Mega Drive 2 50/60Hz mod

TechnoFreek

Hi guys,

I am looking to install a 50/60hz switch in my Mega Drive 2.

The reason I ask is that I recently picked up a Mega Drive 2 and a Tototek MD Pro 64 flash cart. How I understand it is that the flash cart will bypass region protection therefore allowing me to play games from any region on the mega drive.

The issue that remains is that most US and Jap games are designed to play at 60Hz. Euro Mega Drive runs at 50Hz by default meaning that non euro games will run "slow".

Can anyone tell me if
a) if a 50/60Hz mod is required
b) can you provide/point me in the direction of a decent guide
c) is there anything else that I am overlooking?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I will be using a scart lead so that should get around any black and white image problems.

Myrddin

TechnoFreek wrote: »

Hi guys,

I am looking to install a 50/60hz switch in my Mega Drive 2.

The reason I ask is that I recently picked up a Mega Drive 2 and a Tototek MD Pro 64 flash cart. How I understand it is that the flash cart will bypass region protection therefore allowing me to play games from any region on the mega drive.

The issue that remains is that most US and Jap games are designed to play at 60Hz. Euro Mega Drive runs at 50Hz by default meaning that non euro games will run "slow".

Can anyone tell me if
a) if a 50/60Hz mod is required
b) can you provide/point me in the direction of a decent guide
c) is there anything else that I am overlooking?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I will be using a scart lead so that should get around any black and white image problems.

It doesn't. I have an MDPRO too, and if it put a Jap rom on it, and set my console to pal I'll get a wrong region screen. You need to do the region mod AND the display mod.

That being said, a lot of games are not region protected, but you may as well do the two together. Here's my thread on an MD2 mod, and mmmonkey has some great guides.

o1s1n

TechnoFreek wrote: »

The issue that remains is that most US and Jap games are designed to play at 60Hz. Euro Mega Drive runs at 50Hz by default meaning that non euro games will run "slow".
.

You have the facts a bit muddled up.

ALL games run slow on a PAL Megadrive. It doesn't matter what region they're from. The PAL Megadrive runs everything at 50hz and slows it down.

If you put a PAL game into a US Genesis it will run at 60hz. Which will be the proper speed for the game.

TechnoFreek

Thanks for the replies guys. Certainly does seem that I have things a bit confused!

So by performing the 60 Hz mod I will be able to output ALL games at the proper speed. If that is the case then it sounds like the 60 Hz mod is an essential mod regardless.of region??!!

Or have I got it all wrong again!

o1s1n

You're spot on now!

Basically, PAL Megadrive are junk unless they're 50/60hz modded.

Some PAL games have region protection that locks them to 50hz. All you have to do in that case is boot the game in 50hz and when it gets past the first couple of initial screens flick it over to 60hz for full speed.

You'll also notice that the image will go from letterboxed (50hz with boarders) to full screen (60hz, no boarders)

TechnoFreek

Excellent. Looks like I'll have to get the soldering iron out soon! Anywhere good online to get a switch and some cable? I have very little left over from my ps2 modding days!
Not living in Dublin anymore either so peats is out

Edit: also, what type of switches do I need. I'm a little bit clueless. It's so long since i did amything like this!

o1s1n

You need two SPDT switches. One to toggle between 50/60hz and one for English/Japanese.

The English/Japanese isn't as essential as the 50/60hz one, but while you're in there you might as well do it.

I got my switches on ebay for about 1.50 each in bulk. One switch broke out of about 10. So not too bad a failure rate given the price. (especially compared to what Maplin wanted for them)

Oh by the way, I didn't mod mine, Enternow did. He's a bit of a wizzard with a soldering iron overclocked a Megadrive for me too. She's now a four switch beast!

TechnoFreek

Thanks O1s1n. I'll hit eBay so.

Overclocked mega drive? I'm intrigued! What are the benefits?

o1s1n

It eliminates 99% of the slowdown in games. The mod to my one upped the processor from 7mhz to a monster 12.5mhz!

You know when you're Sonic, you have loads of rings and you crash into something, spewing all the rings out? You know the way it slows down? That is no more!

Lots and lots of games have slowdown similar to that. It's just when there's too much going on the screen and the processor starts to chug a bit.

Be warned though, the mod is a good bit more effort than the other one.