from the Sega CD. Now route the sound from the headphone jack to the audio inputs on your TV and all will be fine.

[j_factor]

Well if that does the job just as well, what's the point of the mixing cable?

[evildragon]

i've been trying to figure that out myself... if you can just as easily get the audio right from the headphone jack into the stereo, why bother using a mixing cable then getting the audio from those RCA jacks on the SCD...

[Joe Redifer]

I come with answers! Gather 'round, kiddies!

The Point of the Mixing Cable:
Sega created the mythical yet powerful mixing cable because they knew that the sound effects in Road Avenger would be incredibly annoying... and LOUD! And this was before the game was even planned. They could see into the future, obviously. That way you can turn the volume slider down just a bit (the thickness of your index finger is a good amount) and the blinking arrow sound effects won't overpower the everything else anymore. Why not just create these rare sound effects at a decent volume to begin with?

Nobody knows. Leave it all the way up for pretty much every other game.

[Zebbe]

You forgot to tell that the volume slider only works for sounds produced by the Mega Drive and/or 32X.

[Joe Redifer]

Not really, that's why I suggested turning the thing all the way up at first. And when the mixing cable is removed, the volume slider controls ALL... just like God only much more powerful.

[j_factor]

Well, I tried your suggestion and it worked. I wonder why the other way didn't work, though. Maybe the mixing input on my Sega CD has gone bad?

[Joe Redifer]

Also could be a bad mixing cable (this can happen when the cable is not Blast Processing™ compatible).

[David J.]

I found that it is a pain in the ass to find a 1/8th to 1/8th cable that isn't six feet long, well locally anyway. I actually had to go on to eBay for a audio cable that was two feet long, it's still a tad long, but it was less than a buck. I didn't leave the guy any feedback for some reason or another - I think I never got to it, that's all.

If I really care enough about it being a tad long, I'll just buy another cable, and right now I use a Model 1 Genesis + Model 1 CD + 32X so I kind of need one, you know. Maybe when I'm 64 I'll care... man, it'd be great to be old. :p

[Joe Redifer]

You could also shorten the cable yourself.

[David J.]

It's 1AM in the morning, I have to go to bed... I think my supervisor will call me in to work early if the "new" guy is a no-show AGAIN.

[Joe Redifer]

Ummm... yeah?

[Zebbe]

It's 1AM in the morning, I have to go to bed... I think my supervisor will call me in to work early if the "new" guy is a no-show AGAIN.

Haha, been there, done that! ;)

[David J.]

Are you the no-show?! Kyle, is that you?!

And sure enough he is FIRED... So I get some more hours, and I go in to work really early - at least I get home early tho. Fucking asshole getting drunk off his ass and never coming in. His phone was busy one day for 8+ hours.

[Zebbe]

No, I'm the guy called in to replace the no-shows at my work. I hate people with bad work moral, they should be fired immediately instead of getting chance after chance after chance after chance... Gaaaahhh!!! Now I'm pissed off!!!! Death to the Swedish welfare system rewarding slackers, I hope the Alliance for Sweden will fix it!

[Joe Redifer]

I like how, FOR NO REASON OR PROMPTING WHATSOEVER this thread changed topics.

Damn it really is raining here. I'd better go out and dry my driveway with a towel. (That's just as random as talking about getting to bed because some guy might not show up).

[j_factor]

I want to live in Sweden so I can get on slacker-friendly welfare. Zebbe, do you know a cheap Swedish woman who would be willing to marry some dude who'll dump her once he gets citizenship? Alternatively, is there any sign of gay marriage becoming legal there soon?

[Zebbe]

j_factor: That kind of marriage arrangement you are talking about is pretty common. But I don't know any women willing to do so, and even though gay marriage is getting legal (it already is in some other strange form, but now the Swedish Church, as the first in the world, is allowing gay marriage when the government will fix the law) you ain't getting me if you don't buy a big two room apartment for at least one million Swedish kronor in Täby. But that would defeat the purpose of using the slackfare, wouldn't it?