I think the best way would be to cut every trace to the DIN output, then wire them directly from corresponding pins on the CXA1145. You can grab RGB/ c sync and audio off it. My master system 2’s are extremely clean this way.
For anyone that wants a cleaner video signal from their SMS but doesn’t want to open up their machine, the Genesis 2 cable from HD Retrovision puts out a clean signal over component from the SMS. It’s an expensive cable, but worth it in my opinion to keep my SMS vanilla.
Fascinating stuff. The RGB mod is just the kind of thing one might do in an evening. I do think the PSG sound has it's own charm to it, probably would not trade it. :)
I always bought whatever generation Sega had at the time. My family loved the SMS and wore out a few controllers playing Alex Kidd, Outrun, etc. This was a great upgrade segment.
@Mr Lurch's Things , would the jailbars disappear if I use a CSYNC cable extracting this signal from the composite video signal with a sync stripper like the LM1881? So I would get a clean CSYNC signal and the mod would not be neccesary. I prefer not to modify the console.
interesting, i just ordered this system from ebay, hope its not tooo fucked.. wonder if theres an FM board available in the UK.. BTW what was the expansion slot originally for ? and does the FM board have a thru connector ? cheers
As I have an OSSC to process the output of my SMS I don't get those visual distortions that inspired you to do your mod. Now the FM sound mod is something I'd like to do.
Ive been thinking about this. I'm guessing either a) the OSSC filters better than my cheap upscaler (probably), b) the scaler and the OSSC simply handle the signal differently. Out of curiosity, do you have a screen with native scart?
Same boat here, had megadrives and used a shinybow scart to component converter back in 2015/2016 and it was crystal clean, then a couple years after it was “all the rage” to be doing bypasses cos of jail bars I’d actually never experienced - until running another model one megadrive thru a CRT and seeing model one master systems do the same (like here) plus alll the stuff on the internet about people complaining about them over the years and various pins and traces to cut to help improve this ! I actually ended up making my own bypass board too just for something to muck around with cos covid killed my workload and I had too much spare time !
Didn't your system have a SYNC pin on its DIN8 connector? It's better to mod your cable (just swap a wire in the DIN8 and add a resistor and a cap in the SCART) instead of making an unnecessary hole to your system.
I ordered the RGB Bypass board to try out. I have a system Im trying to repair. Powers on no video. would this bypass fix the issue at all if the ic chips seem fine? which I have tested. Occasionally it will power on and have some oversaturation issues with jailbars. I cant wait to try this mod. Currently with the AV in I cant get the system to display at all but power is good.
Was umming an ahing about doing the FM mod, but it's not that cheap, and there are only a few games that really benefit, Double Dragon and Kenseiden to name two, But unfortunately there are a few games that sound absolutely terrible with FM audio. Cyborg Hunter for example. In short, I'm holding off for now.
Most of this video is wonderfully informative and helpful... but... I think you should be more clear that the Master System natively has RGB out on it's A/V port, and that simply using a SCART cable does not magically improve the picture quality of all other devices. Too many NTSC retro-gamers have been discovering about SCART from PAL regions lately, and buying into a false theory that switching to SCART cables alone will somehow change Composite out signals into RGB for all systems.
Usually a television has 2 scart channels. One for RGB using composite as sync and another where it’s just composite. The 5v is suppose to make it switch to RGB Channel or something so it doesn’t use composite
I wonder if you'll cop any flak from anyone for the Aussie pronunciation of SEGA, I've seen some people really get upset over the way we say it, hahaha
I actually had a PC with a PSG-based soundchip in it, the Tandy 1000. It had PSG 3-channel, a DSP for samples, and also utilized the PC speaker for an extra channel. So while games looked better on my next door neighbor's PC(He had a VGA with Pc Speaker only), they usually sounded much better on mine.
@@RBKing80 With the FM sound - sure. But in Aus the first big success for Sega was the SMS2 which didnt have FM sound. 99% of our marketing was written, so it became See-ga for a year before the MD arrived.
I've lived in Japan and you are saying wrong. It's not sayga. It's seh gah even the sonic intro It's saying seeh gah. Lived there long enough too know you are also wrong.
