Messages

31

Hardware and Tech / Re: Sega Master System Mystery Issue

« on: January 02, 2014, 09:21:32 pm »

I finally got it to let me play about 7 minutes of Astro Warrior before it went back to the ENJOY!!! screen and I think I'm making some progress. I'm now getting a SOFTWARE ERROR screen every 3rd or 4th try. I still have no idea where to start here, though. I wish it was an obviously blown capacitor or a dead 7805 regulator....

32

General / Re: January 2014 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: January 02, 2014, 08:31:40 pm »

LOL. It's no start. My girlfriend (username ko1ru) and I have been amassing games for a few years now. She's got our entire collection listed on her profile. I only really want to list my Sega goodies under my username.

33

General / Re: January 2014 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: January 02, 2014, 07:30:41 pm »

I decided to make a run back to GoodWill and see if I might have missed anything and walked out again with a Sega Genesis 2, Sega CD, Sega Arcade Power Stick, another Master System controller, a Genesis 6-button controller, several Sega power adapters and Hang-On & Astro Warrior CIB.

2014 is has had the best start I could ever have asked for. 

34

Hardware and Tech / Sega Master System Mystery Issue

« on: January 02, 2014, 04:12:15 pm »

I just picked up a SMS from GoodWill today. It didn't have the RF, A/V or power supply, but I have a spare 9V, 1.2A wall-wart that fits. I have cleaned the hell out of the console and the games, but each time I power on the system, I get the boot screen, then a screen saying

WELCOME TO THE SEGA
MASTER SYSTEM.

TO PLAY, FOLLOW THESE
INSTRUCTIONS:

1. TURN OFF POWER ON POWER BASE.

2. INSERT CARD/CARTRIDGE INTO SYSTEM.

3. TURN POWER BACK ON,AND....
ENJOY!!!

...and I can't get it to read a game. Every few power cycles I get a different error screen, but nearly every time it's the above screen.

I can't find any shorts or open connections on the motherboard and the cart slot seems to grip the cart pretty well.

I can usually find the source of the problem, but this one has me banging my head on my workbench. 

35

General / Re: January 2014 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: January 02, 2014, 04:04:59 pm »

I know.    Now if I can find a power supply for the SMS, I'll be peachy. 

36

General / Re: January 2014 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased

« on: January 02, 2014, 02:35:40 pm »

Just made a run to GoodWill and walked out with a Sega Master System, Sega 32x, Sega Activator, Light Phaser, Sword of Vermilion CIB, Space Harrier CIB, F-117 Night Storm IB and Virtua Fighter for 32x.  I actually had no idea the Activator was that hard to find. 

37

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 31, 2013, 01:05:42 am »

For a second I misread Alestorm...

38

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 19, 2013, 07:30:32 pm »

I was getting into a metal Christmas mood and combing the net for tracks to toss onto a mixtape and thought you all would enjoy this...

39

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 19, 2013, 05:18:32 pm »

I'm going stick out like a sore metal thumb here, but Thou has finally set a release date for their 4th full-length. "Heathen" is set to release on February 25th and if you guys haven't checked them out... you should.

40

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 14, 2013, 12:39:40 am »

...aaaaaaaaand I killed the thread...

41

Hardware and Tech / Re: Building a Dreamcast VGA box vs. Internal VGA mod

« on: December 10, 2013, 03:18:36 pm »

I've seen the Assembler Games thread about the Hanzo. I've already got the chips to build 10 VGA scanliners and an internal mod can be done with a bit of effort and a few dollars in parts.

I was kicking around the idea of attempting to cram scanlining in with the VGA mod, but i haven't had the time to sit down and figure out where i'd stuff it.

I'll definitely post a build thread (I love build threads)

42

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 06, 2013, 10:29:39 pm »

If I had paid attention... I would have noticed that Twisted Metal was on the list. *facepalm*

43

Off Topic / Re: Gamer Metalheads

« on: December 06, 2013, 10:28:15 pm »

Being a big metalhead myself, I have to toss in Demolition Racer: No Exit for the metal list.  I think some of the Twisted Metal series had dominantly "metal" tracks as well.

Aside from the list, I tend to gravitate toward the slow and heavy stuff. I only really care for Black Sabbath's earlier stuff like their "Paranoid" album. I absolutely recommend Pentagram to anyone who enjoys Sabbath, but New Orlean's Thou is my absolute favorite sludge/doom band. I used to be really into grindcore, but I only really pull Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed off the shelves these days. I like some Crust Punk, but it tends to end up sounding the same after a while.

Here's my usual playlist:

Black Cobra (Hardcore-influenced Sludge)
This Runs On Blood (weirdest Hardcore I have ever heard)
Thou (heaviest band in recent years)
EyeHateGod (Sludge masters)
Whores. (these guys are great)
Kowloon Walled City (Sludge and damned good)
SubRosa (Experimental Doom w/ violins)
Batillus (NY Sludge Doom)
Pig Destroyer (Thrashy Grindcore)
Agoraphobic Nosebleed (a Grindcore Drum Machinegun and weird as hell)
Fister (Saint Louis Doom Face-wreckers)
Mammoth Grinder (a strange mix of Grindcore, Hardcore, Sludge, D-beat.... all awesome)
High On Fire (Celtic Frost-tinged Sludge)
The Haunted (Post-Thrash w/ a Death Metal edge)
At The Gates (Death Metal)
The Faceless (Tech Death)
Dismember (Death Metal)

I'll admit that I have a huge soft spot for Radiohead.

YEAH. I SAID IT.

44

Hardware and Tech / Re: Building a Dreamcast VGA box vs. Internal VGA mod

« on: December 04, 2013, 01:21:21 am »

Kinda funny that you mention how cheap they are these days. I just snagged another on ebay for less than $7 before shipping. I just have to muster up the courage to hack my DC.

If only SEGA had kept it alive a bit longer...  Those were the days.

45

Hardware and Tech / Re: Building a Dreamcast VGA box vs. Internal VGA mod

« on: December 04, 2013, 12:30:04 am »

I know I can do the internal VGA for a pittance compared to the cost of the VGA boxes I've seen. Official VGA boxes are outrageously expensive and the knock-offs are very poor imitations. The way I'm looking at this, once I mod the console for VGA out and the console were to die down the road, then I'll only have to mod another console and keep the dead unit as parts. The more I try to get an external solution established, the less I feel it's going to work out. I can't seem to find a DC cable that has all it's pins or isn't otherwise worthless. I enjoy modifying and repair consoles, but I'm very hesitant to do anything to my Dreamcast. I enjoy this thing too much to mess it over.