Is the Power Base Converter compatible with the 32X?

[SpoDaddy]

I know the Power Base Converter is only compatible with the model 1 Genesis (which I have), but will it work if plugged into a 32X plugged into a model 1 Genesis? I would think it would since the 32X just passes through anything that isn't a 32x game to the Genesis, but I'd like to know for sure. Anyone tried this?

[j_factor]

I don't think so.

There's nothing about the Genesis 2 technically that makes the PBC incompatible, it's just the shape. I doubt that the mushroom shape of the 32x is going to fit either.

Btw, I love your sig. That was a great ad.

[Elusive]

The PBC wouldn't fit; any other converter wouldn't work either.

The reason is that the PBC sends a command to the Genesis' Z80 sound processor telling it to boot into SMS compatability mode - like how inserting a MS-DOS boot disk into a floppy drive will make some (most?) computers boot into MS-DOS mode when you start the machine. If that command is send to the 32X, which has a different sound processor, and wasn't designed with backwards compatability in mind, the process won't work.

Bottom line: You cannot run SMS games on a Genesis or Mega Drive if the 32X unit is attached.

[Melf]

*Edit

On second thought, I think I'll leave it here. The 32X forum is kind of thin.

[Russman]

I'm gonna try it sometime...just to prove whether it works or not. I have all the components...model 1 Genesis, 32x and PBC...so we'll see.

[Melf]

Any modding or tweaking needs pics! It would make a cool article.

[lordofduct]

Won't work, tried it myself years back when I got my 32X (97 I think).

Elusive has it right... the genny has a pin on the cart slot that when grounded tells it to go into SMS mode and use the Z80 as the main processor unit.

Google and you'll find long tech stats about it. Anyways, the "powerbase converter" won't work on anything but the genesis model 1 and only the model 1. (the model 2 had some of its parts removed, mainly the SMS parts, to keep price down the the powerbase converter won't work on that).

I don't know how exactly other genny-SMS converters work, but I know this is how the "powerbase converter" works.

[j_factor]

(the model 2 had some of its parts removed, mainly the SMS parts, to keep price down the the powerbase converter won't work on that).

No, it's just the shape. If that were the case, the model 2 PBCs wouldn't exist.

[lordofduct]

ermmm, you are mistakened. Go look it up.

For one the Z80 and the M68000 was put together into one custom chip. This would cause problems with the PBC! That is why the model 2 got a completely different one.

(along with some cosmetic reasons)

[j_factor]

The PBC is basically just a pin connector. Unlike, say, Super Game Boy, all the real hardware is already in the machine.

For what you're saying to be true, the model 2 PBC wouldn't exist. Have you seen one? They're kind of shaped like the Sonic & Knuckles carts. They just sit there and connect the SMS cart to the machine. The only thing a PBC does besides allow the SMS cart to fit is that it sends a signal to the console to activate VDP mode 4.

The model 2 Mega Drive got a new version of the PBC because the old one doesn't fit the shape of the console. The model 2 converters work on both models of the Mega Drive. The original PBC will work on a model 2 console with only physical modification.

[Elusive]

ermmm, you are mistakened. Go look it up.

For one the Z80 and the M68000 was put together into one custom chip. This would cause problems with the PBC! That is why the model 2 got a completely different one.

(along with some cosmetic reasons)

You're mistaken. The model II converter has EXACTLY the same function as the Model I, just with a removed card slot and scrunched up into a cartridge shape.



The MS converter for use weith the Model II.

The PBC (Master System Converter) MODEL ONE WILL WORK WITH THE MODEL II CONSOLE, IT IS ONLY THE SHAPE OF THE THING THAT PREVENTS IT FROM WORKING. NOT THE 'lack of a z80', AS IS SOMEHOW 'COMMON KNOWLEDGE'.

Right, now that's out of the way: the Model II had many, many board revisions - up to 1.8. Some chips were conglomerated (like the infamous first revision that had terrible, terrible sound quality). YES, some models did not have a z80. HOWEVER, these were the aforementioned very-first-revision consoles. Later revisions of the console had the z80 seperately as standard - however, I'm still checking that one out, as apparently some final revisions have an entirely new video chip.

[j_factor]

But the z80 isn't necessary per se. I mean, you could make a Master System clone without having a z80 processor anywhere.

[Mel]

Umm isn't the Z80 the main cpu for the sms?

I'm sure they could use a compatible chip. Wouldn't be a big deal, b/c the Z80 itself is a clone of the intel 8080, but with extended instructions.

[j_factor]

Umm isn't the Z80 the main cpu for the sms?

Yes, it is. But it's not strictly necessary to have a Z80 in order to have something that plays SMS games. There's this new console coming out that plays NES carts, and it doesn't have remotely the same chip that an actual NES has.

I gather that the Genesis 3 doesn't have the same 68000/Z80 setup as a regular genny, but to be honest I don't know much about that unit.

[Mel]

we did some research before they reset the forums.

Genesis 3 uses a generic z80 with some removed functionality to reduce the price.