That damn CDX spacer that never was released...

[David J.]

We have pics of the spacer, so why hasn't anyone, well, fabricated one?

[j_factor]

There are lots of things that homebrewers could easily make, but have yet to bother with.

[David J.]

care to name some?

[atm55]

I wish somebody would make one of those.

[Melf]

I still need one for my Genesis 2. :(

[lordofduct]

I think I have a few lying around if I didn't throw them out in my move.

I threw a lot of stuff out though when I moved so I am not sure. (genny 2 spacers, not CDX spacers)

[j_factor]

care to name some?

1. A way to play GG games on a TV screen. This could either be done with a TV mod to a Game Gear system, or by homebrewing a PBC with a GG cart slot to play GG games through a Genesis.

2. A Genesis clone console in the same vein as the Messiah GenerationNEX (NES).

3. A converter to play Genesis games on a Saturn.

4. Genesis reproductions, like http://www.nesreproductions.com but for Genesis.

5. A homebrew version of those Sega CD import converter carts.

6. The aforementioned Sega CDX 32x spacer.

etc. etc.

[lordofduct]

I don't see how making a PBC with a GG slot to play GG games through a genny would be wanted... the genny doesn't put out enough colours. And that palette calls are different so your games would look all funktafied.

[David J.]

care to name some?

1. A way to play GG games on a TV screen. This could either be done with a TV mod to a Game Gear system, or by homebrewing a PBC with a GG cart slot to play GG games through a Genesis.

2. A Genesis clone console in the same vein as the Messiah GenerationNEX (NES).

3. A converter to play Genesis games on a Saturn.

4. Genesis reproductions, like http://www.nesreproductions.com but for Genesis.

5. A homebrew version of those Sega CD import converter carts.

6. The aforementioned Sega CDX 32x spacer.

etc. etc.

I'm sure there will be a genesis clone, I swore there's a HK bootleg of a MD somewhere. Messiah is going to go a wireless genesis controller, and I'm sure genesis repros will come down the line.

As for the spacer, we have pictures, people have the materials, why not?

Actually, at SMSpower, they've found a way to hack a GG and give it TV-outs, with color..

www.smspower.org/forums

[j_factor]

I don't see how making a PBC with a GG slot to play GG games through a genny would be wanted... the genny doesn't put out enough colours. And that palette calls are different so your games would look all funktafied.

I know that would be the case if you were trying to use an SMS, but Genesis?

But even if that's true, it could be rectified by patching the video.

[j_factor]

das I think you meant that link to be http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2539

And all I can say is.. wow. Not just at the product, but some fascinating reading there.

[lordofduct]

I don't see how making a PBC with a GG slot to play GG games through a genny would be wanted... the genny doesn't put out enough colours. And that palette calls are different so your games would look all funktafied.

I know that would be the case if you were trying to use an SMS, but Genesis?

But even if that's true, it could be rectified by patching the video.
The GG requires the Z80... so you would HAVE to run it in SMS mode for it to even begin working. (to do this you just ground a certain pin in the cartridge slot... I think it is pin 5. That really is all the converter does on top of tracing the cartridge slot so that the sms cartridge fits.) To run the game in genny mode it would be emulated in some way.

The color problem fixed by patching? Well first off, that would be a bit complex in several ways:

1)the genny has a palette of 512 colours. The GG has 8 times the colours; 4096 to be exact.

2) the commands for each colour are different. So if you did this white be green, red will be orange, blue with be yellow and other random crap like that.

3) Where would the patch go? In the converter cart?

To do this you'd have to first fix the distinction between what bit is calling what colour (#2) and then you'd have to generalize every 8 colours to be only 1 colour to fit it into the colour palette. This "could" be done with an extra VDP or other chip in the converter cartridge... with a nice price tag tacked on as it has to watch all the colour data being transferred to the Sega and swap the code... probably causing slow down.

You use the word patch though... a patch would require rewriting the ROM. Why even bother with that? It would have to be done per individual game specific to its code then on top of that reburned to a new PROM. Time consuming and expensive.



