music doesn't sound right in Revenge of Shinobi

[Shinobi69]

I'm playing it right now, and there is something wrong with the way the music sounds. I have the soundtrack rip downloaded for it, and that is the way i remember it sounding. The instruments sound cheesy, not as good as it should sound. is there another version of this game with different music or something? :?

does it have something to do with the fact that i'm playing it on a generation 2 Genesis? the music almost sounds like 8-bit music. or is it because i'm using an RF adaptor which is 3 pin rather than the AV cable, which is 9 pin?

[Shinobi69]

this rf adapter i got only has 3 pins, and there are supposed to be 9 pins for the AV plug on the Genesis 2. Is this what's making the sound crappy probably? :bang:

[Shinobi69]

they didn't change the sound used in any of the different versions of RoS did they?

[David J.]

nope, just Spiderman/Batman?/Godzilla.

[Joe Redifer]

The number of pins has nothing to do with how the game sounds. If you have a rip of Yuzo Koshiro's Super Shinobi soundtrack, know that the drums were changed for that to be different from what they are in the Genesis version.

Maybe later I can record a quick clip of how the game is supposed to sound.

[David J.]

Why was it changed?

[GeckoYamori]

I don't think Yuzo's OSTs were recorded from an actual Mega Drive, they used some other type of sound board.

[Shinobi69]

it just sounds different than i remember it sounding on my Genesis 1 way back when . The soundtrack rip i have is what it sounded like on the Genesis 1. Playing on my Genesis 2 now, it sounds like some of the instruments are changed to not as high quality sounding. It may be the cheapo 3 pin RF adapter i'm using, I will wait to see if it changes when i get my 9 pin AV plugs.

[Elusive]

The RF adapter simply hooks up sound, video and colour to the TV set's antenna port. The other pins are used for other cable types, and aren't needed for the RF doohickey.

Koshiro's official soundtrack discs are formed by the original tunes playing through a slightly better set of sound hardware than was present on the Mega Drive - like playing a tinny MP3 through a bass-amplified stereo system.

I know why the sound is off in the Mega Drive model 2 - the chips inside differ from those used in the Mega Drive model 1. There are quite a few internal variants of both Mega Drive models, each differing in sound and/or visual quality. Generally speaking, late-model model 1s and early-model 2s are the best - mine was manufactured on the 5th of August, 1993 (my sixth birthday =O). Cleaning out the game won't help, but keep in mind it could be the console's cartridge port or simply the console itself that's causing a slightly different sound.

[Shinobi69]

I know why the sound is off in the Mega Drive model 2 - the chips inside differ from those used in the Mega Drive model 1. There are quite a few internal variants of both Mega Drive models, each differing in sound and/or visual quality. Generally speaking, late-model model 1s and early-model 2s are the best - mine was manufactured on the 5th of August, 1993 (my sixth birthday =O). Cleaning out the game won't help, but keep in mind it could be the console's cartridge port or simply the console itself that's causing a slightly different sound.

Haha, August 5 is my daughter's birthday! How do you tell which exact model you have, and what the manufacture date is? Do you have any recorded examples of songs from the same game on different genesis models with the different sound hardware? I've never read anywhere that there are differences between models for sound and visual hardware, is there a website that gives this info?

thanks! :D

[Shinobi69]

eh? anyone know?

[Shinobi69]

is there a chance there is something wrong with the Revenge of Shinobi Cartridge that is making the music sound weird? It has been cleaned, and all the other games do sound normal as far as the music.

[Joe Redifer]

Does it sound like this?

http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/02-The_Shinobi.mp3
2.6 MB.

That is how the game should sound. It was recorded from my Genesis 1 revision 1.

[Shinobi69]

I'm coming to realize that my genesis is fucked, namely the sound chip. the Shinobi song on mine sounds like it's coming out of an NES, and I just listened to Ecco and it sounds screwed up, like only half the sound is coming out or something. I'll wait until my AV cables with the 9 pin plug come and see if that helps, other wise i'll return the piece of sh!t :?

[Joe Redifer]

I really want to hear what it sounds like on your Genesis.

[Shinobi69]

I'm not sure what to do. This issue is being caused by the console, the RF adapter, or the game. The audio seems to be mucked up on the other games, so it seems like it's the console or the RF cable. I suppose I could track down another copy of shinobi to confirm this..

[Drixxel]

Do you have any way to record how the garbled music sounds through your potentially-fubar'd Genesis?

[Shinobi69]

I've never tried to record from a source outside my computer, is it easy or a pain in the ass? what all is involved?

[Joe Redifer]

Yes, even if you can record a short sample of the music, I'd be happy to host it online. If possible, record 10 or 15 seconds and e-mail me the file. I'll put it online and post it in this forum. I've never heard of a Genesis sounding completely wrong like that, almost as if some sound channels aren't working by the description you give.