The console natively outputs RGB video with composite sync. Unless you are doing an RGB bypass I have no idea what you are attempting or why. No idea what the point in that switch is. You could have just changed a few bits in the SCART cable if you wanted composite sync and remove that interference. The most beneficial mod anyone can do to a Master system and should be done before any other mod is a 60Hz mod and you didn't bother with that which is strange if you care about image integrity.
Quick one: Thanks to some ideas from Eric Eric in the comments; I have a slightly neater way of doing the RGB mod. I'll cover this in Part 2.
I think the best way would be to cut every trace to the DIN output, then wire them directly from corresponding pins on the CXA1145. You can grab RGB/ c sync and audio off it. My master system 2’s are extremely clean this way.
For anyone that wants a cleaner video signal from their SMS but doesn’t want to open up their machine, the Genesis 2 cable from HD Retrovision puts out a clean signal over component from the SMS. It’s an expensive cable, but worth it in my opinion to keep my SMS vanilla.
That was a really great video ! You are great at explaining. We need more of these for the Master System, very underappreciated system imho.
Thanks mate. And yeah, 100% agree on the mighty Master System.
Fascinating stuff. The RGB mod is just the kind of thing one might do in an evening. I do think the PSG sound has it's own charm to it, probably would not trade it. :)
Yeah, I simply wanted to try it and in some games its worth it, but in others - not so much
Keiseden, R-Type, Phantasy Star, the best FM Sound!
The picture might be great but that sound is so much better.
Looks and sounds awesome. I would love to learn how to solder but I already know a bunch of ways to accidentally burn myself.
these looked so badass, dead slick and futuristic
love for the master system!! yay!
Great work! Love the improvement.
I always bought whatever generation Sega had at the time. My family loved the SMS and wore out a few controllers playing Alex Kidd, Outrun, etc. This was a great upgrade segment.
This was really good. I need to dig out my Master System and do some things to it.
Growing up my friend had one of these and I thought it was neat. I had a ColecoVision which i learned decades later was a close cousin to the SMS.
Excellent! Love my SMS. Considering doing this now. Good video :)
Make sure you see Pt2 where I improve on the RGB mod.
Love the master system. The USA really doesn't give it enough love
Are you going to 60hz mod the master system?
I added a S-Video, FM sound and 50/60hz mod to my master system. Now i just have to do your RGB mod. Oh i also did the pause button mod (Nightmare!!)
@Mr Lurch's Things , would the jailbars disappear if I use a CSYNC cable extracting this signal from the composite video signal with a sync stripper like the LM1881?
So I would get a clean CSYNC signal and the mod would not be neccesary.
I prefer not to modify the console.
Great video!
Did your Sega Master System come with the metal cover or did you remove yours off the board before hand?
Could you have removed the RF modulator and used its feeds for composite and audio, and left the AV port as RGB only?
Or just remove connector leave rf on 😅
Nice job man but... those 50Hz hurts like hell !!!!
interesting, i just ordered this system from ebay, hope its not tooo fucked..
wonder if theres an FM board available in the UK.. BTW what was the expansion slot originally for ? and does the FM board have a thru connector ? cheers
I still have mine in the attic
As I have an OSSC to process the output of my SMS I don't get those visual distortions that inspired you to do your mod.
Now the FM sound mod is something I'd like to do.
Ive been thinking about this. I'm guessing either a) the OSSC filters better than my cheap upscaler (probably), b) the scaler and the OSSC simply handle the signal differently. Out of curiosity, do you have a screen with native scart?
@@MrLurchsThings I don't have any screen that natively takes scart, sorry. I suspect mutual friend Jeremy may do.
Same boat here, had megadrives and used a shinybow scart to component converter back in 2015/2016 and it was crystal clean, then a couple years after it was “all the rage” to be doing bypasses cos of jail bars I’d actually never experienced - until running another model one megadrive thru a CRT and seeing model one master systems do the same (like here) plus alll the stuff on the internet about people complaining about them over the years and various pins and traces to cut to help improve this ! I actually ended up making my own bypass board too just for something to muck around with cos covid killed my workload and I had too much spare time !
31:27 Is it a smoke version of Geame Gear on the shelf? BTW one of my favorite retro handheld console
Sadly no. Its currently waiting for BennVenn to finish his LCD mod
What is that extra cabling, soldering?
