7800 Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 The Sega SG-1000 and the SG-1000 II were early Japanese game systems that were essentially the precursors to the Sega Mark III, which was an early version of the Sega Master System. There are a handful of games for the SG-1000. What are your thoughts of it and do you like the system enough to actually own one?? If so, would you like to see a widely available SD cart be made for it at some point?? Did you know that the SG-1000 board is almost an exact clone of the Colecovision?? Extensive info about the SG-1000 can be found here... https://segaretro.org/SG-1000 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) I almost bought one that I found recently, but then I realized that I have no games for it, I'd need the Card Catcher, and there is no point since I could just buy a Master System instead and use that, especially since I wouldn't need the Card Catcher, it has native RGB, and because I have the HD Retrovision cable for it. SG-1000 Choplifter is excellent and everyone needs to play it. Edited January 10, 2021 by Steven Pendleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogerpoco Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 I guess I can't yet add to the discussion, but I did add the SG-1000 stuff to my SMS flashcart just last night, and planned on giving it a look today, I SWEAR, pretty neat for this topic to show up this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 Something worth noting is that when you play SG-1000 roms via an Everdrive on a SMS, the color palate is wrong for all SG-1000 games. The colors are actually darker than they should be and it can be very distracting during game play on some games. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogerpoco Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 47 minutes ago, 7800 said: Something worth noting is that when you play SG-1000 roms via an Everdrive on a SMS, the color palate is wrong for all SG-1000 games. The colors are actually darker than they should be and it can be very distracting during game play on some games. I noticed that, and was wondering whether to try to adjust my TV, good to know! The little I've done so far, it's pretty amusing, Star Force, tho not my kind of game, seems very "good" for the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 (edited) Yes, the Mark III and Master System don't have the TMS9918A that the SG-1000 does so its colors are off compared to the SG-1000. Mega Sg has the option to toggle between them, though. Edited January 10, 2021 by Steven Pendleton 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 I've read several times that this machine was exported to Europe, and aside from one or two testimonies (but none as direct owner, more akin to "I remember seeing it in magazines") never found any proof, not as single ad or anything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 While it isn't SD card based, it should be noted that a traditional multicart already exists: http://www.sc3000-multicart.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogerpoco Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 4 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said: Yes, the Mark III and Master System don't have the TMS9918A that the SG-1000 does so its colors are off compared to the SG-1000. Mega Sg has the option to toggle between them, though. Well(and I guess I could just check...). I can also play SMS on Genesis, via flashcart, pretty certain it would play SG-1000 games as well-does the Genesis/Megadrive have the "proper" color palate for the SG-1000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 IIRC the video display processor on the Genesis straight out lacks some of the video modes from the 9918/9928/9929 so games trying to shift to those text based modes won't display at all. The majority of true SMS games operate in bitmapped mode if I understood correctly, which is why they're playable on the Genesis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 5 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said: Yes, the Mark III and Master System don't have the TMS9918A that the SG-1000 does so its colors are off compared to the SG-1000. Mega Sg has the option to toggle between them, though. I just spent the past hour trying to figure out how to adjust the VPN pallet settings on the Mega SG... no luck. Any idea on how to do it? I have the latest firmware for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 1 hour ago, carlsson said: While it isn't SD card based, it should be noted that a traditional multicart already exists: http://www.sc3000-multicart.com/ Yes, but the person who makes this does not respond to emails... AND he will not include any game roms, one would have to know how or know somebody who can flash eproms... so, not exactly a "widely available" option. If he made it an SD cart and had communication skills... I'd definitely have one already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 10, 2021 Author Share Posted January 10, 2021 58 minutes ago, Rogerpoco said: Well(and I guess I could just check...). I can also play SMS on Genesis, via flashcart, pretty certain it would play SG-1000 games as well-does the Genesis/Megadrive have the "proper" color palate for the SG-1000? No, the only way to get the correct color pallet is to play the games on an actual SG-1000, clone system, or emulated... and apparently on the Mega SG if the color palette settings are changed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Yeah, I saw that the existing solution is quite some DIY requiring that the buyer has an EPROM programmer at hand. Regarding not including copyrighted ROMs, apparently it is to stay out of any form of legal issues but then again I suppose the tape library actually included is in some form of public domain or at least without a clear IP rights holder. Same probably goes for any memory card based solution you would come up with, offering the cartridge on its own and let people finding the content to put into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Pendleton Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 4 hours ago, Rogerpoco said: Well(and I guess I could just check...). I can also play SMS on Genesis, via flashcart, pretty certain it would play SG-1000 games as well-does the Genesis/Megadrive have the "proper" color palate for the SG-1000? Genesis/MD can't play SG-1000 games, as it lacks something to do so. This is why F-16 Fighting Falcon doesn't work on it, as it needs something from the SG-1000 that the Genesis/MD lacks. 