[Shinobi69]

i guess i'll need to wait until i get my A/V cables , i guess my computer must have an audio in jack or something?

[ary incorparated]

I would recomend buying a new genesis,their kinda familiar in Holland,you can get em for 10 euro here,even less,Garage sales.Maybe i understand it wrong but if thats youre problem then maybe try ebay,dont know if the genesis is cheap in america,Oke here its a whole other story We have megadrive and not genesis,but check ebay for instance,Aktion replay is fine enough to convert. Shinobi has a bit of lousy Drum,but i think its more then enough since the game came out somewhere in 1989 couldnt ask then max from a genesis in that time,still the music still is printed in my memorie,Btw nes was way worser and some tunes from mario sticked in my mind.If you want Drum,maybe Skitching or Vapor trail is something,Hmm not many games use good drum in MD games,Battle mania maybe there are a few that really use full Drum sound. ;)

[Drixxel]

i guess i'll need to wait until i get my A/V cables , i guess my computer must have an audio in jack or something?

There is an audio line-in input on most computers, you'll see it as a small, light blue input on the back of your PC. I use that for all of my PC recording needs, and I'm sure there's a way to hook your Genesis up to that. If only it was a model 1 Genesis making these crazy sounds.. that headphone jack on a model 1 would make plugging into the line-in a breeze.

But yeah, if you have a computer mic, that would probably be the easiest way to record it.

[landstalkerx]

You can buy a little adaptor that will convert a/v to a 3.5mm stereo plug. They cost about $1.50. If you live any where near me, which I doubt that you do, I can lend you one.

[Shinobi69]

If you live any where near me, which I doubt that you do, I can lend you one.

I'm just north of you in Portland, OR. :cool:

[landstalkerx]

I pass through Portland four times a year on my way to Vancouver, but unfortunately I won't be there again until June. If you want to buy one of the adaptors I was talking about, I know they sell them at Fry's and there is one just South of Portland near Lake Oswego. But you'd need the a/v cord first.

[segagamer]

I believe the audio problem is hardware-related, as I have a Genesis model 2 that outputs somewhat garbled sound at times, and I also have a Genesis model 1 that outputs much cleaner sound from the same games.

[Shinobi69]

sounds like i need to get a Genesis model 1, though if i want stereo sound i'll have to go through the headphone jack? :evil:

[Shinobi69]

well the shop i got my genesis 2 at just got another genesis 2. I'll go down and try out some games, and find out if it is my genesis 2 or all genesis 2's that suck.

[Shinobi69]

Does it sound like this?

http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/02-The_Shinobi.mp3
2.6 MB.

That is how the game should sound. It was recorded from my Genesis 1 revision 1.

Joe Redifer: could you host the same song recorded from a genesis 2? (if you have one). Can anyone else with a Genesis 2 please listen to this song, and reply if it sounds the same?

[Elusive]

It's your console that's broken. It can't be the RF cable, as there is little to nothing that can break in there. It can't be RoS alone, as it's happening with all your games. If it sounds that bad (NES bad), then it's got to be your machine. Just get a cheapo new Mega Drive and hope for the best. :)

[landstalkerx]

Does it sound like this?

http://pixelcraze.film-tech.net/crap/02-The_Shinobi.mp3
2.6 MB.

That is how the game should sound. It was recorded from my Genesis 1 revision 1.

Joe Redifer: could you host the same song recorded from a genesis 2? (if you have one). Can anyone else with a Genesis 2 please listen to this song, and reply if it sounds the same?
That sounds pretty much the same as it sounds on my genesis 2.

[Melf]

Sounds like my Genny 2 as well.

[ary incorparated]

A bit flatter but almost the same.does it sound the same on multimega as on megadrive 2.

[Joe Redifer]

WTF is a multimega? Is that a Euro CDX? Europe should be illegal!

[Elusive]

WTF is a multimega? Is that a Euro CDX? Europe should be illegal!

It's identical to the American CDX - aside from it has the last revision European Mega-CD BIOS (2.11 IIRC), and is set internally to output a PAL signal (~50Hz).

[ary incorparated]

Yup,pretty fine stuff besides not having 60 hz relieability.

[Elusive]

Yup,pretty fine stuff besides not having 60 hz relieability.

Well, it's constructed internally identically to the Mega Drive 2 - hence it's entirely possible to modify the machine to output a PAL or NTSC signal plus set it to Japan or Overseas mode. Not sure about the Mega-CD BIOS, though.

[ary incorparated]

Thats right,You can mod it with a switch,dont know exactly how but its do able even for sega cd.I saw that a friend of mine did that im not going to that i want to keep it origenal without messing with it,BTW some people make cassetes to do that hombrewd like make a USA,Pal conversion for the nomad etc. :D