I have found that the best FM sounding game is Phantasy Star, at least to me
Didn't your system have a SYNC pin on its DIN8 connector? It's better to mod your cable (just swap a wire in the DIN8 and add a resistor and a cap in the SCART) instead of making an unnecessary hole to your system.
Eric Eric Yes pin 1 on the Connector is allready C-Sync.
@@xantam23 Oh - is it? oh well.
I did look at the pinout and it just said "sync" but could never find out 'what' sync. I guess that answers it.
Ok - rewired the cable to pull csync from pin-1 - nada
@@MrLurchsThings Yeah. It should be TTL-level CSYNC output.
I ordered the RGB Bypass board to try out. I have a system Im trying to repair. Powers on no video. would this bypass fix the issue at all if the ic chips seem fine? which I have tested. Occasionally it will power on and have some oversaturation issues with jailbars. I cant wait to try this mod. Currently with the AV in I cant get the system to display at all but power is good.
I honestly couldn't tell you. Sorry. Ive never used the bypass board.
@@MrLurchsThings no worries :) love the video and will come in handy for the FM Mod. Pretty excited about that. I really appreciate the feedback!
Was umming an ahing about doing the FM mod, but it's not that cheap, and there are only a few games that really benefit, Double Dragon and Kenseiden to name two, But unfortunately there are a few games that sound absolutely terrible with FM audio. Cyborg Hunter for example. In short, I'm holding off for now.
Have you done a 50/60Hz mod to it?
I think i did? I know I have with my SMS2
Mr Lurch's Things do you prefer 50hz over 60 for SMS?
50. 60 just feels strange and weird to me.
Mr Lurch's Things is that just for SMS, c64, Amiga? what about mega drive and newer consoles?
@@MrLazenby007 I didn’t grow up with the C64, so hard to say. They certainly don’t mess with my head like on the SMS and MD.
Most of this video is wonderfully informative and helpful... but...
I think you should be more clear that the Master System natively has RGB out on it's A/V port, and that simply using a SCART cable does not magically improve the picture quality of all other devices.
Too many NTSC retro-gamers have been discovering about SCART from PAL regions lately, and buying into a false theory that switching to SCART cables alone will somehow change Composite out signals into RGB for all systems.
No - it has to be a SCART cable to properly supports RGB and not just piping the standard composite single thru.
Usually a television has 2 scart channels. One for RGB using composite as sync and another where it’s just composite. The 5v is suppose to make it switch to RGB Channel or something so it doesn’t use composite
There is already c-sync on the 7pin.
Space Harrier 3-D sounds so much better in psg rather then fm.
my motherboard doesn't have fb7...
I wonder if you'll cop any flak from anyone for the Aussie pronunciation of SEGA, I've seen some people really get upset over the way we say it, hahaha
I did this and jail bars are still there
I kinda prefer PSG audio, tbh.
It fits better with early 8-bit graphics.
I actually had a PC with a PSG-based soundchip in it, the Tandy 1000. It had PSG 3-channel, a DSP for samples, and also utilized the PC speaker for an extra channel. So while games looked better on my next door neighbor's PC(He had a VGA with Pc Speaker only), they usually sounded much better on mine.
Call me crazy, but in some games the FM sounds WORSE than the PSG.
PAL SLOW
Boy do you have lady like nails. 🤣
It's pronounced sayga not seega
Depends where in the world you are. In Australia it has prominently been pronounced See-ga.
@@MrLurchsThings On the sonic screen when the sega logo comes up what does it say ? Sayga
@@RBKing80 With the FM sound - sure. But in Aus the first big success for Sega was the SMS2 which didnt have FM sound. 99% of our marketing was written, so it became See-ga for a year before the MD arrived.
I've lived in Japan and you are saying wrong.
It's not sayga.
It's seh gah even the sonic intro It's saying seeh gah.
Lived there long enough too know you are also wrong.
The console natively outputs RGB video with composite sync. Unless you are doing an RGB bypass I have no idea what you are attempting or why.
No idea what the point in that switch is. You could have just changed a few bits in the SCART cable if you wanted composite sync and remove that interference. The most beneficial mod anyone can do to a Master system and should be done before any other mod is a 60Hz mod and you didn't bother with that which is strange if you care about image integrity.
ua-cam.com/video/_mk-vZXF2wo/v-deo.html