How to Upload Mods to Sega Mega Drive & Genesis Classics Simple

This is installation guide covers installing a switchless region modern into a Sega Mega Bulldoze. Information technology can be used for any chip code and all Mega Drive switchless region modernistic-board variations that might be encountered when doing this mod. This guide currently includes the Mega Bulldoze revisions PAL VA4 & PAL VA5/VA6. It should be possible to mod any other revision based on these ii board revisions.

This mod will brand the Sega Mega Drive multi-region, permit games to run in 60Hz, and display their original Japanese language & titles of compatible games. Upgraded versions include the ability to alter region and reset using the controller pad, switch a Mega CD MultiBIOS, and change the master clock frequency to lucifer the region.

Mod Pinout

Solder Maps

Depending on what code or mod-board is being used, not all connections shown in this guide volition exist applicable. Only connect what is shown in the pinout for the item code used or what is labelled on the mod-board solder pads. Ignore all other connections.

Language & Video / Power & Basis

The language and video rate jumper settings on the mainboard are what determine the region of the Sega Mega Drive panel. These jumper settings are easily overridden by cut the connections and so supplying +5V or Grounding in varying ways.

In that location are three different arrangements of jumpers in the Mega Bulldoze. VA0 to VA4 which are horizontal and not sequential, then VA5 which is vertical and sequential from lesser to top, then there is VA6 which is vertical and sequential from top to bottom.

(Epitome OF JUMPERS HERE) (IMAGE OF REGION SETTINGS HERE)

1 – Cut the traces between the ability/ground side and video/language side of the jumpers (cherry-red lines on images).

2 – Solder LAN and VID (Earlier 5V and GND)

iii – Solder 5V and GND.

Mk1 Mega Drive VA4 (IC BD M5 PAL VA4) Active low reset

Mk1 Mega Drive VA5/VA6 (IC BD M5 PAL) Active high reset

Reset Button

For the Movie chip to control the regions of the Mega Bulldoze information technology needs to accept the indicate from the reset button and and so rout information technology accordingly. This is done by cutting the line going from the reset push button and putting the Film bit in this path. The Movie chip will then make up one's mind how the reset button is pressed and so transport out whatever required bespeak. A quick printing of the reset push button will mean the Motion picture chip will transport out a normal reset equally if the reset push line was non cut. If the reset button is held, the PIC chip will send out signals to modify the region and language and not transport out a normal reset bespeak.

i – Cut the reset push button trace on the underside of the motherboard (red line on images).

Mk1 Mega Drive VA4 (IC BD M5 PAL VA4)

Mk1 Mega Drive VA5/VA6 (IC BD M5 PAL)

ii – Solder RB to the reset button pin.

3 – For RL, solder will demand removing from the vias earlier soldering (blue circles in images). Scrape abroad the green solder mask from the small pad to reveal the copper underneath. Solder RL to this. For all-time results apply the tip of a scalpel and view nether magnification. The surface area should be shiny earlier soldering.

Mk1 Mega Bulldoze VA4 (IC BD M5 PAL VA4)

Mk1 Mega Drive VA5/VA6 (IC BD M5 PAL)

Controller Port

Connect C9 and C6 to their corresponding controller port pins.

Controller port pin 6 is A + B
Controller Port pivot 9 is C + Starting time

You tin place the wires through the controller connector from the top side of the mainboard and pull information technology through with some tweezers. This is the cleanest method and much more than preferable to routing the wires around the outer side of the mainboard which tin can result in crushed wires and possible shorting.

CPU Halt (CPU)

Connect the CPU pad to Pin 17 of the CPU.

When this is connected the game volition intermission when Start+A+B+C is held long enough to start cycling through the console's regions. Only connect this if you lot want the game to pause when cycling through the regions.

LED Installation

This is the virtually hard part of a Mega Bulldoze switchless modern install but it is entirely optional. Without information technology though, the region of the Mega Drive volition be difficult to determine.

Two Types of Top Instance LED Fixtures

Removable Bezel and LED

This is the easiest LED to remove because the bezel cover that is holding in the LED tin be unclipped. The LED will and then come straight out.

Fixed Bezel and Sealed in LED

This is more than difficult because the LED will demand cutting out from the underside of the top example. The metallic legs of the LED will be in the way when cutting the hole. One time the hole is big plenty, the LED can be removed.