3 hours ago, 7800 said: I just spent the past hour trying to figure out how to adjust the VPN pallet settings on the Mega SG... no luck. Any idea on how to do it? I have the latest firmware for it. Start SG-1000/Mark III/Master System game -> settings -> video -> extra features -> original TMS9918A palette 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Palettes/comparison are here: https://www.smspower.org/Development/Palette The Genesis/MD VPD removed all TMS9918 modes and only kept the SMS advanced modes. The SMS had both modes obviously but with a different (generally darker) palette, playing Sega Galaga (SG-1000) on an SMS is frustrating due to dark blue enemy bullets on black background. I do not own an SG-1000 but I do own 3 SMS (an US, a JP and an EU MD-II with VDP2) which I believe can all be simulated by the MegaSg. There aren't very many games for SG-1000 so it's not exactly that you're missing out on a lot to begin with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sixersfan105 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 16 hours ago, 7800 said: Did you know that the SG-1000 board is almost an exact clone of the Colecovision?? Yep, which is why Telegames sold a system in the US that was a two-in-one ColecoVision and SG-1000 clone called the Telegames Personal Arcade (known as the Dina in other markets). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbd30 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 I've never noticed the SG-1000 controllers before. They remind me of a more compact version of the Atari 7800 ProLines. They must kill your hand after awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 18 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said: Start SG-1000/Mark III/Master System game -> settings -> video -> extra features -> original TMS9918A palette Thanks. The Mega SG is proving to be a remarkable system... especially when coupled with a Mega SD. Sega CD, Megadrive, SMS, SG-1000 all in one and in HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7800 Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 5 hours ago, mbd30 said: I've never noticed the SG-1000 controllers before. They remind me of a more compact version of the Atari 7800 ProLines. They must kill your hand after awhile. I never played the original SG-1000, but I have a SG-1000 II. I heard the original joysticks seen in the picture absolutely suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassGuitari Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 On 1/11/2021 at 12:41 AM, sixersfan105 said: Yep, which is why Telegames sold a system in the US that was a two-in-one ColecoVision and SG-1000 clone called the Telegames Personal Arcade (known as the Dina in other markets). It was known as the DINA in the U.S., too. ? I have one and really like it. I have a few SG-1000 cartridges for it and I think they're pretty cool. (N-Sub is a great arcade shooter!) The DINA is usually considered a Colecovision clone first and foremost--likely owing to Telegames marketing it as such--but it's really more of an SG-1000 clone with Coleco functionality tacked on, which makes sense considering its Taiwanese origin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Isn't the Colecovision just an SG-1000-ish? I'd like to hear the actual dev story of the CV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 I've read many different stories on how the ColecoVision hardware came to, including reference designs from TI supplying the VDP and PSG, various East Asian development houses and that Coleco themselves independently combined the three magic chips. The TI-99/4A (note the A) was released to customers in June 1981 and it had the new VDP with bitmap support. I like to think that sometime around then TI decided to convert their custom chipset into an off-the-shelf one, offering it to competitors after having been exclusive to TI for 1.5 years. The SG-1000 was launched about 8-9 months after the ColecoVision so while they share key parts, if anything Sega imitated them. However we must not forget things like the Sord M5 computer which was released in Japan in late 1982, just after the ColecoVision, and for that matter the Spectravideo SVI-318/328 computers released in early 1983 and which made the basis for the MSX hardware standard. That said, if Sega had wanted they most probably could have made both a MSX console and home computer, and supplied a few more of their games to that system. To put it briefly, most probably there was a scurry of events happening around 1982-83, and if TI indeed were having deals on chipset combos and offered reference designs, many different manufacturers could develop their own systems using the same bits and pieces. After all there are small differences in how these operate regarding interrupt signals, memory maps etc so it is not like they're perfect clones of eachother. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatPix Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 We can add that in 1983 Sega released the SC-3000, which is an upgraded SG 1000 with a keyboard, more RAM and an upgraded video chip, making it a mini-computer. (and the basis for the future Master System) It's not unlikely that, as with other systems of the era, Sega might have planned to have an ecosystem of console, computer (and arcade?) based on the same chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jgkspsx Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 I really like Girl's Garden, the first game by Yuji Naka of Sonic the Hedgehog, NiGHTS, and Burning Rangers fame: Having not played the Coleco version of Zaxxon, I don't know if that plays better, but the SG-1000 has really catchy music despite choppier scrolling. It's my favorite console port that I've played. The library is slim, but it has some real gems. This is a pretty good overview: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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