First steps of MD/MCD Dev...

[Jackhead]

Hi,
i think anyone here knows the new homemade Games like Pier Solar.
Im happy to got some MD/MCD devhardware and like to know where i start first. Of corse, first i ask here for more infos :rolleyes: .
I do not know much about 16bit development. Ok programming in assembler. Did Sega release any kind of sdk for MD/MCD? Any documentation availible?
Have someone an good place where i can read more about. I want to see why MD dev is easyer as snes dev, for example. The 16bit timeline is my favorite within the switch to 32bit.
Will be happy when some Sega guys can help me please.
thanks

[Alchy]

This exact question came up at the nesdev forum recently. Here's the response:

http://darkdust.net/writings/megadrive
http://gendev.spritesmind.net/forum/
http://www.hacking-cult.org/?r/18

[Jackhead]

Thank you, for giving me an startup.
First i want to set up the hardware. I have for MD and MCD an dip switch.
I think its for the region settings, set on NTSC. 8 Pins, 4 and 5 is ON, rest on OFF. Anyone knows the setting for PAL?
here an pic: http://img2.picload.org/image/rrgcdo/mddevfront.jpg many thanks to assembler for the Unit! You see it arrive safety in DE :)
Good i know the german custom guys, they think its an retail MD1 ^^...

[ElBarto]

http://www.megadrive.org

Here is my lib for the sega megadrive.
Some examples are included too.
No tutorial for now.
If you know C language this cool be easy. If not .... :)

And don't use your MD/MCD dev combo, use a standard megadrive and emulators.

[Jackhead]

http://www.megadrive.org
If you know C language this cool be easy. If not .... :)

And don't use your MD/MCD dev combo, use a standard megadrive and emulators.

I do, otherwise i dont ask for.
First love is contact for me with the unit. I do not want go to deap at first time, but is it possible to convert MD games to MDCD format?
The idea behind this is to tests on the unit without emu. But of corse thanks for infos i have to read it.

[ElBarto]

If you want to test on hardware, buy a flashcart.
And no you can't run md games from the mcd (well you can but only <64Kb game).
I don't know the settings for this unit, I have one myself but I don't use it, it's too valuable. Do you have some tools with it ?

[Jackhead]

I have one myself but I don't use it, it's too valuable. Do you have some tools with it ?
Thats the main reason why i post this thread. When not here , where else?
But i looking up to pier solar, awesome work the guys do! Maybe someone of stuff is here?
16bit is awesome :DOH:

[Digital Conservationist]

Genesis/32X/SegaCD Technical Documentation & 32X SDK (http://assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25774) here in the files section.

[TmEE]

I got myself SNASM68K assembler, some Amiga n00b ASM docs, Charles Macdonald's MD docs and started writing...

before going to MCD, you need to have MD mastered

[ElBarto]

Thank you, for giving me an startup.
First i want to set up the hardware. I have for MD and MCD an dip switch.
I think its for the region settings, set on NTSC. 8 Pins, 4 and 5 is ON, rest on OFF. Anyone knows the setting for PAL?
here an pic: http://img2.picload.org/image/rrgcdo/mddevfront.jpg many thanks to assembler for the Unit! You see it arrive safety in DE :)
Good i know the german custom guys, they think its an retail MD1 ^^...

The left dipswitch 4 and 5 control the md region.
Here is my note about it :


DIP1:

1: Unknown
2: Unknown
3: Unknown
4: Off = ENG, On = JAP
5: Off = 60Hz, On = 50Hz
6: Unknown, but when activate before power, no screen
7: Unknown
8: Unknown, but when activate before power, no screen

[Jackhead]

:thumbsup: thanks, so you think the MCD has different settings on the right?

[ElBarto]

I honestly don't know :)

[segaloco]

I betcha they do control the region, since the MD and MCD's regions have to match. I wonder what they used for a BIOS though, probably something like multibios. That just increases my interest in the BIOS =D

[Jackhead]

Thanks for your help. I will figure it out soon as i got my rgb cable.