These are possible reasons Sega tossed the idea... also you should note that SEGA was working on it to use the 32X to make use of its VDP with very large colour palette. (yet probably another reason of canning it as the 32X didn't sell to well and was nearing the death of the GG anyways at this time)

[j_factor]

I don't see how making a PBC with a GG slot to play GG games through a genny would be wanted... the genny doesn't put out enough colours. And that palette calls are different so your games would look all funktafied.

I know that would be the case if you were trying to use an SMS, but Genesis?

But even if that's true, it could be rectified by patching the video.

The GG requires the Z80... so you would HAVE to run it in SMS mode for it to even begin working.

You can't use the Z80 without running it in SMS mode?

Either way, you wouldn't have to do all that. Are you familiar with Super Game Boy? SGB doesn't use any processors inside the SNES; it contains a Game Boy chipset inside and basically turns the SNES into a glorified passthrough. Surely a similar thing could be done with GG.


The color problem fixed by patching? Well first off, that would be a bit complex in several ways:

1)the genny has a palette of 512 colours. The GG has 8 times the colours; 4096 to be exact.

2) the commands for each colour are different. So if you did this white be green, red will be orange, blue with be yellow and other random crap like that.

3) Where would the patch go? In the converter cart?

To do this you'd have to first fix the distinction between what bit is calling what colour (#2) and then you'd have to generalize every 8 colours to be only 1 colour to fit it into the colour palette. This "could" be done with an extra VDP or other chip in the converter cartridge... with a nice price tag tacked on as it has to watch all the colour data being transferred to the Sega and swap the code... probably causing slow down.

You use the word patch though... a patch would require rewriting the ROM. Why even bother with that? It would have to be done per individual game specific to its code then on top of that reburned to a new PROM. Time consuming and expensive.

Uh, I didn't mean that kind of patch. Just patch the video out so that it can output properly.

[lordofduct]

A chipset in the cartridge would work... but still you would have the problem of the color palette! How would you patch the color through a video chip that doesn't support all the colors?

It would be like sending a VGA color signal through a CGA display chip and back onto an RGB monitor... it just doesn't work. Why else do you think the Sega32X has the patch cable on it? It takes the signal and passes it to the 32X and its VDP and sends it out the video chip that supports more colors.

So unless you built a cartridge that had video out on it and only used the damn genny as a port for a controller it just won't work.

Wouldn't make sense... they should just make what SEGA did work on; the Sega Wide Gear. It's a GameGear that had no screen on it and hooked up to the tv.

or by homebrewing a PBC with a GG cart slot to play GG games through a Genesis.
Yeah... and you said this? Where the hell is a homebrewer gonna get a chip set to do this? I don't know many homebrewers that can get there hands on the technology to built a microchip! Possibly some HK undergrounders... but that is about it.[/quote]

[Elusive]

care to name some?

1. A way to play GG games on a TV screen. This could either be done with a TV mod to a Game Gear system, or by homebrewing a PBC with a GG cart slot to play GG games through a Genesis.

2. A Genesis clone console in the same vein as the Messiah GenerationNEX (NES).

3. A converter to play Genesis games on a Saturn.

4. Genesis reproductions, like http://www.nesreproductions.com but for Genesis.

5. A homebrew version of those Sega CD import converter carts.

6. The aforementioned Sega CDX 32x spacer.

etc. etc.

Yarr, I be the Answer Pirate!

1. http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2539

2. The Generation Nex is only possible as the copyrights on the NES' hardware has expired. As 'tendo are gaining no profit on the machine (they're offering ROMs on the Revolution, remember?), they're not bothered. Besides, the Nex is made in China where there are few such copyright laws anyway, that's where all the Famiclones have come from on eBay US.

3. Impossible. It'd be like trying to run a SNES game on an N64. They're just too different to work together.

4. Again, NES copyright expiry.

5. You can patch your own Mega/Sega-CD games. http://www.retrodev.com (ConvSCD)

6. They both work together without the spacer. Besides, neither were really popular, why bother?

[j_factor]

care to name some?

1. A way to play GG games on a TV screen. This could either be done with a TV mod to a Game Gear system, or by homebrewing a PBC with a GG cart slot to play GG games through a Genesis.

