Advice on buying a mega drive

[ptom98]

I've been thinking about buying a mega drive recently, as I've been working my way through the Splatterhouse games (Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti on the Famicom and Splatterhouse on the PC Engine) and want to give 2 and 3 a go.

Is there a recommended model that'll allow for all region cartridges to be plugged in or do I also need to look at getting an adapter as well?

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

I've been thinking about buying a mega drive recently, as I've been working my way through the Splatterhouse games (Splatterhouse Wanpaku Graffiti on the Famicom and Splatterhouse on the PC Engine) and want to give 2 and 3 a go.

Is there a recommended model that'll allow for all region cartridges to be plugged in or do I also need to look at getting an adapter as well?

Depends on what region of games you wanna play! Pal or NTSC!. You can get adapters but I've heard rumours that they aren't very good for the console!

I've got an original Japanese Megadrive (definitely the best version of the console 😁) plus I've got a Uk Pal Megadrive.
Just simply swap the console unit depending on what classic Megadrive game i wanna play, all the power adapters and video out are the same for both consoles.
The Jap console is a bit more expensive but a pal Megadrive is relatively cheap so easy to have a pair to swap about!

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

I was also lucky enough to get some Sony Pvm monitors a few years back when they were cheap. Playing a megadrive through them with the right cables is a breathtaking experience. When i put on my favourite megadrive game Hellfire which i hadn't played in years i was shocked how good it looked!
Here's a couple of pics i found of 2 games i was selling on the Pvm.

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

I was also lucky enough to get some Sony Pvm monitors a few years back when they were cheap. Playing a megadrive through them with the right cables is a breathtaking experience. When i put on my favourite megadrive game Hellfire which i hadn't played in years i was shocked how good it looked!
Here's a couple of pics i found of 2 games i was selling on the Pvm.
View attachment 62920View attachment 62921

Oh, that's weird the pics went through blurry! But yeah anyway it's the best way to play megadrive if you can offered it or be bothered.

 

[Max...]

Been a while since I owned a MD but IIRC a cheap PAL unit is easy to mod - just two trace cuts and two SPDT switches for PAL/NTSC and 50/60hz??

 

[Brettster]

Splatter house 3 is only available on NTSC, USA and Japan versions, at least officially.
Best MD to get is a Japanese or Asian version as you can fit in carts from all regions without having to cut the top case.
You can add a single 3 way switch to make all 3 main regions available or get one of the pcb versions that let you swap using the reset button

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

Splatter house 3 is only available on NTSC, USA and Japan versions, at least officially.
Best MD to get is a Japanese or Asian version as you can fit in carts from all regions without having to cut the top case.
You can add a single 3 way switch to make all 3 main regions available or get one of the pcb versions that let you swap using the reset button

That means opening up the beautiful Japanese megadrive and taking out the plastic cartridge locks. For the sake of how cheap you can get a Pal megadrive unit only, i think it's best to have 2 megadrive sharing the load.

 

[ptom98]

I was just kindly offered a modded megadrive, I presume with an adapter it will be able to play the games?
Although, I'll need to look into the adapters, @Shipwreck Arcade what have you on the adapters?

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

What adapters are you referring to! The power or the video output!

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

I was just kindly offered a modded megadrive, I presume with an adapter it will be able to play the games?
Although, I'll need to look into the adapters, @Shipwreck Arcade what have you on the adapters?

I've got a shielded scart running into a female RGB scart thats on the Pvm Monitor. But that's obviously the set up i need for best quality. So many more options on cables for other needs.

 

[John Bennett]

Having dug out my old Megadrive recently, PAL hasn't aged well if you're used to 60Hz. It's particularly horrible on my large CRTs - it's like I can see colours flickering to to the wrong hues in my peripheral vision. PS1 was the same, so it's a 50Hz thing

Not a reason to avoid a PAL megadrive if you can mod it to play 60Hz games though.

 

[Shipwreck Arcade]

Having dug out my old Megadrive recently, PAL hasn't aged well if you're used to 60Hz. It's particularly horrible on my large CRTs - it's like I can see colours flickering to to the wrong hues in my peripheral vision. PS1 was the same, so it's a 50Hz thing

Not a reason to avoid a PAL megadrive if you can mod it to play 60Hz games though.

Whole different world on a Pvm or Bvm monitors with the right cables. The megadrive Pal or Jap look truly epic. There are some Bang & Olufsen/Sony CRTs that can handle retro consoles nicely. But when i finally set up the Megadrive and Snes on the 20" Pvm, i understood what people were raving about. Wow!

 

[ptom98]

What adapters are you referring to! The power or the video output!

I thought you meant the Japanese to Europe game adaptor.

 

[Brettster]

That means opening up the beautiful Japanese megadrive and taking out the plastic cartridge locks. For the sake of how cheap you can get a Pal megadrive unit only, i think it's best to have 2 megadrive sharing the load.

It's just a bit of plastic held in with a screw, completely reversible if you so desired

 

[Bods]

Boxed one in CEX shop yesterday £120 and Nintendo64 Goldeneye boxed console £150