Why the nomad is better than all other models.

[Drakon]

Believe me I only wanted to buy a nomad as a last resort as I'm fully aware that they're rare and expensive. So I picked one up today, consolized it (added s-video and a proper audio jack), plugged it in....and....first let's take a look at the technical specs of the nomad

1: All nomads have a built in sony cxa1645 encoder, it's very easy to add s-video to this encoder (4 parts only) and in my opinion this encoder has a better s-video picture than the cxa1145 found in other models of the genesis

2: The nomad audio quality is the same as the good model 1 genesis systems. One instrument sounded a little quieter but the quality of the audio was identical.

Here's a screenshot comparison between my va6 model 1 genesis that I built a cxa1645 inside of compared to the s-video from my consolized nomad....

cxa1645 genesis model 1:

withrainbow.jpg

nomad with s-video from the built in cxa1645:

withoutrainbow.jpg

As you can see the rainbow effect is mostly gone. The rainbow issue was the only thing I wasn't able to fix on the model 1 genesis. Model 2 and 3 genesis systems have cruddy audio (and I think the model 2 also has this rainbow effect). So in my personal opinion the nomad is the best model of the genesis / megadrive ever built. With some modding you can turn it into the ultimate home genesis. (Later I'll add a region switch so I can play my imports).

[Jax184]

...Or you could just buy a version 3/4 Genesis 2 and enjoy the same good sound and video, while also having full 32x and Sega CD compatibility.

[omp]

1 of my 3 nomads has fuzzy audio, unplugging the power source for the backlight fixes it. Another advantage of going modern lcd I guess (which I have done to my good Nomad). This one with the fuzzy sound was initially for experimenting. Oh also game gear speakers fit as this particular nomad had a busted speaker (sound buzzed).

[Drakon]

...Or you could just buy a version 3/4 Genesis 2 and enjoy the same good sound and video, while also having full 32x and Sega CD compatibility.

I'm pretty sure all model 2s have downgrade audio quality. The va3 / 4 model 2 has less bass than a good model 1 according to this guide-o:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthr...-from-bad-ones

Also the va3 model 2 comes with other video encoders. With a nomad you're always gauranteed to get the cxa1645 and the awesome audio quality.

My nomad doesn't have fuzzy audio. I noticed plugging the headphone jack into my amp and speakers I'd only get 1 of the two channels (on a headset I got both channels). So I just tapped audio from the av port and got both channels working great on my sound system.

Also nobody has confirmed if the s-video from the model 2 va3 / 4 has the rainbow problem or not.

[Genesis Knight]

Sorry, but pretty much any Genesis with an RGB SCART cable looks vastly better than that Nomad screenshot. Heck, you can even beat S-video rainbows completely by plugging a 32X into your Genesis, if you don't want to (or can't) use RGB.

[Drakon]

Sorry, but pretty much any Genesis with an RGB SCART cable looks vastly better than that Nomad screenshot. Heck, you can even beat S-video rainbows completely by plugging a 32X into your Genesis, if you don't want to (or can't) use RGB.

The nomad s-video is pretty much as good as you can get on my tv. My capture card is extremely sensitive. I can look into using a 32x except do you still have the ability to get s-video with it? The whole point of me doing this mod is because most people (myself included) can't find a scart / rgb tv at most places. I wanted to get a system with the best video that can plug into pretty much any tv.

[Guntz]

Oh goody, another Drakon thread...

Honestly, the second screenshot isn't much better than the first one, there's still noise in the picture. And I hope you didn't actually mutilate a perfectly good Nomad for this dumb mod... But you probably did...


Look, if your modding skills are so amazing, take these pictures below and mod a Genesis Model 2 (VA0 or 1) with the Crystal Clear Audio mod. And while you're at it, remove the K2195D and replace it with a CXA2075 (disconnect output/NC pins, attach YTRAP to voltage with 3.32k resistor, Y and C only need a resistor and cap each). That would solve all your problems.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/21/1876835/CCAM.png
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/...35/MD2SCAN.jpg
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/4/...5/MD2SCAN2.jpg

I'd much rather see you in possession of useful information while trying to fool people that you engineered the mod yourself, than destroying perfectly good Sega hardware. We've had enough tools like that already...