[ElBarto]

I betcha they do control the region, since the MD and MCD's regions have to match. I wonder what they used for a BIOS though, probably something like multibios. That just increases my interest in the BIOS =D

No the three bios for each region is present.
99% sure that they are retail revision.

[Jackhead]

Hi,
i have an problem to get the MCD running. On the back you can see two power plugs. Both work fine for MD carts. But the MCD show no action.
OK usually an frontloader unit needs two power adaptors.
When i connect two MD1 supplys, the unit buzz noisy.
The question know. Is the upper one for the SCSI peripheral and do i need only one power supply? When yes, how i can run MCDs? The reset button dont pull out the drive.
Anyone have an solution?

http://picload.org/image/rrigwp/mdevstrom.jpg

[ElBarto]

You need both to run the unit.
What do you mean no action ?
Does the bios start ?

[Jackhead]

I use two sega MD1 power supplys. On both sides (MD and MCD) i have glowing power LED. But only the MD shows function.
No Bios comes up. No drive eject. Mayby need an fix ? I have no experience with the MCD1:shrug:

[segaloco]

I use two sega MD1 power supplys. On both sides (MD and MCD) i have glowing power LED. But only the MD shows function.
No Bios comes up. No drive eject. Mayby need an fix ? I have no experience with the MCD1:shrug:
If yours is anything like ElBarto's, it might have an issue that bugged me when he took pictures of the innards of his. Go in a dark room, open it up VERY carefully, take the MD mainboard and debugger boards out, and, I'll betcha there isn't a sticker covering the eprom holding the MCD bios. No clue if it would've been erased by now. Thats how ElBarto's is and I'm hoping that isn't the case with yours. :crying:

[Jackhead]

Opening up this pice of hardware is very hard. Most powerplugs are very fragile. And the screws are into plastic spacer :banghead:. But i will try it.
When i did it, i post HiRes shots from the PCBs.

[raylyd]

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6340/boflrswbmkkgrhqihc4eu3g.jpg

i will be have one soon sold to me AS SPARES OR REPAIRS
the guy has offered other one to me i dont know what to do

[Jackhead]

I finaly disassembled my unit. I make detailed pics for all of you. Hope you enjoy it. On the MCD controller pcb you can see an us-cdrom sticker. So what do you think whats wrong with the drive?
Its an KSS-240A drive. Can i replace it?
I like to get the cd-drive working... Hope you guys can help me.
Here the pics i made for you :thumbsup:

http://picload.org/image/rcowpi/p1010723.jpg

http://picload.org/image/rcowpp/p1010724.jpg

http://picload.org/image/rcowwg/p1010725.jpg

http://picload.org/image/rcowwr/p1010726.jpg

http://picload.org/image/rcowwa/p1010727.jpg

http://picload.org/image/rcowwl/p1010729.jpg

[raylyd]

hi guys got mine today i have black and white on pal 50hz 60hz is colour
and i did have to change a fuse i did make the room dark just in case i erased any chips but i broken the pins on the mega drive part socket ordered new ones on ebay i will do a you tube video soon as i get a chance i have been busy today spend all day today on it i need a brake
i put a new drive belt on my cd rom drive
jackhead i can sort your drive out for £12 i will change the laser and drive belt
i have done my own and i will guarantee you it will work pm me and let me know

[Jackhead]

well £12 is not the problem. I re your PM. Tell me what you need for fix.
And maybe you tell more about the problem, i like to know..
I love to see the unit running. Well i try to connect the fan on the MD pcb. I got only an small support. Fan is running but very slow... :banghead:

[raylyd]

do you get the bios screen

[raylyd]

other wise just send the hole unit and i will have a look and sort it out
as i do have some broken mega cds bits around in my bedroom

[ASSEMbler]

Get a retail unit and swap the drive.

FYI some dev models will only power up and eject if you have a cart in the slot.

You should then get the bootup.

[Jackhead]

I never got an bios screen. The Unit allways boot on MD side with an cart. Without an cart nothing happens... I try different settings and constelations.
I wonder that the light for the EMU/Drive button is very low :shrug:.