2. A Genesis clone console in the same vein as the Messiah GenerationNEX (NES).

3. A converter to play Genesis games on a Saturn.

4. Genesis reproductions, like http://www.nesreproductions.com but for Genesis.

5. A homebrew version of those Sega CD import converter carts.

6. The aforementioned Sega CDX 32x spacer.

etc. etc.

Yarr, I be the Answer Pirate!

1. http://www.smspower.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2539

2. The Generation Nex is only possible as the copyrights on the NES' hardware has expired. As 'tendo are gaining no profit on the machine (they're offering ROMs on the Revolution, remember?), they're not bothered. Besides, the Nex is made in China where there are few such copyright laws anyway, that's where all the Famiclones have come from on eBay US.

3. Impossible. It'd be like trying to run a SNES game on an N64. They're just too different to work together.

4. Again, NES copyright expiry.

5. You can patch your own Mega/Sega-CD games. http://www.retrodev.com (ConvSCD)

6. They both work together without the spacer. Besides, neither were really popular, why bother?

1. Yeah, we've covered that now.

2. Sega isn't exactly profiting on Genesis either. Those Famiclones started way before Famicom A/V production was halted.

3. Saturn has the exact same processor as Genesis's main processor for its sound. That's the same deal as SMS to Genesis. And for your information, there is a product that lets you play SNES games on N64; it's called Tri-Star 64.

4. I really don't see how that's the case, since a Genesis reproduction is being released soon -- it's called Beggar Prince.

5. Well duh.

6. I agree, why bother indeed. But I didn't start this topic.

[ary incorparated]

what good discussions,how come i can play megadrive on my game gear,Figure that one out.its not difficult.

[atm55]

what good discussions,how come i can play megadrive on my game gear,Figure that one out.its not difficult.

Are you sure you have a gamegear and not a nomad?

[ary incorparated]

yup,this is the deal,i have a tv tuner for my gg and i made a coax connector for it,i molted the coax on a stereo jack plug,so i can see tv and see much more cahnels than usual,if i connect it to the cabel.if i put the megadrive 1 RF connector in the coax connector i can play the genesis on my gamegear,works good if you dont have a tv.the sound is clear and also the graphics look clean.its kind of strange to see genesis on a gamegrear,but thats why i love sega ,for its inovatifity gamegear was very up to date.But the sound of the tv tuner doesnt go true the PSG sound cart but direst true the speeker,i think.

[Elusive]

I plug my Mega Drive lead into the jack on the Game Gear TV tuner.

There, how hard was that? :P

2. Sega isn't exactly profiting on Genesis either. Those Famiclones started way before Famicom A/V production was halted.

3. Saturn has the exact same processor as Genesis's main processor for its sound. That's the same deal as SMS to Genesis. And for your information, there is a product that lets you play SNES games on N64; it's called Tri-Star 64.

2. They are - have you seen the licensed TV games on sale in toy shops and on TV shopping channels that plug into an AV jack and are powered by batteries? I think there's a six-in-one with Sonic 2 on it, a Street Fighter II one, OutRun 2019, etc etc. They are profiting from the Mega Drive still, and they're doing it nice and legally.

3. It may have the same sound processor, but the way it's set up and wired into the machine is totally different. The Mega Drive was developed with backwards compatability with the Master System in mind, the Saturn wasn't. And yes, the Super 8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_8_%28video_game_accessory%29) and TriStar64 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristar_64) can play NES games on a SNES, and NES & SNES games on an N64. However, the only thing they do is draw power from the main unit and route the video from the console's AV-Out port. All the magic is done in the Tristar & TS64, the console isn't used at all. I don't think it counts, as the Mega Drive actually contained code that would boot its sound subprocessor rather than the main processor if a certain pin was powered.

Just being smart-arsey. =)

[ary incorparated]

Right fun.i got a famiclone that can play nes and snes,taht suff is so crap.Ive seen those cartridegs on the internet whre you can convert youre GG to television.and ive also seen converters that allow you to play Master system on youre gamegear.