And for the record, the VA4 is pretty much the pinnacle of the Model 2 in factory specs. The sound is very good and it has the CXA1645, which is a very good video encoder all around. The VA3 is a bit hit and miss. Some have the KA2195D which produces a low quality composite image with no S-Video support and while the sound is much improved from earlier Model 2s, I find it still has some minor problems and when I tried recording the sound from the AV out, it sounded mono.

[Genesis Knight]

The nomad s-video is pretty much as good as you can get on my tv. My capture card is extremely sensitive. I can look into using a 32x except do you still have the ability to get s-video with it? The whole point of me doing this mod is because most people (myself included) can't find a scart / rgb tv at most places. I wanted to get a system with the best video that can plug into pretty much any tv.

Yeah, 32X puts out S-video using the usual cable. You don't need a SCART-compatible TV, though. I live in the US and just use an RGB-SCART to Component converter.

[Guntz]

The 32X can be modded for S-Video but there's been some talk of fuzzy video output and even loss of composite.

[evilevoix]

Sorry, but pretty much any Genesis with an RGB SCART cable looks vastly better than that Nomad screenshot. Heck, you can even beat S-video rainbows completely by plugging a 32X into your Genesis, if you don't want to (or can't) use RGB.

Very true, that is what I run off of my Model 1, looks amazing on my 230 Pound CRT.

[Genesis Knight]

The 32X can be modded for S-Video but there's been some talk of fuzzy video output and even loss of composite.

Wait, what? I swear I used to run my 32X off of an S-Video cable. I've run it off RGB for some time, is my memory wrong?

[Chibisteven]

I'm pretty sure all model 2s have downgrade audio quality. The va3 / 4 model 2 has less bass than a good model 1 according to this guide-o:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthr...-from-bad-ones

Also the va3 model 2 comes with other video encoders. With a nomad you're always gauranteed to get the cxa1645 and the awesome audio quality.

My nomad doesn't have fuzzy audio. I noticed plugging the headphone jack into my amp and speakers I'd only get 1 of the two channels (on a headset I got both channels). So I just tapped audio from the av port and got both channels working great on my sound system.

Also nobody has confirmed if the s-video from the model 2 va3 / 4 has the rainbow problem or not.

Everyone has their own "preference". I think you're misleading yourself. The sound amps in the model 1 Genesis acts as gentle lowpass filter, which is where the sound has more "bass". If you were take the individual PSG and YM2612 output lines in model 1 listen to them seperately you would notice very low volume and more flat response sounding more like increase in "treble" and lower in "bass".

It's the early model 2's that have sound quality problems were because of crappy sound amps but these are fixable with CCAM.

And what you going to do when you want to play the 32X or Sega CD?

And your results with video encoders vary from tv to tv. RGB is nearly the same on all revisions.

Funny thing is my Nomad has a little crackling with the Ice Cap (Act 1) theme from Sonic 3, and I hate that.

[Guntz]

Wait, what? I swear I used to run my 32X off of an S-Video cable. I've run it off RGB for some time, is my memory wrong?

Then your 32X must have been modded with an S-Video jack or you used a RGB to S-Video converter. Not only is there no S-Video on the 32X AV out port, but Sega never made a Genesis AV cable that ever had S-Video because there was never an official Genesis model with S-Video...

[sheath]

I've tested my Nomad, first gen Genesis 1 and X'Eye thoroughly and none of them have as clean audio or as much bass as my launch Genesis 1. All of them have better quality video output than my Genesis 1 without the 32X though.

[lumclaw]

Right. It's a big technicality. Wondermega 1 has s-video, except that was never released in any territory using the Genesis brand name.