[raylyd]

checked a fuse if not could be a ribbion cable i know its a nightmare to remove them
like i said i could try the bios from mine unit if you want me to and if i get it working if you want me to change the battery and laser and anything else let me know
it will be fixable even i if i am all day find this fault

[ElBarto]

@raylyd or Assembler: can you give me the dip switch setting for booting another region for the mcd please ?

BTW I have scanned my board http://www.megadrive.org/~elbarto/mcd_dev/

[raylyd]

jackhead got my bios screen now let me know if you want me to fix it for you just pm me

[raylyd]

update youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO6ry9kUKIs of it working to show that i got it working i did have to change all the caps on the mcd side

[raylyd]

EIBARTO I CANT CHANGE THE REGION ON MY MCD PART I THINK SOMEONE HAS JUST PUT A JAP BIOS INSIDE HERES THE SEGA MPR-14088H-T LET ME KNOW IF THIS WHAT RETAIL CONSOLE ITS FROM I AM GETTING THE OTHE UNIT SOON AS NEXT WEEK I WILL SEE IF THAT HAS THE RIGHT BIOS SO I CAN GET A HEX/BIN TO FLASH A BLANK EPRROM SO I HAVE TWO WORKING UNITS WITH SWICHABLE BIOSES

[ElBarto]

If the rom on the mcd pcb have a MPR-XXXXX serial then yes it is a retail bios.
I don't have jap mcd so I can't tell you which revision it was but you can test all the current dumped roms in a emulator and see which one is the same. (You have the revision at the boot screen on the top).

[raylyd]

yes version 1.00 should it not have a retail bios i had the other unit today fix it was same fault as othe unit caps and fuse has japan bios 1.00 the drive had to changed due a broken plastic unitl i find a way of fixing it any way i thought this console was region free uk us jap
they must have changed the bios chips to retail and the mega drive runs at 10MHZ not 8MHZ that could be other prob if it dont boot other than that i will have to wait to find some software to reflash the unit and hope to find some kind of instructions
and one has a fan but dont work at all i will need a repalcement asap it uses 12v fan
one of my unts did not have a fan but i will add one i will be putting more pictures up soon

[Jackhead]

My Unit is on the way to you. Hope you can fix it. I dont have replacement parts for fixing my problem(s). Thanks alot!

[raylyd]

ok cheers mate will pm you soon as i get the unit and how its going and i will tell you if i get it to boot

[raylyd]

hi done the unit now its back to its fomer glory now i have pm you

[Jackhead]

Im hopeful waiting for the unit. Many thanks to raylyd. He did an very good job! :thumbsup:

[raylyd]

jackhead has got the unit and he likes what i done if any one needs me let me know
i can do a service for most segas most of the time there are repairable
if not i will solve it no problem to big or small

[Jackhead]

jackhead has got the unit and he likes what i done if any one needs me let me know
i can do a service for most segas most of the time there are repairable
if not i will solve it no problem to big or small

Awesome work from raylyd! He fix my broken cd drive and repair/replace many components. Let me know when i can do you an favor too.
:clap:

[ElBarto]

Just dumped the bios and the 4 prom on the Cross Product board.
You can find the dumps here : http://www.megadrive.org/~elbarto/mcd_dev/.

My bios is the 1.10 USA one (already dumped but with shadowed vector).
I suppose that the 4 prom are the main-cpu/sub-cpu program which are normally on the cd.
Maybe when you boot it with the cable and software the board act like a cdrom and load those program.

@raylyd : do you have an prom reader so we can compare version ?

EDIT: also dumped the GAL and PAL

[raylyd]

a mate of mine dumped it for me i can post it if you want i did try it on kega will not work

[ElBarto]

Yes please.
Did he dump the prom on the cross product pcb ?

[raylyd]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MGT21S05
my version is v1.00

[ElBarto]

Thanks, the v1.00 USA wasn't dumped :)

[Jackhead]

is it the bios of my unit?

[raylyd]

yeh thanks to my mate of mine that helped me out