Removing the Quondam LED

Remove the wires connecting the motherboard to the top cover. Removing from the top cover requires bending the metal legs of the LED upwards and then pulling the plastic connector off. The connection to the motherboard will require desoldering.

Cutting the Hole

Side cutters, a paw drill or an electrical rotary tool tin be used to cut the hole for the new LED. And so a file can be used to shine the edges for a neater advent. Slow and steady is the only way to practise this without making a mess. Start in the center and work outwards and practise not go too deep to avoid cutting into the bezel.

The hole should exist perfectly round and just wide enough then the new LED fits.

Wiring the LED (Deadbug Kits)

Cutting back the LED legs to the lilliputian nodules then solder wires from the Chip to the LED. How you wire the LED is entirely dependent on what type of LED you have.

An example of using Borti4938 code with a mutual cathode LED that has blood-red on the long outer lead and green on the brusque outer lead.

Bit Pin 5 (LO/50) > Resistor > Short outer lead of LED
Bit Pin 6 (LO/60) > Resistor > Long outer lead of LED
Bit Pin 7 (SET LED TYPE) > Ground indicate on lath (COM) > Middle lead of LED.*

*Chip Pivot 7 (Prepare LED TYPE) and the center atomic number 82 of the LED volition demand connecting to a +5V source if using a mutual anode LED.

Oestrus shrink tubing tin exist put over the individual wire solder connections for better appearance and strain relief, so a further larger piece of heat-shrink over all the wires to keep them together. Do not over do this though as the wire needs to exist quite flexible in order to fold under the example peak.

Once the LED and wires are soldered, the LED will need fixing into the example hole. There are a number of means to do this.

Hot Glue - Whilst hot gum will non exist very aesthetic, it is piece of cake to utilise and can be removed with relative ease if the mod always needs changing.

Milliput - This is much more difficult to do well and more permanent. The milliput can be carefully pushed into the hole and round the LED leads to create an well-nigh seamless surface, only it requires 24 hours to set and it is very difficult to do neatly.

Wiring the LED (Consoles Unleashed LED Lath)

Custom PCB mod kits volition come with a pre-wired female JST connector and a split up LED board with pre-wired male JST connector. Whilst this organization was designed to be as easy to install every bit possible, it still require the permanent modification to the tiptop shell of the Mega Drive.

Fixing the LED

i – Place the LED into the hole. Cheque the superlative side of the case to see how far out the LED sits. If it is too far, a piece of tape over the hole on the top will ensure the LED is positioned correctly.

two – Remove backing from the adhesive pads of the LED board.

3 – Place the LED board over the LED and press down firmly. My kits volition come with LEDs that have Red equally the long outer lead. Make certain this long outer lead is placed into L1/L60. Short outer lead will be L2/L50. This will ensure that Red is used for the Northward American region.

4 – Solder the LED in place.

Note that the adhesive pads can be removed and the board can also exist fixed in identify with hotglue. This volition give the LED more than stability, but the adhesive pads will be stiff enough to keep the LED in identify and are easy to supercede if there are any problems, but there may be some movement of the LED. Do not solder the LED whilst the foam tape is compressed in whatever style otherwise the LED will be sunk into the bezel pigsty too much.

Jumpers / Special Pins (J1, J2)

Depending on the board revision or code used, these jumpers & special pins might non be available.

J1 / Pin iv (Borti4938 Code) - Reset On Fashion Change – When set to (+) or a +5V source, changing the region via the reset button or controller will take an instant touch on on the video rate. When gear up to (-) or ground, changing the region via the reset button or the controller volition reset the panel and the new region volition exist set on kick upward.

J2 / Pin 7 (Borti4938 Lawmaking) - Fix LED Blazon – When set to CA or a +5V source, a Common Anode LED should exist used. When set to CC or Ground, a Common Cathode LED should exist used.

Programme Your Own

If y'all desire to make this yourself you lot tin go the codes from the following links.

D'force3000 (D4S)

Official web folio with the download http://www.dforce3000.de/?uid=12
Wayback machine https://web.archive.org/web/20191201071610/http://world wide web.dforce3000.de/?uid=12

Borti4938

Borti4938'due south Mega Drive switchless modern projection page at GitHub https://github.com/borti4938/Switchless_SEGA_MasterSystem_MegaDrive/tree/master/MD_Switchless

johnsonlibing1980.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.consolesunleashed.com/guides/sega-mega-drive-switchless-region-mod-install-guide/