Anyone have experience with fixing a Sega Master System?

[jobocan]

I found a Sega Master System for cheap, but the seller says it's not working (though he doesn't give any info as to what may be wrong with it/what happens when he tries starting it up). Do you think it would be hard/expensive to fix? Do you know what problems a Master System would commonly get? Or should I just wait until I can find one that works?

[dccloth]

Super cheap it is most likely a fusible resistor same as on the Sega CD. You can bypass it to test it and make sure there aren't anymore problems then put a replaceable fuse on the board later. Only takes like 5 min to replace.

[pceslayer]

How cheap? A SMS shouldn't run you more than $20 - $30 in the first place.

I say skip it unless you can get more info.

[jobocan]

He's asking 15$. It includes Great Baseball, Hang-on/Safari Hunt and Super Tennis, and he also includes a Megadrive with no wires (not sure if it's a japanese or european megadrive though).
The only point where I'm not sure is the whole "the SMS doesn't work" part.

[dccloth]

like $0.05 worth of materials and a bit of Yankee ingenuity.  

[dccloth]

I sell a lot of game systems online and I sell the SMS for $69.99 with two controllers the phaser and Hang-on/Safari Hunt. $15 is a good deal in my opinion, I'd buy it. Plus you get the chance to learn how something works which is priceless.  

[matt]

$15 isn't bad for the lot and like @dccloth said it won't take much to fix it. Even if you aren't comfortable with the process you'll learn a bit and won't be out a lot of $ if you monkey it up.

[pceslayer]

for $15 go for it

[dccloth]

If you need any help let me know.

[jobocan]

Yeah, if the guy responds to my email... I hate it when people don't answer to replies on kijiji ads >_>

[jobocan]

There, got it.

It's weird, it doesn't work, but, when I press the power button, it has a slight effect on the screen... Anyways, I'll be opening it up in a couple days and see if it's truly the 7805 IC thingy I read about is what needs to be replaced.

Also, is there any way to know if a megadrive is japanese or european (beyond trying to play japanese or european games, which I don't have)? Not too sure just by looking at it.

*EDIT*
I opened it up, and I'm pretty sure it's the 7805 IC that's broken... on the board's underside, there's some sort of brown gunk-ish stuff, while the rest is clean (dusty, but clean ). Now to find a replacement 7805 IC thingy that doesn't cost 20$ to ship to me and figure out how to remove the current one and replace it and it should be a quick fix. That and finding a way to unscrew the small metallic plate that seems to be holding the 7805 IC in place.

[dccloth]

If you are seeing an effect on the screen then it for sure is the resistor. As far as import vs. non goes I've never seen a European system. I do know however that the master system was not region locked between US and Europe just like the very first genesis wasn't so that wouldn't tell you much. If I remember the Japanese Master System carts where based on the SG-1000 I believe it was called so a Jap cart won't fit in an American or European system. I also remember the Master system was called the mk-III and looked like this http://www.eidolons-inn.net/segabase/HW-SG1000Mark3%28J%29.gif. I love these because they are extremely Japanese looking.

[dccloth]

http://www.eidolons-inn.net/segabase/HW-SG1000Mark3(J).gif

[jobocan]

I meant the megadrive (AKA Genesis in the US), not the master system, I know what the SG-1000 looked like

[dccloth]

Oh whoops a megadrive has red and blue buttons on the system not all black like the US. Btw the pic was of a sega MKIII not a sg-1000. Here is a 7805 IC that is a hair over $8 shipped http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&pa=51262&productId=51262&keyCode=WSF&CID=GMC. It should just come off with a soldering iron and some wick. If you have a local electronics store you should be able to get one from them for less than $1 assuming they have it in stock they should though it is fairly common.